Mercenaries in the Rebellion

[jalberti]

It seems to me in reading Traveller material that mercenary units are more common in the frontier sectors than in the interiors ones. With the coming of the Rebellion, would mercenary units be more common in the interior sectors (Gushemege, Dagudashaag, Zarushagar, Core, etc)? Also, how do you think the factons would use them? Would they be be sparingly used as experienced specialist troops or would they be thrown into the meatgrinder like regular units and for the most part be wiped out by the time of Hard Times?

Star mercs are mentioned in a few MegaTraveller works, but not as much about the ground pounder merc units. Some small mention in the Rebellion sourcebook, but not much else.

I am interested in discussing the use of ground mercenaries and the type of tickets the Rebellion would bring out.

Joe

 

[Peter Schutze]

wow thats a lot to cover

My take on it is that large Merc units (more than a platoon) would have been less common in the settled worlds than the frontiers simply because of the different opportunities .... less warfighting and more commercially inspired raid or gaurd duty type stuff

the rebellion would probably bring a massive increase in all types of merc work as law-and-order break down .... which would also lead to more mercs being available from remnants of destroyed government units etc

How they are used depends a lot on their employer .... a TL13 grav tank platoon is far more "treasured" to a TL9 world which would probably keep them close at hand as a praetorian guard than a TL15 one would.

One thing you havent meantioned is the loyalty factor. Early in the rebellion you would expect mercs built from remnants to have fairly strong biases whereas later survival would be about the only thing that matters.

 

[Starviking]

wow thats a lot to cover

My take on it is that large Merc units (more than a platoon) would have been less common in the settled worlds than the frontiers simply because of the different opportunities .... less warfighting and more commercially inspired raid or gaurd duty type stuff

I'd also add that the nature of Merc units in the settled sectors might be different: escorts and covert strikes being the thing rather than planetary battles. I'd think that they'd be more used by corporations and megacorps (though the megacorps might favour their own units).

That said - the settled sectors are usually not too far away from a frontier. Once things start getting dangerous (i.e. unprofitable) on the frontiers many mercs could move into the formerly safe core sectors and offer their services. I can't see them agreeing to be used as canon fodder.

There's examples of Mercs in Hard Times and Assignment:Vigilante

 

[mbrinkhues]

Try to chase down Assignment:Vigilanty or Hard Times. They give a lot of details on Mercs/StarMercs in the late Rebellion (Post 1125, in the Black war era)

 

[mike wightman]

Mercs in CT operate in the frontier regions such as the SM, so in the early years of the rebellion I would expect a lot of them to suddenly find themselves with lots of government backed tickets to augment local Imperial forces.

Most merc units wouldn't stand a snowball's in hell against regular Imperial TL15 forces so in the main battle area I wouldn't expect to see much of them.

Fast forward to the hard times era and the age of the starmerc has truly arrived, a lot of the units probably having gained experience as regular Imperial forces during the early years of the rebellion.

 

[kafka47]

My take in the Rebellion era is that Mercs would be cheap and plentiful thus making jobs scarce and underfunded. As the factions use the draft to fight their fellow Imperials, it also causes alot of desertions. This would also lead to more more Mercs. The most common job would be provide security and training.

I would also see the factions and megacorps using Mercs in more Black War stuff until the full onslaught of Hard Times. Tickets would also be more lenant regarding the Imperial Code of War...making WMD not legal but permissible.

I could also see Hammer's Slammer's being a good model for the Rebellion era in the Wilds.

 

[Swiftbrook]

I would also see (snip) megacorps using Mercs in more Black War stuff until the full onslaught of Hard Times.

I just don't see megacorps wanting anything to do with actual Black War stuff. The Megacorps don't want to ruffle anyones feathers and become the target during the Black Wars. They're losing their trade routes, facilities and ships at a huge rate so protection is the name of the game. They wont risk the small security forces that they have - that are costly to keep armed at TL 14/15 - on a strike. The factions might, just might avoid attacking megacorporation assets to help keep some economy rolling. The megacorporations mercs/starmercs would probably be used to protect their assets from independent pirates.

I like the Assignment Vigilante model. Mercs work part/full time protecting specific worlds and trade routes. Earning enough to survive and keep their gear in working order. A merc unit would take a strike/black war ticket only as a last resort to 'pay the bills'. They're just too risky -- the gain vs. loss idea.

-Swiftbrook

 

[jalberti]

I have copies of Hard Times and Assignment Vigilante. Both go into detail on star mercs. I am more looking at groung based (army) mercenaries.

Good point about regular forces equipped at TL 15. Merc units would rarely want to tanlge with them. Too much risk. Probably striker mission would be less common, than commando raids, cadre tickets, and security tickets. I could even see counter insurgency tickets as common. With regular forces off figting in the battlefields of the Rebellion, the governments back home would need experienced troops to protect critical installations and to run counter insurgency operations. As the Rebellion got worse, I can see the populace growing more discontented and the grow of insurgency against the established govenrments to "get out of the war," " lower the taxes," "stop a growth of governemnt control of aspects of peoples lives," and general insurgencies caused by opposing factions of the Rebellion. I can see the governments of high populations world stressed to control their populace and the conflicting influneces and efforts of the factions to control them.

I think corporations would use mercenaries agains teach other more often, because the likelyhood of Imperial intervention would be less. I agree that they would stay away from Black Wars ops. Too much risk to profit and would lead to an escalation of retaliation amongst corporations.

 

[kafka47]

Thing about Megacorps is that they too were divided by factions. They would also want to use the chaos of the Rebellion to edge out competitors. Remember, despite all the Imperial Family connections MegaCorps in the Traveller Universe are pretty self-centred and look out only for establishing greater share. Now, with the different MegaCorps aligned to different Imperial factions, this allows Trade War to get much dirtier than it had in the past.

So, yes, while the decline in markets might cause some to go defensive, there is more General Manager who would see the Rebellion as a boon for business and eliminating rivals. And, what better use of the "plausible deniability" clause than hiring Mercs.

 

[Major B]

Thing about Megacorps is that they too were divided by factions.

Especially so for MTU as I follow Bill's "Wounded Colussus" model rather than the "Shattered Imperium" model of the MT-era OTU.

So, yes, while the decline in markets might cause some to go defensive, there is more General Manager who would see the Rebellion as a boon for business and eliminating rivals. And, what better use of the "plausible deniability" clause than hiring Mercs.

Agreed. The evolutionary developments for MTU (and with more exceptions for the OTU a-la "Shattered Imperium" will differ on a world-by-world basis. This is good as it leaves lots of room for referees to tailor campaigns to suit his and the players' desires. Some worlds may devolve into a situation like Hubbard's Final Blackout where the merc force is driven by the same motivations at those in "Assignment Vigilante" but others may follow the course of the regular US Army formations of "Twilight 2000" in carving out cantonments where they are lord and master. IMTU, as the rebellion runs toward a restoration of the Imperium, each of these will have to be resolved in due course, each to be role-played as appropriate.

 

[Swiftbrook]

OK, I've read through the thread and everyone has valid points. And I think that they all can be true. No this is not a cop-out. It's just remembering about the size of MEGACORPS. There can't be a central control with a megacorp, only underlying principals. Subsector administrators have the most power. They know what's going on in their corner of the galaxy. Also, as the rebellion wears on, and losses mount for factions and megacorps alike, their response will change.

Before I get too long and boring, basically at any given location, for any given megacorp, for any given situation, you can justify and create a good reasoning for any merc involvement.

Megacorp A is pulling out of subsector X. Megacorp B sees an opportunity to make a quick grab at ....... Megacorp A has mercs for security (part of the ticket is transporting the mercs and their families to a safe area) while megacorp B has a merc unit strike and aquire ....

etc.

(just took 2d6 sleeping (nonleathal) damage from a double yawn attack.)

-Swiftbrook

 

[kafka47]

Also, if MegaCorp A is pulling out (just like the Vilani or Turkea did) by retreating to their Safes. GM of MegaCorp A decides to seize the assets (ie Capital Stock or just plain old fashioned money) by creating Sub A and registering it in the Extents, in turn creating a Shell Company called MegaCorp AA paying off some corrupt government (and let us face in Traveller there are many ways to bribe a government including jobs rentention). AA hires Merc Company Bravo to attack and liquidate MegaCorp A through attrition of assets. Meanwhile, GM reports, a sudden rise in piracy and banditry (undoubtedly due to the chaos of the Rebellion) appeals to the Insurance Underwriters to write it off and becomes a venerable Merchant Prince, on a particular Trade Route, Subsector, etc.