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CRMcNeill
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 Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 12:39 pm Post subject: Mercenary Campaign |
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I've been reading Hammer's Slammers again, which is a great depiction of mercenary operations in a sci-fi setting. I especially like the background of having a neutral Bonding Authority that holds the mercenaries' pay in escrow for the client contingent on the mercenary company's performance of their contractual obligations. IMO, a chaotic universe like the SWU would have something similar, for a variety of reasons.
Have any of you ever run a mercenary campaign? There is plenty of mention of mercenary units in the EU, but mostly indirectly, as NPCs or minor characters in novels. Rules of Engagement would be a great source for a mercenary campaign, as would Pirates and Privateers, since its reasonable to assume that mercenaries could also engage in starfighter or capital ship combat if properly equipped (it'd make a great excuse to bring Clone Wars era tech into a Classic Era campaign).
Thoughts and opinions?
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Bren
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| Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 1:12 pm Post subject: |
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| I think a non-governmental Bonding Authority (BA) for organized mercenaries fits in perfectly with Trade Federations, Banking Clans, and Bounty Hunter organizations. As I recall, the BA served several purposes, including (1) escrow of funds - this helped assure that both mercenary and employer fulfilled the terms of their bargain, (2) providing a means, via escrowed funds, of assuring mercenaries had a ride off planet at the end of their contract - this prevented mercenaries from being stranded or trapped on a planet if their employer went bust and also prevented a planet from being stuck with a bunch of unemployed mercenaries. |
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CRMcNeill
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| Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 1:21 pm Post subject: |
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It also was the intermediary by which the PMCs acquired their hardware and weaponry, although PMCs would not have the same access to state-of-the-art weapon systems in the SWU as they would in the Hammerverse.
EDIT: I could also see PMCs who took Imperial contracts insisting that their pay be held by a Bonding Authority.
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"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.
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Bren
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| Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 3:01 pm Post subject: |
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I would think Mercenary Companies would like their pay held by a Bonding Authority no matter who was the employer. Not getting paid is always a risk. With the Empire, they have the money, but they may want to eliminate you rather than pay you for political reasons. Other employers may not have the money to pay you, or if you lose the war, the employer himself may no longer exist. So escrowed funds provide a measure of insurance to the mercs and a Bonding Authority as a third party who is aware of the details of the arrangement may prevent someone from trying to eliminate the mercs afterwards, since the BA can still get the story out.
I'm not sure why you see the mercs as not being able to buy good equipment though. The manufacturers probably love mercs since they pay cash (possibly via the Bonding Authority) and the manufacturer doesn't have to give the mercs the Imperial bulk-rate, lowest bidder price
The Bonding Authority may also act as either an intermediary to the banks or as a lien holder on loans for expensive equipment. Some mercs probably can't afford to pay cash for big ticket items, so instead they take out loans - with payment schedules that factor in the associated risk. |
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CRMcNeill
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| Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 3:52 pm Post subject: |
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| Bren wrote: | | I would think Mercenary Companies would like their pay held by a Bonding Authority no matter who was the employer. Not getting paid is always a risk. With the Empire, they have the money, but they may want to eliminate you rather than pay you for political reasons. Other employers may not have the money to pay you, or if you lose the war, the employer himself may no longer exist. So escrowed funds provide a measure of insurance to the mercs and a Bonding Authority as a third party who is aware of the details of the arrangement may prevent someone from trying to eliminate the mercs afterwards, since the BA can still get the story out. |
I agree. In fact, individual clients might be given a rating for reliability by the Bonding Authority that affects the PMC's contractual obligations, and a client that deals treacherously with its mercenary hirelings may find it difficult or impossible to make subsequent deals. Depending on the influence of the Bonding Authority in other economic and financial areas, they could make life extremely difficult for a recalcitrant client (as happened in the Hammerverse).
| Quote: | | I'm not sure why you see the mercs as not being able to buy good equipment though. The manufacturers probably love mercs since they pay cash (possibly via the Bonding Authority) and the manufacturer doesn't have to give the mercs the Imperial bulk-rate, lowest bidder price. |
I think that would be true in a relatively decentralized political environment like the one presented in the Hammerverse, but that is not the case in the SWU. A strong, authoritarian central government like the Empire would be unlikely to approve of state-of-the-art military equipment and personnel that were not under its direct control. As such, the Imperial military would get the good stuff (especially for the high-end gear like vehicles, artillery, starfighters and the like), while the regional militariess and PMCs would get the second-rate surplus stuff that the Empire isn't using any more. Things might change once the Empire falls, however.
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Bren
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| Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 4:43 pm Post subject: |
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| crmcneill wrote: | | Quote: | | I'm not sure why you see the mercs as not being able to buy good equipment though. The manufacturers probably love mercs since they pay cash (possibly via the Bonding Authority) and the manufacturer doesn't have to give the mercs the Imperial bulk-rate, lowest bidder price. |
I think that would be true in a relatively decentralized political environment like the one presented in the Hammerverse, but that is not the case in the SWU. A strong, authoritarian central government like the Empire would be unlikely to approve of state-of-the-art military equipment and personnel that were not under its direct control. |
That's a fair point.
Historically, mercenaries tend to proliferate when the central authority is insufficient to do the job without the use of mercs. If the government is strong and authoritarian it would seem likely that it wouldn't allow the formation and operation of Mercenary Companies inside it's borders at all. But that limits the mercs to operating outside the Empire - which may not suit your idea. If the mercs only operate outside the Empire - like in Hutt Space, the Corporate Sector, and other fringe states and unclaimed regions - one could argue that the Empire wouldn't (or couldn't) prevent the mercs from buying state-of-the-art weapons. Possibly with various independent worlds providing convenient end use permits. The Frederick Forsyth novel The Dogs of War (1974) discussed how the mercs used end use permits and such to purchase weapons and equipment (some state-of-the-art and some WWII leftovers) for use in Africa.
Even if the mercs operate inside the Empire, there could be some approval that is necessary to allow a government to employ mercenaries. As long as the Mercenary Company only takes approved contracts they don't pose a threat to the Empire and I could see them being allowed to acquire modern equipment. This would be similar to the Bounty Hunting license that appears to allow bounty hunters to acquire and carry equipment that is as good or better than Imperial military issue.
In addition, some of the manufactuers are in Hutt Space or the Corporate Sector and hence are outside of direct Imperial control. The Empire could not directly prevent sale from these locations.
From a precedents standpoint - in the pre-Imperial period it is clear that the Trade Federation, Banking Clans, and others have huge private armies that appear to engage in military actions like blockades within the borders of the Republic. Maybe that continues after the creation of the Empire. From a historical perspective - a number of companies in the US had (and some still have) their own private security forces who are sometimes quite well armed. The Pinkerton Agency was in some senses a mercenary military used by railroads and others for various anti-theft and anit-strike actions. And De Beers in South Africa at one time had a quite extensive police or military force and some pretty aggressive corporate policies.
But, if you prefer old, used equipment that could be made to work as well. I think the more important question is who employs the mercs, where do they work, and what are they hired to do?
* I take significant to mean regiment sized for ground units or possessing more than one or two capital scale warships or being squadron or larger in size for starfighters. |
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garhkal
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| Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 5:46 pm Post subject: |
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I have had a blast Gming two Merc focused campaigns. Gave the players a chance to be a little evil for once (Took out rebel cells) without going full bore imperial.
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Fallon Kell
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| Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 8:09 pm Post subject: |
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My current campaign (Pirates of Wildspace) has involved as much mercenary work as true piracy and privateering so far. It's awful fun.
Sometimes my player's employers have spent all their money before they paid him, so he has to come up with an "alternate revenue stream" to quote the Leverage TV series.
On his first mission, his captain was paid 20,000 credits instead of the agreed upon price of several hundred thousand. The rest of the money had been spent on a new line of space superiority fighters. The best yet seen in Wildspace. The pirate crew ended up buying a nuclear warhead (an adumari "broadcap" bomb) and then pirating a freighter belonging to their former employers. They made sure to allow the freighter's crew to send a distress signal, and then quickly hid the bomb aboard the freighter. The fighters showed up and "rescued" the freighter and took it back to base, where it blew up behind the planetary defenses. Then they sold off what cargo they had taken, and claimed a bounty on the destruction of the fighter squadron that had been posted by an enemy power.
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CRMcNeill
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| Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2011 12:52 am Post subject: |
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| Bren wrote: | | I think the more important question is who employs the mercs, where do they work, and what are they hired to do? |
And that is completely wide open. I know one of the Adventure Journals has an article about notable military units, including several merc units (particularly the Coynite mercenary corps). I doubt that the major corporations that participated in the Separatist movement are still intact, but that doesn't mean that other corporations don't exist. Planetary governments could hire mercenaries to put down rebellions, or rebels could hire mercs to enhance the effectiveness of their own military forces. Merc groups equipped with naval forces could even sign on with local governments as privateers. They might even have Observers, like Alliance military, but the Observers would be from either the merc's employers or from the Bonding Authority.
The possibilities are endless.
| Quote: | | I take significant to mean regiment sized for ground units or possessing more than one or two capital scale warships or being squadron or larger in size for starfighters. |
Sounds good to me.
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"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.
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Whill
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| Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2011 2:09 am Post subject: |
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| crmcneill wrote: | ...great depiction of mercenary operations in a sci-fi setting...
Have any of you ever run a mercenary campaign? There is plenty of mention of mercenary units in the EU, but mostly indirectly, as NPCs or minor characters in novels. Rules of Engagement would be a great source for a mercenary campaign, as would Pirates and Privateers, since its reasonable to assume that mercenaries could also engage in starfighter or capital ship combat if properly equipped (it'd make a great excuse to bring Clone Wars era tech into a Classic Era campaign).
Thoughts and opinions? |
| Bren wrote: | Historically, mercenaries tend to proliferate when the central authority is insufficient to do the job without the use of mercs. If the government is strong and authoritarian it would seem likely that it wouldn't allow the formation and operation of Mercenary Companies inside it's borders at all. But that limits the mercs to operating outside the Empire - which may not suit your idea. If the mercs only operate outside the Empire - like in Hutt Space, the Corporate Sector, and other fringe states and unclaimed regions - one could argue that the Empire wouldn't (or couldn't) prevent the mercs from buying state-of-the-art weapons. Possibly with various independent worlds providing convenient end use permits. The Frederick Forsyth novel The Dogs of War (1974) discussed how the mercs used end use permits and such to purchase weapons and equipment (some state-of-the-art and some WWII leftovers) for use in Africa.
Even if the mercs operate inside the Empire, there could be some approval that is necessary to allow a government to employ mercenaries. As long as the Mercenary Company only takes approved contracts they don't pose a threat to the Empire and I could see them being allowed to acquire modern equipment. This would be similar to the Bounty Hunting license that appears to allow bounty hunters to acquire and carry equipment that is as good or better than Imperial military issue.
In addition, some of the manufactuers are in Hutt Space or the Corporate Sector and hence are outside of direct Imperial control. The Empire could not directly prevent sale from these locations.
From a precedents standpoint - in the pre-Imperial period it is clear that the Trade Federation, Banking Clans, and others have huge private armies that appear to engage in military actions like blockades within the borders of the Republic. Maybe that continues after the creation of the Empire. From a historical perspective - a number of companies in the US had (and some still have) their own private security forces who are sometimes quite well armed. The Pinkerton Agency was in some senses a mercenary military used by railroads and others for various anti-theft and anit-strike actions. And De Beers in South Africa at one time had a quite extensive police or military force and some pretty aggressive corporate policies.
But, if you prefer old, used equipment that could be made to work as well. I think the more important question is who employs the mercs, where do they work, and what are they hired to do?. |
| garhkal wrote: | | I have had a blast Gming two Merc focused campaigns. Gave the players a chance to be a little evil for once (Took out rebel cells) without going full bore imperial. |
| Fallon Kell wrote: | | My current campaign (Pirates of Wildspace) has involved as much mercenary work as true piracy and privateering so far. It's awful fun. |
May I please enlist your contributions to a fan-creation project to produce a 'Star Wars RPG Mercs' Players Handbook in the sprit of Platt's Smugglers Guide? I have a few sources for Star Wars mercenaries that would help.
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garhkal
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| Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2011 3:03 am Post subject: |
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i'd be up for it.
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Fallon Kell
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| Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2011 4:33 am Post subject: |
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| Whill wrote: |
May I please enlist your contributions to a fan-creation project to produce a 'Star Wars RPG Mercs' Players Handbook in the sprit of Platt's Smugglers Guide? I have a few sources for Star Wars mercenaries that would help. |
Sure thing, Whill. What are you looking for?
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CRMcNeill
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| Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2011 7:49 am Post subject: |
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I'm game as well.
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Whill
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| Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2011 6:31 pm Post subject: |
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| Fallon Kell wrote: | | Sure thing, Whill. What are you looking for? |
We need a Character Development section like Chapter 1 of Heroes & Rogues (H&R) and the first couple chapters of Platt's Smugglers Guide (PSG), but this time obviously geared towards making mercenary characters.
I'd love to see sections on the life of mercenaries and business of merc companies in the Star Wars galaxy along the same lines of GG6 (tramps), GG8 (scouts), GG 10 (bounty hunters), Pirates & Privateers ("P&P") and Rules of Engagement (Rebel SpecForces) for those professions. You guys seem to have a lot of insights regarding merc companies.
We can have a section or for equipment and vehicles (why not have some fan-submitted original tech in there?).
And mercenary templates. Years ago I ran across a website that had an article with some brief basics about Star Wars mercenaries and several well-made templates that served as the inspiration for this project. I've reached out to that author to see if it was possible to get his approval to use (and greatly exand upon) his material. I'd like to be involved with the templates for our project either way.
So basically a player-focused handbook but of course it would have valuable information for players playing merc characters in currently or formally in merc companies and GMs running merc campaigns. I was thinking of a focus on the Rebellion Era but we could also include info on using the material in other eras like the Clone Wars and the New Republic. And I would be happy to offer my services as an editor for our project...
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Fallon Kell
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| Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2011 7:41 pm Post subject: |
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| Whill wrote: | | Fallon Kell wrote: | | Sure thing, Whill. What are you looking for? |
We need a Character Development section like Chapter 1 of Heroes & Rogues (H&R) and the first couple chapters of Platt's Smugglers Guide (PSG), but this time obviously geared towards making mercenary characters.
I'd love to see sections on the life of mercenaries and business of merc companies in the Star Wars galaxy along the same lines of GG6 (tramps), GG8 (scouts), GG 10 (bounty hunters), Pirates & Privateers ("P&P") and Rules of Engagement (Rebel SpecForces) for those professions. You guys seem to have a lot of insights regarding merc companies.
We can have a section or for equipment and vehicles (why not have some fan-submitted original tech in there?).
And mercenary templates. Years ago I ran across a website that had an article with some brief basics about Star Wars mercenaries and several well-made templates that served as the inspiration for this project. I've reached out to that author to see if it was possible to get his approval to use (and greatly exand upon) his material. I'd like to be involved with the templates for our project either way.
So basically a player-focused handbook but of course it would have valuable information for players playing merc characters in currently or formally in merc companies and GMs running merc campaigns. I was thinking of a focus on the Rebellion Era but we could also include info on using the material in other eras like the Clone Wars and the New Republic. And I would be happy to offer my services as an editor for our project... |
I haven't read any of the GGs. Do you think you could summarize everything a Character Development section would need?
As for things like the daily life of mercs and vehicles and equipment, is there anything specific you want? I can write mountains of fluff text if that's what you're looking for.
Also remember that my mercs live in Wildspace, so there are some differences in equipment and tactics, (slugthrowers are more common and such), from what the Galaxy at large would probably see.
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