Condottiere
SOC-14 5K
As I recall, CoDominium standard infantry issue is seven millimetre battle rifles, for range and penetration of combat body armour.
His sergeant major has a submachinegun.
His sergeant major has a submachinegun.
CT Only: Merc Ticket!
- Thread starter Supplement Four
- Start date
Which I have yet to track down and read...
I only know of it from references in Starships & Spacemen (FGU).
I liked the Dorsai and Childe Cycle books.
I remember when I bought The Final Encyclopedia and how intimidating it was.
It's a large book with little print.
But it was a good read (not that I have any memory of what it was about).
Years ago, when MT was the current version of Traveller, a friend of mine began a campaign for merc units where each player raised a unt and developed it (unfortunately, due to real life problems it did not last).
As it was a home made campign, all what I'll tell here is from the adaptation he made, and so is fully unofficial, but your questions reminded me of it.
On it, Hortalez megacorp had a section specifically devoted to the mercenary trade, and they acted as guarant and arbiter of most those issues.
It was assumed that any government (and most companies and even more individuals) hiring mercs didnot want to be at odds with such an important Megacorp, that is the main Banking and Insurance company in the Imperium (aside hisinfulence on other Megacorps, form whom it has stock, and the Imeprial bureaucracy at large), as it can bring many problems in the finances of most governments.
Likwise, the power of Hortalez can ruin a Merc unit, not only in its reputation (so important to find contracts), but also in its financing and, by the use of its influence, even having its licence revoked.
So, I guess in this campaign it acted as the Bondiong Authority, as everyone accepted it as arbiter.
I'v read nothing about the Slammers and only a couple of books about Falkenberg, but what those books reminded me was more 2300AD than Traveller.
The fact there were no gravitics (one of the Traveller main tech details) nor energy weapons may have something to do with this vision of mine...
I would think a limiting factor of merc use is just the shipping costs for such a specialized thing, even subsumed to be bought and paid for ships, and the profit levels to maintain anything larger then a pickup company between jobs.
The outfits that 'never lose a war' could probably be counted on one hand, everyone else loses at least part of the time even if it's not lack of performance on their part- that would limit the ready money.
I have to think the more common tickets are
* a quick raid/covert op for a small group,
* security gig against same,
* larger units for a quick war and decisive battle against major elements and
* capturing a key point because the other side hired a similar unit with short terms and superior capabilities, or cadre training the locals.
A key use of time likely overlooked by most players is prep between the point in time the unit is hired and moves out, and arrival on the planet.
Training areas and drills on the hold deck, extensive lectures and studies on the planet/objective/opponents, plans drawn up and rehearsed can all be done in the weeks of jump before going dirtside. Which all suggests specialized rooms on the transports dedicated to such activities.
The outfits that 'never lose a war' could probably be counted on one hand, everyone else loses at least part of the time even if it's not lack of performance on their part- that would limit the ready money.
I have to think the more common tickets are
* a quick raid/covert op for a small group,
* security gig against same,
* larger units for a quick war and decisive battle against major elements and
* capturing a key point because the other side hired a similar unit with short terms and superior capabilities, or cadre training the locals.
A key use of time likely overlooked by most players is prep between the point in time the unit is hired and moves out, and arrival on the planet.
Training areas and drills on the hold deck, extensive lectures and studies on the planet/objective/opponents, plans drawn up and rehearsed can all be done in the weeks of jump before going dirtside. Which all suggests specialized rooms on the transports dedicated to such activities.
Supplement Four
SOC-14 5K
The Slammers do have a lower tech feel, so I can see why it makes you think of 2300. But, those tanks also have powerguns--not lasers, but basically big-arsed plasma weapons.
Winning or losing doesn't really affect the bottom line of a Mercenary company. It can affect profitability (there may be performance bonuses, for example).
But, they're not paying for the consumables (ammo, vehicles, repairs, supply train), the transport, etc. They're basically "consultants" and "skilled labor". They factor in all of those costs (medical, life insurance, etc.) in to the contract.
Winning and Losing simply affects their potential reputation, but we can all imagine where the best Merc company gets in to a situation where they fail due to external circumstances.
Also, much if the Sci-Fi Merc literature has them being formally established. For example, even if they "lose", the "other side" isn't going to imprison them, round them up and execute them, etc. In fact, they're almost obligated to let them off the world (with world exit typically being pre-arranged and pre-paid anyway).
Simply, under normal operations, a Merc company isn't going in anyplace they can't get out of. They will take losses, for sure, it's a dangerous business. But that's all it is -- a business. Staying true to their contract, fee for service.
A really good example is Inara from Firefly. She's not a "mercenary" per se, but she's in a fee for service, potentially dangerous, and reputation based business where the formality of the Guild has great power over and above simply what she can do alone.
I don't know if the Imperium has any kind of wide ranging War Crimes tribunal or enforcement arm, outside of "no nukes".
Condottiere
SOC-14 5K
Accidents happen, like not receiving or interpreting a surrender signal correctly before dropping a daisy cutter.
Well, I was talking about what I've read about Falkenberg, as, as I already said, I've read nothing about the Slammers...
One thing that we seem to forget all too often is that mercenary operations in Traveller are well planed ones, as impromptu ones are not posible.
Whil I don't know how mercs work in current Earth, I guess if you have the right contacts and the needed money, you can have a unit able to perform a ticket in a matter of hours,, and have it attempted in a few days at most, if you need it (e.g. a hostage rescue mission, à la Merc2000).
In Traveller, you must send the message (or more probably a representative, s othat the negotiations themselves don't take months) to the Merc base, arrange for the mission, for the transport, and then have the unit sent in, so you will not have the unit ready and positioned to perform any mission in (I guess) less than a month or two, even if the unit is ready and in a nearby system.
The typical hostage rescue mission seen in many films or TV serials performed in a matter of hours by a merc (or elite army or police unit) called from the nearby city or base is not posible in Traveller, unless the planet itself has those units.
Whil I don't know how mercs work in current Earth, I guess if you have the right contacts and the needed money, you can have a unit able to perform a ticket in a matter of hours,, and have it attempted in a few days at most, if you need it (e.g. a hostage rescue mission, à la Merc2000).
In Traveller, you must send the message (or more probably a representative, s othat the negotiations themselves don't take months) to the Merc base, arrange for the mission, for the transport, and then have the unit sent in, so you will not have the unit ready and positioned to perform any mission in (I guess) less than a month or two, even if the unit is ready and in a nearby system.
The typical hostage rescue mission seen in many films or TV serials performed in a matter of hours by a merc (or elite army or police unit) called from the nearby city or base is not posible in Traveller, unless the planet itself has those units.
mike wightman
SOC-14 10K
I highly recommend the novel The Dogs of War (not the movie) if you want an insight into a potential model for Traveller mercenary operations.
Last edited:
Supplement Four
SOC-14 5K
I've got that on my Audible queue. I liked the movie, too.
If you're referring to the one by Adrian Tchaikovsky, I'll wait until an electronic version available for purchase in the US, but it's on my list. Thanks.
I guess he refers to the one by Frederick Forsyth. I've not seen the film, but the novel is a good reading.
mike wightman
SOC-14 10K
Frederick Forsyth does an awful lot of research for his books, and the reason for preferring the novel over the film - which is a pretty good action romp - is the details in the book about how much prep work goes into the merc operation and the timescales involved.
While I agree with you on the book (and trust your word about the film, as I have no reason not to and I have not seen it), see that the "setting" is quite different from Traveller 3I.
The different legal status of merc units makes that in the novel communications are instantaneous, and what takes time is to assamble and outfit the unit, while in 3I I guess there exist merc standing units, but what takes time is communications and transport.
mike wightman
SOC-14 10K
If you read the book you will find it takes weeks to arrange the contract since it must be done face to face and involves lawyers and paperwork, the purchasing and procurement of weapons likewise takes months. It is not something that is done quickly via the interwebs...
Transport to the operation area takes weeks for some of the mercs and the equipment since it goes by tramp freighter.
That's the part I find similar to Traveller.
Transport to the operation area takes weeks for some of the mercs and the equipment since it goes by tramp freighter.
That's the part I find similar to Traveller.
