23 replies to this topic

[InnerSphereNews]

(31 December, 3048)

“FedCom/Free Rasalhague Republic trade negotiations continue; Duke Kelswa’s actions in Ronin Wars still haunt proceedings.”

Ha. That’s from a few weeks back. What a polite way the Commonwealth Press has of discussing that cluster. They can blow wind up your solar sails all you want, gents, but it doesn’t change anything. The high-and-mighty Duke Kelswa screwed up with an Atlas-sized S. What’s more, by ignoring his own boss in Her Worshipfulness the Archon, he screwed over some merc units in the process.

You know me, gents. I ain’t nice and I ain’t pretty. And that lets me get away with murder on the news nets. It means mainstream ignores me…but it also means you get the truth like a straight Kurita PPC shot cut with aerospace fuel. The Elsies can talk all they want about “troubles with Republic trade negotiations,” but for the mercs involved, Kelswa’s cluster of ’34 meant some commands took it in the shorts. Trouble that didn’t need to come down the chute.

That doesn’t mean the mercs involved, like Meriadoc’s Malcontents, get off scot-free, oh no. They signed the contract that forfeited their equipment if they surrendered to Republic or Kurita forces. Left them trying to fight off the Snake hammer of the Shin Legion, and they were the anvil; destroyed to the last man.

Don’t ever underestimate the power of your employer to screw you six ways from a Canopian Circus. And read your contracts. Carefully, gents. Setting aside incompetence, maliciousness slaved to the letter of a contract has put more mercs two meters under than any autocannon.

Keep it locked and loaded, gents.

—Jacob Hardenson, MercNet

[Adridos]

So we will see something like those news in MW2: Mercs?

[Cyote13]

Goes to show you that not only Kurita messes with merc contracts

[Barantor]

He says 'gents' a lot...

[Battlefield]

Or maybe missions with some nasty surprises, when we better know the consequences of actions (like retreat, blowing up buildings we just have to conquere, etc.) written into our contracts. Those who can read may have an advantage

[phalanx]

Not so sure what the Mercenaries are so upset about?

They got paid to kill enemies.

They killed.

They got paid.

Now they are whining because they aren't allowed to walk away with KURITA EQUIPMENT.I know of no part of the Dragon's treaty with the people of Rasalhauge(who the Lyrans continue to provoke into attacking us despite the honorable Kuritan warriors who fought and died on their soil against the ronin) that mentions handing over equipment to mercenaries. If the Republic wants to do so, then that is their decision, but the Republic perfectly understands the insanity of turning over state property to an armed force that has not proven their loyalty. Do you think the Dragon is so stupid as to turn over that much equipment to those who may one day be in the employ of our enemies.

When your loyalty is for sale to the highest bidder, do not expect to be treated honorably.

[Mason Grimm]

Moral of the Story: details, details, details.

[GaussDragon]

Mason Grimm, on 31 December 2011 - 11:21 AM, said:

Moral of the Story: details, details, details.

Hahahahahaha.

[Threat Doc]

Phalanx, on 31 December 2011 - 11:20 AM, said:

...the honorable Kuritan warriors...

Oh, please?!

Snake, unless you're offerin' a contract, you might want to leave MercNet, eh? Kurita and Liao are the absolute worst for contracts, followed only by Marik, and they're always at war with THEMSELVES, for hell's sake. Despite Liao insanity and Kurita dishonor, there are some pretty well-paying contracts, but only if you can get out with your gear and your life intact. (OOC: I just LOVE to RP, hehe)

Mason Grimm, on 31 December 2011 - 11:21 AM, said:

Moral of the Story: details, details, details.

Amen, man, yell it loud!

[verybad]

So long as one's loyalty is for sale, A warrior will never be able to rightously consider themselves honorable.

After death, a warrior's children have their memories to remember him by. If they are memories of jumping from one side of a conflict to another, always running, but never finding what one actually wants. Then they are sad memories indeed.

I have fought against the warriors of the Federated Commonwealth for over 30 years. From before they were the Commonwealth, in the 4th Succssion War, in the War of 39, in many small conflicts...While I can not say that I like them, there are some mechwarriors that I have faced over the battlefield that I have grown to respect for their loyalty to their masters, and for their capability.

I have fought alongside and against mercenaries, both capable and not so. I have even grown to like a few.

There is one thing I have noticed in my life as a warrior however. Mercenaries are always looking for something, and I don't think money is what they are actually seeking. Money may be waht they fight for, but they never find what they are seeking.

Warfare is a terrible thing. It is organized murder. While my life has been about battle, I fight for a lord that I believe in, and that I feel would provide greater leadership for the masses of the inner sphere than the corrupt leaders of other houses. I fight for something and someone I believe in, I have done terrible things but I have always been loyal to my cause. Mercenaries fight for money, they have sold their services as an instrument of death for mere money. Contemplate this.

Edited by verybad, 31 December 2011 - 01:30 PM.

[Brakkyn]

I think the "reporter" is saying the mercenary unit had signed a contract to where, if they ever surrendered to a Draconis Combine or Free Rasalhague Republic unit, they automatically forfeited their remaining equipment to Duke Kelswa and/or the Federated Commonwealth. To prevent this, they fought to the last man, and died to the last man, i.e. they signed the contract, but their employer cared little about their survival; the mercenaries may have willingly walked into a bullet storm, but the Duke put them on the correct course.

Kind of a double-edged sword.

[Adridos]

Kay Wolf, on 31 December 2011 - 12:08 PM, said:

Kurita and Liao are the absolute worst for contracts, followed only by Marik, and they're always at war with THEMSELVES, for hell's sake. Despite Liao insanity and Kurita dishonor, there are some pretty well-paying contracts, but only if you can get out with your gear and your life intact.

Capellan Confederation Armored Forces units are composed of 'Mech, conventional, infantry and aerospace forces, and has long relied on mercenaries, more than other Inner Sphere militaries.

Your unit just had bad luck. We are one of the best job offerrers (my own word, yay). I agree on the Kuritans, though.

[Threat Doc]

verybad, on 31 December 2011 - 01:30 PM, said:

Contemplate this.

Contemplated. Just as not ALL Dracs or belly-slicing martinette's, and not all Cappie's are insane mother-axe-murdering slavering lemings, neither are all mercenaries money-chasing adrenaline junkies. Many of us feel we can do the job better and, for the most part, we're right, as compared to in-house elements. Many of us do go after the money we need, but then money is necessary to support the lifestyle, for sundries and a home as well as bullets and armor. Many of us are adrenaline junkies, the thrill of combat being something we need to be alive, and there's plenty of adrenaline packed moments available. A lot more of us were tired of not carving our own destinies, not being free of the House Lords -your own of which you readily praise and the others of which would not be fit to supply you toilet paper, to your mind-, not being free to have our own minds, follow our own commands, tiller our own vessels. Many of us were unable to fit into the common soldiery of military life, unable to fathom the very escapable wisdom of the rules and regulations you mindless drones continue to follow, to your death if necessary.

Then, there are those who seek to fulfill personal and familial vows of honor, to ourselves, to the MechWarriors next to us, and toward a future we carve out. To us, honor on the battlefield is far more important than anyone in a House could ever understand, but our honor is not fettered by the definitions of a greedy and unscrupulous House Lord, or any employer, and an empoyer's definition of honor never comes up in a contract. Thus, we are contracted to do the job, and yes we bargain for the higher pay so our lives might be a bit more comfortable, and we complete it the way our honor and sensibilities allow us to.

Is there a mixture of the various types of mercenary animal -I am a Wolf, do not forget- within our ranks? Yes, there is, and each one of them fights for their own glorious ends, to their end, and we are done with it. All who wish to remain employed will aid us to keep Armageddon Unlimited solvent, and that means acting within certain doctrines that are not designed to tie any one soul in place, or keep them from using their abilities to achieve our ends, but that will keep their friends, their comrades, the MechWarriors next to them, alive and as much out of harms way as possible. Each knows that without adhering to their fellows, they or their fellows will perish, weakening the unit as a whole, and thus they will, at least, become unemployed, if they do not die; this is an unacceptable end-state, and thus they must discipline themselves to remain where they are best needed, and thus the contract is completed with minimal loss in resources, assets, or lives.

Courage, Duty, Glory, Honor.

Adridos, on 31 December 2011 - 02:17 PM, said:

...and has long relied on mercenaries, more than other Inner Sphere militaries.

Your unit just had bad luck. We are one of the best job offerrers (my own word, yay).

Contract purveyors, perchance? Yes, House Liao is wonderful for starter units, and those on hard times.

Edited by Kay Wolf, 31 December 2011 - 03:08 PM.

[Adridos]

Kay Wolf, on 31 December 2011 - 03:08 PM, said:

Contract purveyors, perchance? Yes, House Liao is wonderful for starter units, and those on hard times.

Why just those? 2012 here for 14 minutes, yay!

[Dihm]

Brakkyn, on 31 December 2011 - 02:04 PM, said:

I think the "reporter" is saying the mercenary unit had signed a contract to where, if they ever surrendered to a Draconis Combine or Free Rasalhague Republic unit, they automatically forfeited their remaining equipment to Duke Kelswa and/or the Federated Commonwealth. To prevent this, they fought to the last man, and died to the last man, i.e. they signed the contract, but their employer cared little about their survival; the mercenaries may have willingly walked into a bullet storm, but the Duke put them on the correct course.

Kind of a double-edged sword.

That was exactly my reading of it as well. That's the life of the merc though, gotta watch that fine print.

[Pht]

Mason Grimm, on 31 December 2011 - 11:21 AM, said:

Moral of the Story: details, details, details.

The devil is in them, no?

[Dlardrageth]

Makes me wonder if something like "battle reporters" from among the player ranks will establish themselves if some sort of "MercNet" will be implemented. Each with his own significant style of writing... sounds like adding some nice flavour eventually. Or let's call them commentators "military experts", to avoid that bad "armchair generals" expression...

[Threat Doc]

Actually, I like that idea quite a lot. But, would it be better to present them more as story writers than commentators or military experts, similar to what's been done for the last decade with BattleCorps?

[VoodooLou Kerensky]

Dlardrageth, on 01 January 2012 - 05:47 PM, said:

Makes me wonder if something like "battle reporters" from among the player ranks will establish themselves if some sort of "MercNet" will be implemented. Each with his own significant style of writing... sounds like adding some nice flavour eventually. Or let's call them commentators "military experts", to avoid that bad "armchair generals" expression...

*taps on throat to make voice sound like that from helicopter reporter*Thats right Tom, it does appear that the Kell Hounds are in fierce combat with....

[Dlardrageth]

Kay Wolf, on 01 January 2012 - 08:01 PM, said:

Actually, I like that idea quite a lot. But, would it be better to present them more as story writers than commentators or military experts, similar to what's been done for the last decade with BattleCorps?

Well, we got to somewhat factor in the CBT background, I think. And if you want to deliver on-site reports, you need to have some serious budget in the BT universe, heh. Would something as mundane as a mere story writer or even your run of the mill planetary newspaper reporter really have the funds to move around with a unit and report?

Ofc, at the end of the day it will likelycome down to how PGI would like to implement and support that, if they want it at all. I don't quite expect them to actually hire story writers and publish novels in book-form as CCP did for EVE-Online. Not saying something like a novelization couldn't evolve eventually, but that's way beyond a casual battle report once in a while.