43 replies to this topic

[InnerSphereNews]

(12 February 3050)

There’s mild irony if you dig out chunks o’ the word “Maskirovka.” In a State where the high ‘n mighty at the top demand a cultish reverence for all things Chinese, that the secret police ensurin’ foreheads are kissing ground when ever a Liao walks by is named after a Russian word…. Wonder how many Chancellors chewed their tongues bloody wishing they could go back in time and change that, um, “cultural” misstep…bet you twenty Lyra to a C-bill ol’ Max did…every other night.

But gents, seriously, despite poking fun here, the Maskirovka are no laughin’ matter. Read last month Sian University is all in an uproar over teacher’ arrest over “sedition against the state.”

I boggled. That’s right…I looked the word up, gents…boggled. Not that some tweed-jacket-wearing pencil pusher was dragged out of his bed at 3AM and likely will never put eyeballs on a sun again. No…boggled these students, especially at the Sian University, would find this sorta thing gettin’ their undies all bunched up.

Par for the course, gents. Par…for…the…course. You live in a police State, you best expect that police State to come a knocking…well, any time.

And that’s doubly true if you’re a merc that takes that contract. Sure, there’s time ‘ol Capella is desperate enough to offer what feels like pretty sweet contract terms. I’ve even dealt with mercs that slip in and out of the green curtain none worse for the ware. But if there’s one place that’s got potential to be worse than dealing with pirates in the deep…it’s House Liao. They may not cut themselves for lookin’ atch like the snakes…but they’re still lookin’ down their nose like you’re a bug…and if you catch their attention, they might just send over some Russian exterminators.

You been warned.

Keep it locked and loaded, gents.

—Jacob Hardenson, MercNet

[Nikoliy]

As per "Maskirovka" predecessor "Komitet gosudarstvennoy bezopasnosti" (KGB) the proper time to wake up an enemy of the state is 4am not 3am...
Some "Russian editors" are probably on the way to visit Jacob Hardenson to help him out with his future articles.

[Egomane]

Mr. Jacob Hardenson,

you should get your facts straight. The Capellan Confederation is probably one of the best places for a mercenary unit to earn money. We grant some of the best contracts to be found in the inner sphere.

We know that mercenaries have some very competent mech pilots. Some are even on par with capellan units. Those units can expect some very big bonuses if they work beyond our expectations. Even if they only work within our expectations, we are willing to offer very profitable long term contracts.

It's true, the units that don't keep up with their performance promises, can find themself in a bad financial situation, after they worked for us. But it is their own fault for advertising a level of professionalism they couldn't deliver. We are very careful in assigning missions to units that they are able to perform. If a mercenary unit in our pay fails, it means we just wasted money. Any mercenary out there will agree with us, that this would be bad business.

The Maskirovka will perform a scan of the units we hire, but we will not waste resources in monitoring every step. We know that a merc unit, that is happy with the contract and how they were handled by the authorities, will be spreading good word of mouth and bring in more and better qualified units to our table.

Your warning is based on a case of political opposition, which has nothing to do with how we handle our business partners. I'm pretty sure the teacher in question will see that he was in the wrong very soon. He will get a chance to re-earn his rights as a citizen over the next couple of years.

I bet the low spec merc units, hired by the Federated Suns and stationed on the Draconis border, that were wiped out by the dracs due to their "death to all mercs" policy, would like to see an article about the davion misbehavior someday. Well... they would if they were not dead.

Sincerly,
Egomane

[Angelos Sanguinum]

InnerSphereNews, on 12 February 2013 - 05:00 AM, said:

They may not cut themselves for lookin’ atch like the snakes…but they’re still lookin’ down their nose like you’re a bug…and if you catch their attention, they might just send over some Russian exterminators.

Russian exterminators like this one :]

[Adridos]

He never visitted the Kuritans, did he?

You know, shoot all mercs in sight doesn't seem like a very good policy to me.
And FRR aren't very fond of mercs either after what they did to them.

[Hawkeye 72]

Egomane, on 12 February 2013 - 06:22 AM, said:

The Capellan Confederation is probably one of the best places for a mercenary unit to earn money. We grant some of the best contracts to be found in the inner sphere.

Sincerly,
Egomane

My dear Mr. Egomane

While we will not be issuing an official notice of redaction of your address, since it was not formally broadcasted to the greater portion of the Inner Sphere, your persistence in making dubious, unfounded claims over the state of mercenary-Capellan contract affairs has prompted a swift response from our personnel department. Your ignorance of recent history and willingness to neglect the tattered past of the Capellan Confederation has forced us, in the best interest of mercenary units operating under our employment network,to correct some of your more egregious oversights.

Your gracious concession that certain mercenary units may be "even on par" with your standard CCAF forces is, to put it lightly, offensive. How can you claim the be the best gardener when at this very moment weeds are thriving in your own landscaping? If the CCAF had even half the reputation of say the Northwind Highlanders or even the Wolf's Dragoons, surely you would have been able to reclaim the St. Ives Compact or the Tinkonov Free Republic for yourselves by now? Don't pander me that Lady Romano continues to let these scars of the Fourth Succession War exist because of her gracious mercy, as we both know she has none. The stark reality remains that the Capellan Confederation is still a shattered remnant of its former self, and mercenary units are reluctant to work for a failing military state who is notorious for black bags and an iron thumb. Especially when that state's military is subpar at best when compared to the elite contractors of the Inner Sphere.

As for your Lady Romano and the Maskirovka, if a "bad financial situation" constitutes the purging of Capellan staff and civilians when thou holy chancellor has a bout of paranoia, then yes mercenary units that fail to meet the absurd regulations and standard operating procedures of Capellan employment might find themselves in a rift. Denying that the Chancellor has turned a once-reputable intelligence agency into her own personal assassins guild is folly that any mercenary commander can see from fifteen jumps away. Operating under your employment, and thus under the whims of a leader who suffers from frequent "personality fluctuations", is extremely hazardous. Until you cease to continue the propagation of falsehoods and misdirection over your internal affairs, we will continue to dissuade companies from accepting even the most basic of contracts you submit.

In other words, good luck finding someone to garrison that s***-hole border world from the AFFC.

Our most humble regards,
Hawkeye

[Bagua]

Do not trust the lies and untrue words of foreigners. The Maskirovka is there to protect the Confederation and it's citizens!

You know the truth! Do not doubt!

Obey and serve, prove commitment to the Confederation and earn your citizenship.
Citizenship is a reward for hard work and not a right!

There is nothing to fear for a good citizen of the Capellan Confederation!

OFFICIAL APPEAL
As good citizen you have to immediatly report any suspicious and insurgent acitvities to the local bureau of the Maskirovka.
Help your neighbour to be a loyal citizen to help yourself!

Edited by Bagua, 12 February 2013 - 10:36 AM.

[Orzorn]

Keep your friends close, your enemies closer, and the Liao really, really far away.

[Joanna Conners]

InnerSphereNews, on 12 February 2013 - 05:00 AM, said:

(12 February 3050)
There’s mild irony if you dig out chunks o’ the word “Maskirovka.” In a State where the high ‘n mighty at the top demand a cultish reverence for all things Chinese, that the secret police ensurin’ foreheads are kissing ground when ever a Liao walks by is named after a Russian word…. Wonder how many Chancellors chewed their tongues bloody wishing they could go back in time and change that, um, “cultural” misstep…bet you twenty Lyra to a C-bill ol’ Max did…every other night.
But gents, seriously, despite poking fun here, the Maskirovka are no laughin’ matter. Read last month Sian University is all in an uproar over teacher’ arrest over “sedition against the state.”
I boggled. That’s right…I looked the word up, gents…boggled. Not that some tweed-jacket-wearing pencil pusher was dragged out of his bed at 3AM and likely will never put eyeballs on a sun again. No…boggled these students, especially at the Sian University, would find this sorta thing gettin’ their undies all bunched up.
Par for the course, gents. Par…for…the…course. You live in a police State, you best expect that police State to come a knocking…well, any time.
And that’s doubly true if you’re a merc that takes that contract. Sure, there’s time ‘ol Capella is desperate enough to offer what feels like pretty sweet contract terms. I’ve even dealt with mercs that slip in and out of the green curtain none worse for the ware. But if there’s one place that’s got potential to be worse than dealing with pirates in the deep…it’s House Liao. They may not cut themselves for lookin’ atch like the snakes…but they’re still lookin’ down their nose like you’re a bug…and if you catch their attention, they might just send over some Russian exterminators.
You been warned.
Keep it locked and loaded, gents.
—Jacob Hardenson, MercNet

It's the 31st Century, Mr. Hardenson, do you really believe your audience is exclusively male?

[Alex Warden]

smells like liao propaganda in here...

[Thorn Hallis]

Units like McCarrons Armored Cavalry, the 4th Tau Ceti Rangers, Little Richards Panzer Brigade and the 15th Dracon beg to differ.

[Parnage Winters]

I trust Liao over Kurita for merc contracts at the moment. Maybe it's to do with the whole..see merc kill merc the combine seemed to enjoy doing in the last big war.

[Koniving]

This was a joy to read. Usually the news tidbits are small snippets that might scroll on the bottom of a television screen.

[UnseenFury]

Demona, on 12 February 2013 - 09:39 AM, said:

It's the 31st Century, Mr. Hardenson, do you really believe your audience is exclusively male?

Do you enjoy that your pilot in a cockpit is male with a huge metal suite over him that would fry him alive?

Ask devs to make FEMALE half-naked MechWarrior models!

[Joanna Conners]

Paran01ac, on 12 February 2013 - 12:25 PM, said:

Do you enjoy that your pilot in a cockpit is male with a huge metal suite over him that would fry him alive?

Ask devs to make FEMALE half-naked MechWarrior models!

I haven't seen my avatar outside of the flight suit. I've seen nothing that would indicate the pilot is male.

[UnseenFury]

Demona, on 12 February 2013 - 12:41 PM, said:

I haven't seen my avatar outside of the flight suit. I've seen nothing that would indicate the pilot is male.

Come on, his chest and hips are clearly says he is he.

It's funny that PGI were рussies enough to not make half-naked mechwarriors as they should be.

[Joanna Conners]

Paran01ac, on 12 February 2013 - 01:14 PM, said:

Come on, his chest and hips are clearly says he is he.

It's funny that PGI were рussies enough to not make half-naked mechwarriors as they should be.

Apparently you think flight suits are skin tight, thin material?

The pilot is clearly gender neutral. However, I would definitely support the idea of making clearly identifiable male and female pilots for users in the future.

[UnseenFury]

Quote

Demona, on 13 February 2013 - 01:23 AM, said:



Apparently you think flight suits are skin tight, thin material?

The pilot is clearly gender neutral. However, I would definitely support the idea of making clearly identifiable male and female pilots for users in the future.

There are cooling suits for mechwarriors, basically a heat sink for a human. But I doubt all MWO players (Inner Sphere people in 3049) have access to such Star League technology. Only ComStar have them.

Besides current suite looks nothing like fabric flight suite. It looks like Iron Man's armor.

It needs to be changed.

[Thorn Hallis]

Lest we forget - the company store syndrom is most commonly used within the Combine and the Suns.

[Capp]

Lyra? I thought it was Kroner. Or was Kroner just poetic license from the novels?

I'd actually like to know.