MERCENARY COMPANIES: CONTRACTED MILITARY SERVICE

The Mercenaries are fighting men who have, for the most part, been released from the regular forces. Mercenaries hire out their services to the large interstellar corporations, to frontier planets that lack sufficient population to maintain a regular planetary defense force and need professional 'stiffening' for their citizen militias, and to independent merchants requiring a heavy guard for voyages into pirate and enemy infested space.

The governments of most starcultures regard Mercenaries with mixed feelings. Totalitarian regimes are often quite hostile and repressive, as any armed force in its territory which is not directly answerable to State Authority can become a nucleus for rebellion- More liberal regimes often encourage Mercenary activity in the frontier regions to augment their own usually over-extended StarForces. Thus, depending upon where Mercenaries are operating, they may enjoy a greater or lesser degree of cooperation from the regular military. Since many Mercenaries are veterans, liberal military establishments often allow Mercenary commanders to purchase arms and war material as 'surplus' equipment at respectable discounts, so long as the particular commander's activities have met with tacit approval of the military authorities.

All Mercenary ranks, promotions, and pay are as given for the StarForce, StarFleet, Marine, and Commando organizations, but with rank grade/11 as the highest Mercenary rank. StarForce veterans are automatically qualified for enlistment if they were not dishonourably discharged. All other PCs must pass the enlistment requirements outlined in the Initial Enlistment section' (See 3.1). Basic pre-requisites are as given for the StarForce, but a PC will be able to qualify anyway if he can roll a '7' or 'll' on 2d6 if he fails enlistment pre-requisites. (There is always a need for 'cannon-fodder.') Add +I DM per 2 years of previous service.

Depending on the type of duty contracted, Mercenaries are paid at a percentage of StarForce salary scale. Mercenaries are expected to provide their own weapons and equipment, as required, but ammunition and rations are provided by the contracting party:

Mercenary garrison duty: 100% of StarForce salary for rank/grade equivalent. Duties include routine guard and security work, training of native troops, etc.

Mercenary war service: 150% of StarForce salary for rank/grade equivalent. Duties include all phases of warfare. Any Mercenaries on garrison duty who are called upon to fight trained troops automatically 9o on war pay on a daily basis until the emergency is over. Quelling civil disturbances, etc., does not qualify as war service unless the rebellion exceeds 30 days' duration.

Personal bodyguard duty: 125% of StarForce salary for rank/grade equivalent.

Starship armsman duty: Merchant Marine Guild salary for rank/grade equivalent. Guild fees are automatically covered by the terms of the contract.

It is also possible to form Mercenary Companies up to battalion size (approximately 750 men), Players are referred to Space Marines (FGU' 1980) for details on large scale battle, as Space Marines is a companion set of rules to Space Opera.

Mercenary Companies are hired at double the individual rates. All arms, equipment, and fighting vehicles are provided by the Mercenary unit, but any losses in heavy equipment are to be split equally between the Mercenary Company and the contracting party, based on retail prices. Since many Mercenaries can obtain equipment as 'surplus' at a discount, a fairly minimal expense is usually involved when losses occur and sometimes even a small profit is turned. Some Mercenary organizations even have warships (usually StarFighters, Corvettes, Destroyers, or Light Cruisers) for hire at 25% of cost per year, including salaries and operating expenses. Repairs to such vessels are borne by the contracting party if battle damage occurs, but actual loss is borne by the Mercenaries.