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Takiro
Guild Charter
« on: June 11, 2006, 12:47:56 PM »
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Summary of the Guild Charter

The Charter is an agreement created by the Regulators and ratified in 2790 by more than sixty mercenary units throughout the InnerSphere. It is origins begin in 2789 when Coordinator Minoru Kurita mentioned in passing his realm’s problem with mercenaries to Prime Administrator Jerome Blake of ComStar. These growing difficults with hired soldiers were hardly unique to the Draconis Combine however. Throughout the InnerSphere many disreputable mercenary bands, some who served the Usurper, regularly broke contracts whenever it suited them. It was Jerome Blake who first suggested to Regent Amanda Cameron the creation of some type of oversight organization for mercenaries. With virtual all the known worlds of humanity involved in conflict against each there was little hope in gaining the cooperation of the Great Houses. With this in mind Regent Cameron went Colonel Lisa McKinnely of the Regulators and proposed the creation of a mercenary trade union that would establish a set of rules for their profession. While the Regulators were a relatively new unit they had already established themselves as paragons of proper mercenary behavior. McKinnely and her advisors got to work quickly crafting a charter for what they called the Mercenary Guild. The Regulators first presented it the charter to the nearby Northwind Highlanders and asked for their support. Members of the 2nd Kearny Highlanders, who were most enthusatic about the Charter, managed to recruit the Bannockburners before the entire Highlanders even settled on a course of action. The Regulators next presented the charter to the Illician Lancers while the Highlanders continued to debate the issue. If the Guild was to be all three of these mercenary units, the largest in the InnerSphere, would have to endorse the Charter. Luckily both units did at roughly the same time. Together these four units, the founders and first Guild Marshals, with the help of ComStar brought the organization to life convincing most units to join.

The Guild Charter establishes clear rules of conduct for the mercenary trade that applies to employers as well as employees. The Charter itself gives specific business ethics that both sides must adhere to if they wish to do so under the auspices of the Guild and avoid punishment. These rules range from general principles to particular details that govern every signed contract. The most basic of includes contract fees collected by the Guild on every endorsed agreement. Following the conclusion of contract negotiations the employer turns over the full payment to the Guild plus a five percent handling fee. The Guild holds the payment, minus any agreed upon advance, until the employee completes the mission. Mercenaries may then collect the entire payment minus another five percent handling fee. This procedure serves as the biggest safeguard against violations by either side as nobody want to lose their investment. If either side fails to adhere to these regulations then a Charter Violation or Breach of Contract is declared. As a moral compass on the battlefield the Charter endorses the age old Ares Conventions. Unfortunately in these difficult times many employers find it convenient to discard these rules of warfare. Despite this the Guild urges its members not to violate the Ares Conventions. Both employers and employees risk sanction if they do flaunt the Conventions as they are officially part of the Charter.

An investigation into any possible infringement begins if a Guild member or an employer reports such an action or if the Guild Council authorizes one. Infractions can either be Violations of the Guild Charter (Breach of Contract) or the Ares Conventions on the part of either the employee or employer. A Review Tribunal is setup to study all the evidence gathered and decide if a hearing is necessary. These bodies are made up of three representatives from the Guild Council chosen at random. The lead adjudicator is from always a Guild Marshal while the other two are Guild Deputies. If the Tribunal finds that such a hearing is required the unit in question is required to travel to Galatea as is an appropriate representative for the employer. If one side fails to show up for the Tribunal they automatically lose the decision and are open to fines for contempt of the Guild. The losing party pays for tribunal expenses and the travel for both to Galatea.

Members who are convicting of violating the Guild Charter or breaching their contract can face stiff penalties. To some within the Guild it seems unfair that they are held to a higher standard then their employers. Punishment for members can include forfeiture of current contract pay, fines, and employment bans on units or individual personnel. Units may not operate while under a Guild imposed ban but individuals not specifically named in the ban may take a contract of their own even if their parent unit has been sanctioned. In cases where a member commits gross misconduct the Guild may impose its harshest penalties; expulsion, disbandment, or outlawing. Expulsion results in a crushing fine plus a one year hiring ban for the entire unit including all members. Following payment of this fine and the year long ban the unit is expelled from the Guild and not permitted to return. Worse than expulsion the Guild can impose upon a guilty member unit complete disbandment. This order seizes all equipment belonging to the unit and immediately institutes a five year hiring ban on every individual member. The Guild assumes ownership of the unit name as well formally striking it from the mercenary rolls for all time. Finally the worst reprimand that may be given to a nefarious member command is outlawing. This punishment is only given to member units that are convicted of a violation and continue to ignore the Guild rulings. This Blackstar sentence must be given by the entire Guild Council.

If an employer has a major violation the Guild can refuse to handle contract negotiations, mediation, and escrow accounts (for contract payments). The Council does this by passing, with majority support, a motion of censure against the employer. In theory most mercenaries would avoid contracts with these disreputable employers who aren’t certified by the Guild. Without the insurance provided by the Guild this should discourage both parties from violating the rules set down by the Charter. However, desperate units might also be lured to take contracts from these dubious bosses as these mercenaries are willing to take the risk and can secure a very lucrative contract. This has led some members of the Guild to urge the Council to explore harsher sanctions against employers. These sanctions could include imposing fines or even authorizing a strike against employers. So far the Council has carefully avoided these severe measures fearing they may be bad for business but they have not ruled them out either.

Many comparatively smaller units chose to operate outside the Guild laws and as such never join the organization. These Zero-Star units usually operate in the grey areas of these laws but generally realize that any atrocity would be bad for business. While the membership respects their decisions the Guild will penalize any gross violation of mercenary ethics. Individual hiring bans and declaring a unit rogue are the only actions the Guild can take against non-members. Despite not being a member of the Guild accused units have the same rights and procedure for these actions must be followed by the organization.

Commands who have been outlawed by the Guild, also known as rogue commands or Blackstar units, will be a continuing challenge to the organization. Member units who are not currently under contract are asked by the Guild to hunt down and destroy rogue units. These bounty hunting contracts can be extremely profitable as the Guild covers many of the expenses like travel and sometimes even battle field damage. The unit typical operates on its own (without oversight) and almost always is granted full salvage rights. However, the missions can be equally as dangerous as these Blackstar units have nothing to lose and will probably fight until the bitter end. To increase the profile of these infamous commands and draw the maximum amount of attention from bounty hunters the Council may created a Guild Most Wanted List.

The Guild Council is probably the most important part of the organization. It makes new rules for the Guild and directs the organization by voting on many important issues. Besides setting the agenda the Council has the all important power of declaring a unit outlaws. If a Council member is destroyed or is convicted of breaking the Guild Charter they are automatically removed and their seat left vacant until the next election.

To become a Charter member of the Guild a unit first needs to be achieve a 5-Star member rating. Next they must be nominated by another Guild member and win the support of 2/3rds of all in an election. Then the entire Guild Council must unanimously ratify this proposal. If so the unit becomes a Guild Marshal. A Charter member may be expelled revoking all privileges of that high station in roughly the same fashion.

The number of elected members on the Guild Council, called Deputies, is determined by the number of Charter members plus one. This insures that the voice of the membership is always heard in the Council. Any unit that is part of the Guild is eligible for election to the Council. Elections for these positions are to be held every ten years. A unit may turn these Council positions if it so wishes instituting a new election for that one seat.

Council members have certain responsibilities they have to fulfill upon their election. The greatest of these is obviously the administration of the Mercenary Guild. A commitment to the Guild Council requires a certain number of unit personnel to remain with the Central Guild Hall on Galetea. The remote possibility also exists that the Council members could be stuck paying fees for administration if the Guild has a bad a year financially. Most of the organization’s daily work is done by the Guild, who has its own employees. Council members, especially Guild Marshals, also realize that they are paragons of the organization and must set an example by their very actions. This scrutiny will probably weigh heavily on most Council members even if it is based on actual law.

Many have already taken to hunting down rogue mercs as a way of proving their commitment to the Guild. The benefits of being a Council member are two fold. One, all Council members are entitled to a share of the organization’s annual dividends. Since the Guild has already shown it can be extremely profitable this incentive is enough to lure any mercenary. Guild Marshals receive slightly higher percentages than Guild Deputies but each cut could be substantial. Further more the prestige from being on the Council is immense as these units will be known as the best of the best. This fame can also lead to more business opportunities either in the form of the must lucrative mercenary contracts or even other commercial opportunities.

   Voting is done primarily by simple majority rule. This goes for regular motions that are before the Council. Amendments to the Guild Charter require a super majority of 2/3rds of the Council to pass and any Guild Marshal may veto these proposals.

   Being a member of the Guild has its advantages with perks including various forms of legal, fiscal, and military aid. The organization will provide contract negotiators, manage escrow accounts for units, offer alternate sources of supplies to members, and plans to open a military academy for mercenaries in the near future. The Guild has already negotiated with a few major military manufacturers to purchase weapons, ammo and other supplies in bulk at a discounted price. The Guild Storehouse would then sell these supplies to Guild members at a minor mark up, helping to defray costs, which would still be cheaper than buying directly from the manufacturer. Opening a Guild Academy will help train existing units, educate new recruits from mercenary families, and provide a job for retired or disabled mercs. These warriors will serve as instructors at the Academy providing real world experience to cadets. Entrance will be open to almost any person who can afford it but Guild members need only pay a small fee in comparison. Units will also be able to use the Academy Proving Grounds to learn new tactics and strategy.

   The organization has come up with a system to rank mercenaries in order to insure employers of any Guild unit’s quality of service and level of military readiness. These rankings are determined by the unit’s skill, their commander’s ability (as determined by tests and evaluations), combat record, transportation capability, technological level, integral support, and financial assets. Based on the total result, expressed in a numeric form, the unit is awarded Guild Stars. More stars, ranging from zero to five, indicate a “better class” mercenary unit. These Guild Star Ratings will be continually updated by the organization. Evaluators known as Guild Scouts will help determine these ratings. This rating system which has so far pleased units and employers shows promise.

Guild Star Rating Table
Numeric Value   Rating
0-45         1-Star
46-85         2-Star
86-120         3-Star
121-150      4-Star
151 +         5-Star

   To join the Mercenary Guild a unit must first register with the organization. This procedure closely resembles how a business would generally incorporate anywhere in known space. This unit can be as large as a division or as small as just one soldier. In the future potential mercenaries will have to travel to Galatea or some other Guild world in order to be inspected by authorities. Right now as the Guild is still in its infancy this part of the registration is generally waived. Once the unit passes inspection and agrees to follow the Guild Charter it is officially licensed by the organization to work as mercenaries. To maintain its membership license the mercenary(s) have to pay annual Guild fees which is determined by the size of the unit. These fees are not linear in structure (i.e. a company sized unit does not pay 3 times that of a lance - rather the company pays twice that of the lance) because of the Guild commitment to provide to its members identical cost regardless of unit size. These Guild fees pay for the unit’s Star Rating and mercenary benefits.

Guild Council
Marshals (4 seats - Charter Members)
   Regulators
   Northwind Highlanders
   Illician Lancers
   Bannockburners
Deputies (5 seats - Elected Members)
   Eridani Light Horse
   Blue Star Irregulars
   Lexington Combat Group
   Screaming Eagles
   Smithson’s Chinese Bandits
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Official Results of the Inaugural Guild Council Election
« Reply #1 on: June 11, 2006, 12:52:44 PM »
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Five Elected Council Members

Eridani Light Horse       49 (17.1%)
   The Eridani Light Horse was the Star League's 3rd RCT.  Having chosen to stay behind, the unit has negotiated a non-aggression and mutual defense pact with the Draconis Combine.  While the unit has not conducted any offensive operations for the Combine they have filled a key defensive role in the Rasalhague district.

Blue Star Irregulars        46 (16%)
   The Blue Star Irregulars were formed in 2788 by Colonel Jeremiah Brighton, a recipient of the Star League's Blue Star of Kerensky. Along with 31 other winners of the medal, he founded the Blue Star Irregulars.  The bulk of the unit was composed of members of the Star League's 1894th Light Horse, the 21st Rim Worlds and the Avatars of Painful Death.  The 1894th was Colonel Brighton's command and remained behind when the SLDF left with General Kerensky. The 21st Rim Worlds was a Rim Worlds Republic regiment which refused to follow the Usurper when he took over the Terran Hegemony.  The 21st was the RWR unit to defect to the SLDF. The Avatars of Painful Death were better known as the 5th Volunteer regiment which was raised on Circinus from volunteers who came to aid the SLDF. Despite being a relatively new command, the unit has developed a reputation for loyalty to their employer

Lexington Combat Group 37 (12.9%)
   The Lexington Combat Group was formed by nine SLDF officers who were graduates of the Lexington Military Academy. After the liberation of Terra these officers used their positions to gather a group of soldiers who did not want to participate in the Exodus. These officers also managed to gather a significant stockpile of supplies on Bryant. The unit is composed of the 32nd Recon Regiment, 180th Dragoon Regiment and the 241st Dragoon Regiment.  Unlike many mercenary units, the LCG is very well equipped and has an extensive stockpile of supplies.

Screaming Eagles           26 (9.1%)
   The Screaming Eagles were formed from survivors of the Star League's 250th Battlemech Division.  The unit is composed of 3 Brigades of troops. Each Brigade is combined armed force consisting of a mech regiment, an armor regiment and an infantry regiment. The unit has performed honorably for house Davion in the years since the fall of the Star League.

Smithson’s Chinese Bandits 19 (6.6%) *tie breaker*
   Smithson's Chinese Bandits was founded during the Hidden Wars of the Star League era.  The unit quickly gained a reputation as reliable mercenary unit, so long as their pay checks arrived on time.  Comprised of two ‘Mech regiments, the Bandits also deploy an entire regiment of heavy aerospace fighters, providing the unit with excellent ground support capabilities.

The Other Nominees

Always Faithful                      19 (6.6%)
   The Always Faithful Brigade was formed by a group of Star League and Rim Worlds troops.  The bulk of the troops came from the 2nd Rim Worlds Assault Regiment, the SLDF's 5th Dragoon Regiment and 7th Striker Regiment.  Well equipped with Star League equipment, the brigade has been serving with the Capellan Confederation. The unit is a strong believer in mercenary ethics and the need to be honorable in their dealings with their employer.

15th Dracon                          18 (6.3%)
   The 15th Dracon Regiment is a former SLDF unit which signed on with the Capellan Confederation.  The unit lacks any conventional support forces but despite this has managed deal severe defeats to larger forces.  The unit has significant respect for it's Star League heritage and continues to uphold many of the SLDF's traditions and practices.

Grave Walkers                      15 (5.2%)
   The Grave Walkers are an old unit, it's origins going back to the beginning of the Age of War.  Originally composed of several armor regiments, the Grave Walkers eventually converted to ‘Mechs.  During the Star League era, the unit served for a variety of different houses, usually it was assigned to deal with pirate forces threatening worlds along the Periphery.  Since the resumption of open warfare the Grave Walkers have signed a contract with the Free Worlds League where they have served along the border with the Capellan Confederation.

Paget’s War Ponies              14 (4.9%)
   Paget's War Ponies is a 2 regiment strong mercenary unit employed by the Lyran Commonwealth.  Comprised of the SLDF's 25th Striker Regiment of the Star League's 2nd RCT (Paget's War Ponies) and the 12th Heavy Assault Regiment (Ohell's Heavies), Paget's War Ponies has earned a reputation as fierce fighters. Commanded by General David Paget, the unit is famed for using the 25th to hold an enemy place, allowing the 12th to hit them hard.  The unit has developed a reputation for very honorable, both in upholding their contracts and dealing with enemy forces.

Freelancers                            9 (3.1%)
   Following the Amaris Coup the 11th Royal Heavy Assault Regiment unbelievably left the SLDF to serve with the Lyran Commonwealth. This action by an elite Terran unit shocked many people around the InnerSphere. Colonel Pierre Dumont simply explained to everyone that House Steiner made the unit a better offer than his former homeland could. Gathering their dependents they left for the unit left for their new home within the Commonwealth. Luckily Generals Kerensky and Sinclair were able to strip of the 11th of their most restricted League technology before they left. After their arrival the unit renamed itself the Freelancers and has operated with distinction along the Marik border. The Freelancers are equipped with the best technology possible for mercenaries, which they strive to protect and improve constantly. Their approach to the battlefield can best be described as cold indifference as they are absolutely ruthless in combat. Colonel Dumont, who publicly criticized the Charter as too employer friendly, has pledged to promote mercenary rights in the Guild Council if elected.

Stealths                                 9 (3.1%)
   The Stealths were formerly known as the 23rd Republican Light Lancers. Former members of the Amaris military the unit was unlike many of the units the Usurper deployed during the Coup.  Highly disciplined both on and off the battlefield, the unit did not participate in the many atrocities committed during the occupation of the Terran Hegemony, Following the conflict the unit was hired by the Lyran Commonwealth. The unit, experts in quick strike operations, makes excellent use of its speed and mobility to engage and destroy enemy forces.

Fighting Armadillos                 8 (2.8%)
   The Fighting Armadillos were formerly the Star League's 91st Heavy Assault Regiment. One of the first SLDF units to defect to the Great Houses, the Armadillos signed a generous contract with the Federated Suns. The unit has seen considerable action against the Draconis Combine taking heavy damage in the process. House Davion has been pleased with their service but admits the unit hard fighting style often endangers the command. It has been able to maintain its strength but at the cost of quality Star League equipment.

Tartan Brigade                        7 (2.4%)
   The Tartan Brigade was a household unit of the Amaris family.  Having fought against the Star League forces during the Coup, the unit managed to escape into the Draconis Combine. Hired by Minoru Kurita, the battered but proud regiment has rebuilt itself into a strong unit with a reputation for being blood thirsty and will to continue fighting when most units would retreat.

Baldwin’s Cobras                    7 (2.4%)
   This unit formed just before the start of the current fighting.  The unit was composed of a number of shattered SLDF regiments (including the 789th Striker and several heavy assault regiments) that joined together under the command of General Alexander Baldwin.  Organized along the lines of an SLDF brigade, the unit has an unusually large artillery complement. The unit has a reputation for reliable service.

Brighton's Brawlers                 4 (1.4%)
   Brighton's Brawlers was formerly the SLDF's 236th Mechanized Infantry Division.  Having joined the Lyran Commonwealth after the fall of the Star League, the unit has found itself fighting against the forces of the Draconis Combine.  With 2 Brigades of infantry and heavy artillery support the unit is ideal for conducting defensive operations.