OBT Forum

To be completely honest, it makes sense to me when you ask why the mercs came about.  Too me, I look at that era and the equipment wielded as more of a privateering venture.  I think the most logical explanation doesn't come from" they left with their 'mechs". But more of a "we can't have them as regulars, but independent contractors are perfectly legit."  The Houses, in realizing that they need to downsize, go the less ethical route and form the units, hopeful to tie them to their realm in the process, from their newly dispossessed and cached equipment. 

It's just a matter of how you look at it, and of how the "stolen" units are presented to the Council.  For the Houses, they lose a bit of equipment and personnel from the rolls on paper, but gain much of it back on contract in actuality.  Keeping them to a battalion here or there would help keep questions to a minimum, though.  Could be an explanation as to why so many of them were so close at hand during the downsizing.  Not all would have come from there, but I am sure a great deal of them could have been brought about secretly in such a fashion.

Hi I was glancing over the Illician Lancers information and it seems that they were over 9 regiments strong plus reserves , support units and an ASF Wing. When they were first formed in 2752. They were whittled down to 4 regiments by the 3060's but by 3067 they were able to rebuild into a square brigade once again. Which is a mech regiment supported by a regiment of armor , a regiment of mechanized infantry and a fighter wing.

You pick a few very loyal officers and have them form a mercenary unit that will get some surplus equipment as a retirement bonus. It is off the house records but still essentially available. Sort of like Lord Vorloupulous and his 2000 cooks...
http://vorkosigan.wikia.com/wiki/Vorloupulous%27s_Law

That's a good idea and after one or two generations, they just become what you always pretended they were, ie mercenaries.

I guess it does make sense for the first large Mech equipped mercenary forces to be appearing at this time. The creation of the Star League does bring up some hard ceilings for the Houses and if you'll notice most of the units are large House Irregulars (State Sponsored Mercs).

Not sure if I buy the Illician Lancers at more than six Mech regiments as the text eludes to them as an over sized BattleMech Division. So I'm still going with 6 or do you guys think Gabriel is right with

I was going to have the Foreign Legion as a Terran creation of this time as well. Yes the 6 regiments of the Legion had been around but perhaps this is when they acquire Mechs. Essentially offering a spot to dispossessed House Mechwarriors stemming the efforts of the Canopians and other would be employers. Ice Hellion what do you think?

We can have fun with the Northwind Highlanders here as well. I could see the Capellans mercifying them to avoid arms restrictions and come up with other benefits. Also it could be a win for the Highlanders as it would mark their first return home?? The Star League could use them to garrison the interior from Northwind augmenting the Hegemony's defense during the war.

The Canopian Regiments and the Pitcairn Legion are covered already not much to add to them I am thinking.

That leaves me with three thus far known mercs of the era who are much smaller than their brethren although Smithson’s Chinese Bandits could be bigger than their 1 regiment. If you look at our write up in Mercenary Guild it implies they are Marik State Sponsored so could they be larger. Irose what say you?

Obviously the Vatican Swiss Guard has a sponsor but would they need Mechs at this time (1 battalion or less)?

Do the Lyrans and Draconians sponsor any mercs at the time?

That leaves us with the Grave Walkers (1 battalion) and other smaller Merc units of this era. No state sponsorship. These are the do it yourself units who have worked for everything they have. Much different attitude here I think. An interesting divide.

So lets talk size of this Merc Mech Force. How do you guys feel about my 36 regiment ceiling? Too big or too small?

My only real question comes from the Grave Walkers, and when they went from said Battalion to two regiments.  The Succession Wars were a hard time for most merc units, but we know they were at 2 regiments, plus full dropship and support units by 3025.  They were financially set, but unless there are things in newer products,  I would be unsure of when that growth happened.  All we really know is that they served everywhere at some point during the succession wars and had a proud history until their shattering during the clan invasion, and were doing very well for themselves under their Lyran employ for those 25 years we know of.

36 regiments may be about right for the bigger, well known units.  But for every Northwind Highlanders unit or what have you, there's probably 3 or 4 battalions serving elsewhere.  As others have said, there's also the cases of major manufacturing firms and planets, where they'd likely have private security forces in their employ, and places for recently dispossessed 'Mechwarriors picked up thanks to their patronage with their associated houses.

I forgot to say that these units could also be used in an independent way (like today) with one or several units being sent on a mission or in support of bigger units depending on the contract and employer.

Not religious (my mistake away from books)

According to Sarna they were a Miliary Order formed mostly from warriors that voluntarily chose to leave commands

http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Illician_Lancers