Origins of Merc 'Mechs

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His_Most_Royal_Highass_Donkey
12/22/13 03:14 PM
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[Moderator edit: since this jumped off-topic from the Stalker - Jimbo thread, it's been moved to its own thread in general discussion.]

Question, where would lowly mech jock get the hundreds of thousands of C-Bills to be able to afford to modify a battle mech?

Now if he was issued a smashed up mech that was modified by the mercenary unit its self and not the pilot with what was available that would make more sense.
Why argue if the glass is half full or half empty, when you know someone is going to knock it over and spill it anyways.

I was a Major *pain* before
But I got a promotion.
I am now a General *pain*
Yay for promotions!!!


Edited by Cray (12/26/13 01:25 PM)
TigerShark
12/22/13 03:34 PM
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Depends on his employer. Mercenaries are often long-time, contracted employees of a House or other major military power. It's entirely possible they'd receive the opportunity to purchase these items, as Mercs are seen as "front-line" forces.

Wouldn't make much sense to spend tens of millions of C-Bills on a Merc contract, then have the unit fail due to poor equipment.
Karagin
12/22/13 06:48 PM
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Front line throw away forces, not long term needing high tech systems. No house is going to give them the tech and buying it is far from an easy task for them unless the mech comes with it to start with. And given that most House contracts claim all salvage for the House yeah not seeing this happening. BUT for the person who allows it at their table it works for them.
Karagin

Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
CrayModerator
12/22/13 06:50 PM
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Question, where would lowly mech jock get the hundreds of thousands of C-Bills to be able to afford to modify a battle mech?



'Mech jocks are near the pinnacle of the Inner Sphere social order. A low-ranked merc could, quite easily, be a very wealthy noble. After all, personally-owned 'Mechs need very deep pockets to keep them maintained.
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer

Disclaimer: Anything stated in this post is unofficial and non-canon unless directly quoted from a published book. Random internet musings of a BattleTech writer are not canon.
Karagin
12/22/13 07:16 PM
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Yeah okay a merc being rich...not seeing that one either. But again if your table allows it...given that canon claims they are making ends meat just to keep things going...
Karagin

Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
ghostrider
12/23/13 01:10 PM
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have we gotten so bored, that we are argueing about fluff? Is there something wrong with the mech?

Now if the unit had great tech personel, and they had the parts from combat/raids, they could have modified the mech, or so goes the story line for alot of other units.

only thing that seems off is the armor. It looks a little light for an 85 ton mech. But thats not a huge issue. Also been a while since ive looked over the books. Might just be me.
Retry
12/23/13 02:09 PM
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What's wrong with fluff? I like fluff.
TigerShark
12/23/13 09:04 PM
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@ ghostrider, Some people care about the back story of the game. Some don't.
His_Most_Royal_Highass_Donkey
12/24/13 12:01 AM
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Quote:
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Question, where would lowly mech jock get the hundreds of thousands of C-Bills to be able to afford to modify a battle mech?



'Mech jocks are near the pinnacle of the Inner Sphere social order. A low-ranked merc could, quite easily, be a very wealthy noble. After all, personally-owned 'Mechs need very deep pockets to keep them maintained.



From what I have read in books I would classify a lot of merc mechs would be stolen military equipment. For example the Eridani Light Horse everything they started with was stolen equipment. They had no legal right to the stuff they took to start their merc unit. There are lots of back stories of some mech warrior going merc with his mech because his house unit was dissolved. What house is going to let someone just walk away with a multimillion C-Bill battlemech? With how rare mechs are no house military would let a privet person own a battlemech since its of use to there own battlemech forces

Looking it from another direction why would a merc unit want something that represents such a large investment in one piece of equipment like a battlemech? Mercs are paid by the unit so the more units they can field the more money they can make. They make the same amount of money if its a 5 million C-Bill mech or a half million C-Bill tank. If they go with the half million C-Bill tanks they can field ten times the number of units with the same investment and make ten times as much money in the end.
Why argue if the glass is half full or half empty, when you know someone is going to knock it over and spill it anyways.

I was a Major *pain* before
But I got a promotion.
I am now a General *pain*
Yay for promotions!!!
TigerShark
12/24/13 02:10 AM
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Assuming the Mercs can outsource the labor for trained crews for these tanks. You're talking about a Merc receiving a contract then sub-contracting out labor for several tank crews in cheap garbage that's likely to get them killed.

What would you be more likely to fight with as a Mercenary? -- The best equipment money could buy, or a WWI vintage rifle and fatigues from the army surplus store? Mercs are hired for their skills and expertise; they're not PBIs you can throw in front of your troops as a meat shield.
Accords12
12/24/13 08:13 AM
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I guess it depends on your price range, and the people you work for. I mean, you are far more likely, with a company like the 3060s era Wolfs Dragoons or Kell hounds, multi regimental groups on big gub'mint contracts with access to fancy shmancy toys everywhere, to see custom rides rolling about. More-so than say, Poppa Hodunks Banditos, a lance strong merc corp, kitted out with rides that have no fancy toys and are held together with duct tape and dreams. That operate out on the periphery, and work mainly for local bandit kings and pirates, to lack the resources to do 'custom refitting' though I could imagine some modification being done out of necessities sake, due to damage, wear out and lack of appropriate parts.
His_Most_Royal_Highass_Donkey
12/24/13 10:16 AM
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Assuming the Mercs can outsource the labor for trained crews for these tanks. You're talking about a Merc receiving a contract then sub-contracting out labor for several tank crews in cheap garbage that's likely to get them killed



It takes years to train someone to pilot a battlemech where he is component enough to be of any use. A tank crew can learn enough in a matter of weeks to be of some use and a couple of months to be quite component.

To show the years of study it takes to learn to operate military hardware in my games mech pilots are at the least a warrant officer if not out right a commissioned officer, the same goes for conventional aircraft pilots. An aerospace fighter pilot is required to be a commissioned officer. The commander of a vehicles crew must be at least a sergeant. A pilot of a VTAL is also to be at least a sergeant.
Why argue if the glass is half full or half empty, when you know someone is going to knock it over and spill it anyways.

I was a Major *pain* before
But I got a promotion.
I am now a General *pain*
Yay for promotions!!!
His_Most_Royal_Highass_Donkey
12/24/13 10:22 AM
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Quote:
What would you be more likely to fight with as a Mercenary? -- The best equipment money could buy, or a WWI vintage rifle and fatigues from the army surplus store? Mercs are hired for their skills and expertise; they're not PBIs you can throw in front of your troops as a meat shield.



Thats odd because by the way the great houses use merc unites mercs are to be thrown into the meat grinder saving house units to be more conservatively used. Look at how the great houses responded to the Clan invasion. Into the meat grinder merc units where thrown by the dozens.
Why argue if the glass is half full or half empty, when you know someone is going to knock it over and spill it anyways.

I was a Major *pain* before
But I got a promotion.
I am now a General *pain*
Yay for promotions!!!
Karagin
12/24/13 11:02 AM
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Mercs are fodder for governments they are NOT the best of the best, some yes but the average merc is not an elite fighter. History proves this enough. Look at the folks going to fight in the Spanish Civil War, not elite troops in the International Brigade. The Germans fighting were sent as part of an aid package to Franco difference there by a lot.

Mercs would not have the ability or the money to keep their mechs at top notch shape and they would be even hard pressed to keep high tech equipment in working order. So again a mech being able to trick out his mech could happen but not with high tech weapons or parts. Sorry just not seeing it happen. And for ever rare time it happens hundreds of mercs make the average and thus keep these things rare.

Also mercs are all about money, they know their ability to fight is their selling point so they will not risk their lives, but their employer sees them as expendable assets to be used up before they betray them.
Karagin

Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
CrayModerator
12/24/13 07:03 PM
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From what I have read in books I would classify a lot of merc mechs would be stolen military equipment.



How did the Kell Hounds get started?

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For example the Eridani Light Horse everything they started with was stolen equipment.



The Eridani Light Horse refused to abandon the Terran Hegemony when Kerensky illegally fled the Inner Sphere without the Star League High Council's permission. Then the Terran Hegemony disintegrated over the next few years. The Light House were left with hardware from a non-existent government. That's not theft like a runaway House-turned-pirate unit.

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They had no legal right to the stuff they took to start their merc unit.



Actually, they had a great deal of legal backing. See JHS:Terra's "Touring Terra" section.

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With how rare mechs are no house military would let a privet person own a battlemech since its of use to there own battlemech forces



Privately owned BattleMechs exist in BT. While it's an interesting question where they came from, they exist whether or not the explanation makes sense. Raising the question doesn't make them disappear in a poof of logic.

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Looking it from another direction why would a merc unit want something that represents such a large investment in one piece of equipment like a battlemech?



Try using the beta test Interstellar Operations' force creation and operation rules. There's a lot more to a force's costs than purchase price. Energy-armed 'Mechs can be very attractive.
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer

Disclaimer: Anything stated in this post is unofficial and non-canon unless directly quoted from a published book. Random internet musings of a BattleTech writer are not canon.
CrayModerator
12/24/13 07:08 PM
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Yeah okay a merc being rich...not seeing that one either. But again if your table allows it...given that canon claims they are making ends meat just to keep things going...



Sure, most merc forces fail quickly. It's hard to find an employer who will pay the fortune a merc force requires. But when you do, you get paid not just salaries (which have always been a trivial share of a merc force's operating costs), but maintenance, supply, repair, and transport costs. Those add up. If you get a garrison job lasting a couple of years with little to no combat, you can get rich pretty quickly.

Or you can get a few hard battles, lose a lot of 'Mechs, and need tens of millions of C-bills of repairs / replacements that bankrupt you.

See Mercenary Handbook, Mercenary Handbook 2, or the (still available) free beta-test Interstellar Operations force creation and operation rules.
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer

Disclaimer: Anything stated in this post is unofficial and non-canon unless directly quoted from a published book. Random internet musings of a BattleTech writer are not canon.
His_Most_Royal_Highass_Donkey
12/25/13 01:54 AM
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From what I have read in books I would classify a lot of merc mechs would be stolen military equipment.



How did the Kell Hounds get started?



They bought it. Now where they bought it is not said. Who knows where the people they hired got the stuff they had. They could have abandoned there post and took military hardware with them

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For example the Eridani Light Horse everything they started with was stolen equipment.



The Eridani Light Horse refused to abandon the Terran Hegemony when Kerensky illegally fled the Inner Sphere without the Star League High Council's permission. Then the Terran Hegemony disintegrated over the next few years. The Light House were left with hardware from a non-existent government. That's not theft like a runaway House-turned-pirate unit.



Who said anything about Kerensky?

They are guilty of refusing a legal order from command and turned pirates for hire. Just because the writers gave them a feel good fuzzy felling that does not mean what they did was legal. They had the legal responsibility to the High Council and who ever the the Council put in command of them. They did not do that they decided to take property that belonged to the Star League Defense Force and to go pirate and hire them self's out to the highest bidder.

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They had no legal right to the stuff they took to start their merc unit.



Actually, they had a great deal of legal backing. See JHS:Terra's "Touring Terra" section.



Yes they where a powerful force to be reckoned with and it was more politically sound to use them than to crush them for treason. That does not mean what they did was legal.

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With how rare mechs are no house military would let a privet person own a battlemech since its of use to there own battlemech forces



Privately owned BattleMechs exist in BT. While it's an interesting question where they came from, they exist whether or not the explanation makes sense. Raising the question doesn't make them disappear in a poof of logic.



Yes I know, logic has no place in BT. I have been reminded about that lots of times. I cant help that I have to see the logic in things and cant just say, "Oh we will just forget that goes against logic so we will go with that."

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Looking it from another direction why would a merc unit want something that represents such a large investment in one piece of equipment like a battlemech?



There's a lot more to a force's costs than purchase price. Energy-armed 'Mechs can be very attractive.



Yes like how costly advanced technology is to repair and to keep operational like a battlemech. Where a tank with its lower technology that makes it easier to manufacture or find spare parts.

I doubt most people have any clue of what it really takes to keep any large organization operational. The bigger the organization the more pencil pushers it needs just to get anything done.
Why argue if the glass is half full or half empty, when you know someone is going to knock it over and spill it anyways.

I was a Major *pain* before
But I got a promotion.
I am now a General *pain*
Yay for promotions!!!
Rotwang
12/25/13 11:40 AM
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Here's how I see it.

In de Dark Age era, Mechs have been "phased out" in favour of conventional forces. Mechs are rare, but this doesn't mean there is no demand for them. Small units like the Irregulars could be very profitable if they get the right kind of jobs that favour mechs. They probably wouldn't be doing long boring garrison duties like many mercs in the 31st century, they would be active assets with corresponding danger pay.

Irregular Mechwarriors come in two types, those who own their mech and those who are provided a mech by the unit. In case a mech is lost either the owner buys a new one if they have the money for it or the unit procures a new machine as a replacement with an option to buy later if they so desire.

The Irregulars have mostly 3050 era tech, about half being post-Clan Invasion designs (3050-3100), the others being refits of succession war era machines, with the older mechs being put in storage as they are replaced by newer ones. Because so many mechs have been taken out of service, parts should be cheap and abundant and any smart commander would snap up as much as possible. In an era where new mechs are rare and expensive (this is a period when people are duct-taping guns and missiles to dump trucks and combine harvesters) it would be wise for any unit to hang onto some older machines for rapid replacements. In the case of the Irregulars they have two mechs, and are forced to use one to replace their most powerful mech.

In this case Jimbo gets a new mech to replace the one he lost. To make sure it remains a viable machine he opts to upgrade the armament with the popular MML launcher (remember that it was designed by mercs as a cheaper option to separate LRM and SRM launchers) and to give his mech some extra punch he opts for a Heavy PPC, a somewhat less common and expensive item, but it's not like you're trying to steal the Coordinator's personal Katana from his bedroom either. There is no real room for further upgrades other than double heat sinks and a half ton extra armour plate.

A unit like the Irregular would probably be doing extremely well during the Dark Age as everybody is scrambling to field anything that can fight and a merc unit that provides its own kit is certain to get premium pay for the next few years. And they will need it if they need to build up enough spare mechs to keep the unit going until mech production catches up with demand.
CrayModerator
12/25/13 01:14 PM
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From what I have read in books I would classify a lot of merc mechs would be stolen military equipment.



How did the Kell Hounds get started?



They bought it. Now where they bought it is not said. Who knows where the people they hired got the stuff they had. They could have abandoned there post and took military hardware with them



That is not the Kell Hounds' story. The source of their funds and 'Mechs are elaborately described in fiction, complete with the politicians backing them.

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The Eridani Light Horse refused to abandon the Terran Hegemony when Kerensky illegally fled the Inner Sphere without the Star League High Council's permission. Then the Terran Hegemony disintegrated over the next few years. The Light House were left with hardware from a non-existent government. That's not theft like a runaway House-turned-pirate unit.



Who said anything about Kerensky?



Whoever is considering the legal situation at the end of the first Star League needs to say something about Big Al. The potential powers for the Light Horse were:
1) The Emperor and Director General, Stephen Amaris
2) The Protector, Kerensky
3) The High Council

Of those, the Eridani Light Horse took orders from Kerensky throughout the Star League Civil War, though that's legally dubious. The alternative was Emperor Amaris, who was legally elected as Director General by the population of the Terran Hegemony but didn't meet the Star League Accords' requirements to be First Lord because he wasn't a Cameron (hence, he styled himself as Emperor, a legally dubious proposition). The only de jure authority of the three was the High Council, but that looked the other way and gave no guidance to the Light Horse during the Civil War, hence the preference for Kerensky.

After the Star League Civil War and Amaris's death, Kerensky was stripped of his title of Protector by the High Council, but then the High Council gave no other orders to the SLDF (including the Light Horse). Then the Council disbanded itself and attacked the Terran Hegemony.

In summary, the Eridani Light Horse could have:
1) Obeyed a general who waged an unlawful civil war against his sovereign, or
2) Obeyed an Emperor who was not necessarily legally entitled to rule the Light Horse, or
3) Obeyed the High Council who gave no orders to the Light Horse before disbanding

This left the Eridani Light Horse as a legal isolate. It decided to ignore the illegal orders of Kerensky to abandon the Terran Hegemony and, instead, obeyed the remains of the Hegemony (even though it was an SLDF unit, not a Hegemony militia unit). Shortly thereafter, the Hegemony was destroyed.

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There's a lot more to a force's costs than purchase price. Energy-armed 'Mechs can be very attractive.



Yes like how costly advanced technology is to repair and to keep operational like a battlemech. Where a tank with its lower technology that makes it easier to manufacture or find spare parts.



That's reflected in the force creation rules of IO. Have you read them yet, and the extensive beta-testing feedback? That's all free and online.

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I doubt most people have any clue of what it really takes to keep any large organization operational. The bigger the organization the more pencil pushers it needs just to get anything done.



That's also reflected in the IO rules, and preceding Merc 2 rules. One of the advantages of playing a government force under the Interstellar Operations rules is bean counting aid from the rest of the government.
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer

Disclaimer: Anything stated in this post is unofficial and non-canon unless directly quoted from a published book. Random internet musings of a BattleTech writer are not canon.
ghostrider
12/25/13 01:57 PM
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First, not all of the units in the kell hounds where purchased. In the fluff they talk about a merc getting his marauder refurbished and having one of the owners punch him.

Second, most merc units get combat bonuses for doing their jobs. It could be simply a days pay to actual salvage from the battlefield. If done right, that recon lance of light mechs went down quickly to like legs missing, or even surrender. Lots of money from that.

Third, mech operating costs are more then just weapons, otherwise those same weapons that are used on tanks, would drive up their maintanence costs. The way the mech moves and such causes alot of the costs.

Fourth, how did this thread get so far off course? I think it should be moved to another thread.

Fifth, there are alot of merc units that failed to follow orders. Most arent the large units like the light horse, or even the wolf dragoons. Yes, they stopped following clan orders. Hell, look at all the pirate kings. Now thats stolen. The black thorns has a stolen raven mech in the unit.

and last, guessing most people havent dealt with the financial aspect of running units. The cost of resupply, plus just getting it there without shipments going missing, having a unit hit their supplies or things like that seem to be missing. Yes, for most, that is a very boring aspect, but if they had to spend alot of money dealing with those things, the game would have alot less ammo units. They even have damage that cannt be fixed. Not every supply depot hit will have 100 tons of ferrous fibre armor, or the ultra ammo/mml ammo. Even an engine hit may lead to not being fixed until the next behind the scenes refit. Having things like this tend to make people lose interest. Cannt do an alpha strike when the engine is adding 5/10 heatpoints for just being on.
Rotwang
12/25/13 06:14 PM
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If we look at history we see that after D-Day the Allies can afford to throw tanks into battle with almost careless abandon as for every Sherman in the field there are many more in reserve, ready to be sent in to fill the gaps in the ranks, whereas the Germans have almost zero reserves, every tank that is lost, stays lost and their Panzer units are slowly ground away.

The situation for a small merc unit could be very dramatic if they get cornered and lose more than one or two mechs at a time. Yet battles with up to 90% casualties are not unheard of in the BT universe. How many units in the canon get wiped out to a man and are back in business a few years later ?

And then there is salvage, in my experience the average BT game leaves a lot of salvageable equipment and mechs after a fight. If anything turnover in a merc unit could be pretty high as even a small % of mechs are lost in a fight, salvage and the purchase of new machines would mean that over time a company would look very different after a few years of fighting, there is no way that a unit as per the old FASA scenario books could go through all the scenarios and would have the same exact lineup at the end.
Karagin
12/26/13 12:50 AM
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HOW did he get the mech? Why would his boss give him another one? He just lost an expensive machine so really WHO would trust him with another?
Karagin

Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
ghostrider
12/26/13 10:17 AM
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You forget the scenario. You take a light mech and hold off an assault lance for 2 hours allowing the unit to retreat, and you can bet the co will get you another mech, especially if you took down one or more enemy units. Hell, this is how alot of people become friends with nobility. They hold the enemy while the noble runs. If you survive, they tend to do nice things like give you expensive toys at the tax payers expense.

Now with casualties, that does not mean the units were completely destroyed. Just being put down so they dont work, but can be repaired is a casualty. Also some employers guarantee replacement for certain jobs. Not all house screw mercs over. Some raids have replacement clauses as well as some assaults, like diversions.
Karagin
12/26/13 10:37 AM
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True but most don't. And while he might have done an amazing thing, many are not going to let him do it again since his actions tend to drive up the overhead.

Still if folks allow it in their games then hey all is good.
Karagin

Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
His_Most_Royal_Highass_Donkey
12/26/13 12:37 PM
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Hell, this is how alot of people become friends with nobility. They hold the enemy while the noble runs. If you survive, they tend to do nice things like give you expensive toys at the tax payers expense.



Most nobles would be grateful for their own hides but I doubt that they would reward the guy that held off the enemy off wail they ran with much of anything.

I would not put it pass the noble to have the guy shot so the noble could claim that he acted with great bravely during the battle and did not run like a coward.

The ones that would reword the guy would most likely just give the guy a metal. Giving out metals cost little to the noble and nothing to the state but people like them because it gives them bragging rights. Nobles do have to justify giving away state funds so they are unlikely to do so because it costs them political favors to do so.
Why argue if the glass is half full or half empty, when you know someone is going to knock it over and spill it anyways.

I was a Major *pain* before
But I got a promotion.
I am now a General *pain*
Yay for promotions!!!
CrayModerator
12/26/13 01:36 PM
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Fourth, how did this thread get so far off course? I think it should be moved to another thread.



Done.

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First, not all of the units in the kell hounds where purchased.



That's correct. I was addressing origins of the Kell Hounds, not their subsequent career and 'Mech acquisitions.

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Second, most merc units get combat bonuses for doing their jobs.



Which rule book and what page say that? The rules in Mercenaries Handbook, Field Report: Mercenaries, and Interstellar Operations budget things differently.

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Third, mech operating costs are more then just weapons, otherwise those same weapons that are used on tanks, would drive up their maintanence costs. The way the mech moves and such causes alot of the costs.



Yes, I know. That's stated quite clearly in prior merc handbooks, and brought out in detail in the new Interstellar Operations draft rules for force operations. Did you have a particular page in the IntOps rules (force creation and operation) that brought out operating costs most clearly?
http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php/board,84.0.html

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and last, guessing most people havent dealt with the financial aspect of running units. The cost of resupply, plus just getting it there without shipments going missing, having a unit hit their supplies or things like that seem to be missing. Yes, for most, that is a very boring aspect, but if they had to spend alot of money dealing with those things, the game would have alot less ammo units.



The Interstellar Operations draft rules bring that issue to the fore.
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer

Disclaimer: Anything stated in this post is unofficial and non-canon unless directly quoted from a published book. Random internet musings of a BattleTech writer are not canon.


Edited by Cray (12/26/13 01:44 PM)
ghostrider
12/27/13 12:25 AM
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I was trying to back you up on the fact new mech units dont always buy the mechs in it. More then a few are nothing more then units that disbanded for one reason or another.
At this time, I cannt remember where they had the combat bonuses, but it was part of a contract negotiations. It went thru a whole process of making one up. I wanna say its in the mercs operational handbook. Think it was the original one that came out, but wont swear by it. It also had some of the basic operations cost, but very generic.

One company that would replace mechs lost in battle would be defiance's main factory unit on Hesperous(sp). To keep from having their production lines damage, they would gladly replace defenders mechs, as long as they prove or show a good reason to have lost it.
Some of this could be argued with any war. Im sure Rommel and Patton lost the tanks they served in a couple of times. It happens.

No offense, but i doubt i will get the new books. In my opinion, the newer stuff is nothing more then making huge amounts of damage and confusion just to make it look good. What is the difference between doing 1 point or 10000 points when the armor is adjusted to compensate? It requires x amount of hits weither its 1 point or 10000.
Enemy has lasers. Use aerosol to disperse it. Using ppcs, lots of spikes in the ground to ground the shot. Missles, use lots of chaff to break targetting locks. yadda yadda. Why not drop bombs from orbit and be done with it. Or large rockets from orbit. Wipe out defender.
Hell, start using mass drivers and use asteroids, turn into meteors, and wipe out the installations. Even if they splinter as they come down, the rain of debris should take out some of the defenders. It gets to the point of why bother?
I like the older versions where it was a hell of alot better balanced.
His_Most_Royal_Highass_Donkey
12/27/13 12:42 AM
206.29.182.159

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One company that would replace mechs lost in battle would be defiance's main factory unit on Hesperous(sp). To keep from having their production lines damage, they would gladly replace defenders mechs, as long as they prove or show a good reason to have lost it.
Some of this could be argued with any war. Im sure Rommel and Patton lost the tanks they served in a couple of times. It happens.



Hesperous and Defiance Industries is defended by house unites. Mercs cant be trusted with something so valuable and escentual to its rightful owners House Davion of the The Federated Sun. The only problem is that House Steiner of the Lyran Commonwealth is who controls it. =(

What do you mean I'm biased!?! =P
Why argue if the glass is half full or half empty, when you know someone is going to knock it over and spill it anyways.

I was a Major *pain* before
But I got a promotion.
I am now a General *pain*
Yay for promotions!!!


Edited by His_Most_Royal_Highass_Donkey (12/27/13 12:49 AM)
Karagin
12/27/13 12:49 AM
174.69.53.47

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The contract stuff was in the original Merc Handbook from the old days of the 3025 era time frame, and it spelled out what mercs got etc...

And I do agree it does seem that many don't get the part that it cost money to repair things and getting the parts for a merc unit will not be easy or cheap. But that doesn't stop things and it really seems that the PTB have forgotten that as well since every thing in the fiction, well the pay to read fiction from the Battlecrops website, has mercs getting what they need and no mention of what it truly set the unit back or what wasn't gotten to replace Jimbos damaged parts. And yet we are expected to believe that a new book will fix things and give us a perfect table and charts and diagrams to show folks how to do something that was already in the game to start with...yeah not seeing that either.

As for a company giving a merc unit spare parts for free...yeah no that will not happen ever. They gain nothing from it and a company like Defiance or any other mech builder on Hesperus can afford to have good contracts that leave them from having to pay anything to anyone they don't want to pay. Kind of like expecting the Dragoons to work for free...or any other merc unit to not take payment of some kind, it won't happen. Mercs are out to make money, and the ones who claim to be fighting for a cause are the ones who are dead far often then not.
Karagin

Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
ghostrider
12/27/13 12:41 PM
66.74.187.127

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the canon product macarrons armored cavalry, think the first one, actually has one of the scenarios built around not recieving supplies. They actually hit defiance, though one of the smaller support factories for defiance.
Also, grey death legion has a romp at guarding the main factories from the 3rd davion guards if i recall, as the civil war starts. Not only is it in fiction, but i believe the 2nd scenario pack deals with them as well.
In the wolf and the dragon book it mentions combat bonuses during a raid on the eridini light horse. Think wolf pack deals with davion making promises to reimburse the dragoons with units, but didnt replace everything they said they would.

More then a few scenarios that are canon have damaged units, and some of them even talk about being given replacement mechs for ones they lost.

Now I do agree. They would not replace units that were lost to stupidity. Attacking an assault company with a single mech, just to show how good you are wouldnt get you a new mech when its over.

And last for now, there are alot of units that started out like the light horse. Given orders from amaris, but refused and started hitting the rim worlds republic forces on their own. They seem to be the biggest and best, besides the clans if you really think about it.
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