RE: Merc Guild

--- B Lin <lin@rxkinetix.com> wrote:

> A la Hammer's Slammers from David Drake or the
> Dorsai from Gordon Dickson.  In both cases the
> justification for mercenaries was that they brought
> experience and equipment that the hiring government
> could not provide on its own.  

Actually, Slammer's had equipment and experience. 
Dorsai had experience and training--their main weapon
was a "Spring-rifle" that sounds like it could be
turned out for about $25 (Canadian), and which was
identical to the weapons used by local militia.

And the only reason the Slammers had the equipment
they did was because they were essentially deserters
from Neu Frisian service.  IOW, it still took a fairly
wealthy nation to initially bankroll the purchase.  

To run a mechanized (or God forbid, aviation) unit
takes massive initial outlays in capital.  You won't
get a regular business loan for this due to the a) the
sums involved and b) the risk.	Which means that at
least for initial outlays, the mercs are going to need
the backing of either a major megacorp (if you
background provides for such) or a large nation.

There will be a large market for light forces,
trainers, and specialists--that's no question.	But
heavy force "independants" will be nothing of the
kind.  They may be regular forces leased out to other
nations (I believe that's the NI and SK model) or they
might be subsidized by a nation as a really cheap way
of getting good quality reservists.  IE "You can take
whatever contract you want as long as it isn't against
us, and if we have a crisis you have to terminate your
contract and come back to defend the old home soil." 
This allows for good incentives for recruiting (20
years, and you get a plot of property in the outback
and citizenship), a safe place to rest and refit, and
subsidized weapons purchases.

John

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