Re: mercs

--- Thomas Barclay <kaladorn@fox.nstn.ca> wrote:

> 2) If the Mercs are supplementing other 
> forces, then they'll have to have the same 
> capabilities for assault (if that is what is 
> planned). Presumably they'd get main force 
> fleet coverage, but they'd have to have assault 
> landing capability.

I'm assuming that most mercenary units will probably
not be hired by central governments of major powers. 
They will be hired by breakaway colonies, regional
governors, and communities on balkanized planets. 
Those parties do not have the sort of resources that
the mercenaries replace.  As a result, planetary
assault will be pretty rare.  

> 4) People talk about mercs (which rightly is really 
> discussed as the private military corporation) of 
> using civilian transport.  I heartily agree with 
> whoever it was said that if you don't have support, 
> evac, dustoff, then you're already screwed before  
> you arrive. Civilian transport, as long as you 
> are operating in support of a legitemate gov't 
> unlikely to be toppled, is fine. If you've got to go

> to someplace where the stability of the 
> administration is in doubt, where you are going 
> in without gov't sanction, etc. - then you'd better 
> have the ability to punch in and punch out. 

Hrm. . . I doubt any minor power would touch
third-party shipping or spaceport facilities.  Too
important to the economic viability of the planet in
question.  Given that, once you get to a spaceport,
your PMCers can cash their repatriation bonds (held by
reputable non-involved financial institution) and get
off planet.  Of course, you might have to hold a bit
of an Anabasis.  But that's good scenario fodder.

> NO soldier in his right mind is content with the 
> "well, our plan better work or we're up the 
> creek" option. No one plans for that. There are 
> plans, contingency plans, and contingent contingency

> plans. Only when forced by circumstance would you do

> something potentially suicidal (and even not 
> always then) such as dropping into someplace 
> you didn't have good confidence in your ability 
> to get out of. 

You'd be surprised.  Hell, take a look at Market
Garden.
 
> 5) We talk about Mercs on the ground. Mercs in space

> are quite feasible too -  maritime recovery, 
> security and anti-piracy.  Ops on airless worlds. 
> Even (anime fans take note) Area88 style Close 
> Aerospace Control missions - mercenary pilots and 
> fighters. 

It's really capital-intensive to start a spacefleet. 
It also requires highly trained personell--you can run
a small-scale training platoon in your merc batallion.
 You can't run a training ship in your destroyer
squadron.  It's too dangerous to have untrained
personell aboard a fighting warship.

I can't recall a single instance of a modern naval or
aviation (excepting Executive Outcomes with a handful
of Hinds, bought cheap from the South African
government after they captured them.) mercenary unit. 
The time of privateers and letters of marque was the
time when the only expense in converting a merchantman
to a warship was cutting holes in the side and
mounting cannon (Yes, I know purpose-built warships
were better.  But they weren't required.)

John

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