RE: [SG] Mercenary Mission Motivation

Also of factor would be the reputation of the unit. The better the
reputation, the better the job (pay, type, etc.) you will be offered. 

While probably very unrealistic, I liked the Battletech background's
ideas
for mercenaries. The units with a good rep usually had "extras" added to
the
contract (transportation, supplies, salvage rights, equipment
replacement,
etc.), recieved the jobs most likely to increase thier reputation
(garrison
duty does nothing for your rep), increased thier credit rating (for when
they needed new equipment) and helped with recruiting. Units with bad
reps
more or less expected to be left hanging, or stuck guarding some depot
in
the back 40 of nowhere.

The advantages of a Mercenary unit are:
 - reduced training cost
 - reduced equipment cost
 - reduced cost of standing military in peacetime
The disadvantages are:
 - higher cost for the unit when activated
 - nonstandard supplies may be required (logistics)
 - questionable loyalty
 - retainer fees in peacetime
 - chain of command integration
 - reputation as employer

-----
Brian Bell
-----

-----Original Message-----
From: Donogh McCarthy [mailto:donoghmc@hotmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, February 06, 2002 09:56
To: gzg-l@csua.berkeley.edu
Subject: [SG] Mercenary Mission Motivation

[snip]

I thought that their mission motivation would be closer tied to the
current 
status of the payment, their current state of supply and the perceived 
reliability of their employer.
The importance of the mission according to the employer will probably
have 
some impact

I'll probably not formulate a matrix to take all these factors into
account,

and will just assign a motivation as I feel it's deserved.

Has anyone done anything like this before?
Any input from anyone, especially good accounts of mercenary operations
and 
historic motivations for modern mercenaries

Thanks