Sample file Sample file

A i L_L. C

THE ART OF WAR 21 Grand Tactics 22 JumpShips 22 Combat in Space 22 AeroSpace Controt: 22 AeroSpace Hazards 22 Invasions ~, 22 INTRODUCTION aids . . . . 22 Summary of Contents . 22 MERCENARY UNITS 23 The History of BattleMech Mercenaries kirmishes 23 Types of Mercenary Units 8 Battles 23 Infantry 8 Morale 23 Jump Infantry . . .»~. 8 Logistics 23 Motorized Infantry 't^is^~_, .,,. . 8 General Maxims 24 . . . 8 Mercenaries at War 24 or . . 8 MERCE CONCERNS . . . .25 25lery ~~r•! 9 The r Houses. Scots-^- . Suns f'Mech 'Lyran`+D6m 'Medium 'MeCH . .. . 9 The Capell 1-leavyWch 9 The Draeonis .' ne . As 'Mech 9 76 Free Worlds League . . . Lan -Air 'Mech 9 The Great Houses in Perspective AeroSpace Fighter 9 Other Employers 26 Aircraft 9 ComStar 26 Airmobile 9 Rebels and Secessionists 27 DropShips 9 Merchants 27 JumpShips , s 9 riphery Alliances 27 Support f: s 27 Unit • - nization : 27 Mercena Inv` id C Sample fileFalse ante $ ; W Corn •'i'• s and Noncombatants The Company S THE BUSINESS OF WAR . Mercenary Treache Profit'ind Loss 11 Reluctance in I Salaries 11 Surrender Profit Sharing 12 Changi Consumables 12 Bribes Maintenance and Ref its . . . .13 Plund Overhead and Other Expenses Safeguards CONTRACTS ComStar - . .. Missions 15 The Mercenaries Guild .. Garrison Duty .15 The Conventions . . . . 29 Cadre Duty .15 CREATING A MERCENARY UNIT. 31 Security Duty .15 Unit Points (UP) . . . . f 31 Riot Duty .15 Obtaining Unit Points 31 Defensive Campaign - 15 Using Unit Points 32 Relief Duty .. .16 Outfitting Mercenaries 34 Planetary Assault .16 Determining Unit Vehicles and Equipment 34 Offensive Campaign 16 i d Moral 36 Siege Campaign 16 36 Recon Raid ; .16 Unit 36 Objective Raid .. 16 37 .16 Expatt es 37 Diversionary Raid :- ~Gt e ~&tare ,17 Salaries 37 Terms of Emplo .17 Maintenance 38 Reri'luneralion :18 Consumable Supplies 39 Length of Service .18 Overhead 39 Command Rights .19 Failure to Cover Monthly Expenses 39 Transport .20 Hiring DropShips and JumpShips 40 Supplies :20 t~~Expermes 40 Salvage Rights .20 Unit Expenses 40

CREATING CONTRACTS 41 Negotiation System 41 Missions - 42 Length of Service 42 Remuneration . . . - 42 Guarantees 42 Command Rights 43 Transport Fees 43 Supply Fees 44 Salvage Rights 44 Mission Modifications . 45 Freestyle Negotiations . . . 45 Contract Form CAMPAIGN SYSTE CTED MERCENARY UNITS 65 Basic Ca ANI LIGHT HORSE 67 Reso Table of Organization 67 st e . . . 47 BlefHistory ... 68 Outcome . . .48 Eridani Light Horse 68 Against the Usurper 68 edetermining Force Commitment 50 -The First SuCeessio 68 Systemanced Campaign 51 Evacuation 69 Mission Resolution 51 i the Ranks ' ?4 69 Force Commitment 51 t 69 :. Force Composition . 52 69 S ~ :. se 70 ations . . Conrad IiiiitIlDavion 70 ecial Events Descriptienrf;' 70 Friendly Cam Operations 57 Contract Requicemen . 71 Campaign Typical Mission Work 71 ee Oper it Traditions . . . 71 weir Oper. ,72 es and Ski leeted Personal i•~~.... ; X12 `'Campaigri . 61 nnel Roster t" 74 j •,Morme 1f-'y' 62 RANGERS . .. •' 83 %zfetermining Force Commitment 62 Table • Ot'gahization 83 RICKS OF THE TRADE Brie Employer Betrayals Mercenary Betrayals . . Fr. . =o to Play' It Safe . . . . 64 with the Wi Su The Steiner Years Unit Descro ` . . SampleSelect file ersonalities Personnel Roster . . . WILSON'S HUSSARS Table of Organization Brief History Origin of the Hussars When Luck Turns ael rSu J. Andrew Keith Eridani Light Horse Boy F. Petersen . Jr. Goals Waco Rangers TechnicaI Support Dale L Selected Personalities Wilso

BATTLETECH, CITYTECH, AEROTECH, MECHWARRIOR, r Plates Jim Holloway 'Mech and BattleMech ar marks of FASA Corporation Todd F. Marsh registered in the U.S . Pat- rk offices. Illustration C• e . . .1• it 1987 FASA Corpora Dana Knutson Todd F. Marsh Jett Laubenstein Page Design Jordan K . Weisman Typesetting and Layout Tara Gallagher Sample file

The trooper on the right wears the Eridani Light Horse standard infantry and field uniform . He wears a field communications unit, which fits like a band across the base of his head and over his left ear.

The figure on the left wears the Eridani Light Horse standard support uniform used by Medical, Logistics, Administration and other Support Units . She is holding a 4 pair of binoculars. The Eridani Light Horse. . .Hansen's Roughriders . ..Wolf's To sum up, The Merce- Dragoons . . .In the age of BattleMech warfare, these mercenary nary's Handbook is a set of units and others like them spearhead the battle forces of the guidelines that des- Great Houses . As the Succession Wars rage across the cribe the business crumbling remnants of the Star League . it is this new of 'Mech warfare. breed of condottieri that dominates the battlefields Gamemasters and of hundreds of distant worlds. players should use As a supplement for MechWarrior, The Mercenary's this material to augment . not to replace. the material Handbook examines the role of mercenary soldiers and found in MechWarrior . There is no need to use every units in the BATTLETECH environment . It examines rule given here and no requirement that players apply the composition. economics, and employment of mer- these rules exactly as written . Combine the cam- cenary MechWarriors, paign rules in this book with the BattleTech and provides series of games to set the stage for various garners with combat clashes of arms . As a game of imagina- rules for running large- tion and entertainment . Mech- scale campaigns easily . The Warrior's primary rule is : Thou shalt rules on expenses, contracts, have fun . Use this book in that treachery, and House policies also spirit. allow player characters to roleplay every aspect of mercenary life. SUMMARY OF CONTENTS Players may use these rules in several differ- The Mercenary's Handbook is split ent ways . If desired, each can create a mercenary unit into three parts. The first chapters dis- leader . who is responsible for all aspects of business. cuss various aspects of mercenary life in negotiations . and command . In this case . the game the year 3025 A D . In the latter chapters are becomes a framework for competition rather than game rules and systems for roleplaying the cooperation . While some of these units may work features of mercenary life . The appendix for the same House, others could oppose one contains descriptions of three mercenary another . The gamemaster's job is to create cam- units . paign situations that involve each mercenary Any discussion of mercenary unit, with every player handling the economics. forces must begin by examining the negotiations . and strategic decisions of his own various types of Mercenary Units . In- unit. This can lead to an interesting and un- Sample file cluded is a history of mercenary use in usual form of roleplaying. the BATTLETECH universe, as well as If the player characters are all part of the same descriptions of the subgroups in a unit. mercenary unit, they may share the unit's duties and The Business of War describes how MechWar- responsibilities . For example, a group of six player rior soldiers of fortune ply their trade . Mercenaries fight characters might form the leadership of a 'Mech battalion. strictly for profit, which is calculated after meeting all One player character is the Battalion Commander, three their expenses . In turn . these expenses dictate how are Company Commanders, another commands the air much they must charge employers and also determine and space-going elements of the unit, and the sixth is the the unit's success as a business venture . which is often Battalion's Executive Officer . In addition to handling the more important than success in battle. expenses of his own command, each would also control A mercenary unit earns money by negotiating and ful- his units during combat . The Exec consolidates unit ex- filling business agreements with an employer . These Con- penses, manages intelligence duties, worries about liai- tracts spell out the details of a unit's purpose, payment . and son with employers, and recruits hirelings as well as com- the rights and duties of that unit while serving. manding elements in the field when the need arises . As the The Art of War chapter helps players and gamemasters final arbiter for planning and executing campaigns, the CO understand the mercenary brand of military science . Winning negotiates contracts and makes political decisions . Other a victory with minimal loss of equipment, manpower, or sup- divisions of responsibility are also possible. plies is a mercenary's highest goal . Maneuver. good gen- As the MechWarrior rules state, a player may fill many eralship . and the bloodless occupation of strategic posi- roles at once . Each player could roleplay one or more Mech- tions are all far more important than costly battles . As a Warriors . AeroSpace Fighter Pilots . technicians, and merce- result. mercenary warfare has become stylized and often nary unit conimanders.Of course, a player's characters do not inconclusive. all have to serve the same outfit : they could be members of The next chapter, Mercenary Concerns . discusses rival units . However, the gamemaster should not allow such the various Successor States' attitudes toward merce- units to combat each other, as even the most schizo- naries. Employers are not always wise enough to live up to phrenic player would be hard-pressed to fight on both sides their commitments . and treachery (by both employers and of a battle. mercenaries) is an art as often practiced as it is condemned. 5