Shadowrun
Catalyst Game Labs => Catalyst's Shadowrun Products => Topic started by: bobo69 on <02-25-13/2100:30>
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Very nice sourcebook, liked the small hints on the goings on in Africa esp. in the Congo Tribal Lands....
Yeah, the Congo Tribal lands deserve their own PDF sourcebook....maybe I'll write it, I spent a few years in the DRC in the early 90s.
Also looking out for Parazoology 2 and the long awaited Euro wars antiques sourcebook.
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Quicksilver
Not the build I'd have made, but everyone would've hated the build I wanted to do.
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Looking forward to this (and the new Missions scenario)...on Logan for purchase tomorrow. ;D
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Very nice sourcebook, liked the small hints on the goings on in Africa esp. in the Congo Tribal Lands....
Yeah, the Congo Tribal lands deserve their own PDF sourcebook....maybe I'll write it, I spent a few years in the DRC in the early 90s.
Also looking out for Parazoology 2 and the long awaited Euro wars antiques sourcebook.
Thanks! I tried to mix things up and not be quite so North and South America-centric. There are other battlefields after all and Africa seemed like a great place to visit, even if only briefly.
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Yeah, the Congo Tribal lands deserve their own PDF sourcebook....maybe I'll write it, I spent a few years in the DRC in the early 90s.
The problem is, the map of Sixth World Almanac call "Congo Tribal lands" an area that stretches from Niger and Chad to Mozambique. It doesn't appear to match anything, be it Congo as a country, the Congo river basin, the Kongo empire or the Kikongo language. The distribution area of the Niger-Congo linguistic group is much larger, but it doesn't fit: it goes all the way west to Senegal, while Niger and Chad ancient languages are in the Nilo-Saharan group.
Labeling it as the "Saharan-Congo Tribal Lands" might be more appropriate, since the area would include tribes from both the Niger-Congo and Nilo-Saharan linguistic groups, while not including the Niger and the Nile rivers proper. On the other hand, 6WA map shows a much greener Africa, where the Saharan desert somehow ends around 25°N. So the Saharan adjective may be considered misleading, and "Sahel-Congo Tribal Lands" be a better idea.
That is, unless the tribes from Congo proper managed somehow to pull out one of the largest military conquest in history during the 21st century.
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Actually the Congo Tribal Lands is one huge DMZ, its only a label to an area that is virtually a feral land probably made up of either wilderness or small warlord states. The Congo lands makes Nigeria look orderly by comparison.
So far the hints are:
Kinshasa-Brazerville is the largest sprawl int he Congo Tribal lands and its unofficial capital.
The Tribes are uniting or forming some sort of conferderation.
NOt all are primitive tribal, there are pockets of warlords using modern tech. I would not be surprised if the Megas got boots on the ground in the Congo. The usual suspects are:
Aztechnology: Already according to Feral cities very interested in the place.
Mitsuhama; of course Congo is rich in minerals, talismonger material etc. Mitsuhama is king in the mineral talismongering exploitation business.
Universal Omnitech: Well as the largest African Mega, these guys will probably be interested in the Congo too. Lots of mineral wealth.
Manadyne: Well lots of talismongering in the area.
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*sigh*
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*sigh*
I know, not the africa you would like to see in the SR universe.
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@Crimsondude: Out of curiosity, assuming Black is correct, what *is* the Africa you'd like to see?
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Well, breaking away from "Darkest Africa", where everything's a steamy jungle filled with great cats and primative peoples is probably a start.
As for the major AAA players in Africa, you missed one. :)
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Or eight.
It's been SR canon since before 4e that sub-Saharan Africa is practically open territory for any (and all!!) AA or bigger corporation to kick around in. Cyberpirates!! had the most information offhand, though I seem to recall a run or two which involved all but outright slavery - and sometimes outright slavery - of scientists and more.
Suffice it to say that all of the Big 10 are doing things in Africa, and for the most part they're all engaged in more-or-less Bad Stuff. Why? Because they can get away with it; who's going to bitch, and who're they going to bitch to?
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All I'm saying is that the best parts of Lagos make the worst parts of Redmond look pleasant, and the nicest places to be south of the Sahara are Azania and Asamando.
Of course, look at Africa today, and it isn't much better. Africa in Shadowrun pretty well mirrors what I think would happen if plagues swept through wiping out governments left and right, the UN wasn't around to do anything, and the rain forest decided it wanted to go all over the place. Africa has always been a hellhole with a few islands of places that are less likely to kill you.
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@Crimsondude: Out of curiosity, assuming Black is correct, what *is* the Africa you'd like to see?
Can't say.
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Fair enough...never hurts to ask :)
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Its hard to predict the future for Africa. Not every nation is torn by civil unrest and/or crims and poverty varies by nation to nation.
Shadowrun tends towards distopia, so if Africa is potrayed an universially screwed, then at least its predicable to its Western audience.
But in real life, you have the African Union replacing western peacekeeping intervention with local forces. And with both its natural resources and potential telsiman, an African megacorp is not unfeasible, say a magic orientated mining company or similar? Heck, think Shadowrun Wakanda...
But given Shadowrun's current history, with VITAS and Corporate Imperisalism etc, a Africa torn by warfare backed by megacorps (aka Blood Diamonds...) makes as much sense.
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Hell, I think the only nice place to live in Shadowrun is the NAN. As long as you're First Nations, and don't mind a rustic homestyle.
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Being an Elf in Tir Tairngir isn't bad, either. And if you like jungle, then Amazonia is the place for you!
Regarding Sub-Saharan Africa, even the relatively stable countries (except perhaps South Africa) are only a good cataclysm away from complete anarchy. And a couple waves of VITAS, plus terrain changes caused by the awakening, plus the Infected, plus Corps on a Resource Rush, plus... well, you get the idea. It isn't that any one thing led to Africa being a hellhole. And the response capability of any stable areas of Africa would have been hamstringed by the first matrix crash, dragons and elves carving out their territories out of what used to be South Africa, and so on. And the rest of the world was too busy worrying about the insanity in their own back yard to notice as Africa fell between the cracks.
Now, could Africa be revived? Well, they've been trying that for decades today, and it hasn't gone so well, but let's leave that aside. There are some relatively nice parts in Africa. Azania isn't bad, and Nairobe wouldn't be a bad place to be, if the spirits would just accept that the Mass Driver was there to stay. Until the recent troubles with their food supply and ferals, as well as the problems Infected seem to be experiencing worldwide, Asamando wouldn't be a bad place to live, if you're Awakened. The rest of Sub-Saharan Africa is mostly a patchwork of areas where quality of life depends on the local warlord, which corps have bought him off, and how corrupt he is, as well as if there are any Awakened dangers lurking around. And then there's Lagos. A more wretched hive of scum and villainy...
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Agreed...I think this is a very plausible scenario.
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"It isn't that any one thing led to Africa being a hellhole."
Yes, there is. It's called Cyberpirates!.
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Hi !
I'm curious about one of the characters in Mercs : Major Mc Cord, Human Changeling with "Metahuman Trait: extended lifespan".
Does it mean that he has the lifespan of an elf character ? I didn't know you could do that with the Changeling Quality "Metahuman Trait". It's a nice idea !
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Of course, look at Africa today, and it isn't much better. Africa in Shadowrun pretty well mirrors what I think would happen if plagues swept through wiping out governments left and right, the UN wasn't around to do anything,
The UN is around to do something?
(http://www.deviantart.com/download/76307999/Uninvolved_in_Africa_by_gencebay55.jpg)
But in real life, you have the African Union replacing western peacekeeping intervention with local forces. And with both its natural resources and potential telsiman, an African megacorp is not unfeasible, say a magic orientated mining company or similar? Heck, think Shadowrun Wakanda.
I agree, and I think that a lot of the supposition about Africa being and remaining in destitute chaos is presumptuous based on its recent history (taking into account history of the human species) and comparison with European imperial powers, themselves being fairly short-lived (if phenomenally wide-spread), ignoring the fact that various places in Africa, like the Indian subcontinent and others have had a cyclical period of fragmentation and small empires. But this is starting to divert from the thread topic.
Human Changeling with "Metahuman Trait: extended lifespan"
Does it mean that he has the lifespan of an elf character ? I didn't know you could do that with the Changeling Quality "Metahuman Trait".
I think that "Metahuman trait" is a place where you can shoehorn in a vast number of things depending on your table, possibly to increase compatibility with groups leaning more towards transhumanism; the list in Runner's Companion is intentionally non-exhaustive.
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Great ! Thanks for your reply. ;)
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Hi !
I'm curious about one of the characters in Mercs : Major Mc Cord, Human Changeling with "Metahuman Trait: extended lifespan".
Does it mean that he has the lifespan of an elf character ? I didn't know you could do that with the Changeling Quality "Metahuman Trait". It's a nice idea !
Thanks! Well, the powers that be didn't strike it down soooo...
Honestly, it was just an idea I had when I created the origional chracter years ago. I think I was reading something about elves (specifically the Tir nobility) and found their arrogance particularly grating that day. I've always had a thing for knocking arrogance down a few notches and the idea of a longer-lived human that's been around a while appealed to me. Plus, I just like longer lived characters. And I'm a writer, I'm allowed to do things like this!
But if one was to use this in their game, also remember that Dwarves also have a significantly longer lifespan than humans. Take that for what you will.
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Considering the fact that I have Centennials in my family, some of whom were in pretty good shape, and one that died of a thing that can hit anyone at any age... Yeah, expanded age is an understandable trait.
I think we have three or four letters from Queen Elizabeth II in the family around...
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I've always had a thing for knocking arrogance down a few notches and the idea of a longer-lived human that's been around a while appealed to me. Plus, I just like longer lived characters. And I'm a writer, I'm allowed to do things like this!
But if one was to use this in their game, also remember that Dwarves also have a significantly longer lifespan than humans. Take that for what you will.
I also seem to remember that there was an Immortal Dwarf character mentioned, though I can't remember if that was a more strictly linked to Earthdawn (which is no longer connected to Shadowrun due to intellectual property rights) or if that was a canon Shadowrun-verse character. I'm sure that other members of this board that are more knowledgeable than I in past Shadowrun characters could clarify.
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Mystic i gotta ask are you a fan of Fallout:Equestria or did you come up with the concept of Centaur battle harness all on your own.
Either way its pretty nice addition and save me the trouble of making a house rule write up of it,have been meaning to do that for months :)
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Mystic i gotta ask are you a fan of Fallout:Equestria or did you come up with the concept of Centaur battle harness all on your own.
Either way its pretty nice addition and save me the trouble of making a house rule write up of it,have been meaning to do that for months :)
Glad you like it. One of the things I wanted to do with 10M to help make it stand out a bit was to give every unit some piece of unique gear (because gear sells) or special item. And while I've never seen Fallout: Equestria, I am more familiar with MLP than any man (other than a brony) has a right to be thanks to my three-year-old daughter. Although, I admit, I don't mind watching MLP with her, unlike with some other "kids" shows out there that make me want to stab my eyes out and ram hot steel rods into my brain in an attempt to purge the stupidity. But I digress.
The concept for the CBH in 10M was mine and Cain Hazen's (send him hate mail as well! ;)). He planted the proto-idea about a centaur-centric unit in my brain during Origins '12 with some comment about getting one into SR. When it came time to flesh out 10M, I ran with it. The idea of a Centuar shock trooper loaded with weapons doing an old-fashioned cavalry charge made me grin so I worked out the details. The final version you see in 10M is actually scaled back because I was SURE that TPTB would say "Ah....no." to the idea in general and didn't want to totally cheese it out. The origional concept not only had the harness with weapon mounts on the flanks, but a gunners "turrret"/position manned by someone dwarf size or smaller. So yeah, in the original version you have a centaur running fill gallop with weapons in hands, on it's flanks, and then when they run past, the gunner lets loose. But even I knew that with weight restrictionsa gunner would be pushing it, so took it out. But maybe on the CBH-02.....hmmmm....
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unlike with some other "kids" shows out there that make me want to stab my eyes out and ram hot steel rods into my brain in an attempt to purge the stupidity.
There's Phineas and Ferb.
Speaking of extended lifespan and other changeling qualities, are these considered (in-universe) to be linked to the rising mana level, or just continuing aspects of genetics?
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Mystic, since you're here, I have a question regarding the file.
re: Falcon TAC-C CSM M1
The text hints it doubles as a rigger cocoon. Is that correct? Does it double as a rigger cocoon or does the cocoon have to be installed separately? What is it's availability? Is the price a typo (5,500 Nuyen) because it seems extremely low? How does it work with non-aerial drones; does it work with the same benefits as hinted or not?
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unlike with some other "kids" shows out there that make me want to stab my eyes out and ram hot steel rods into my brain in an attempt to purge the stupidity.
There's Phineas and Ferb.
Speaking of extended lifespan and other changeling qualities, are these considered (in-universe) to be linked to the rising mana level, or just continuing aspects of genetics?
I'll be honest, never thought about it in that much detail and I am NOT an authority on the subject but it's definately up for debate. And with all the new material coming out, I don't want to say anything and accidently contradict (sp?) something that someone above my pay grade may be working on. Sorry if that's a cop-out, but it is what it is. I say until someone specifically locks it down, go with whatever works for you.
Phineas and Ferb? Never heard of them *shoves Perry T-shirt, various action figures, games, and a Doofenschmirtz doll into closet* I have no idea what you're talking about. 8)
Mystic, since you're here, I have a question regarding the file.
re: Falcon TAC-C CSM M1
The text hints it doubles as a rigger cocoon. Is that correct? Does it double as a rigger cocoon or does the cocoon have to be installed separately? What is it's availability? Is the price a typo (5,500 Nuyen) because it seems extremely low? How does it work with non-aerial drones; does it work with the same benefits as hinted or not?
The Falconer Mk 1 was conceived as a combination of the two for use in either 1) a fast moving aircraff like a fighter-bomber to increase it's strike capability or 2) a large slower moving aircraft a la modern AWACS with multiple modules on board. So yes it's a cocoon with an integrated software package suite and was meant for use on aerial vehicles. Avalability, well I could have sworn that I put in NA as the avalability as the unit is supposed to be a prototype, not a production model, with only small number exsisting. My bad on that. :( Pricewise, it seemed like a good idea at the time, based on what I saw as the cost for comperable stuff and hardware. But, being a prototype, there are always unforseen costs that tend to push projects over budget (glitches, sabotage, discovered incompatibility with various programs, "the damn things just not working", etc) that increase the final price on the production model. Maybe you should look at the cost as being the raw materials, not the end product: much like cars.
Now, if you want to use this and control ground vehicles from the air...I don't see why not but there are issues such as speed and range to consider. Want to put it in a ground vehicle...again, sure why not but I would say that that the software would have to be re-written to deal with the new operation parameters and you would be better off with standard stuff.
But then, someone may decide to change this later in the new rules. I have not heard one way or another if this will be used in any upcoming products. This is all just my personal two-cents.
Now, that being said, I personally would have no problem if a GM wants to take what I just said and throw it out the window if it suits their game or modify it as such. They do have final say in any game. Heck, in any of my games, I would make getting one a run in of itself and then the players may or may not like what they get. But then, I'm just an evil bastach that way (muahahaha).The Falconer is more of the beginning of a concept rather than a finished product. Hope that helps.
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Could Africa be revived?
Well the Megas are trying to with their project in Kenya and of course the stable country of Azania as well as footholds in less stable regions like Nigeria, Liberia, Ethnosomalia, etc. helps but the vast majority of Africa is all chaos, jungle. The chaos in the Congo Tribal areas makes Amazonia look like a fascist state.
So it will take a LOT of work to stabilize Africa. And the megas got LOTS of problems elsewhere to focus on Africa.
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Quicksilver should also have Distance Strike. There was some confusion, but he used it quite often and cleverly in the Dragon Heart Saga, so it's an unfortunate absence of what I consider his signature power (IA Stealth was his dominant skill, but ...).
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Devil Dog One...
hehehehehehe
Such a happy jarhead after reading that.
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The FMC was (in part) a Marine's idea.
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The FMC was (in part) a Marine's idea.
Well then Semper Fi!
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The FMC was (in part) a Marine's idea.
Explains a lot.
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I know I've been getting some flak for the FMC, but I did try to do right by them. Are they a bit over the top, hell yeah! But then so are some of my friends who are Marines, God bless them. I think SR needs a wee-bit more of honest good guys. Like New Assets, I didn't create the FMC, I just got to flesh out some of their story and I stand by it. And if you do like the FMC, check out Storm Front.
And yes, that IS a shameless plug. I am allowed after all. 8)
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Well, it's a matter of taste I guess. While I enjoyed all the other writeups (even new assets, who don't interest me in the least) to varying degrees, I personally hated the FMC writeup and think the book would have been better served by a non-American merc group.*
To my eyes, you made them sound like terrible mary sues and that's really not a service.
E.g. the chinese vulture guys have _tons_ more character than those bland all-American boys in uniform, and judging from the other 9 chapters it is not a matter of lack of writing skill that did the FMC in.
Before 10 mercs, the FMC was a unit on the sidelines with an interesting history (what happens when the USA splits up? => FMC). Now it is ... over the top and ultimately not really very believable. The stuff in Storm Front just makes it worse. By a lot.
*Edit: There are not enough of those, btw. North America is not really a merc hot spot and yet there are only 3 non-American companies, three and a half maybe if you count the European fighter pilots in the 180th. Squandered opportunity, IMHO.
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Speaking as a Marine - I thought the FMC write up was spot on.
We really are that awesome ;D
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And yes, that IS a shameless plug. I am allowed after all. 8)
At least you aren't as shameless as CanRay on that. :P
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Speaking as a Marine - I thought the FMC write up was spot on.
We really are that awesome ;D
Well, at least this shows that the training works and you believe your own hype.
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Speaking as a Marine - I thought the FMC write up was spot on.
We really are that awesome ;D
Well, at least this shows that the training works and you believe your own hype.
Ok. ok - we don't WALK on water....
Much too slow so we run ;)
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Actually, I thought the FMC writeup was fairly believable. Especially considering that they set up shop in the Carib League. Amphibious warfare is what Marines are best at, and any merc company specializing in that kind of tactic fills a niche that most wouldn't focus on, much like the magic and air force merc companies also in the book. Most merc companies range from special forces to standing armies, but they are all primarily ground troops.
As for why you don't see more non-American merc companies, there are two reasons that spring immediately to mind. 1) While North America is not one of the places mercs typically do most of their active work, it is a place with lots of money, and lots of soldiers to recruit from, given that there are how many national militaries dotting the landscape? Combined with the fact that people in North America have the luxury of not living in hellholes like Africa, where tribal influences would undermine any unit cohesion, and any groups already tight enough to be an effective fighting force are already involved in things like piracy other such things... Remember, mercs are people you bring in from SOMEWHERE ELSE because there's too much crazy going on in your neck of the woods, and you can't trust your own people to be skilled (or loyal) enough to do the job. 2) The game itself is Amero-centric. At least, that's how it is in the English version. The German writers focus more on Europe, naturally. The main setting is Seattle, and most of the things the biz goes on revolves around North Am sprawls, with a dose of Japan, Hong Kong, and (only recently) Bogota. Though the Bogota thing is a plot arc that's ending now. So really, other than brief mentions of Lagos (otherwise known as Mos Eisley on a bad day) and occaisional jaunts to Europe, anything you're going to be reading is going to be focused on North Am.
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Actually, I thought the FMC writeup was fairly believable. Especially considering that they set up shop in the Carib League. Amphibious warfare is what Marines are best at, and any merc company specializing in that kind of tactic fills a niche that most wouldn't focus on, much like the magic and air force merc companies also in the book. Most merc companies range from special forces to standing armies, but they are all primarily ground troops.
Exactly - given our history as a rapid response "We will bring a Can O Whoop Ass anywhere in the world in 48 hours" force the description of the FMC was accurate. I especially loved how Improvise,Adapt,Overcome was worked into their history and training.
The "We and Mr. Kane have an understanding" bit was hillarious
Gunny Wayne reminds me of a SNCO I knew named Dominguez - 5 ft tall, 5 foot wide and bad ass. .
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Gunny Wayne reminds me of a SNCO I knew named Dominguez - 5 ft tall, 5 foot wide and bad ass. .
Reminds me of my Stepfather.
RIP, Dad.
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As for why you don't see more non-American merc companies, there are two reasons that spring immediately to mind. 1) While North America is not one of the places mercs typically do most of their active work, it is a place with lots of money, and lots of soldiers to recruit from, given that there are how many national militaries dotting the landscape? Combined with the fact that people in North America have the luxury of not living in hellholes like Africa, where tribal influences would undermine any unit cohesion, and any groups already tight enough to be an effective fighting force are already involved in things like piracy other such things... Remember, mercs are people you bring in from SOMEWHERE ELSE because there's too much crazy going on in your neck of the woods, and you can't trust your own people to be skilled (or loyal) enough to do the job.
This is pretty much the discussion that I've had with some people for a while. There are a lot of militaries in North America, but there is also a lot more of a reason for entire units to have and continue to go rogue (for example, the four or five ex-U.S. military units that were running around the Mojave in the CFS sourcebook – at least one of which, the Desert Rats, is also made up of Marines). I think there is generally a "lifer" ethos that keeps a lot of warfighters in their respective units. You don't have people bouncing between national, corp, merc, and "independent" shops and back again every six/twelve months as a contract comes due like you might see with a lot of mercenaries IRL. Especially the national guys, they are a lot like the Special Forces Trooper from the back of Cybertechnology.
Anyway, not to speak for Mystic, but it was my understanding that this book was to fill that niche of small and medium-sized mercenary units. Right now, the largest and most well-known mercenary corporations are:
- MET2000 (Germany)
- Tsunami (Japan)
- 10,000 Daggers (Constantinople)
- Combat, Inc. (Macao)
Even among private intelligence/espionage corporations the breakdown goes:
- Aegis Cognito (Lisbon)
- ARGUS (subsidiary of MET2000) (Germany)
- Esprit's SDEI (France, but now a subsidiary twice removed of Aztechnology)
- SIS (CAS)
- Index-AXA's Infolio (France)
As to why there isn't a major American merc shop, I think there is a political/cultural reason that basically goes with the idea that a lot of these guys would believe they are in the field of defense or security, and not outright privatized militaries or what might be considered the "offense industry." So when it comes to North American paramilitary defense, security, and intelligence/counterintelligence industry, the 800 pound gorilla is Knight Errant. The shops covered in 10 Mercs are the little guys that those big guys subcontract out when they're overstretched fighting wars on four continents.
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<snip, SR is America-centric>
Yes, I understand that. Of course the game is American-centric, and I don't complain about this. The thing is, that with the established merc hot spots (Macao, Lisbon, etc.) this would have been a great opportunity to look beyond the American nose and incorporate some other nationalities. Hence, why I said 'a squandered opportunity'. Nevertheless, I liked the book, overall.
It is not my main criticism, just a point of interest for me.
Right now, the largest and most well-known mercenary corporations are:
- MET2000 (Germany)
- Tsunami (Japan)
- 10,000 Daggers (Constantinople)
- Combat, Inc. (Macao)
Storm Front spoiler:
Three of which are now defunct and ... replaced by the Free Marysue Corps
And this is a bad thing. I have no problem at all with the described tactics.
Here is what I personally do not like:
- Their suddenly inflated manpower by a factor of 10! (explained by an offhand comment which amounts to 'We take care to obfuscate')
- The 884m warship (that should be feet, btw. America-class amphibious assault carriers aren't almost double the length of the world's largest tanker, nor are they 2,65 times as long as an actual aircraft carrier like the Gerald R. Ford class) that is capable of running at over 45 knots (which is too much by a factor of 30-50%, depending on actual technology)
- The ability to KEEP the Green Bay, directly after their inception, with low manpower, just because neither CAS nor UCAS 'wanted to admit that they lost a ship and risk a war over it'. In my eyes this is a really weak explanation for allowing an essentially private organization to have a heavily armed warship capable of supporting amphibious assault actions.
- 315 marines + Kane assault a 'secret compound' and cause casualties 'estimated in the thousands' (emphasis mine). Yes, surprise action and all that. But the Aztlan / Aztech isn't exactly an untrained militia, and secret compounds are usually not protected by such. Unnecessary exaggeration on the writer's part, IMHO
- Kane paid them ... One eighty million nuyen. I am assuming this is military slang for 180.000.000, as 1.80 million wouldn't even be enough for the operation to be funded, let alone being able to refit the Iwo Jima afterwards. Grossly inflated number, IMO.
- They spend 'two nightmarish months' fighting shedim and other ugly stuff and profit from this. Suddenly, the funds from Kane aren't used up anymore and they are still flush with it. I may read too much into this, but this kind of sounds weird.
- They concentrate on training and further expansion and then offhandedly purchase 2 Hunt-class frigates and order 2 more. Man, life as a merc must be good if you can afford 20mil from your small change after 5 years of contracts that aren't even worth mentioning.
They are not 'honest good guys' - they are dogs for hire and work with a known pirate, rapist and mass murderer, and their morals are flexible. 'An understanding', indeed. Throw enough money at 'em and they'll understand you well enough, apparently.
The short blurb by Picador in the Kane chapter of Street Legends Supplemental was much more enjoyable than this fleshed out writeup.
TL;DR version: They never suffered any setbacks. They only ever get the good stuff. They are the shiny beacons of American mercenary domination and hero worship. No visible flaws. Boring.
I enjoy the occasional over-the-top-ness and pink mohawks (Thunder Corps is great!), but this jumped the shark.
Edit: Clarification
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As to why there isn't a major American merc shop, I think there is a political/cultural reason that basically goes with the idea that a lot of these guys would believe they are in the field of defense or security, and not outright privatized militaries or what might be considered the "offense industry." So when it comes to North American paramilitary defense, security, and intelligence/counterintelligence industry, the 800 pound gorilla is Knight Errant. The shops covered in 10 Mercs are the little guys that those big guys subcontract out when they're overstretched fighting wars on four continents.
The list that feature MET2000, Tsunami, 10K Dagger and Combat, Inc. on top and no North America group is a relic of the Cold War and original cyberpunk setting. It comes from the first sourcebook on mercenaries, Fields of Fire, which was published in 1994, and written by people who weren't necessarily foreseeing the changes they were at the very beginning at.
During the Cold War, mercenaries were a small-scale independent business where units were recruited and paid in cash by leaders like Bob Denard or David Stirling. When there was a company involved, it was nothing more than a mailbox. Those operations were mostly post-colonial matters, involving usually either French or British interests, or European ones anyway. US strategy and foreign policy, on the other hand, were entirely shaped by the Cold war. The US were in a near-state of war with the Soviet Union, and there were no efforts to waste on private wars: in the American mind, soldiers were to serve their country and defend freedom.
Two companies would change things. Both were created in 1989, Executive Outcomes in South Africa and Sandline International in the UK. At first, they were only offering training services, a business where you had 'big' US companies like Dyncorp who were only involved in support role, and not yet in combat operations. EO was the first to break the frontier, in Angola in 1994 and Sierra Leone in 1995. Sandline sent combat troops in New Guinea in 1997, and then also in Sierra Leone in 1998.
At the same time, the Cold War was over, and a diminishing US defense budget and, more importantly, the diminishing number of senior and general officers positions, sent a growing number of US soldiers looking for new opportunities. The starting point of the new, current era would be 2002, with the creation of Blackwater Security Consulting (its parent company, Blackwater USA, was created as soon as 1997, but limited itself also to training) and the rise of private military companies and contractors in Afghanistan and Iraq as we now know them all too well.
Back to Shadowrun and the early nineties, that's why in first and second editions sourcebooks, the authors only mentionned corporate military forces as limited in scope and size. Japanese troops were the one who secured California (and the Imperial Ideal doesn't cope well with soldiers-for-hire), not corporate forces. In Corporate Shadowfiles, the largest were only regiment-size. Knight Errant was solely a civilian security outfit, with all the existing actual military units belonging to Ares Arms. Corporations were aiming at vertical and horizontal integration: their military forces were to fulfill their own need for security, not rented to another party. In Fields of Fire, MET2000 and the like were labelled as "organizations", not as corporations.
This gradually changed. Aztlan (published in 1997) description of the operation Reciprocity can be considered as a cornerstone (both IC and OoC in fact). In Corporate Download (published 1999), Knight Errant was retconned with the mention of special ops and counter-insurrection. Interestingly enough, that was then somehow ahead of Real Life.
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Bannockburn, I'm going to have to disagree with you on that. I'll take things point by point.
Here is what I personally do not like:
- Their suddenly inflated manpower by a factor of 10! (explained by an offhand comment which amounts to 'We take care to obfuscate')
So the megacorps are the only ones who can lie about how many employees are where? Also, read what lead to their sudden jump in manpower: the military not being able to pay its soldiers. That'll send a lot of them to the private sector, and any Marines or Navy men who left would be quite likely to find their way to the FMC if they took the merc route. Since then, they've been doing an active campaign over the last decade or so, to bring them up to a force of 10000 fighters. This is not 'suddenly', this is a planned expansion over the course of years.
- The 884m warship (that should be feet, btw. America-class amphibious assault carriers aren't almost double the length of the world's largest tanker, nor are they 2,65 times as long as an actual aircraft carrier like the Gerald R. Ford class) that is capable of running at over 45 knots (which is too much by a factor of 30-50%, depending on actual technology)
So someone made an error copying down the length, understandable, since all other measurements in SR are metric. As for the top speed, first, the Wikipedia for the America-class says 20+ knots, possibly more. However, that is in 2013. At the very least, over sixty years they would have had major parts replaced, probably getting a new engine to increase speed and power, etc. Also, there's no rules that say you can't turbocharge marine vessels. Just sayin'.
- The ability to KEEP the Green Bay, directly after their inception, with low manpower, just because neither CAS nor UCAS 'wanted to admit that they lost a ship and risk a war over it'. In my eyes this is a really weak explanation for allowing an essentially private organization to have a heavily armed warship capable of supporting amphibious assault actions.
The UCAS and CAS had just gotten their butts handed to them by the NAN back when they were the US, and then they were still in the process of realigning all their armed forces. We're talking massive chain of command issues here. The CIA was tasked to sink the ship, but naval warfare isn't exactly what the CIA is known for, you know? Plus, the FMC would have still had plenty of friends in the Navy and Marines, the only forces the CIA would be able to reliably call on if they needed help. Given the political situation, it isn't surprising. Also, there were probably bribes exchanged.
- 315 marines + Kane assault a 'secret compound' and cause casualties 'estimated in the thousands' (emphasis mine). Yes, surprise action and all that. But the Aztlan / Aztech isn't exactly an untrained militia, and secret compounds are usually not protected by such. Unnecessary exaggeration on the writer's part, IMHO
Or exactly what happens when most of your hardened combat troops are drawn off to the north and south borders, and are stuck in the quagmire that is the Yucatan. They didn't face the elite Jaguar guards. They faced the guards who were stuck on prison watch. Come in with shock and awe, do the job, and get out before the big guns can come to bear. Perfect 'nonconventional warfare' tactics, which is also something the Marines have typically been pretty good at.
- Kane paid them ... One eighty million nuyen. I am assuming this is military slang for 180.000.000, as 1.80 million wouldn't even be enough for the operation to be funded, let alone being able to refit the Iwo Jima afterwards. Grossly inflated number, IMO.
No, Kane paid them 180 million nuyen and an Aircraft carrier. And that number shouldn't be inflated, since the hundred million nuyen number is mentioned in Kane's write-up in Street Legends Supplemental.
- They spend 'two nightmarish months' fighting shedim and other ugly stuff and profit from this. Suddenly, the funds from Kane aren't used up anymore and they are still flush with it. I may read too much into this, but this kind of sounds weird.
Never said the profits from Kane's adventure were used up. Also said they were contracted to run protection, meaning they were paid, either in nuyen, foci, or other such things. Which means that, yes, they profited from it. That's what mercs do. They visit hell, and get paid for it.
- They concentrate on training and further expansion and then offhandedly purchase 2 Hunt-class frigates and order 2 more. Man, life as a merc must be good if you can afford 20mil from your small change after 5 years of contracts that aren't even worth mentioning.
Lots of small jobs, plus not getting the drek kicked out of you by Crash 2.0 like people who set up shop in more civilized places in the world, will give you some nuyen to move around. And there are these things called 'loans' which can be used to buy things you normally wouldn't be able to afford all at once. And it never said how close to combat ready the Iwo Jima was to begin with. Also, just because they didn't make headlines, didn't mean they weren't working.
They are not 'honest good guys' - they are dogs for hire and work with a known pirate, rapist and mass murderer, and their morals are flexible. 'An understanding', indeed. Throw enough money at 'em and they'll understand you well enough, apparently.
Please note that they are never once called the 'honest good guys', except by Slamm-O! They are described as attempting to embody the spirit and ideals of the old USMC, and Picador says they are the most trustworthy bunch of mercs you can work with. But those USMC ideals don't mean "We're the good guys". They mean "We pick jobs that fit our beliefs." And given their background, rescuing a POW who has been disavowed by her own country, and sticking it to the Azzies at the same time? Why wouldn't they go for that? The 'understanding' likely has to do with Kane not causing trouble at places where they're on the job.
TL;DR version: They never suffered any setbacks. They only ever get the good stuff. They are the shiny beacons of American mercenary domination and hero worship. No visible flaws. Boring.
You mean they were smart, and stuck to jobs that were within their skillset, and trained religiously, so that when fighting came, they were all the equivalent of Special Forces? They had some luck, but training and reliable equipment help, a lot. And I'll just say that, unless a flaw develops natrurally, there's no point. The FMC have managed to position themselves at the right place, at the right time.
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You mean they were smart, and stuck to jobs that were within their skillset, and trained religiously, so that when fighting came, they were all the equivalent of Special Forces? They had some luck, but training and reliable equipment help, a lot. And I'll just say that, unless a flaw develops natrurally, there's no point. The FMC have managed to position themselves at the right place, at the right time.
To set one thing right, Mystic himself called them the 'honest good guys'. I commented on that.
It's fine to disagree. Your points, however well made, do not convince me of your opinion. They are just different interpretations.
It doesn't make the FMC more interesting to me, and what happens in Storm Front just follows the same regrettable trend in regards to this unit. Super duper guys with super duper equipment who are super duper special, and always super duper win because marines are heroes. Not buying it.
One person's mary sue is the other person's lovechild.
Edit: Unbolded. That snuck in :)
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Sounds like your problem isn't with the FMC but the Corps itself.
And it's spelled Marine 8)
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In the 1930s, the USMC faced total disbandment. It came down to a single-digit number of votes in Congress (I think). As we see, they're still going strong.
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<snip>
Anyway, not to speak for Mystic, but it was my understanding that this book was to fill that niche of small and medium-sized mercenary units. Right now, the largest and most well-known mercenary corporations are:
- MET2000 (Germany)
- Tsunami (Japan)
- 10,000 Daggers (Constantinople)
- Combat, Inc. (Macao)
Even among private intelligence/espionage corporations the breakdown goes:
- Aegis Cognito (Lisbon)
- ARGUS (subsidiary of MET2000) (Germany)
- Esprit's SDEI (France, but now a subsidiary twice removed of Aztechnology)
- SIS (CAS)
- Index-AXA's Infolio (France)
As to why there isn't a major American merc shop, I think there is a political/cultural reason that basically goes with the idea that a lot of these guys would believe they are in the field of defense or security, and not outright privatized militaries or what might be considered the "offense industry." So when it comes to North American paramilitary defense, security, and intelligence/counterintelligence industry, the 800 pound gorilla is Knight Errant. The shops covered in 10 Mercs are the little guys that those big guys subcontract out when they're overstretched fighting wars on four continents.
Pretty much hit it on the head. The "Big Four" can't be everywhere at once and someone has to take up the slack, not to meantion not everyone can afford the . One of the things I wanted to show in 10M was to specifically highlight a few of the smaller or medium sized units to show some diversity in the SR merc industry.
And MET2000, Tsunami, and Combat, Inc. are not "defunct". MET and Tsunami are severely mauled, that's it. It happens in war. Combat Inc has to watch themselves becasue of what happened in both South America and Denver so they have THAT to deal with. The FMC is now positioned and has the potential to be one of the more prominent merc units in the world; after they repair their base at Roosevelt Roads. They have their small fleet, but their base was trashed. Some day, instead of the "Big Four" it may (or not, who knows) become the "Big Five". *shrugs* The only one who came out relatively intact was 10K Daggers, but only because they chose their battles wisely.
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I'd really like to say one of those FMC guys saying "Semper Fi" in front of any US citizen from San Diego, San Antonio or Corpus Christi whose hometown is occupied by the same drug cartel-backed government the FMC is taking money from to occupy Colombia.
Always Loyal to the Corps and the Country-except-for-a-few-counties ?
Do they intend on censoring "From the Halls of Montezuma" for commercial reasons ?
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Nath, you do realize that it isn't Aztlan/Aztechnology that called in the FMC, but the UN, where they're acting as peacekeepers, right? Or did you not actually read the book yet?
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Mystic loved the book.... Not gonna enter into the FMC discussion aside from saying if ya don't like it don't use the info..... Would love to see a series of missions set around bravo company.... Thanks for the great read and stormfront is next on the shopping list
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Nath, you do realize that it isn't Aztlan/Aztechnology that called in the FMC, but the UN, where they're acting as peacekeepers, right? Or did you not actually read the book yet?
No. Only the "Hidden spoilers" (Bogota 11). Unless Storm Front includes a last minute change with a UN plan for Colombian independence, the peacekeeping operations are helping Aztlan to enlarge the territory it controls (to "help facilitate the transfer of power in local villages" as it puts it). It's actually even worse if they're wearing the blue helmet, since it makes the entire international community pay for this instead of Aztechnology (IRL, only the operations led by the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operation, and thus paid on UN budget, can wear the blue helmets, but they usually have very stringent rules of engagement ; a UN mandate can be given to its members for peace enforcement - the NATO operations in ex-Yugoslavia for instance - which leave the participating forces to establish RoE and fund themselves).
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Well, the situation is that the fallout from the Azzies using their new anti-dragon weapon on Sirrurg has a bit of a side effect on metahumans. Namely, it makes them into psychotic killers for a time. And the wind currents blew that lovely stuff down on Bogota, just as the Amazonians were trying to retake the city. The whole bloody city went mad, and started tearing itself apart, before the Azzies started bombing, well, EVERYTHING. The UN decided it was time for this mess to stop, and called the FMC (who was already on hand helping enforce sanctions against Aztlan) in to send everyone back to their corners. Before they arrived, the gas wore off, and the Amazonians tried to retreat. The Azzies were given orders to pursue, and the UN countermanded those orders, sending the FMC in to make sure they stayed countermanded. They remain in place to serve as peacekeepers to prevent the Azzies from being their normal selves with the populace until order has been restored, while the UN (and by extension, the Corporate Court) keeps a close eye on the situation.