Mercenaries
Had enough of fighting for king and country? Sick of being told what to do and who to kill, and hanging
your butt out on the line every day just so some career-climbing general can reap the benefits of your
hard work? Do you think you can measure up in the big leagues, and carve your name into the history books
for all time? Well, bud, now it’s time to put up or shut up, because not everyone is cut out for the rough
and tumble life of today’s mercenary! War’s a dangerous business, and for the professional soldier, survival
ain’t as simple as coming out of the firefight alive!
The Inner Sphere is home to more mercenary commands than any one volume can hope to count, with more forming—and
dying—every day. Throughout the Succession Wars, many of these forces—be they remnants of the original
SLDF, disgruntled House troops, battlefield orphans or even the dreams of the idle rich—have been a mainstay of
the armies of the Successor States and their Periphery neighbors, taking part in conflicts from major to minor.
The past few years, however, have seen some of the most extraordinary events ever to affect the modern mercenary
trade.
Mercenaries are an important part of the BattleTech fictional universe; the Inner Sphere and Periphery have many
private military companies.
As the various mercenary factions are independent and competing businesses, it is quite rare for them to work as a
faction together. Nonetheless, some of the companies are quite powerful and their actions have influenced the
history of the known universe.
Employment
Employing a mercenary command has always been subject to many varying requirements depending on employer, ranging
from simple agreement to complex prerequisites and discussions just to begin talks on a contract. However there are
a few requirements that are common across the Inner Sphere and Periphery:
* Combat Actions - Will the mercenary command follow the Rules of War and limit their attacks to
armed combatants? Will they avoid attacking civilians? Have they ever used and would they consider WMDs?
* Employers - Every employer knows mercenaries are soldiers for hire, but some nations view
mercenaries critically, especially if they have worked for the Word of Blake, the Free Worlds League, or the
Draconis Combine.
* Rating - The independent Mercenary Review and Bonding Commission rates units based on the
quality of their personnel, their equipment and experience. Higher ratings attract higher rates of pay and more
favourable terms in contract negotiations.
Units
Mercenary Units vary in size from very small platoons or lance-sized units up to forces comprising multiple
regiments with supporting warships and large weapons backed by arms-manufacturers and the like.
Attitudes differ among mercenary units. Some like to live in the spotlight, actively pursuing battle, whether
for fame or for money, such as Ace Darwin's Whipits, the Bad Dreams, the Black Heart Roses, Blanc's Coyotes, Black
Omen, the Fighting Shamrocks, etc. Others prefer to avoid the limelight, like Vinson's Vigilantes, the Broadstreet
Bullies, Black Angus’s Boys, Clifton's Rangers, The Furies, Heavyhell Raisers, the Hsien Hotheads, etc. Still more
serve the wishes and commands of tyrants.
Locations
Important planets for mercenaries include Outreach, Galatea and in the last decade Terra, the capital of the
SL. Though not as famous as these places, run-down mercs and guns-for-hire can also be found lurking down dark
alleyways, waiting for their next pay check.
Canon Mercenary Units and their last known station
| Unit Name | Current Employer | Stationed |
| Always Faithful | Capellan Confederation | Unknown |
| Gael's Grinders | Capellan Confederation | Unknown |
| Gregg's Long Striders | Capellan Confederation | Unknown |
| Harcourt Destructors | Capellan Confederation | Unknown |
| Hell's Black Aces: Aero Regiment | Capellan Confederation | Unknown |
| Kraken Unleashed | Capellan Confederation | Unknown |
| Lethal Injection: 1st Battalion | Capellan Confederation | Unknown |
| Little Richard's Panzer Brigade | Capellan Confederation | Unknown |
| Lockhardt's Ironsides | Capellan Confederation | Unknown |
| Marksons Marauders | Capellan Confederation | Unknown |
| Northwind Highlanders: MacLeod's Regiment | Capellan Confederation | Kiamba |
| Northwind Highlanders: Northwind Hussars | Capellan Confederation | Unknown |
| Olson's Rangers | Capellan Confederation | Unknown |
| Ramilie's Hussars | Capellan Confederation | Unknown |
| Rubinksy's Light Horse | Capellan Confederation | Unknown |
| The Green Machine | Capellan Confederation | Unknown |
| Bullard's Armored Cavalry | Circinus Federation | Zorn's Keep |
| Crater-Cobras | Draconis Combine | Wapakoneta |
| Dragon's Breath | Draconis Combine | Kiesen |
| Killer Bees | Draconis Combine | Unknown |
| Northwind Highlanders: 1st Kearny Highlanders | Draconis Combine | Unknown |
| The Black Outlaws | Draconis Combine | Unknown |
| 12th Vegan Rangers Beta Regiment | Federated Suns | Unknown |
| 12th Vegan Rangers Gamma Regiment | Federated Suns | Unknown |
| 1st Cunningham's Commandos | Federated Suns | Unknown |
| 1st Khorsakov's Cossacks | Federated Suns | Unknown |
| 1st Screaming Eagles | Federated Suns | Unknown |
| 21st Centauri Lancers | Federated Suns | Unknown |
| 2nd Cunningham's Commandos | Federated Suns | Unknown |
| 2nd Dismal Disinherited | Federated Suns | Unknown |
| 2nd Screaming Eagles | Federated Suns | Unknown |
| 3rd Dismal Disinherited | Federated Suns | Unknown |
| Blue Star Irregulars | Federated Suns | Unknown |
| Federated Freeman 1st Regiment | Federated Suns | Unknown |
| Goshen War College Training Battalion | Federated Suns | Unknown |
| Hampton's Hessens 1st Regiment | Federated Suns | Unknown |
| Harlock's Warriors | Federated Suns | Unknown |
| Narhal's Raiders 2nd Regiment | Federated Suns | Unknown |
| New Avalon Cavaliers | Federated Suns | Unknown |
| Northwind Highlanders: Stirling's Fusiliers | Federated Suns | Unknown |
| The Arcadians | Federated Suns | Unknown |
| The Medusans | Federated Suns | Unknown |
| The Regulators Regiment | Federated Suns | Unknown |
| Vanguard Legion | Federated Suns | Unknown |
| Wilson's Hussars | Federated Suns | Unknown |
| Wolf's Dragoons: Alpha Regiment | Federated Suns | Unknown |
| Wolf's Dragoons: Beta Regiment | Federated Suns | Unknown |
| Wolf's Dragoons: Epsilon Regiment | Federated Suns | Unknown |
| Wolf's Dragoons: Gamma Regiment | Federated Suns | Unknown |
| Wolf's Dragoons: Wolf Spider Regiment | Federated Suns | Unknown |
| Wolf's Dragoons: Zeta Regiment | Federated Suns | Unknown |
| Barrett's Fusiliers | Free Worlds League | Zion |
| Legion of the Rising Sun | Free Worlds League | Fatima |
| Lindon's Battalion | Free Worlds League | Unknown |
| O'Gordon's Rifles | Free Worlds League | Unknown |
| Ramille's Raiders | Free Worlds League | Cygnus |
| Redfield Renegades | Free Worlds League | Unknown |
| Romanov's Crusaders | Free Worlds League | Connaught |
| Smithson's Chinese Bandits | Free Worlds League | Unknown |
| The Bad Dream | Free Worlds League | Kendall |
| The Blackhearts | Free Worlds League | Wasat |
| The Fist of Mokal | Free Worlds League | Unknown |
| The Furies | Free Worlds League | Unknown |
| Vandelay's Valkyries | Free Worlds League | Cerillos |
| 1st Kell Hounds | Lyran Alliance | Graceland |
| 2nd Kell Hounds | Lyran Alliance | Arc-Royal |
| Blackstone Highlanders | Lyran Alliance | Unknown |
| Brion's Legion: 1st Regiment | Lyran Alliance | Crimond |
| Brion's Legion: 2nd Regiment | Lyran Alliance | Tomans |
| Crimson Crusaders | Lyran Alliance | Marfik |
| Devil's Brigade | Lyran Alliance | Son Hoa |
| Gabhardt's Carabineers | Lyran Alliance | Unknown |
| Group W | Lyran Alliance | Rigil Kentarus |
| Kirkpatrick's Invaders | Lyran Alliance | Kaumberg |
| Knights of St. Cameron | Lyran Alliance | Borghese |
| Longwood's Bluecoats | Lyran Alliance | Unknown |
| Mobile Fire | Lyran Alliance | New Earth |
| Periphery Star Guard | Lyran Alliance | Poulsbo |
| Raging Horde | Lyran Alliance | Skye |
| Snord's Irregulars | Lyran Alliance | Blair Atholl |
| Storm's Metal Thunder | Lyran Alliance | Blue Hole |
| The Dioscuri | Lyran Alliance | Morges |
| The Grave Walkers | Lyran Alliance | Arc-Royal |
| Thor's Hammers | Lyran Alliance | Unknown |
| Avanti's Angels | Magistracy Of Canopus | Joppa |
| Caesar's Cohorts | Magistracy Of Canopus | Lockton |
| Canopian Highlanders | Magistracy Of Canopus | Gallis |
| Green Mountain Boys | Magistracy Of Canopus | New Abilene |
| Griffin's Pride | Magistracy Of Canopus | Wildwood |
| Harcourt's Destructors | Magistracy Of Canopus | Addasar |
| Markson Marauders | Magistracy Of Canopus | Thraxa |
| Grim Determination | Marian Hegemony | Unknown |
| Head Hunters | Marian Hegemony | Lummatii |
| The Dragonslayers | Marian Hegemony | Valerius |
| Winfield's Regiment | Marian Hegemony | Blantleff |
| Black Heart Roses | Niops Association | Unknown |
| Bannockburn's Bandits | Taurian Concordat | MacLeod's Land |
| Gordon's Armored Cavalry | Taurian Concordat | Amber Grove |
| Langendorf Lancers | Taurian Concordat | Unknown |
| Prey's Divisionals | Taurian Concordat | New Vallis |
| Summer's Storm | Taurian Concordat | New Vandenberg |
| The Battle Corps | Taurian Concordat | Unknown |
| The Clean Kill | Taurian Concordat | Althea's Choice |
| The Thumpers | Taurian Concordat | Mithron |
| 1st Republican Guards (Baranovsky) | ULTRA | Atreus |
| 2nd Republican Guards (Khariton) | ULTRA | Tikonov |
| 3rd Republican Guards (Luczenko) | ULTRA | Capolla |
| 4th Republican Guards (Padorin) | ULTRA | Rigil Kentarus |
| 5th Republican Guards (Alentova) | ULTRA | Chara |
| 6th Republican Guards (Demichev) | ULTRA | Atreus |
| Black Angus Boys | Word Of Blake | Unknown |
| Blanc's Coyotes | Word Of Blake | Unknown |
| Broadstreet Bullies | Word Of Blake | Unknown |
| Burr's Black Cobras | Word Of Blake | Unknown |
| Heavyhell Raisers | Word Of Blake | Unknown |
| Hsien Hotheads | Word Of Blake | Unknown |
| Jacob's Juggernaughts | Word Of Blake | Unknown |
| Khasparov's Knights | Word Of Blake | Unknown |
| Lone Star Regiment | Word Of Blake | Unknown |
| Martian Cuirassiers | Word Of Blake | Unknown |
| Stealthy Tigers | Word Of Blake | Unknown |
| Swann's Cavaliers | Word Of Blake | Unknown |