Guest Posted July 24, 2000 Report Posted July 24, 2000 You read the magazine and played the pc game of the same name. Does the modern gun-for-hire really exist? They were in many historical wars as mercenaries and privateers but what is the real scoop about them today? Hitmen are not in this category.------------------ "Live forever apes!."Cmdr. Kron Spectre Fleet ICV Vanguard
Guest aramike01 Posted July 24, 2000 Report Posted July 24, 2000 Sure, some are terrorists looking for funding, others are pro-mercs. A good portion of the drug trade is operated by mercs.------------------ Cmdr. Michael Kristophers Spectre Fleet Commanding Officer, Spectre StarStation ICV-Intrepid "You won't get the Purple Heart hiding in a foxhole!"
Guest Posted July 24, 2000 Report Posted July 24, 2000 So in the end it all ends up illegal. It would be nice if they made this sort of profession legal like in the old days when this was permitted. Terrorism should be eliminated but any legal merc occupation would be awesome. Heh, would be real funny to find jobs like these in the classifieds.------------------ "Live forever apes!."Cmdr. Kron Spectre Fleet ICV Vanguard
Guest aramike01 Posted July 24, 2000 Report Posted July 24, 2000 Wouldn't be a nice thing. You have to remember, legality is an issue of the local government. Some nations not only allow mercs, but use them to fight their wars. If it were legal everywhere, whoever has the most $$$ would own the government, thereby eliminating democracy.------------------ Cmdr. Michael Kristophers Spectre Fleet Commanding Officer, Spectre StarStation ICV-Intrepid "You won't get the Purple Heart hiding in a foxhole!"
Guest Posted July 24, 2000 Report Posted July 24, 2000 (gets Vorpal's vote for coolest conversation on a gameing forum)
Guest Posted July 24, 2000 Report Posted July 24, 2000 Only the desperate governments use mercs. You cant make em part of your standing military due to them being completely unreliable.That is why "mercs" and "terrorism" are kinda the same thing today. Its weird to see how 2 proffessions switched their "respectability" in such short time.. pirates were the scum of the earth while mercs were soldiers of fortune (aka tolerated, respected, feared). Now its the other way around....well, sort of.
Eclipse Posted July 24, 2000 Report Posted July 24, 2000 I might be misreading you Tac, but I don't think it has become respectable to be a pirate, and if it is we are in some serious problems. ------------------ Cmdr. Antilles Spectre Fleet Spectre Starstation ICV- Eclipse Chief Security Officer Learning is not compulsory... Neither is survival.
Guest aramike01 Posted July 24, 2000 Report Posted July 24, 2000 I wouldn't call mercs totally unreliable. Usually their reliability is assured so long as they receive a pay check. That's the only way to gain additional clients.Oh, and who's to say that our government doesn't use mercs? Large weapon shipments to certain mid-east countries usually goes through a certain intel agency who then may pass it on to...------------------ Cmdr. Michael Kristophers Spectre Fleet Commanding Officer, Spectre StarStation ICV-Intrepid "You won't get the Purple Heart hiding in a foxhole!"[This message has been edited by aramike01 (edited 07-24-2000).]
Guest Posted July 24, 2000 Report Posted July 24, 2000 quote:Originally posted by Eclipse: I might be misreading you Tac, but I don't think it has become respectable to be a pirate, and if it is we are in some serious problems. No, but today's "pirates" are usually given a media circus, making them the underdog rebels of some sort...quite different from what it used to be a couple of hundred years ago."Usually their reliability is assured so long as they receive a pay check. "Yeah, but have them on your side until the other side gives them a bigger check... and they wont hesitate
harrimarkus Posted July 26, 2000 Report Posted July 26, 2000 The modern gun-for-hire really exists. The ex.SAS member Andy McNabb, who wrote the excellent book BravoTwoZero about the Gulf War, writes about this issue a little in his other book (I cannot remember the name) that is about his life. He writes that during some of his missions he saw several ex.SAS members working for several different third world country governments, and some commercial companies as mercenaries. BTW. the Andy McNabb books that are about real life (he has written couple that are not) are very good and exciting if you are into reading this type of stuff. Other book that I can recommend is written by Chris Ryan and called "the one that got away". He was the only member of McNabb's SAS unit that got away when the shit hit the fan during their mission (not their fault).Harri
pkzip Posted July 27, 2000 Report Posted July 27, 2000 quote:Originally posted by Tac: No, but today's "pirates" are usually given a media circus, making them the underdog rebels of some sort...quite different from what it used to be a couple of hundred years ago.Sir, correct me if I'm wrong, but about two hundred years ago, our colonial Founding Fathers were first engaged in terrorist acts, and then later, hiring mercenaries (Prussian? Hessian? help me folks). When we were done with the mercenaries, they went to some other border clash and earned their pay there.I wonder who a hired gun would least like to meet in close quarters combat: a zealous patriot, or another hired gun working for the enemy?
Eclipse Posted July 27, 2000 Report Posted July 27, 2000 erk... To my knowledge at least, The Brits hired the Hessions to help them subdue the colonies. Later in the war, France agreed to help the Colonies defeat the brits, but I can't remember if it was a treaty or if they were hired.------------------ Cmdr. Antilles Spectre Fleet Spectre Starstation ICV- Eclipse Chief Security Officer Learning is not compulsory... Neither is survival.
pkzip Posted July 28, 2000 Report Posted July 28, 2000 I stand very corrected.The Brits did indeed hire the Hessians. Several hundred of which the British general "Playboy Johnny" Burgoyne surrendered to the colonialists after he stalled crossing the Hudson towards Saratoga (ya get what ya pay for). The French were Friendly Arms Traders (a modern-day Israel), which is not the same thing as Mercenary.Thanks, eclipse, for making me RTFM, whether it be history or otherwise. I knew there was one gathering dust over there on the shelf.[This message has been edited by pkzip (edited 07-27-2000).]
Guest Posted August 2, 2000 Report Posted August 2, 2000 Well its nice to hear what the history lessons you gave us but it would be pretty cool if mercs were in use if society eventually becomes ruled by the big "C"(corporations). I know it may sound fictitious to you but the best PnP game I ever experienced was Shadowrun by FASA. Leave out the mythical creatures in the game and you have the "future". Mercs are the street samurai, hackers are deckers, riggers are your escape route and the Matrix(no not the movie) is the source of vast information. And goverment is controlled by the megacorporations. Information is the only commodity of potential wealth and power. Check it out at fasa.com------------------ "Live forever apes!."Cmdr. Kron Spectre Fleet ICV Vanguard
Rattler Posted August 3, 2000 Report Posted August 3, 2000 Didn't we hire/offer amnesty to a Pirate down Louisiana way during the war of 1812? I think there's still a statue of him in New Orleans and a city named after him in that great state! ------------------ Rattler, Insurgent One Commander-In-Chief, InsurgencyOfficial Tester,Battlecruiser Series [email protected] ICQ 12894104"Bad? You ain't seen BAD, But WE'RE Coming!
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