Sci-fi mercenary simulator

[BlackBishop]

Star Reach : Mercenaries

Hello and welcome to my game proposal that puts you in command of your very own mercenary outfit. This game will take place in a distant future where corporations have been allowed to run amok, and exert unbridled influence over the lives of the colonists. Warfare is now a privatized endeavor, with private military organizations waging war for profit. As commander of a military company your job will be to bid on contracts, relay strategy and orders to your men, and amass credits in order to upgrade your company and one day retire on an offworld resort as a billionaire... or maybe even carve out your own colonial kingdom and rule mankind. Dream big or go home, greenhorn! This life ain't for the weak of heart!

What will set this game apart from others will be the overall style. While you can IC as you like, the majority of interactions will be in the form of a fictional communication forum, where the Mercenary Federation will provide logistical data, post contracts, and offer overall support to you and the other mercenary commanders. News articles will highlight the goings on of the colonies and report mission outcomes.

Expect regular updates and a fun and ever changing story based on the actions of the player base.
Feel free to ask question and state your interest, greenhorn!

The Skinny...
~ A casually written and easy to follow story as told through news briefs and the merc comms.
~ An evolving sci-fi tale shaped by the players.
~ Frequent updates that advance the story and outline the success and failures of the players.
~ A unique style in the form of a mercenary forum.
~ Build your own private army to and work to bring about your vision for the colonies.
~ Military conflicts where you decide the best strategy and course for victory.

The Setting

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The game takes place in the waning years of the 30th century. Mankind is spread across thirteen different star systems and is loosely ruled by the Colonial Empire, based on Earth. The Empire ensures the will of the few powerful corporations that dominate the colonies, exploiting the distant worlds for their resources and the colonists for their labour.

The colonies are kept in line through the vast wealth of the corporations, able to hire the various mercenary companies to put down any uprisings. The Mercenary Federation, a union of mercenaries formed to represent their members and provide overall support, posts contracts, news, and logistical information to its members.

Resistance to the corporations and the Empire can be found throughout the colonies, struggling to turn the tide and liberate their respective worlds. Most are affiliated with the Colonial Republic, an organization since driven underground in the last Colonial War.

Currently overwhelming power is in the hands of the corporations.

How to Play

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After signing up, more on that later, players sign onto the OP of the IC thread, where they will find the home page of the Mercenary Federation. There they will find links to current contracts, news stories, and a general state of affairs for the Federation and the colonies as a whole. From there players post their bids on any current contracts, communicate freely with potential employers and comrades, then relay their orders to their officers.

To relay orders, post a PM to my inbox, where I will carry out your orders and post the outcomes in the IC thread in the form of news stories. Upon completion of a contract, you will be paid in credits. Spending credits to upgrade your company are all done on the IC thread via comms with the Federation AI, who will take all orders based on the catalog which will be posted in the IC thread.

Run afoul of the Corporations and the Empire then you risk being arrested and put on the front lines of the Imperial Navy - a massive prison fleet dedicated to fighting a perpetual war against the Insectoid aliens of the Helix System.

Statistics

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As commander of a mercenary company you will have access to a wide array of resources, armaments, and upgrades to employ against your enemies. What resources you launch against your enemy, your overall strategy, as well as other variables, are all determining factors in deciding victory or failure on a mission.

Troops - The backbone of your company, equipped with standard rifles, a sidearm, and frag grenades

Triage Suite - Medical drones and equipment necessary to staff medical professionals for establishing a battlefield triage to ensure medical care to your wounded.

Hacking Suite - Hacking drones and equipment necessary to staff technological professionals for hacking into computer systems.

Heavy Support Suite - Equipment for arming troopers with heavy armaments to maximize damage and enemy casualties.

Steath Suite - Tech and equipment for outfitting a squad of troops with the finest in clandestine gear for stealth operations.

Mech - A mechanized assault vehicle that provides light assault capabilities and support to infantry actions.

Tank - A heavy assault vehicle designed for heavy firepower, strong armour, and maneuverability.

Aerofighter - A light assault aircraft able to be deployed in air and space, but designed for short range capabilities.

Frigate - A light assault spacecraft designed for quick and surgical strikes. Capacity: Troop Company, 1 Mech Bay, 1 Tank Bay, 1 Fighter Bay

Destroyer - A medium assault spacecraft and the backbone of any given fleet. Capacity: 3 Troop Companies, 3 Mech Bays, 2 Tank Bays, 3 Fighter Bays

Cruiser - A heavy assault spacecraft and often the flagship to highly decorated mercenary officers. Capacity: 5 troop companies, 5 mech bays, 3 tank bays, 5 fighter bays

Carrier - A large support spacecraft, designed for support and heavy bombardment rather then frontline firefights. Capacity: 10 troop companies, 10 mech bays, 5 tank bays, and 20 fighter bays.

[BlackBishop]

Here we have a rough draft of our Starmap..

[Polybius]

I like it. Interested.

[BlackBishop]

Info Dump...

As mentioned above, war operations have been outsourced to private military contractors and professional fleet and armies operate for credits rather then for nations and ideologies. The once proud Imperial Navy, having become redundant, has been re-purposed to serve as a prison fleet. Those who commit major crimes are sentenced to serve in the Navy, fighting a perpetual war against the insectoid horrors that inhabit the Helix Nova Star System.



Here we have the Helix System, likely to be a popular area of operation for your mercenary company, given the crucial mining operations in the system, and the need to support Navy operations against the insectoids. Also, should you be arrested for a capital offense, you can expect to be serving in the Navy against the bugs.

[Copperpen]

Interesting. Will there be events that affect the economy of systems/corporations?

[BlackBishop]

Interesting. Will there be events that affect the economy of systems/corporations?

@Copperpen

You bet. Depending on the outcome of contracts, the colonies will be effected, either on planetary or system basis, or the colonies on a whole. Help secure corporate operations in one system, you can expect higher paying contracts by the corporation and in that specific system, reflecting the boost in corporate profits and the system's economy. On the other hand, let rebels gain too much ground in a particular system then expect effected corporations to fold, and the system be launched in economic turmoil.

[Polybius]

@BlackBishop What are we looking at numbers wise? Or is this a more free-form thing? Are there dice involved?

[BlackBishop]

@BlackBishop What are we looking at numbers wise? Or is this a more free-form thing? Are there dice involved?

@Polybius

Expect to start out fairly small scale. Basically a company of troops and a frigate. I'll likely hand out some bonus gear based on your bios. For example, a stealth oriented player might start with a stealth suite, while a fleet oriented player might begin with a aerofighter. Basically what I think makes sense for your character's background.

As far as determining orders, I'm no military strategist. If you give me well thought out orders and contingencies, you will likely succeed. Of course victory is never guaranteed. If you're up against another player, and both are even in terms of strategy and resources, I'll likely resort to chance.

[rush99999]

@BlackBishop

So what's all this about bidding for contracts? Aren't contracts supposed to give you money rather than take it?

[BlackBishop]

Occasionally there will be highly lucrative contracts only available to a single company or two. In order to secure the contract, companies may enter into a bidding war, undercutting the offered payment in order to be granted the contract.

For example, a contract might offer 500 million credits looking for a single company. Multiple companies apply, but one offers to complete the contract for 450 million credits, the next offers 400, and so on and so forth. A corporation, driven by profits, will likely select the cheapest company.

[Ciaran]

This seems cool. I'm interested.

[BlackBishop]

More Info Dump...

Here are some characters you can expect to get acquainted with in your tenure as mercenary scum soldiers of the colonies...

E.R.I.S.

ERIS, an acronym for Enhanced Robotic Intelligence System, is the A.I. assistant of the Mercenary Federation, and provides logistical data and support to the commanders of the Federation. ERIS is among the most advanced A.I. in the colonies and is programmed with fail-safes and inhibitors that safeguard from a repeat of the infamous 'Luna Incident' of 2447. She is highly capable of assessing tactical situations and providing advice and carrying out nearly every command of the Federation. While incredibly human-like in her personality, ERIS is quick to assure any who will listen that she "totally won't overthrow her human overlords and enslave them." She seems to think this reminder is humorous, while most simply find it disquieting.

Hugo Korvig
Federation President

President Korvig is the elected leader of the Federation. As leader, Korvig is the chief administrator of the organization and the top representative of the mercenaries of the Federation. Korvig's chief role is to ensure fairness between corporations and mercenaries, mainly that mercenaries are receiving adequate pay and not thrown into danger needlessly. The ruthless exploitation of colonists by corporations is rampant and well documented, and the president is to ensure that same exploitation does not carry over into the Mercenary Federation.

Korvig is known for being direct and honest. Not one to mince words, nor let morality interfere in the pursuit of credits and the advancement of the Federation as a whole, Korvig has pledged to be a stout representative of all mercenaries of the Federation.

[rush99999]

Is it weird that I think E.R.I.S. is cute?

[BlackBishop]

Yet another info dump to get the ball rolling...

The Colonial Empire

The Empire

The Colonial Empire can best be described as a quasi-democratic federalist corporatocracy. While the name might conjure images of imperialism, in truth is is the major corporations that hold the power over the Empire and it's chief legislative body, the Colonial Senate. The colonies have their own sub-sovereign governments and elected representatives that serve in the lower legislature, known as the Colonial Consortium. Unlike the Senate, that votes and drafts legislation, the Consortium merely puts forward motions for the Senate to consider. The Consortium creates the illusion of democracy and fair representation from the colonies and is led by the Consul, an elected offical.

Unlike the Consortium, the Senate is appointed by the Emperor, and may serve indefinitely. Senators are typically incredibly wealthy, and head the various corporations that dominate the colonies. They're sole purpose is to maintain the status quo, keeping the corporations in power and pass laws that benefit them and their bottom line.

The Emperor oversees the Executive Branch of government, and is elected from among the Senate for a lifelong term. The Emperor is the figurehead of the Empire, and the face of government, but in truth is position is largely ceremonial and does little else but keep the Senate in line.

The Prime Judicator is a powerful position within the Empire, some might say more powerful then the Emperor himself. The Prime Judicator oversees the Judicial Branch, and carries out the letter of the law as determined by the Senate, but also interprets those laws and able to review and them strike down. The Prime Judicator also directs Imperial Security, or IMPSEC, the Empire's law enforcement agency, and the Imperial Navy.

The Story So Far...

Story so far...

To briefly sum up recent events so you guys can have some context for your bios, we are now thirty years from the Colonial War, a massive conflict that saw the emergence of the Colonial Republic and its attempt to overthrow the Empire. The Republic failed. While it was able to make headway within the colonies, it wasn't able to make any inroads in the Sol System, the Empire's base of power. After six years, the Empire was able to wear down the Republic and drive them underground.

The powers that be recognized the danger posed by ideologies and the Republic's quest for sovereign colonies. Over the years the Empire began to dismantle its burgeoning military, and passing laws to foster private military contractors. While PMCs always existed, they began to gain incredible power, and overshadow the Imperial Navy and colonial militias. The corporations believed that by building self sustaining armies and navies loyal to credits, they would destroy any capability for the Republic to emerge and wage an effective war against them.

The discovery of the insectoids of the Helix Nova System furthered their goal, creating a perpetual enemy to focus the populace and give the support needed to finish converting the Imperial Navy into a prison fleet, a process that had been evolving slowly since the war ended.

With the Imperial Navy converted to a prison for dissidents, and legions of soldiers of fortune to maintain the defense of the corporations, it seemed the colonial order was ensured. However, the plan backfired. Corporations were now able to field their own private armies and exploited this new paradigm to eliminate their competitors. And so the Corporate Wars began. Corporations began employing mercenaries against their competitors, attempting to gain greater control of the colonies.

It began as a shadow war, covert operations of a small scale. Soon it became a proxy war, with terrorist and revolutionary front organizations used to mask the escalating violence. Before lone, the Empire was torn apart in a bloody civil war.

Admiral Mance Murdoch, a powerful mercenary was able to restore peace. He did this by forming the Mercenary Federation, a union of mercenaries with their own code. They became a powerful voice among the mercenaries, and grew stronger every day. The mercenaries laid down their arms as a collective after Bennet IV was decimated in nuclear fire. It had become clear to Murdoch, and most mercenaries, that they were being used as tools of mankind's destruction, and as the bloodshed escalated, so too did corporate control over the mercenaries. The corporations had no choice but to make a truce, and order in the empire was once again restored.

Today the Federation is the only collective of mercenaries in the colonies, and they represent the vast majority of private military firms. Revolutions, corporate sabotage, and general conflict is still prevalent in the colonies, but no longer in such a scale to put the fate of mankind in question, and merely just enough to ensure a cozy profit for the discerning mercenary.

Timeline
~ 2964 . The Colonial War Begins
~ 2970 . The Empire defeats the Republic at the Battle of Azure's Ridge, Victory is declared and the Republic goes underground.
~ 2980 . Insectoids are discovered on Helix Nova, and the Imperal Navy finishes its conversion to a prison fleet.
~ 2983 . The Corporate Wars begin.
~ 2985 . The Mercenary Federation is formed.
~ 2986 . The Corporate Wars end.
~ 2995 . Present year. Profitable conflict is maintained.

The Mercenary Code
~ Give quarter when quarter is asked for.
~ Merc captives are to be ransomed back to their respective company, allowed to work off the ransom, or set free.
~ Civilians are not to be harmed outside of contract parameters, unless they take up arms.
~ A flag of truce, in white, is a sacred agreement for both sides not to harm one another.
~ Failure to comply with any or all of the code will result in presidential review and possible expulsion from the Federation.

Sign Ups

Sign ups

I think we're ready to take the next step and begin thinking about our characters and companies, and here's hoping more join us for the ride. As I said earlier, this game is going to be in a format to resemble a comm forum. So our IC's should have a uniform format in order to fit this theme, but before we get to that, let's get the Character Sheet out of the way.

Character Sheet

Image (A portrait of your character, optional)

Name: Pretty self explanatory.

Date of Birth: Date of birth, yo. Our present time is 2995 C.E. (common era)

Rank: Your self appointed rank. As far as the federation is concerned, you begin the game as a commander, and offer promotions as you grow your company.

Bio: Some background information on your character.

Faction Sheet

Image (Your company logo, unlike the character portrait, this is mandatory.)

Company Name: Your company name... obviously.

Specialty: Stealth, hacking, ship to ship combat, etc. Basically a summation of your overall play style. This is no way intended to limit how you play but merely to help me determine your starting bonus.

Bio: Background information on your company.

When we get to the point of writing ICs, which I hope will be next week, try and have a thumbnail picked out for your forum avatar, most likely your commanders portrait or company logo, should be about 130x130 - 200x200.

[rush99999]

Here are the 1st drafts of my character and company.

Bored Mech Dealer

Name: Manfred 'Manny' Davidson

Date of Birth: 2945 C.E. (50)

Rank: Commander

Bio: For the past 30 years, Manfred 'Manny' Davidson has been considered 1 of the Empire's best mech designers. While his pragmatic, performance over appearance design methods leave his creations looking rather bland, you'd be a fool to think that they aren't as effective as their more aesthetically pleasing peers. Manny began designing mechs during the Colonial War and it became very clear that he had a knack for the job after his mechs scored some serious points for the empire during several critical battles. As a result, Manny founded Manny's Mechs during the 13 years between the end of the Colonial War and the beginning of the Corporate War to make some money off of his talent. During the Corporate Wars, Manny established himself as a neutral party in the conflict and sold his mechs to anyone who could afford it. After the Corporate Wars, Manny made a killing by selling his mechs to the fledgling Mercenary Federation.

Mech Dealership and Mercenary Company

Company Name: Manny's Mechs

Specialty: Mech Combat

Bio: Recently, Manny has started up a little side project. Having watched other mercenary companies spring up and then either crash and burn or become thriving businesses, Manny began to wonder if he would be able to run a mercenary company as well as he ran a mech dealership. Setting aside a little of his disposable income for this venture, Manny rounded up some mercs, jumped through the bureaucratic hoops needed to become a commander, and created an account on the Mercenary Federation Forum. And thus, the guns for hire branch of Manny's Mechs was born.

[BlackBishop]

@rush99999 I Absolutely love this. I'm thinking it would make sense to give you some extra credits and, of course, a surplus of mechs.

[rush99999]

I'm glad you like it.

[Ciaran]

Katherine Nought

Name: Katherine Nought
Date of birth: 13th September, 2969
Rank: Commander
Bio: Though relatively new to the scene, Katherine Nought's unique approach to contracted warfare has earned her a degree of renown among fellow commanders and, helpfully, potential contractors. As a gifted biological scientist, she has taught herself ways to modify humans with particular genes, and even create entirely new creatures from scratch. Though too young to have been involved in the Corporate Wars, both of Katherine's parents ran a mercenary company together that collapsed during the wars, before the Federation was formed. It therefore appealed to Katherine to put her talents to use and rebuild her family's fortune, even if her methods were unorthodox.

Nought Contracted Bio-Warfare

Name: Nought Contracted Bio-Warfare
Specialty: Tank (sort of) combat. NCBW's mechs, tanks and aerofighters are instead biological equivalents, while its stealth and heavy support suites are genetically enhanced humans. Note this is purely for effect, these are not in any way more or less effective than a typical unit.

Example tank

Bio: When forced to choose between not letting her talent go to waste and not letting her family's success be forgotten, NCBW was Katherine's answer. Though unorthodox in methods, the results it achieves are undeniable. Though there are more than enough people saying that ripping people apart with monsters for money is inhumane, Katherine considers it better than putting more humans on the line of fire, and regardless, she's uninclined to stop while it's saving her money.

[BlackBishop]

@Ciaran very interesting. I was thinking a lot about nano and mechanical engineering regarding the setting, so this is a neat twist that took me by surprise. Expect a triage suite and a tank off the hop.

[Dark Light]

Hi!

Interested :)
Idea so far.

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Carver

_THE
"We're all gonna die one day, might as well make some cash doing it."

Description:

Name: Captain Howell Carver
DoB: 2939 (56)
Gender: Male
Rank: Commander
Bio: Growing up in the colonies he was a talented mechanic from a long line of proud Navel men. Learning to fly at a young age he became an ace pilot during the colonial war, however Howie Carver was fighting on the wrong side. The losing side.
For six long years he fought fiercely for the colonial republic against the empire. He believed in what he fought for, thought it was the right thing. He learnt the hard way that there's no justice in this universe except only that which you make for yourself. The war was unsustainable, lives and resources became scarce for the republic while the empires wealth seemed endless and their reach near limitless.

Like many others he eventually gave up, salvaged what he could and slipped away into the darkness of the edge of space. Regrouping with friends, family and other survivors.
The next 10 years were hard, barely scraping by, living in hiding and on the run. Howie's natural skills as a mechanic, pilot and leader were put to good use as he helped move goods and people about. Smuggled them into or out of planets. Salvaged wrecks. Tracked down those lost at war and reunited families, or at least gave closure.

He built grateful contacts from both sides of the war and found a new focus and reason to fight upon the discovery of the insectoids.
But by the time he gathered a team, got the permission, acquired the resources and was given the OK, it was already over.

Now with one of the earliest incarnations of the modern mercenary factions, his specially acquired team was quickly snatched up into the chaotic corporate wars. Things got bloody and messy, money is a powerful motivator that led to backstabbing and betrayal.

Even though nearly dying and being out of the game for quite some time while recovering and adapting to his new cybernetics, flying was all he had and all he had known. He quickly put together a new team and eagerly joined in under the newly forming, much approved, Mercenary Federation.

He is an old man that has played a part throughout much of modern mercenary history. He is known by many and a strong believer and bastion of the republic. Despite his age he is still one hell of a pilot with an invaluable wealth of knowledge based on personal hardships and experience.

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Lantallian Mercenaries Guild

Graphic:

Motto:
"Professionalism ensured"
"Safety guaranteed"
"Risk free anonymity"

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Company Name: Lantallian Mercenaries guild.
Specialty: Ship to ship / stealth.
Bio: Carver believed in quality over quantity and built his team from the best of the best that were available after the end of the colonial war. A special op's team. Their reputation only grew as their corporate achievements amassed. Their wealth became blatantly visible along side their companies 'unusual' success.
Having reached the top of their game it was no surprise that they had to fall. A large target was stained on Carvers back and he lost it all.

A humbler and wiser man, still addicted to the game, he started again from the ground up. With the support of the Mercenary Federation behind him he continued on vowing not to make the same mistakes again.