Battle Technology continues to present this column as a special service to those of its readers who are mercenary warriors. In each issue, Hiring Hall gives an in-depth review of potential atrons who could offer employment opportunities for freelance warriors. The patrons reviewed range from wealthy individuals in need of soldiers-for-hire, through corporations and merchant organizations, to the Major Houses of the Successor States. Employment opportunities screened here may include anything from individual openings for security guards of bounty hunters up to and including needs for entire mercenary BattleMech regiments. A three--lettercoding system has been developed to rate patrons reviewed in Hiring Hall. Each letter will range from A (very, very good from the mercenary's point of view) through Z (very, very bad), with the average at L through N. This code will be used exclusively in this and other BattleTechnology columns to indicate possible advantages or disadvantages in any potential employers. The areas rated are: NEED: How frequently does the patron employ mercenaries? Ratings of A through G suggest a nearly constant need for mercenaries of various types. Ratings of U through Z indicate that mercenaries are rarely, if ever, employed, PAY. How well does the employer pay? High rating suggest above- average pay scales. Low ratings indicate below-average pay, or a history of noncompliance with mercenary contracts. Note that pay alone is not the only factor used in calculating this rating. Other factors which affect the financial aspect of apotential contract with the employer are taken into account, such as whether or not the mercenaries must provide their own transportation, and how lenient the employer is likely to be in negotiating terms for battlefield salvage, logistical resupply, or death benefits. CONDITIONS: What are the usual conditions under which mercenaries work? High ratings indicate relatively good conditions, including access to recreational or R&R facilities, service on an Earthlike world, or soft tickets such as ceremonial guard duty or providing escort for court functionaries. Low values indicate service under bad or unpleasant conditions, such as on a world with a hostile environment, or on an isolated outpost far from recreational facifities. Many factors are applied to the calculations for each code value. Obviously, pay, conditions, and opportunities may vary tremendously from ticket to ticket, depending on circumstances and on changes in the employer's situation, unreported to Battle Technology, since the research for this column was completed. for this reason, these codes are intended as guidelines only. BattleTechnology can assume no responsibility, written or implied, for damages, costs, orcasuafties incurred by readers during service to mercenary employers reviewed in this column. Mercenary Requirements Hiring policy for the Cossacks is rather formal and structured, though Colonel Khorsakov has been known to hire troops out of hand, operating on verbal agreements for up to three months in one instance. This unit, unlike some, has never been known to violate employment terms with any of its contractees. The Cossacks willingly accept Dispossessed pilots. An unusual contract provision states that a Dispossessed pilot, if he will sign a lifetime contract, will receive full and clear title to his Mech after five years of honorable service. (Mechs may also be acquired through victory in a one-on-one combat with an enemy pilot.) Incoming troops will immediately notice the 'family' atmosphere here. The Cossacks make great efforts to create a team spirit, and dependents are welcomed with open arms. Another benefit is the Regimental School, which is mandatory for all minor dependents. Participation in the Military Training Program is strictly voluntary, and requires parental consent for minor. Age eighteen is considered adulthood in the Cossacks. Another interesting feature is the cosmopolitan nature of the Cossacks. Unlike many merc units, which tend to recruit out of a certain area (the Kell Hounds, for example,) the Cossacks will hire with no distinctions made as to race or state of origin. According to Khorsakov, "I consider a warrior's skills, and his ability to get along with the others, to be far more important than where he comes from." Warriors unwilling to abide by this dictum typically don't last. The Cossack organization maintains and repairs all equipment regardless of ownership, repairing warrior-owned equipment as well as regimental property. On-field command can be dictatorial at times, though Khorsakov encourages initiative. he does not, however, tolerate insolence and disobedience. Fortunately this comes up rarely. (On these occasions, his Capellan upbringing shows most clearly.) Ticket Details Mercs joining the Cossacks should understand that the Cossacks are an assault regiment, and are liable to perform high-risk, high-profile missions; anything that the Federated Commonwealth requires done. No mission types are excluded. Primary Missions: Retainer Static Defense (Bait) Raids (Objective, Diversionary) Invasion (Assault, Relief Duty) Length of Service: Thirty-six months minimum service; permanent enlistment preferred. Subcontracting is possible but infrequent. Remuneration Pay scale in Cb's per month Status Green Regular Veteran Elite MechWarrior 600 800 1,500 2,000 Aerospace Fighter Pilot 600 800 1,500 2,000 Infantry Squad* 1,050 1,750 3,500 7,000 Armor Crew* 1,000 1,750 2,500 5,000 Artillery Crew* 1,050 1,750 3,500 7,000 Scout - 150 300 600 DropShip 3,000 5,000 7,500 12,000 JumpShip 3,500 6,000 10,000 15,000 Support** 200 400 750 1,500 *Complete crew. ** Salary for a full Tech. Astechs and others are paid as infantry. Guarantees Salary paid monthly, as stipulated in hiring contract. Arrearage is subject to ComStar or other mutually acceptable mediation. Pay is made on the last day of each month, in Cbills. Various other arrangements can be made. The Regiment offers a comprehensive retirement and disability benefits package. Command Rights Troops are generally fully integrated into the Cossack organisation and required to obey all lawful orders of a superior. In the case of full units signing on, the command structure is kept intact, and they are fitted into the TO&E as whatever scale of formation they are at mustering-in. Transport All transport is provided by the Cossacks. Units arriving with integral transport will receive preferential terms, though they may be asked to mothball their transport temporarily. Rating L / H / R: The Cossacks are recruiting on a continual, if low-key, basis. Hiring preference is given to individual warriors, but units can be and often are hired, particularly on a subcontractural basis. Need is moderate to low. There are no 'stars' in the Cossacks; a team spirit is preferred. Some warriors will dislike this, and we advise them to seek employment elsewhere. It is possible to void contracts by mutual agreement or for compelling personal reasons. Warriors with strong nationalistic prejudices are not welcome. The unit tends to get along well with civilian authorities. Pay is average, offset by the regimental repair policy. Fines are rare and usually light. Drawbacks to Cossack service are long periods of service and somewhat strict command style. Mercenaries should also be aware of personality factors before signing on. There is the high-risk nature of many of the unit's missions as well; the Cossacks are liable to spearhead or immediately support planetary invasions and other high-profile (and -profit) missions. Otherwise risk is acceptable, much what one should expect. It is rumored that at least three Houses have placed deep- cover agents within the ranks of the Cossacks, based on continued hints and allegations about secret activities of the unit. Unit History 6 Sep 3025, The Cossacks are founded on Warlock, St Ives Commonality of the Capellan Confederation. First mission, a raid, goes off well. The second mission, however, ends in the unit being abandoned by the House Liao forces who are with them in an invasion attempt on Atlas. The unit is indentured by the AFFS. 01 Jan, 3026 - 25 November 3026 The Cossacks have a contract dictated to them by a minor member of the Davion family (name deleted to protect innocent kin). Apparent intent is to force them into the AFFS. Threats made include the seizure of company transport (acquired during indentured garrison duty), and that the unit will be abandoned in- system, as the AFFS controls all interstellar transport locally. The unit leadership decides not to murder the person responsible, but to bide its time. Plans are made to leave Davion service. During this time, the Cossacks disappear from their garrison post for three months, aboard AFFS transport. They return with some unusual equipment and claim to have been "on manuevers". Maximilian Liao orders the execution of Khorsakov's family, on Teng, for reasons unknown. 29 December, 3026 to 29 December, 3029 Davion offers a 'sweetheart' contract, both to retain a powerful assault battalion, and to make amends for earlier shoddy treatment of the unit. During the first half of the contract, the unit grows by leaps and bounds, as large armor and infantry formations (with no apparent planetof origin) join up. By contract's end, the Cossacks have grown to almost the size of an AFFS RCT, lacking one armor regiment, and two infantry regiments of being full AFFS TO&E. Transport consists of what the unit claims is a converted Mammoth-class and an Overlord-class DropShip, plus a Triumph. Other DropShips in the organisation belong to subunits of the Cossacks, retained since they joined. Interstellar transport consists of a pair each of Invader and Merchant class JumpShips. 30 Dec 3029 to 31 Dec 3038 The Cossacks remain on retainer contract with the Federated Commonwealth, having politely refused offers to become a House unit. 01 March 3039 to 28 Feb 304 7 The Regiment contracts with the Free Worlds League, with stipulations barring action against the Federated Commonwealth. Long-standing feud with Death's Head Regiment resolved. Unit employed primarily on Periphery border as reaction force. 24 March 304 7 to 30 March 3048 Training cadre with forces of Magistracy of Canopus. 1 April 3048 to 20 Nov 3049 Cossacks pass beyond Periphery, return at Galatea, seeking employment. Unit remains closemouthed about former employers while depositing precious metals in the bank. Present Unit on Galatea, looking for hire. T O & E - Khorsakov's Cossacks CO: Colonel Nikolai Aleksandrovich Khorsakov (Atlas) BattleMech Regiment CO: Col Nina Altenberg-Flynn (Battlemaster) 2 Assault Battalions : avg 81.4 tons/company 1st Battalion CO: Major Aleksandr Jaime Khorsakov (Awesome) 2nd Battalion CO: Major Adrian Thorne (Stalker) 1 Recon Battalion; avg 47. 9 tons/company (Lo Pan Tong) CO: Major Barton Lo Pan Armor Thompson's Armored Reconaissance Regiment CO: Col Michael Thompson Huysman's Armored Cavalry Regiment CO: Col Jan Huysman Panzer Guderian CO: Cot James Henderson Lo Pan Tong Battalion CO: Major Francis Taggert Infantry 1st Cossacks Infantry CO: Col Martin Van Dorn 2nd Cossacks Infantry CO: Col Ludwig Theissen 3rd Cossacks Infantry (Lo Pan Tong) CO: Col Rachel Bonifacio Aerospace Cortland's Aero Force 1 lance Corsairs 1 lance Transgressors 1 lance Samurai Support/Technical Senior Tech: Miles Farwell Jr Transport Group CO: Commodore Salvatore Estanco Invader Class JumpShip Alexander Bulganin Invader Class JumpShip Tong's Trident Merchant Class JumpShip Mailed Fist Merchant Class JumpShip Courser Appledom Class DropShip (brigade carrier) 5 Triumphs 2 Overlords 1 Leopard 1 Leopard-CV Subcontractors Rikemann's Wing Aerospace Company Gypsy Jokers Mech Battalion (Recon) The Cossacks have endured a chronic shortage of aerospace assets and artillery. At various time, these deficiences have been gotten around with subcontractors, and indeed Cot. Khorsakov seem to be developing a fondness for hiring these specialties on a short-term basis. Back to BattleTechnology 13 Table of Contents Back to BattleTechnology List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 1990 by Pacific Rim Publishing. This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com