Battle Technology continues to present this column as a special service to those of its readers who are mercenary warriors. 2nd Kearny Highlanders on Guard: Shadow Hawk of the Kearny Highlanders in the capital city of Jonathon, photographed during a recent Davion raid. In each issue, Hiring Hall gives an in-depth review of potential patrons who could offer employment opportunities for treelance warriors.'The patrons reviewedrange 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 or bounty hunters up to and including needs for entire mercenary BattleMech regiments. A three-letter coding 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). This code will be used exclusively in this and other Battle Technology columns, such as Worldbook, 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 ratings 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 a potential 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 at an isolated outpost far from recreational facilities. 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 BattleTechnology 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, or casualties incurred by readers during service to mercenary employers reviewed in this column. Northwind Highlanders UNIT HISTORY One of four regiments of the Capellan Confederation's Northwind Highlanders, the 2nd Kearny Highland Regiment was formed in 2363. Colonial miners on Kearny contributed both the manpower and the funds for the formation of the original unit, which has endured in various forms from that time. Though less colorful than the Marion Highlanders or McCormack's Fusiliers, this second-oldest member of the Northwind hierarchy has earned a solid reputation as an excellent combat unit down through the years. The 2nd Kearny served in the First Andurien War against House Marik between 2366 and 2368, seeing action on Berenson and Lopez against forces loyal to House Marik. At that time the unit was a conventional mobile infantry formation; it later became one of the first formations in Capellan service to receive BattleMechs. Under the Star League, members of the 2nd Kearny Highlanders were employed on the Periphery and in the campaigns against Stefan Amaris in the Inner Sphere. Their most notable campaign took place shortly after the Northwind occupation of Demeter in 2761. When Gladstone's Gladiators, a mercenary unit in Liao's employ, became involved in a contract dispute during that year, the result was a serious mercenary insurrection that threatened to cripple Capellan defenses. When the mercs attempted to extort demands from the Liao forces on Hsien through threats to destroy water purification equipment and a key munitions dump, the Ils' Battalion of the 2nd Kearny went into action in a midnight raid, ousting the Gladiators from their powerful positions and ultimately forcing their withdrawal from the planet. What followed was a 40-year vendetta between Gladiators and Highlanders. The Capellans sought to punish the rebellious mercenaries, thus prevent future problems of a similar sort, and it was the 2nd Kearny that was chosen to be the chief instrument of their retribution. The Gladiators, entering Marik service, continued to raid along the Liao frontier; several inconclusive clashes between the two regiments heightened the antipathy between them. Finally, in 2802, Liao's Maskirovka espionage agency obtained information on the mercenary unit's plans to move their base of operations to the Marik world of Zion. Transportation and equipment was provided to the Highlanders by the Maskirovka's Special Operations Branch. The 2nd Kearny arrived on Zion ahead of their foes and waited under cover until the Gladiators landed and began their debarkation. Then, while AeroSpace forces kept the mercenary DropShips from lifting off, the Highlanders launched a devastating ground attack. In several hours of fierce fighting, the Gladiators were destroyed to the last man. Marik reserves arrived too late either to save the mercenaries or to keep the Kearny forces from salvaging 13 enemy BattleMechs from the field. The bitterness engendered Dy the Mercenary Rebellion and its aftermath continued to affect Kearny attitudes. For many long years a tradition of distrust, even outright hatred, towards mercs was a basic part of the Highlander creed. This attitude first showed up soon after the destruction of the Gladiators, while the 2nd Kearny Highlanders were employed in the defense of Lincoln against Kurita forces late in 2802; the Highlanders refused to give quarter to Daemian's Destroyers, despite repeated pleas by the Kurita mercenaries that they be permitted to surrender. Service on the Davion frontier followed, capped in 2953 by the 2nd Kearny's most notable defeat. During the "Great Lee Turkey Shoot" the regiment's air lances were decimated by the AeroSpace forces of the Federated Suns. A later battle at Holt with the Ceti Hussars resulted in losses to the ground forces as a direct result of the regiment's ongoing deficiency in AeroSpace support. Since those campaigns the 2nd Kearny Highlanders have continued to operate along the Davion frontier in the St. Ives region, mostly in a defensive role. They are currently (3028) based at Jonathon. MERCENARY REQUIREMENTS Despite a well-known dislike of mercenaries, whether friend or foe, the 2nd Kearny Highland Regiment has found it necessary to begin taking on merc soldiers over the last two years. The nervousness in the Capellan High Command over the annual Davion "Galahad" wargames has led to a general move to fill out Liao forces to the fullest extent possible. Consequently the 2nd Kearny was ordered, as of March 3026, to begin utilizing mercenary auxiliaries. Hiring of mercs began soon after that, though the Highlanders continued to display a marked reluctance to obey these instructions. Beginning late in 3027 mercenary hirings by the 2nd Kearny picked up markedly, with individual mercenary MechWarriors being sought as part of a general move to fill out afourth full battalion of 'Mechs. This was the first time since the Gladiators incident that hireling BattleMechs were permitted to serve as part of the Kearny Highlanders. Previous to this, merc employment was mostly limited to armor and infantry auxiliarie;. Special emphasis was placed on hiring mercs with AeroSpace fighters to fill gaps in the unit left after the battle at Lee. Mercenary troops seeking employment with the Kearny Highlanders should note that there is little camaraderie between Kearny regulars and their hirelings. Though the usefulness of hireling infantry, cavalry, and air lances has been acknowledged by senior Kearny leaders, there is a notable tendency towards inferior treatment of such units both in garrison and in the field. No mercenary unit is ever hired by the Highlanders without the stipulation that unit command be subordinated to Kearny officers. As for 'Mech employment, there is no opening in the regiment's ranks for the hiring of full units (even lances); all mercenary 'Mechs are hired strictly on an individual basis. BattleMech needs for the regiment are mostly limited to smaller 'Mechs, in the 20- to 50-ton range. Stated requirements for the new 4th Battalion indicate that it is being organized as a light scouting unit of voltigeurs. Some larger 'Mechs have been taken on as well, mostly to fill slots in other battalions vacated by smaller BattleMechs assigned to the new unit. Once again, these warriors generally encounter a certain amount of hostility, possibly amounting to discrimination or outright segregation. TICKET DETAILS Though naturally the precise duties of mercenary troops joining the 2nd Kearny Highlanders will vary according to the employment of the unit itself by the CapelIan High Command, it is possible to make certain general statements concerning potential service, based on the unit's recent history. Missions: RETAINER STATIC DEFENSE (garrison duty, training cadres, security, etc.) MINOR RAIDS (reconnaissance, harassment) Length of Service: 12 months minimum Remuneration Infantry, Armor, Artillery: (per squad per week) Veteran, Elite: Cb 9,000-12,000 Regular: Cb 5,000-8,000 Green: Cb 2,500-4,000 MechWarriors, AeroSpace Pilots: (per warrior per week) Veteran, Elite: Cb 1,800 Regular: Cb 1,000 Green: Cb 750 Guarantees Advance/Completion: The mercenary unit/warrior is provided with an advance, upon signing with the unit, amounting to 10% of the pay due for a year's contracted service. The balance is due upon completion of the contract; however, the Highlanders generally pay out the balance on an ongoing basis throughout the contractual period rather than waiting for completion of the term. Command Rights Where possible, the 2nd Kearny Highlanders prefer to fully integrate mercenaries into the structure of their unit. For MechWarriors, this is the universal rule; full merc units are not even considered for employment. Auxiliaries are sometimes employed under a House Command system, where a merc unit commander is answerable directly to an officer appointed by the Regimental Commander, Colonel MacHenry. Transport Mercenaries attached to the Highlanders are provided with all necessary transportation by the regiment. Auxiliary units with integral transport may be given preferential terms of employment. ASSESSMENT The mercenary soldier is urged to give careful consideration to the disadvantages of taking employment with the 2nd Kearny Highlanders. Although the unit has a strong ongoing need for mercs at this time, and offers good remuneration for services rendered, their long-standing dislike of mercs generally lowers the coding given for Conditions. Moreover, independent observers point to the essential limitations of service with House Liao as a further indication that mercs may not find the Highlanders a worthwhile employer. BattleTechnology recommends that mercenaries seek alternative employment. On the whole, the inconvenience of life among merchating regulars and the uncertainty of the politico-military situation in the Capellan Confederation far outweigh the advantages of pay and other benefits which are tied to the 2nd Kearny's strong need for extra troops. BattleTechnology Mercenary Employer Assessment 2nd Kearny Highland Regiment, Northwind Highlanders CODE: E/G/O ASSESSMENT: Negative Good pay, poor working conditions EDITOR'S NOTE The foregoing was compiled by BattleTachnology staffmembers prior to the expedition mounted by the Provisional 4th Battalion of the 2d Kearny Highlanders to Mira. In that expedition, 15 mercenary BattleMechs were destroyed or seriously damaged, and the battalion was later disbanded. Hiring of mercenaries has, however, continued to fill out vacancies from battle losses in the TO&E of other battalions of the regiment. On the whole, the results of the Mira expedition have reinforced the negative assessments made in our original discussion of the 2nd Kearny, raising the specter of morale problems to further complicate the basic difficulties adhering to service with the regiment. Back to BattleTechnology 5 Table of Contents Back to BattleTechnology List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 1988 by Pacific Rim Publishing. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com