(From Blasters for Hire by Anthony P. Russo, Star Wars Adventure Journal — August, 1994)

The Mercenary Life

With the advent of the New Republic in the Star Wars universe, many players want to know how they and their comrades fit in the scheme of things after the Emperor's fall. Some players might feel restricted if their characters openly joined the ranks of the New Republic, especially if they were fond of the quasi-independence of the Rebel Special Operations Groups during Emperor Palpatine's reign. After all, joining the New Republic means sticking to the rules, the last thing that some players want to do.

Even independent scouts, free-traders, pirates and other rogues (with slight kindness streaks in their hearts) occasionally want to win one for the good guys — without appearing that they are actually helping, naturally. Gamemasters are constantly on the lookout for new adventure ideas for characters with diverse or unrelated backgrounds.

Enter the world of the mercenaries, professional blasters-for-hire, soldiers who fight by their own rules and are responsible to no one but themselves.

Forming Mercenary Units

Mercenary forces are quite different from large, organized factions like the New Republic. A merc force operates mission-by-mission, system-by-system, collecting fees for their work wherever possible. Some units are purely local to a specific system or region, working toward a single goal. Units can range in size from tiny underground cells trying to overthrow a tyrannical regime to a private corporate army trying to extend their company's influence in the galaxy.

Running a mercenary force in the era of the New Republic requires some considerations by players and gamemasters alike. What are the players' goals? Are they fighting for political or personal gain? Are the players the entire force, or do they wish to be part of a larger organization? Are they fighting for the New Republic (whether the New Republic wants the players' help or not), or do they work for the highest bidder?

Mercenaries provide opportunities to play many specialized types of characters. Mercenary groups, like the Special Operations teams during the Galactic Civil War, need certain specialists to fulfill mission aspects. A typical force might include a pilot or vehicle operator, a slicer (lockpicker, safe cracker, or security breaker), fire support (heavy weapons or combat training), comm-ops (communications and sensors), scout (reconnaissance), and a commander or leader. Several, in addition, have a deconstructor (a bomb expert) and a procurement specialist, someone who has a knack for stealing things the group needs at the time.

A majority of the original character templates can be modified to reflect mercenary skill specialties and abilities. For example, the Brash Pilot could have once been a pilot for the Rebel Alliance. After setting out for the pilot's home world, the character finds nearly everything destroyed by a marauding corporation and joins a local underground resistance cell to help. The Smuggler, Scout, or Sullustan Trader could have lost their ships (or friends) to a powerful Imperial governor trying to solidify his power or even to the Corporate Sector Authority. They might join or create a mercenary force to get their ships or friends back. There are many similar possibilities for character creation and development using mercenary forces as backgrounds.

Gamemasters must also consider the players' mercenary force and their aspirations when designing adventures. Are the characters the intergalactic equivalent of Robin Hood, robbing fat-cat corporations to feed the poor and liberate the downtrodden? Do they care about breaking Imperial or New Republic laws, and the consequences? What kind of equipment can the players obtain? Who or what kind of contracts are available? Where are they based, or do they simply float from system to system?

Finding Inspiration

Gamemasters looking for adventure ideas for mercenaries can turn to a multitude of television programs, books, and films for inspiration — The Wild Geese, The Professionals, The Seven Samurai, The Magnificent Seven, The A-Team, and Have Gun Will Travel are a few good examples.

Gamemasters should remember that mercenary forces do not typically go after large targets, like Death Stars, whole fleets of Imperial ships, and the like. Even trying to destroy a single Imperial Star Destroyer, either from within or by sheer firepower, would require a large amount of planning and thought. From the gamemaster perspective, getting players to think like mercenaries and not like heroes hunting for character points is the most important aspect of running a successful adventure. Smart mercenaries try to use the least amount of resistance possible to reach a goal. Why are they trying to blow up or cripple that Imperial Star Destroyer, and is it really worth the effort and danger? Is it pounding an innocent world into submission? Is it carrying an important politician or virus bombs?

With the reason determined, planning must begin. How does one go about blowing up an Imperial Star Destroyer? One method might employ starfighter attacks against the shield generators to weaken the ship's defenses and then attack the ship's command bridge. Another strategy might involve sneaking inside the massive vehicle and planting explosives at critical structure points. This would require a knowledge of the physical engineering of an Imperial Star Destroyer, not an easy thing to come by. The explosives would have to pack a tremendous punch, and yet be carried without detection.

In sum, mercenaries must rely upon the resources of their team members to successfully complete a mission. Rarely will all missions consist of only so-called search-and-destroy activity. Some adventures may involve incursions into hostile territory, pilfering equipment on a procurement run, transporting passengers through dangerous areas, or protecting clients and their property. Members of a mercenary force must be prepared for any possible contingency, including performing emergency evacuations, determining the tactics necessary for a given situation, and protecting the lives of their employers as well as their fellow team members.

Stormcaller Speaks: Understanding Merc Tactics

You'll probably understand that I'm a man of my word and prefer to keep things neat and tidy. You're not reading this to be offended by the acts of "unwarranted privateers," you want to learn merc tactics, and fast. So button up your sensibilities and keep on reading.

There are no cut-and-dried regulations concerning mercenary forces. The Empire and its stooges will hunt you, the New Republic will hate you, and you'll be a blessing and a burden to the local folks out there who really need you. There are no medal ceremonies, no dress uniforms, and no court-martials. The work is dirty and thankless. That's the business. You fight because others cannot.

Mercenary forces have different equipment needs and supply sources than the heady old days of the Rebel Alliance. Where the Rebel Alliance might have supplied a light freighter for a Spec-Op group's needs, a mercenary force has to buy one themselves or use their own ship. If the Alliance supplied weapons, mercenaries can only use what they can lay their hands (or claws) on. The Spec-Op group could probably could on someone within the Alliance to supply certain information — mercenary groups have to seek out their own contacts. Worst of all, when the going gets rough, the mercenary group has no backup to call upon except its own. It's up to them to escape in one piece.

Mercenary groups do not have the luxury of selecting equipment and weapons that exactly fit mission profiles. On most occasions, whatever is handy will do. Depending on the tactic, though, mercenary groups do favor certain pieces of equipment and weapons over others, mostly for their availability and reliability.

I had my colleague Ivey work on what constitutes a "shopping list" that any mercenary force would not mind having filled. From time to time, Hugo and old Tigereye add an interesting tidbit of their own. Granted, some or even all of these items are not readily available. In fact, nearly everything listed here is severely restricted by the Empire or what remains of it. Only a trained an knowledgeable "procurement specialist" like dear Ivey can readily know where to obtain such goods. Certainly the best know how to get their hands on something when it's needed the most. Read with an open mind, and the best of luck to all of you out there. We need every one of you ...

—Colonel Andrephan Stormcaller

Data Slicing

"When it comes to slicing, you'll need more than just luck, friend."
—Ivey

For slicing through sophisticated computer data systems, there is no one single device that can penetrate all the layers of security built into these systems. A data slicer typically makes use of programs designed to generate false passwords, bypass security blocks, and reroute suspicious traces. The slicer then uses these programs to break into secure systems, enable data access and retrieval, and to back out without detection. Slicers can also attempt to access control stations to redirect sensor probes, enable false internal alerts, and send security personnel to other areas. A good slicer knows how to protect not only herself, but the team as well.

Slicer Programs

Slicer programs themselves are usually hand-built items and are just about impossible to obtain through normal trade channels. The cost of each program is often determined by the gamemaster and the current circumstances of the game — costs can run into the tens of thousands of credits on the black market.

Many slicers build their own programs out of experience, sometimes using the framework of a legal program to better disguise it. Typical data slicing programs can include:

Password Generators: These programs use encrypted key technology built into a microloop to shuffle through millions of password possibilities in a single pass before the system can try to stop it. Password generators can only work well if the slicer has an idea about the password framework used by a specific system. Too much time spent fiddling with entering a system can typically end up with a security alert from the user station. A password generator program can add from +1 to +2D to a computer programming skill roll.

Security Block Bypass: To protect themselves against unlawful entry, most computer systems have a series of computer blocks at critical junctures, referred to as gateways or nodes, which are intended to prevent access to secure regions. A block bypass scheme program tricks the block's interface into thinking the slicer is a legitimate user. A block bypass program adds +1 to +2D to a character's computer programming skill roll when attempting to override a security block into a secure data region.

Backtrace Evasion: At random times, a computer system performs a backtrace, a search of access requests to ascertain who exactly is on the system. The backtrace typically queries with a personal interface code that a slicer would not normally have. To evade a backtrace, the slicer might release an evasion program, an access request that bounces to other terminals, keeping the computer too busy to query the slicer's actual terminal. Releasing a backtrace evasion program increases the computer's difficulty by one difficulty level when a security program or computer user tries to locate the slicer.

Communications

Communicators mean more than just the personal comlinks carried by characters — a target area or facility may have some kind of sensor protection in place that monitors or jams communication traffic. Multi-wave or scrambler comlinks cycle around the various communication bandwidths, using pre-arranged patterns among their users to avoid detection by monitors. These comlinks, while successful against detection, are less so against intentional jamming.

Characters may also need a comlink in a small, undetectable package. Button-phone comlinks can appear as shirt buttons, belt buckles, lapels, hearing devices, or as other pieces of a character's clothing. These scaled-down comlinks suffer from a reduced range and power efficiency, so use of them should be restricted to small areas.

»ADDENDUM/PERSONAL
»IVEY ..

Whatever you do, don't buy comlinks off the black market. Get them straight from the manufacturer, or even better, just plain strip them from some nameless facility. Imperials and corporates like to salt the galactic ether with their own bad bugs through black market contacts, trying to find out where they end up.

Electronic Countermeasures and Shields

More than ever, the Empire, powerful corporates, and even the New Republic are resorting to various types of electronic countermeasures and shields, referred to collectively as ECM, against surveillance and probes. As technology is passed down from military to civilian platforms, ECM gear is becoming available to clients and consumers who prefer to keep a "low profile" on their activities.

The most frequent kind of ECM is jamming of communication or sensor frequencies in the vicinity. More often than not, jamming only tips off seasoned sensor operators that something is definitely not right in a particular region. At the Battle of Endor, Lando Calrissian determined that the Death Star shield was still up because the attacking Alliance Fleet's sensors were being jammed.

The next ECM level is referred to as masking, and is quite popular with small forces operating under tighter budgetary restrictions. Masking involves generating naturally occurring radiation levels that create false sensor readings or lead the sensor operator to believe the scanning device is malfunctioning.

»ADDENDUM/PERSONAL
»IVEY ..

For example, a spaceship may be emitting an unnaturally high amount of unfocused radiation from its sublight engines, leading enemy scanners to believe the craft's engines need tuning, and thus masking the full load of explosives currently being carried in the craft's holds. We happen to call this ploy "baked Imperial surprise."

The next level of ECM is called misdirecting, using spectral or other materials to either absorb or redirect sensor sweeps to delay detection. The New Republic is currently testing the use of certain hull components on snub fighters and other small attack craft so enemy sensors misidentify their signatures. These materials are restricted only to New Republic vessels and have yielded only slight success during actual combat conditions.

The highest level of ECM is cloaking. Cloaking hardware requires an expensive mixture of photonic emitters and spectral diffusers to reduce the physical presence of a vehicle or vessel to an observer. Cloaking devices require huge amounts of power and are prone to mechanical failure because of the elaborate combinations of systems required to produce the effect. Thus, most cloaking devices are restricted to capital-class ships. Reportedly, the Empire has a working cloaking device available for space vessels — the New Republic is scrambling around the clock to create a counterdevice that can detect a cloaked ship.

»ADDENDUM/PERSONAL
»STORMCALLER, ANDREPHAN/COLONEL ..

Still no word yet if the unparrellax transmitter can spot a cloaked ship, but the New Republic techs are reportedly working around the clock, or the cloak, so to speak.

ID Processors

Forged identification allows entrance to sealed areas and access to computer data networks, while proper forged documentation will allow a mercenary to pretend he or she is anything from an Imperial customs inspector to the Grand Magnus from Xerton Nine.

Using holo technology, ID processors can create acceptable forged documents and identity badges. The trick to their use, however, is in obtaining an original of the document or ID badge to be copied. The processor scans the item in detail and builds a holographic copy, noting the location of electromagnetic coding strips, processor keys, and coding schemes built into the item. The processor also carefully identifies the materials used to make the item and the quantity. The forger then supplies the materials to the processor, which creates a duplicate. The forger can specify that the badge or document be imprinted with his or her face, fingerprints, retinal pattern or skin pore scheme, or the face or pattern of someone else, and the ID processor makes the adjustments to electromag strips and processor keys as necessary.

The only problem with ID processors, aside from their homemade charlatan-like quality, is that they cannot recreate the highly complex and varied cryptcode schemes used on some high security access cards. Most ID processors can only copy the existing cryptcode scheme from the original badge or document. This can result in an alarm if a security system suddenly detects more than one cryptcode scheme circulating in any given area. Also, badges and documents made with rare or unidentifiable materials also pose a problem, as substitutes for these substances would have to be found. Holo ID processors are very rare and extremely expensive.

»ADDENDUM/PERSONAL
»IVEY ..

You might think it could not possibly work, until you see the results. When it comes to making pretty badges, holo tech can sure work miracles. With an ID processor, you could probably gain entrance to the Death Star.

Camouflage

Mercenaries prefer as much stealth and secrecy as possible, unless the situation warrants their opponents' undivided attention. As a rule, infiltrating an area using the latest in electronic and sensor countermeasures should also include the latest in physical concealment as well.

Camouflage can be as deceptively simple as the white used for Imperial snowtrooper armor. The underlying concern to the character is cost and availability. Obtaining clothing that matches a certain planetary terrain is relatively simple, but can become costly as the character ends up in different environments. Most organized mercenaries eventually stock up on a few basic terrain schemes — white for ice worlds, blue-gray for oceans, green for forests, tan for deserts, and brown for mountains.

»ADDENDUM/PERSONAL
»TIGEREYE, SULLY ..

Never underestimate the value of not being seen by someone you'd rather not be seen by.

Line Throwers and Climbers

Anyone who has ever climbed an Imperial garrison wall wearing a full set of survival gear, armor, and carrying a heavy weapon knows there must be an easier way to scale such oversized obstacles. And any good mercenary knows such a display of strength is worthless — it not only tires the body but also turns the climber into an all-too tempting target.

The Susuax Verti-Go system is a reliable, lightweight personal line thrower and climber. The entire system can either be stowed in a backpack until needed or mounted under the long barrel of a blaster rifle or similar weapon. The Verti-Go consists of a gas-propelled projector rod, an assortment of grappler heads, a pulley gear ascent motor, and 150 meters of high-strength thincord.

The climber selects a grappler head, checks that the line is secured to the projectile rod, and fires the thrower. After testing the line against the climber's weight, the climber then activates the gear ascent motor and is pulled up. The motor has two speeds, fast and very fast. Users should also be warned that the ascent motor, when set to the highest speed, is also very loud.

»ADDENDUM/PERSONAL
»TIGEREYE, SULLY ..

The Verti-Go also has an undocumented feature as a back-up weapon. In a pinch, many of the grappler heads, tipped with barbs and hooks, make excellent projectile weapons. Course, you're such a smart merc you probably didn't need to be told that.

Verti-Go Line Thrower
Model: Susuax Verti-Go Climbing System
Name: Line thrower and climber
Scale: Character
Skill: Missile weapons
Ammo: 1 projectile rod, assorted grappler heads, 150-meter length of line
Cost: 400
Availability: 2
Range: 10 to 150 meters
Damage: 4D+2
Game Notes: The normal rate of ascent for the climbing motor is six meters per second for a normal Human with gear. The secondary switch climbs at 12 meters per second but is three times as noisy (reduce Perception difficulty to spot climber by two levels).

Ordnance

The soldier-for-hire always relies on certain weapon types or models. But in addition to the usual assortment of blasters, slug throwers, knives, and good old fists and feet, a few additional weapons have slowly gained a following in the mercenary's arsenal.

Micro-Blasters

It is surprising how few are aware of the prevalence of the micro blasters across the star lanes. This ignorance is perhaps due more to entertainment holos always showing the mandatory scene with the heroic adventurers whipping out hold-out blasters as a weapon of last resort. But hold-out blasters are, by far, not the smallest energy weapons.

Micro blasters come in all shapes and sizes, et they are far from toys. The only difference between a tiny, two-shot micro and a full-size blaster pistol is the damage they can cause. Micros have but one purpose — to give the user one very slim chance of escape in a desperate situation.

Useless in a prolonged firefight or at any range longer than 5 meters, micros are for prudent individuals who do not wish to be completely unarmed. Their small size makes them quite hard to find — because of their tiny powerpacks, weapons detectors also have an increased difficulty trying to locate them.

»ADDENDUM/PERSONAL
»CUTTER, HUGO..

Micro blasters are the pop guns of the universe. I wouldn't be caught dead carrying one, but my furry friend with the claws is entitled to his opinions.

Micro Blaster
Model: Gee-Tech 12 Defender
Type: Micro blaster
Scale: Character
Skill: Blasters: micro blasters
Ammo: 2
Cost: 200 - 400
Availability: 2, R, X
Fire Rate: 1
Range: 1-5/no effect at further ranges
Damage: 2D+2
Game Notes: Very Difficult search roll required for characters and weapon detectors to find a micro blaster.

Sniper Blasters

A sniper blaster is more than just a standard blaster rifle fitted with a macroscopic sight, although many a mercenary unit has simply made do by taping a pair of macrobinoculars to the top of a standard trooper rifle. Many sniper blasters can also serve as anti-vehicle weapons, enabling precision shots against control components, engine outlets, and windscreens. Certain companies now build dedicated sniper blaster weapons as offshoots to their regular models. A few models offer componentability, allowing the weapon to be broken down into the most uninteresting-looking parts which can be carried around in a case or sack until needed for quick assembly.

Sniper Blaster Rifle
Model: SoruSuub X-45 Sniper Rifle
Type: Sniper blaster rifle
Scale: Character
Skill: Blasters: sniper blasters
Ammo: 25
Cost: 750
Availability: 2, R, X
Fire Rate: 1
Range: 1-25/100/250
Damage: 5D
Game Notes: When using rifle's targeting scope, reduce all Long Range or precision shot difficulty levels to Moderate.

Grenades, Explosives & Missiles

Shaped Charges

Shaped charges are cone-shaped devices that concentrate nearly all their damage into a tiny area, making them useful against airlock doors, vehicle components, and critical sections on load-bearing structures. They are predominantly used by rescue teams in order to save lives, although others have found deadlier uses for them.

»ADDENDUM/PERSONAL
»CUTTER, HUGO..

There is perhaps nothing more rewarding than finding the location of that one structure point that will send something as large as a bridge or a building flying down like a house of cards ...

Shaped-Charge Explosive
Model: Mesonics Focalized Explosive
Type: Shaped-charge explosive
Scale: Character or Speeder
Skill: Demolitions
Cost: 2500-3000
Availability: 2, R, X
Damage: 10D
Game Notes: When the explosive is set, reduce the Strength dice of the target by -1D.

Anti-Vehicle or Armor-Piercing Grenades

Anti-vehicle grenades consist of two or more segmented explosives — the first punches a hole in the craft's outer skin or armor, the second causes internal damage. While they are highly effective against speeders and other armored vehicles, they still lack the ability to seriously damage large armored vehicles like Imperial walkers.

»ADDENDUM/PERSONAL
»TIGEREYE, SULLY ..

A-V grenades can save you from the risks of high-speed surgery, which usually involves cutting a hole in some Chariot or other Imperial repulsortank and then inserting a thermal detonator. Ah, the good old days of the Rebel Special Mission Groups.