MechWarrior 4: Mercenaries installation screen

Описание: Next video -    • MechWarrior 4: Mercenaries Intro  
The first recorded use of mercenary forces dates back to 1500 B.C., when the Egyptians of ancient Terra formed armies by recruiting citizens and enlisting foreign troops. Pharaoh Ramses II commanded an army that included over 10,000 mercenaries.

The rise of feudalism during the Middle Ages created a perpetual demand for trained soldiers, as feudal lords regularly hired mercenaries to supplement their armies and merchants hired mercenaries for protection.

Mercenaries began to regain a prominent role in warfare during the latter half of the twenty-third century, as the resurgence of feudal political systems, and insterstellar exploration and colonization fueled new demands for trained soldiers.

In 2766, Stefan Amaris murdered First Lord Richard Cameron, sounding the death knell of the Star League. General Aleksandr Kerensky smashed Amaris' army. The remnants of Amaris' and Star League Defense Force units became the first mercenaries to control significant BattleMech assets. Among these were the Eridani Light Horse and the Northwind Highlanders.

During the First and Second Succcession Wars, mercenary commands like Hansen's Roughriders and the 21st Centauri Lancers worked hard to keep honorable battlefield conduct alive. Eventually, all regular units followed suit, leading to the Ares Conventions of civilized warfare, which guided the Third Succession War.

Mercenaries continued to serve promintently during the Fourth Succession War. The Blue Star Irregulars and Twelfth Vegan Rangers assisted in taking 107 worlds from House Liao. The Kell Hounds drove forward to victory over House Kurita's elite Genyosha troops, paving the way for the capture of 53 worlds. Wolf's Dragoons engaged and defeated the cream of the Kuritan army, earning them Hanse Davion's respect and the planet Outreach.

Mercenary and regular commands alike fell before the Clan juggernaut. But then a mercenary command-Grayson Carlyle's Gray Death Legion-demonstrated that the Clans were not invincible by bloodying the Jade Falcons on the world of Sudeten and soundly defeating them on Pandora.

As with other businesses, the majority of the new mercenary units will fail. Only the foolish or the desperate delude themselves into thinking that by forming a mercenary command they can amass great wealth. In most cases, what drives a warrior into the private sector is the lure of freedom and power. Of course, the wealth doesn't hurt....