| From: | Tzeentch tzeentch666@*********.net |
|---|---|
| Subject: | [Shadowrun] Mercenary Campaigns |
| Date: | Thu, 18 Nov 1999 11:18:13 -0800 |
> > So, this raises a question... has anyone considered a campaing where
> > the runners were hired AS guerellas to help topple a government?
Anyone interested in this should look up back issues of "Soldier of Fortune"
that cover the mercenaries hired by various factions in Africa. Generally
it's not quite as simple as a shadowrunner would like :)
After all if you're hired by the goverment (whatever power claims to be in
charge at the capital - even if that's all they control) you're an
expendable resource used so they don't have to send out the few troops they
can REALLY count on. Most runners would just end up being cadre training
goverment conscripts. Which I have a hard time imagining most shadowrunners
being able to do - since most probably don't have military backgrounds in
this sort of thing.
If they are hired by the opposition (guerrilla) forces things are even
worse!! They will no doubt make more money (Angolan mercenaries were paid in
uncut gems and diamonds) but the risks are greater..after all they are not
even recognized combatants! Torture and worse awaits you if you are captured
and the rebels will not lift a paw to help you out (after all you're just as
expendable to them as you would be to the goverment). And if your side
'wins' they may kill you off just in case the deposed goverment (who may now
be the rebels) wants to hire you.
Not to mention you would probably be doing operations that would make even
the most hardened Shadowrunner blanche. Dumping bodies in wells to poision
the water sources, spreading engineered diseases, ritual magic
assassinations, massacring civilians to establish control, evicting or plain
killing suspected "rebels/goverment collaborators" (depending on what side
you are on), etc. Not stuff they would want the freelancers potentially
telling everyone about once they left.
If you like dark campaigns it could be just the ticket. But shadowrunners
would be next to useless in the sort of operations they would probably be
required to accomplish. Make sure you get them involved in lots of totally
illegal/repugnant acts (most shadowrun players are incredibly callous and
would not bat an eye!!) and then have the people that hired them tell the
world about what they did, but blame the PCs as being hired by the
opposition (with hard-rock proof to back it up!). The PCs would be
world-infamous :)
Just some ideas, could be fun!
Ken
> No, but I run a campaign where the players are mercenaries in the
> employ of the (Japanese) government trying to suppress a guerilla
> uprising. Where does the campaign take place? You guessed it: Vietnam.
>
> Marc Renouf (ShadowRN GridSec - "Bad Cop" Division)
