More to the point, how do megacorp paramilitaries get thier troops?
Do they recruit strictly from w/in thier own security forces or do they offer incentives like college money, signing bonuses, etc?
Do you think its a "life time contract" or "tours"?
Whats the level of training (ie. average ground pounder, Army Ranger, Delta, etc.)? I know the Ares Firewatch has been popularized but there has something closer to "rank and file" though I do expect a higher level of ability and competence than one would find in a standing army.
What are the possiblities for advancement (either in the para-oraginization or deskwork/tactics/drill instructor)?
Compensation? Benefits (cyber/bio/401k)?
I assume they have a rank system. Would it be similar with regard to title as conventional armies?
What is the primary motivator? Do the corps instill a sense of "corporate patriotism" or is just "we'll show you the money"?
I'm figuring this all in some SB I don't have so any help would be appricated. I'm thinking of making a character with this background (surprise) and realized I don't know that much about it. Thanks in advance.
Full Version: Corporate ParaMilitaries
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I don't have Corp Download. 
Some corps like Ares, SK and Yamatetsu have the whole range of metas to choose from but the Japanacorps usually have a humans only philosophy even (some say especially) when choosing elite troops
I imagine that they are not above the ole "Shang-Hai" trick to get people...Throw the suggestion that they have a cortex bomb in there head and all of a sudden you have a nice loyal buddy!!!!
I don't see most of the megas actually having a army really, just security forces and special ops teams. There isn't really a need for a grunt soldier, since megas don't usually have traditionnal army objectives. There is however, something higher than the basic sec guard without necessarely falling into the lines of the Red Samurai, Firewatch or whatever.
So anyway, since that's a little vague, I'll just answer your questions more directly: you can't force people to be elite, so Elite guards or prestige units like Red Samurai are strictly voluntary. Lifetime contracts are very unlikely however, but long tours of several years make sense. To qualify you obviously must have previous experience as a sec guard within the corp, or you worked for a friendly country military (i.e. japanacorps -> japan military, Ares -> UCAS/CAS military) and got an invite from a corp recruiter.
Ranks would definatly be conventionnal ranking systems.
Benefits are ok salary, but mostly prestige and sense of accomplishment. Obviously you get implanted with some cyber/bio, but that's not a compensation, that's a work requirement.
Some points I didn't cover because they are explained it Corp Download.
So anyway, since that's a little vague, I'll just answer your questions more directly: you can't force people to be elite, so Elite guards or prestige units like Red Samurai are strictly voluntary. Lifetime contracts are very unlikely however, but long tours of several years make sense. To qualify you obviously must have previous experience as a sec guard within the corp, or you worked for a friendly country military (i.e. japanacorps -> japan military, Ares -> UCAS/CAS military) and got an invite from a corp recruiter.
Ranks would definatly be conventionnal ranking systems.
Benefits are ok salary, but mostly prestige and sense of accomplishment. Obviously you get implanted with some cyber/bio, but that's not a compensation, that's a work requirement.
Some points I didn't cover because they are explained it Corp Download.
Actually, a lifetime contract wouldn't be too outrageous. There's already lifetime employment in Japan, and that's where SR's entire corporate culture is coming from. You serve your time and company takes care of you.
Well for corporate sitizens that were born in a corp hospital, raised in corp nurseries/childcare, educated in corp schools and then go into the corps military, whilst there's probably nothing specifically written that they can't quit, it's likely that they're in for life.
I'd definately see the tour duration contract being the norm though. Of course, if you have any cyber or bio work done on you, then you also agree to stay in for X number of years in return for it. This way, even when they start getting a little past it for military service, when the current tour ends they can transfer over to the corps security department and bring their skills/experience with them.
One question though is, would they recruit from outsiders- none corp citizens- if they had the right skills and qualifications? As I see it, whilst they'd prefer people that were already corp citizens for the realiabilty factor, luring away people from national militaries would be common as well. Saves money on training and since the corp is likely to offer better pay/conditions, fairly easy as well. Megas like Ares and Yamatetsu that have strong ties to the UCAS and Russian governments respectively, more than most. They'd probably expect you take corp citizenship though- which could work out a bit like the French Foreign Legion I suppose.
I'd definately see the tour duration contract being the norm though. Of course, if you have any cyber or bio work done on you, then you also agree to stay in for X number of years in return for it. This way, even when they start getting a little past it for military service, when the current tour ends they can transfer over to the corps security department and bring their skills/experience with them.
One question though is, would they recruit from outsiders- none corp citizens- if they had the right skills and qualifications? As I see it, whilst they'd prefer people that were already corp citizens for the realiabilty factor, luring away people from national militaries would be common as well. Saves money on training and since the corp is likely to offer better pay/conditions, fairly easy as well. Megas like Ares and Yamatetsu that have strong ties to the UCAS and Russian governments respectively, more than most. They'd probably expect you take corp citizenship though- which could work out a bit like the French Foreign Legion I suppose.
Also, a lot of sources show corp security forces equipped with cyberware. In that light a lifetime (or at least long-term) contract would make such outfitting a much less costly option.
| QUOTE (toturi @ Apr 13 2004, 07:01 AM) |
| Check out Corp Download. |
I think you mean Corporate Shadowfiles, which actually does devote parts of the book to security forces (and militaries) and compares them to national militaries.
Basically, it's the same thing as how Findley compared the Aztlan and Aztechnology militaries in Aztlan (which figures, since he wrote both). The corp troops are better trained and have more high-tech weapons, and the national militaries have less training, but bigger guns. It also mentioned how corporate soldiers were expected to bring stuff back, whereas the government soldiers couldn't give a rip (e.g., the Rangers in Black Hawk Down stuffing mags in their canteen pouches).
It's also OOP though.
But in the color panel pages describing the Big Eight at the end of the book, one of the items covered is the size of their military forces.
Ares:
MILITARY
Overall Unit Size Lt Regiment
Training and Quality Exceptional (shocking. Just shocking.)
Aztechnology doesn't even count, because it's military is the Aztlan military for all purposes. And Aztlan pegs it as 175,000, which I assume is just the combat forces.
Fuchi
MILITARY
Overall Unit Size Company
Training and Quality Excellent
Mitsuhama
MILITARY
Overall Unit Size Company
Training and Quality Above Average
Renraku
MILITARY
None reported
Training and Quality n/a
Saeder-Krupp
MILITARY
Battalion
Training and Quality Exceptional
Shiawase
MILITARY
Overall Unit Size None reported
Matrix Security 8 Training and Quality n/a
--This goes along with what was described in CD when Korin Yamana finally "gave" them forces (from Fuchi) when he joined that corp.
Yamatetsu
MILITARY
Overall Unit Size None reported
Matrix Security 8 Training and Quality n/a
--This is definitely a put on because they had a fucking carrier battle group in 2047 during the attack on Ensenada.
Also, one thing to consider is that FireWatch is not part of Ares. It's Knight Errant's special operations force--a megacorp with the sole function of contracting out security and paramilitary services. The whole corp is a small military force.
And Burning Bright (and CD) have both mentioned that FireWatch (which IIRC evolved noticeably between the two) recruits a lot of its members from the Sioux Wildcats. Not that there were a lot of people in FireWatch when it first debuted in Burning Bright. I have personal issues with the description in CD, though, so I treat them like the original version. Making them like a two-bit SWAT team cheapens them and diminshes the whole point of KE in general being a bunch of badasses.
Likewise, the Red Samurai are security forces. So are the Yamatetsu SSD. The Yamatetsu Naval Tech SEALs OTOH are a military force.
As for rank, Knight Errant uses a Army-style rank system (as evidenced in the fact that the commander is a General and Lloyd Ritter (aka Grey Knight) was made a Lt. Col. in YotC. Ritter was also in FireWatch though, IIRC).
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