[Brother in Arms]

Rafael Mondragon

Rafael is a fair skinned,physically fit Hispanic man age 40-45. He will be found wearing a black beret and sporting gold rimmed aviator glasses with green lenses. He may or may not be wearing a neatly trimmed mustache. But he will definitely have long black hair that may or may not be pullet back. depending on what appearance he wants to affect. He will be found wearing a mixture of military and civilian clothes. Such as a camouflage field jacket, black turtle neck shirt, blue denim jeans and cowboy boots. He has a assertive military demeanor with swagger of a gangster.

He speaks English carefully but with an easy going demeanor. He is a Mexican citizen though his mother was a Spaniard from the old country and from the county of Castille. As a result he speak perfect Spanish. His father was a prominent cattle rancher in Mexico and he is a proficient with a Lasso and on horseback. He always carries a browning high power pistol in tooled leather holster,and a large Bowie knife. Quite often he will also be carrying a large hand forged Machete. Or He may also be sporting a walking stick.

He may be encountered alone perhaps on horseback. But more commonly encountered on foot with his "Technical staff" or as he proudly calls them "Bandolero's". They may number as few as 4 or at times as many as 60 young men and boys. These are his obedient force of child soldiers. While none are much older than age 18 they are a formidable fighting force. They will all be found carrying a mixture of weapons and equipment but usually wearing chicom chest pouches holding spare magazines. When possible they will be found with AKM,SKS ,AR-15/M16, MINI-14, G3A3/G3A4 rifles. Occasionally they will be found with SMG type firearms such as the UZI, MAC-11 and possibly civilian shotguns of various types possibly cut down or sawed off. Some hunting rifles may also be in use. Side arms (hand guns) will only be found in the hands of "Teniente" but all bandelero's will carry a secondary weapons such as bayonets if available and more commonly machetes. Hand grenades and home made bombs will be issued when available. They commonly wear flannel shirt, sweaters,t shirts. Woven cowboy style hats are common, as well as military caps. Bandannas are ubiquitous. Camouflage of various patterns will also be found in use and anything for footwear. The young men are paid in the form of food and captured booty. They are often seen puffing large rustic cigarettes rolled from corn husks.
These boy soldiers are viciously loyal to Mondragon., they will give no quarter and will fight to the death. Most of these boys are ex-migrant workers or children of illegal aliens. Many only speak Spanish but some speak a mix or both English and Spanish (spanglish) though Rafael frowns upon it's use.

Rafael will offer his services as a general and his paramilitary security force to the PC's for protection or as advance scouts. He will fervently deny any ties with marauders, brigands, bandits or road agents. He will take umbridge to his chico's being called "Banditos" and act as if he is offended if compared to Pancho Villa. He will continue to assert that he his bandolero's are mercenaries for hire nothing more nothing less. Rafael will often have luxury items in possession (beer,wine,cigarettes,chocolate,toilet paper, wet wipes or hand sanitizer) and may offer them to the PC as gift of good faith.

Rafael is believed by some to be an ex CIA operative. Others claim he was trained by the SAS and used to infiltrate Basque separatist in Spain. Still some claim his involvement with Mexican cartels is in his past. He is a hard man to pin down but if hired he and his chico's will prove to be reliable guerrilla fighting force, irregula they are irregulars and they cannot perform all the duties of a professional soldier. And while their morale is excellent they cannot withstand heavy bombardments from artillery or tanks and retreat. Terrifying weapons like flame throwers, white phosphorus, poison gas and other weapons with serious shock value, may cause them to take to there heels. But when it comes to conventional fighting they are highly mobile and will push forward even if fighting in dense forest, or house to house fighting.

TWIST:
1. If PC's don't hire Mondragon and his bandoleros they make attack the party. But only if they are numerically superior.

2. PC's may encounter the Mondragon and his Bandoleros fighting for another entity (NPC)and have moral dilemma about child soldiers.

3. Mondragon and bandeleros may be caught committing atrocities either on enemy soldier, or civilians. Maybe something such as torture, rape, infanticide or even cannibalism.

4. Typically these child soldier give no quarter. Perhaps they will be required by the PC's for a prisoner grab. Or to help them redeem one of there party members who has been captured by the enemy. Or maybe Mondragon and his bandolero's have one of the PC's in there possession which is highly unusual and they have to negotiate with them for the PC's return.