PMC's Before T2k

[kalos72]

So my campaign regularly has contact with a PMC that is loosely based on MP, having both a Security and a Science Division.

I have this corporation taking over the security on several Airfields, Power plants and other assorted government facilities.

Any thoughts from the experts on what the PMC world looked like back in 1995 forward in a T2K world? Real life examples or pure T2K...

[kato13]

PMC - Private Military Contractor I'm assuming?

MP would then be Morrow Project

[kalos72]

Yes thank you.

[Raellus]

I'm sure that they were around earlier, but I don't recall reading/hearing much about PMCs until after Operation Enduring Freedom and Blackwater. The earliest PMC I can remember being aware of was Executive Outcomes, based out of South Africa, I believe. They operated in West Africa in the late '90s. Maybe you could EO as a model for your PMCs.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executive_Outcomes

[Draq]

Maybe consult old issues of 'soldier of fortune'?

[dragoon500ly]

The first of the "modern" PMCs is WatchGuard International formed in 1965 by Sir David Stirling of SAS fame. Stirling later left WatchGuard and founded KAS International in 1972.

During the 70s and 80s, Control Risks Groups and Defence Systems was formed.

Based on the limited amount of research I've been able to do, prior to the Twilight War, PMCs tend to be heavily British in nature, recruiting from SAS, SBS and Paras for the most part, and acting (unofficially of course) in British interests.

[dragoon500ly]

Couple of items of interest...

The Addition to the Geneva Convention of 20 August, 1949, Article 47 of Protocol I, in its opening sentence states, "A mercenary shall not have the right to be a combatant or prisoner of war." In essence they are an illegal combatant and denied the protection of the Geneva Conventions.

On 20 October, 2001, we have the United Nations International Convention Against the Recruiment, Use, Financing and Training of Mercenaries, Article 2 makes it an offence to employ mercenaries. This has been ratified by 35 nations. But has not been signed by the People's Republic of China, France, India, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom and the US.

Basically, you can't be a mercenary because if you are captured, you can be shot out of hand. The UN doesn't approve of PMCs because they consider them to be mercenaries, although many nation-states do use PMCs, and if they are used in foreign countries, there are agreements that the hiring country makes that either gives them immunity (State Department's use of PMCs as security) or requires the hiring country to guarantee the behaviour of the PMC.

[kato13]

This thread is interesting to me as I am working on a modern game environment where PMCs supported by massive mega-corps are evolving into something more of an Intelligence agency. Where they perform both Intelligence gathering and special ops missions. That why I expressed and interest in the early stages of the OSS (in the non fiction thread) as I can see some parallel developments.

[kalos72]

Thats sort of where I am going as well, the Post T2K East India Trading Company meets New America meets The Morrow Project! Hahaha!!!

I was trying to figure out if in that timeline in RL that a PMC might have the numbers and authority to be as heavily involved as they are in our Campaign.

We have them engaged in many areas as a way to give the Players support considering the daunting effort to rebuild the US. Sort of like a player "Patron" from the MERC world.

"How do we get this power plant back online? Does DHI have a Sciences Team in the area?"

[Silent Hunter UK]

Remember that when T2K first was published, The A-Team was on TV. So you could have a group like that in the post-war world...

[Draq]

Not that the Geneva convention means much after the TDM... And technically after shtf everyone is a mercenary, some just have national/political ties too.