For your Kickstarter Canon Characters, we have the opportunity to set up the Skjaldborg as a Canon Merc Unit. When you are submitting your information, if you would like them to be included as a member, make sure that you indicate as much! Here is the rough history we have worked up for submission.
Damion Sparhawk Engineer/Mechanic/Pilot While briefly serving as an engineer to the AFFS his unit was mothballed before ever having much chance to distinguish itself, leaving him bereft of purpose. He drifted from contract to contract until finally landing a rough but settled position amongst the members of the Skjaldborg, currently serving in his eighth year in the company and a veteran of the Drakjägare. Most typically kept busy restoring salvage and repairing weapons and armor of the company mechs, his grizzled visage is no stranger to the cockpit when circumstance demands. While reasonably capable behind the controls of most mech types, his preferred unit affectionately referred to as 'Hup' consists of a SHD-2H converted to carry a LBX-10 and SRM-6 along with a pair of medium lasers similar to the SHD-2Hb (which he likely wouldn't know anything about), however lacking access to endo steel and ferro fibrous technologies this conversion required the use of a XL engine restored at great personal expense from a salvaged star league wreck. Though picked clean of almost all salvageable equipment, that same wreck contained a mostly intact gauss rifle which has become his pet project. Though currently still non-functional Damion is certain he'll be able to restore it to operational status, however it will take some time. Considering the few attempts thus far have led to incidental incineration of supplies as well as the permanent incorperation of what once was a toolbox through electromagnetic fusion, he has been ordered to use every caution necessary to ensure no more damage than necessary is sustained due to the project. Though challenging, the mighty weapon will most certainly lend an edge to the crew, should he manage to restore it, without further casualty. (what I've come up with so far, how much detail do they want about the individuals? I assume we're going to include the three companies?)
Yup, must be a backer of at least Star Colonel tier. No idea what level of detail they want. Probably not overly much, to allow the writers as much room as possible for placing the characters in time and story. They are supposed to be getting with people "soon"
Oh, I thought the reward was setting up the merc unit, not the individual. Or that there was a reward for your unit level. *shrug*
Important note for anyone who has a canon character. They have an entire section to add details to your character, such as physical traits that are important or a specific mercenary command they serve in (hint). It is near the end of the survey, but it is there.
Overall, I like the general premise in the OP. Good job. Just one thing I would like to qualify a bit: the nature of the DC before and after the independence of the FRR. As mentioned before, I would stress to specify what targets we are going after in the DC. After Theodore Kurita's rise to power and cooperation in creating the FRR (yes, he was involved in making that happen), the politics in the DC was largely split between pro-Theodore (New Guard pragmatists) and pro-Takashi (Old Guard traditionalists) political factions. It's specifically the "Old Guard" that was responsible for all the atrocities committed on the FRR people. While there was never open widespread conflict between the Old Guard and New Guard, that doesn't mean shady shit didn't happen behind the scenes or in smaller scale and isolated events. Most famous of these examples was the Black Dragon Society, but it was not limited to their direct action. The Old Guard was doing shady shit before 3030, well after 3060, as well as in between. Bushido practices aside, while the Theodore and his New Guard may or may not openly support our actions, it is within the realm of plausibility they might be willing to "look the other way" if they had something to gain from us eliminating some "politically inconvenient" members of the Old Guard; especially well connected political rivals on the FRR/DC border that threatened relations between both superpowers.
To quote our old recruiting post: "If it's Red it's dead" is probably a good view of many people, Demetri specifically. But the reality is that we don't have that much say with the background. They really are looking for a short paragraph or snippet that their writers can grab and run with rather than us having something fully fleshed out that we expect them to adhere to. I haven't submitted yet since I need to grab pictures but I may end up condensing and simplifying even further so they have more room to play
unless it's flashing red, at which point you need to be extra cautious as it's entering the boss final phase and it's extra dangerous. (and close to death)
So what'd people go with for rides? I figured I was due for a command mech upgrade and went to my old favorite from tabletop days, the Battlemaster BLR-1G, which still sits on my desk. Will be hilarious if I'm killed by a headshot just like I always was on the table
What era we talking here? You could say "prior to this date, he piloted a <fill in the blank>. After he piloted <fill in the blank>. Or if this is just a snap shot of our current strength at the beginning of 3050, I would go with a really common Lyran or captured DC mech since that is the theater you had been operating in for some time (FRR forces were largely composed of equipment from both of its neighbors). The Battlemaster 1G is fairly prolific throughout the IS, though... it wouldn't be a stretch. One of the "good" Banshees (3S/5S - both Steiner models) or Zeus (9S) would be another solid choice. It is worth noting, the Axman had also been in full production for two years by 3050. Not to forget mentioning your Warhammer had seen more refits than I can count by that time.
Looked at those Banshees and Zeuses. Didn't care for the speed profile of the 3S or Zeus and didn't have the emotional connection. Axman, while having an ax, is kinda a shit mech. Being a brand new mech and more of a city fighter rather than a command mech, it wasn't quite what I was after. Also thought about Grasshopper, Marauder, Orion, Thunderbolt, Griffin 1S, Archer 2S, Crusader, Flashman, Black Knight... more The likelihood of having a brand new mech with lostech/Helm Memory Core goodies seemed unlikely. Figured it was a better bet to go with an ol' reliable
Hell, that looks good to me, but you'll have to see how much of that they let you keep I figured out an excellent way to update an old Battlemaster 'in the field' without redoing the engine or structure or any of that. Just swapping the sinks and armor and some weapons Super sweet site that let's you have a mech lab in your browser: http://mordel.net/index.php
Looks great, but why a flamer AND 2 machine guns? Are you doing a lot of riot duty? Just my two cents: Definitely like the idea of a limited "field refit" to an existing design (especially given the era). If you keep the MGs, definitely cut that MG ammo down to half a ton, though. It's very difficult to burn through 200 MG "rounds" in tabletop... even with Rapid Fire rule... even with 2 machine guns. Should be relatively easy to unload some ammo to spot weld a few extra plates of armor. And MG ammo is notorious for exploding catastrophically when you don't want it to. Flamers are (generally) always better for Mechs for this reason. I would replace the two stock MGs with two flamers in that left arm. Should be a relatively simple refit. EDIT: Just realized, it's ONE MG. My bad. Definitely shave that MG ammo down to half a ton! My God, you are going to give your mechanic nightmares! I'd hate to see such a pretty mech get its back blown out by all that MG ammo.
