[font=Franklin Gothic Medium]A mercenary is a professional soldier hired by a foreign army, as opposed to a soldier enlisted in the armed forces of the sovereign state of which he is a citizen. He takes part in armed conflict on many different scales, and is "motivated to take part in the hostilities essentially by the desire for private gain and, in fact, is promised, by or on behalf of a party to the conflict, material compensation substantially in excess of that promised or paid to combatants of similar ranks and functions in the armed forces of that Party".
La Societe Militaire Privee (SMP) provides specialized expertise or services of a military nature, sometimes called or classified as mercenary ("soldiers for hire"). The services and expertise cover those typically found in governmental military or police forces, but most often on a smaller scale. While SMP often provide services to train or supplement official armed forces in service of governments, they are also employed by unlawful groups.
They are licensed by the Galic Council, they are contracting with foreign governments, training soldiers and reorganizing militaries in. The SMP bank account has riched 1.000.000.000 credits and now they decided to enlarge their horizons.
With the headquarters on Reunion base, in Orkney, SMP are now looking to obtain profitable contracts in Kusari, Taus or Bretonia. Since Council forces can handle the civil war pretty well in Galia, the SMP called most of their pilots back and are ready to take any contracts on the sirian market.
HISTORY
[font=Franklin Gothic Medium]The soldiers of Societe Militaire Privee have their roots in Gallia, especially on planet Marne. To understand the SMP soldiers, we first have to know something about the situation that was on Marne at the beginning of the colonization. It was a densely populated industrial world that was holding more than three quarters of all Gallic Border Worlds population. Discovered in 506 A.S. by a Gallic expedition sent from Burgundy, this planet has immediately attracted attention of authorities and corporations. Atmosphere was suitable for colonization, and planet's crust appeared to be rich in oil and metal ores. ELF Oil & Machinery, Gallic Metal Service, and a number of other companies from the Core Systems have all participated in building up the industrial infrastructure. But when millions of workers were transported to Marne in 615-650 A.S., they didn't find the perfect living conditions and beautiful cities that they were promised. Instead, vast cities consisted of similar blocks of flats and were located right next to plants and factories: there were few policemen to stop the crime, almost no social services, and even no fresh air because of massive and uncontrolled pollution. On some distance from the cities, small towns were built to house higher-class settlers. Those towns were heavily guarded by Police and Private Military Force against the crime that was increasing steadily since the colonization had started.
When the rebelion started, in 794 A.S. the SMP knew that this would be the beginning of a civil war so they ended their contracts with the royals. in 801 A.S. In 801 A.S. after years of bloody fighting, the whole planet was under control of the Council. The PMF forces were a land combat force of the Council and played an important role in the liberation of Marne.
The SMP took part in all the land battles in the war. Another one of these fights was the attack on Nimes Station. The Council attempted to use the same tactic that failed with Gap Station. This time, however, previous mistakes were taken into account. The Council made use of inside support from civilians loyal to its cause and called for SMP to breach the station. While Council fleets were stationed next to Remoulins' wreck and Nimes was preparing for an assault from space, a group of Council special operatives (including SMP soldiers) breached the station through a maintenance airlock that was left unguarded. Before local Police and Army guards could organize any resistance, the Council took over control of the station's life support, computer mainframes, internal and external defensive systems.
The Council offensive on Planet Quillan was the second planetary operation of the war. Capturing the planet was vital for the final success in breaching the mine field defenses. Breaching planetary defenses was a relatively easy task. However, after Council and SMP ground forces landed on the planet in the end of 815 A.S., they discovered that a Gallic army of 90,000 was stationed on the planet and prepared to defend its settlements and factories. Outnumbered, the Council forces had to fortify their positions and prepare for a lengthy fight for the planet's surface. More Council troops landed on Quillan, increasing the numbers of Council corps on the planet to 95,000. The Council soldiers were mostly unemployed Marne workers, badly armed and trained. They would be no match for Gallic Army in open combat. However, SMP soldiers infiltrated local settlements and convinced the workers to rebel against the Royal forces. The unrest was growing and soon, rebelions started simultaneously in many settlements. Overtaking settlements one by one, the Council slowly advanced, and in the beginning of 817 A.S. the remaining Gallic Army soldiers were scattered and forced to surrender.
In the end of 816 A.S., the Council finally gathered a large fleet to attack Montpellier Guard Station. This was the first space operation that SMP took part. Equiped with Council ships, the SMP were taking heavy looses and had to retreat but the more experienced Council pilots continued the fight. For several weeks, fighting next to Montpellier continued; at the same time, the Navy advanced from Dauphine and breached the Council's defenses near the Jump Gate. The SMP were sent to intercept them. Before the Navy fleet reached the main battle, it suffered some loses from SMP raids. But this wasnt enough to make them to fall back.
It was too late to retreat at this point, and despite very heavy casualties, the Council advanced to the mine field, destroying numerous weapon platforms, smaller supplementary mine fields, and hundreds of enemy ships. A large part of Montpellier Guard Station itself was destroyed in a suicide attack by a Council battleship packed with thermonuclear explosives, with most station defenders killed in the explosion or shortly afterwards. The path to the mines was now clear, and Council moved forward to destroy the mines and create a large corridor that would allow all ships, even the largest ones, to pass through without being at risk of mine explosions. After the path was ready, the Council started to build a new space station on the other side, bearing a symbolic name of Reunion. For helping the Council forces in the war, SMP obtained 2 docking bays on Reunion Base. Their main Headquarters remains on planet Quillan. The SMP started a training program for space combat because most of the soldiers were trained only for ground ops.
Now, La Societe Militaire Privee is an elite group of land and space fighters that are looking for profit. While they are fighting for they contractors, they dont forget their roots and help the Council in the fight against the Gallic Royal Navy.
OBJECTIVES
[font=Franklin Gothic Medium]1. SMPs primary objective is to get gain power and money while working for any party in Sirius.
2. Their secondary objective is to aid the Council in their fight against the Royal Navy.
3. The third objective is to expand their influence zone and explore unknown parts of Sirius. This is why they created the Science & Exploration Wing; a wing that is mostly used to search hiden bases of possible targets.
MEMBERS' OPINIONS
Hey, money rule in Sirius I do this for them. Edmond Donatien
So we get money for Sirians for killing Sirians? SURE, always a pleasure. - Andre Odilon
I was a bit tired of the Gallic civil war so I decided to try this. Marie Edmee
If the colonel says jump, you jump. No question of that. He saved many of us so we cant leave this until we do the same for him. Not that I want to leave Marcel Evrard
Money, what else can I say!? Flore Ghislaine
To be honest, I dont like that we have to go in Sirius I was happy killing royals Guy Isidore
Killing royals, killing sirians, all the same for me Adeline Verne
This is a stupid question, you know?! <<What do you think about the new policy?>> I dont care about the policy. All I care is to hit my target Lucien Matthieu
"Give me a contract, any contract." - Didier Francois
[font=Impact]INTERVIEWING THE COLONEL
Zoe Armelle from Le Conseil Tribune managed to obtain an interview with the Colonel of SMP.
Zoe: Greetings, Colonel.
Colonel: Greetings!
Z: Thank you for accepting this interview
C: Well, madame Armelle
Z: Please, call me Zoe.
C: Alright, Zoe, I was saying that Im the one that should thank you because this, what we do here is free publicity and a good way to inform people about our presence here and about our goals.
Z: Right so how would you describe this company?
C: Our motto says it all: Combat, explore, trade. You name it, we do it.
Z: What about the people?
C: Our pilots are trained professionists. Our military wing is trained in ground ops and space ops. They are complete soldiers.
Z: What about the civilians?
C: They are not really civilians. They dont have combat experience in space battles but they are the pilots of our trade and exploration wing.
Z: And what are you planning to do?
C: Well, we will continue to help the Council against the Royals and we will search for jobs in the rest of Sirius. We are looking for long time contracts.
Z: Do you know about the major conflicts in Sirius?
C: Not all of them but thats why we have an exploration wing. I know about the Bretonian-Kusari war, about the Colonial-Bretonian war, about the Colonial-Outcast fights, about the Corsair-Outcast war and about the Corsair-Molly war thats about it and there are some more minor conflicts but I dont have the time to talk about all of them here.
Z: What do you know about the IMG?
C: Not much. Just that they have some shipyards that can build big ships and but they use old technology.
Z: What are the plans for the future?
C: We are looking forward in expanding all over Sirius but this will come in time. For now were looking for a good contractor.
Z: Thank you, Colonel!
[font=Impact]CODE OF THE 7
[font=Franklin Gothic Medium]1. Never take jobs given by Sirians against ANY gallic people;
2. Never attack someone in the no fire zone of the freeports;
3. Never engage in a fight against one of your allies;
4. Never use SMP ship to gain personal glory;
5. Aid Le Conseil in any situation;
6. Respect your countract;
7. Ask for forgiveness from divinity after every fight.
Non-military
Explorer
Junior Explorer
Transporteur
Trader
[font=Impact]RANKS DESCRIPTION
[font=Franklin Gothic Medium]Colonel is the leader of SMP. He deals with all the diplomatic issues and maintains a balance in the contracts SMP takes. He can command the two Gunboats, Ardenne and Cayenne.
Economic Wing
This wing is lead by a Capitain that responds directly to the Colonel. This wing was founded during the Gallic Civil War when the need to transport troops and materials in the hot zones became the main occupation of SMP. The Capitaine of the Economic Wing can:
Command the Dordogne gunboat
Use any ship from the SMP line
Go anywhere in the ZoI and beyond
Organize events for the Economic Wing
Respond on any communication channel related to the Economic Wing after discussing with the Colonel
Order any lower ranked pilot from any wing in a fight if there isn't a higher ranked officer or the Capitain of the Military Wing.
Current Capitain of the Economic Wing is .?.?.?.?.?.
Transporteur is the second rank in the Economic Wing. Pilot that achieved this rank is a well trained person that knows the routes of the SMP convoys and it's able to find new ones. The Transporteur can:
Use the Tarvos (only in Gallic space), Camara, Firefly.
Go anywhere in the ZoI and beyond it
Give orders to Traders
ooRP note: Players that reached the Lieutenant rank in the Military Wing are allowed to create a different character that will be their Transporteur or use the Trader if they had one.
Trader is the first rank in the Economic Wing. Pilot that achieved this rank is a rookie that is learning routes, economics and trading procedures. The Trader can:
Use the Tarvos (only in Gallic space), Camara.
Go anywhere in the primary ZoI and secondary ZoI only with the accord of a superior.
ooRP note: Players that reached the Caporal rank in the Military Wing are allowed to create a different character that will be their Trader.
Science & Exploration Wing
This wing is lead by a Capitain that responds directly to the Colonel. This wing was founded after the creation of Reunion Base in Orkney. Their main offices are on that base. The Capitain of the Science & Exploration Wing can:
Command the Loire gunboat
Use any ship from the SMP line
Go anywhere in the ZoI and beyond
Organize events for the Science and Exploration Wing
Respond on any communication channel related to the Science & Exploration Wing after discussing with the Colonel
Order any lower ranked pilot from any wing in a fight if there isn't a higher ranked officer or the Capitain of the Military Wing.
Current Capitain of the Science & Exploration Wing is Andre Dupont.
Explorer is the second rank in the Science & Exploration Wing. Pilot that achieved this rank is a well trained scientist that knows the Gallic space. He will explore the Sirius sector and report to the SMP anything he discovers. The Colonel may decide to sell any discovery or use it for SMP. The Explorer can:
Use the Basalt, X-Shuttle, Spatial, Mafic, Touketsu, Dacite
Go anywhere in the ZoI and beyond it
Give orders to Junior Explorers
ooRP note: Players that reached the Lieutenant rank in the Military Wing are allowed to create a different character that will be their Explorer or use the Junior Explorer if they had one.
Junior Explorer is the first rank in the Science & Exploration Wing. Pilot that achieved this rank is a student that learns about space exploration. The Junior Explorer can:
Use the X-Shuttle, Basalt, Dacite
Go anywhere in the primary ZoI
ooRP note: Players that reached the Sergent rank in the Military Wing are allowed to create a different character that will be their Junior Explorer.
Military Wing
This wing is lead by a Commander that responds directly to the Colonel. This wing was founded at the beginning of the Gallic Civil War. The Commander of the Military Wing can:
Command the Normandie gunboat
Use any ship from the SMP line
Go anywhere in the ZoI and beyond
Organize events for the Military Wing
Respond on any communication channel related to SMP security
Order any lower ranked pilot from any wing in a fight.
Current Commander of the Military Wing is Xavier du Champ.
The Capitain of the Military Wing responds to the Commander. The Capitain can:
Command the Aveyron gunboat
Use any ship from the SMP line
Go anywhere in the ZoI and beyond
Organize events for the Science and Exploration Wing
Respond on any communication channel related to the Science & Exploration Wing after discussing with the Commander
Order any lower ranked pilot from any wing in a fight if there isn't a higher ranked officer.
Current Capitain of the Military Wing is .?.?.?.?.?.
The Lieutenant is the best fighters and bombers pilot in SMP. He is ready to start his training on commanding capital ships. The Lieutenant can:
Use Moonbeam, Gecko, Sunbeam, Agama, Basilisk for Gallic space
Use Civilian fighters and bombers
Go anywhere in the ZoI
Order any lower ranked pilot from any wing in a fight if there isn't a higher ranked officer.
Sergent is a good fighter pilot that can begin his training on bombers. The Sergent can:
Use Moonbeam, Gecko, Sunbeam, Agama, Basilisk for Gallic space
Use Civilian Fighters
Go anywhere in the ZoI
Order any lower ranked pilot in a fight if there isn't a higher ranked officer.
Caporal is a pilot that is used to Gallic space and Gallic technology. He can start his training on other Sirian technology. The Caporal can:
Use Moonbeam, Gecko, Sunbeam, Agama, Basilisk for Gallic space
Use Civilian Light Fighters and Heavy Fighters
Go anywhere in the primary ZoI
Order any lower ranked pilot in a fight if there isn't a higher ranked officer.
Recrute is the first rank in the Military Wing. This is a rookie that starts his training for space combat after he finished Ground Ops training. The Recruit can:
Only fly in Gallic ZoI and Orkney
Use Moonbeam, Gecko, Sunbeam, Agama for Gallic ZoI
Shared ships:
SMP-T|Sauvetage (Firefly tort usually used as SAR unit)ransp
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<strike>Deals with the IMG| about the ships and weapons purchase: Negotiations #1</strike>
Deals with Le Conseil about the ships and weapons purchase: Negotiations #2
The Air Medal is awarded to any person who, while serving in any capacity in or with the Forces of SMP, shall have distinguished himself/herself by meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight. Note: This medal can only be obtained by a pilot of the Exploration Wing.
The Achievement Medal was first proposed as a means to recognize the contributions of junior officers and enlisted personnel who were not eligible to receive the higher Commendation Medal or the Meritorious Service Medal. Note: Minimal rank to receive this medal is Caporal.
The Commendation Medal is a mid-level SMP award/decoration which is presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. For valorous actions in direct contact with an enemy force, but of a lesser degree than required for the award of the Bronze Star. Note: Minimal rank to receive this medal is Sergent.
The Good Conduct Medal is awarded to any enlisted member of the SMP who completes 120 consecutive days of "honorable and faithful service". Note: Minimal rank to receive this medal is Sergent.
The medal was created in the aftermath of the Second Gallic War to recognize those who had performed occupation service in either Languedoc or Champagne. To be awarded the Army of Occupation Medal, a service member was required to have performed at least thirty consecutive days of military duty within a designated system of military occupation. Note: Minimal rank to receive this medal is Lieutenant.
The Bronze Star Medal is a SMP individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. Note: Minimal rank to obtain this medal is Lieutenant.
Defense Meritorious Service Medal - The medal is awarded in the name of Le Colonel to members of SMP who, while serving in a joint activity, distinguish themselves by non-combat outstanding achievement or meritorious service, but not of a degree to warrant award of the Defense Superior Service Medal. Note: Minimal rank to obtain this medal is Sergent.
The Defense Superior Service Medal is a senior SMP decoration of the Le Colonel Office, awarded to members of SMP who perform "superior meritorious service in a position of significant responsibility." Note: Minimal rank to receive this medal is Capitain.
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a medal awarded to any officer or enlisted member of SMP who distinguishes himself or herself in support of operations by "heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight, subsequent to 733 A.G.S."
The Distinguished Service Medal is the highest non-valorous military and civilian decoration of SMP which is issued for exceptionally meritorious service to the Gallic Council in either a senior Council service position or as a senior officer of SMP. Note: Minimal rank to obtain this medal is Capitain. This medal is opened to all ranks of the civilian wing and to members of the Council Forces.
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of SMP that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued both to SMP personnel and to military and political figures of foreign governments.
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the SMP Colonel. It is bestowed on members of the SMP who distinguish themselves "conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against an enemy of Gallia”. Because of the nature of its criteria, the medal is often awarded posthumously.
The Meritorious Service Medal is a military award presented to members of SMP who distinguished themselves by outstanding non-combat meritorious achievement or service to the Council or SMP subsequent to 716 A.G.S. Effective 729 A.G.S., this award also may be bestowed for non-combat meritorious achievement in a designated combat theatre. Normally, the acts or services rendered must be comparable to that required for the Legion of Merit but in a duty of lesser, though considerable, responsibility. Note: Minimal rank to obtain this medal is Lieutenant.
The Prisoner of War Medal may be awarded to any person who was a prisoner of war after 716 A.G.S.
The Soldier's Medal is awarded to any person of SMP or of a friendly foreign nation who, while serving in any capacity with SMP, distinguished himself or herself by heroism not involving actual conflict with an enemy.