Astra militarum as a private military contractor?

[recon0321]

Have had this idea in my head for some time...would it be doable? Thinking they were hired to protect a private mining colony or something similar and with the higher contracts they eventually help the mechanicus and recieve STC pattern vehicles and arms? They where the money is and fight who they are paid to...

[Kilofix]

I think it's definately a very plausible fluff and would be an interesting modeling opportunity.

[KhorneFlakes]

I like the idea, indeed I think it is plausable. Could add some variety.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Warhammer 40,000: Exterminatus specifically mentions a private military company so powerful, so well-equipped, its members so well-trained, that it is almost a match for the Cadian 450th Regiment. Your idea has precedence.

[recon0321]

Awesome thanks everyone glad to know this has some potential...plus I could do some cool kit bashes...maybe even a few xeno's weapons...gotta give them a natural enemy thinking the Inquisition?

 

@Bjorn Is that a older book?

[Kierdale]

Very interesting.

I think I'd remove Aquilas and the IG winged skull emblems if I were to do this. Replace them with your company logo.

[recon0321]

That's a good idea...

Just gotta think of a name...

[Bjorn Firewalker]

"Thunder Warriors" is a name that once held great significance, and in my opinion, fits the theme of a private military company. The historical Thunder Warriors were made to be living weapons, used as weapons, and then discarded after they outlived their usefulness; some, however, escaped death to carve their own path in life.

 

You might even use a Thunder Warrior as the private military company's leader- see Arik Taranis.

[WarriorFish]

What about "Redwater"? :P As mentioned this is absolutely fine and there are many ways it could be done. Maybe they're a regiment that got forgotten about after slipping through the cracks in the bureaucracy? Or an Inquisitor's private army that found themselves without a purpose after their master's death? Plenty of cool things you could do with them. You don't have to remove the aquilas and such as they're presumably still be Imperial aligned (just not answering to, directly at least) but it would help them stand out as something a bit different to a normal Guard army if you did so.

 

I'm looking forward to seeing what you do :D

[Machine God]

They have to have either Inquisition or Ad-Mech backing as they won't have Ships of their own.

 

IG / AM were stripped of all naval assets and thence forbidden to own naval assets after the Horus Heresy.

[Arkaniss]

If they are going to be somewhat Mechanicum aligned why not give them with the Mechanicus badge instead of the Aquila? That said people would assume they are Skitarii I suppose so maybe that's not a good idea.

 

Perhaps give them extra armour and stuff like that? If they are supported by the Mechanicus and being highly paid then it'd make sense they'd be well equipped. Better than a standard Guardsman for example so I think it's worth going the extra mile to make them noticeable better off than a rank and file.

[Kierdale]

The private army of a Rogue Trader?

 

Personally I would shy away from having to freehand the AdMech symbol.

[spafe]

The joys of them being PMC is that they could own their own ships, depending on size of the outfit your imagining. Mercenaries are fully within the background, having a sector where they are all working for the same company rather than freelance isn't even far fetched! If they are the mercs you hire when you need protection, to participate in trade wars, etc etc etc then it makes sense you are looking to hire an army, that will include their transport, armour and extras, depending on how much the buyer wants to pay.

 

The eagle would be likely on as off, since most factories will have a primary contract to supple the guard, if your PMC is a side order then they are hardly gonna change their batch processes for a few thousand sets of flak armour and flashlights. Course if you want a more veteran, personalised look then autoguns, lascarbines and shotguns could easily be scattered throughout the regiment and then the gear will be a lot more custom/less standard guard issue.

 

Worlds your oyster my friend :)

[Bionicman]

Like Weyland Yutani =)

You can always make your own decals:

http://www.belloflostsouls.net/2007/07/tutorial-custom-decal-sheets.html

http://www.dakkadakka.com/wiki/en/How_to_make_custom_waterslide_decals

[walter h]

My thought was use empire transfers,wfb, but his suggestion is much better.

[recon0321]

yea they will have there own ships...and fleet support. There not AM...money buys them the things they need...thinking they could have started as a rogue trader asset then once they "made a name for themselves" they will be able to operate on there own or maybe it's the rogue trader that owns them?....I remember reading about a security company in the word bearers trilogy...maybe they are hired by rimward worlds to secure mining/

[Bjorn Firewalker]

If they're wealthy enough to buy their own ships, they'll be seen as a threat to the Imperium, by any Inquisitor worth his Rosette. Therefore, they need a powerful patron to protect them- a high-ranking Magos in the Adeptus Mechanicus, a Rogue Trader who serves as their "face," maybe an Inquisitor of the Ordo Hereticus (using the private military company to promote kinship with "base mercenaries," the better to investigate them for potential heresy).

[Teetengee]

I would think such a group would be led by a particularly militant rogue trader.

[recon0321]

Wouldn't this easily fall under their trade warrant?

[recon0321]

Would it be completely lame if I named the company ATLAS...after the new call of duty?

[Teetengee]

I do not play CoD, so you would have no complaints from me.

[recon0321]

Found a scheme I like

 

http://i871.photobucket.com/albums/ab278/ski1391/fd5b6ef5e21bda2c62f23514eed7b3b8.jpg

[ElectricPaladin]

The Imperium is pretty totalitarian in places, so I doubt they'd tolerate an entirely private military contractor. However, there are other possibilities that seem reasonable: a rogue trader with a large military entourage that he occasionally rents out, an only semi-loyal company operating on the tattered edge of the Imperium where it borders on xenos pocket-empires and independent Human worlds, a company with some special Imperial sanction (probably, again, operating out on the border) to charge for its services as a way to keep the company going when protecting Human populations of dubious loyalty and willingness (or ability) to pay. Or other stuff like that. But there should be a special explanation, not just "here are some mercs."

 

But it's definitely possible. Heck, I see my Knights of Blood as occasionally taking payment for their services, because life is rough when you've been excommunicated and can't just demand resupply from your local forge world. You just need a cool angle.

[Captain Tezdal]

In the novel Dark Disciple weren't there private military contractors that functioned as essentially a PDF for the mining world that was under attack?

[Kierdale]

Never touched CoD either but I think Atlas would be a fine name.