This should help you out then. :)
quote:
CHARACTER GENERATION
Merc: 2000 uses the standard Twilight: 2000 character generation system presented on pages 16 to 51 of the basic game rules book to create mercenary characters. A few minor differences will be explained in this section. Terms used in both Twilight and Merc are defined in the former, and players and referees will need to be familiar with Twilight before attempting to play Merc.
OVERVIEW
The primary difference between Twilight and Merc is that in the latter a global war did not break out in 1996. Instead, each character may have experienced one or more smaller wars (or not, depending on nationality) as a preliminary to a career as a professional soldier or merc. Players may end the character generation sequence at the end of any term and begin their merc career. Characters need not have been in the military to become mercenaries, although it will be helpful.
The rule sections in Twilight headed Die Rolling Conventions, Military Careers, Rank, Arm of Service, Secondary Activities, Reserves, Obtaining Skills, Languages, Additional Notes on Skills, Initiative, and Age also apply to Merc. Other rules have changed somewhat, and this section discusses those differences.
CONTACTS
Contacts are acquired in the same way as in the basic game, but have a slightly different meaning. Instead of the contact representing a pre-war occupation, it represents a current one. Any contact can lead to jobs, but contacts can prove directly useful to a merc. Need details of the power system in Alma Ata? Get in touch with your old pal at Georgetown University. Need a short biography of a drug kingpin? Try your pal who's now with the Washington Post. Need a double who's a dead ringer for the dictator of Parador? Doesn't your old buddy the actor the guy who's starving doing dinner theatre in Arizona look a little like....
WELCOME TO THE LIFE
Merc is about close combat. What happens in between missions should not be dwelt upon in any great detail. Any background embellishments that the players choose to add (wife, kids, mortgage, etc.) are nice, but players and referees alike should keep in mind what the ultimate purpose is.
Groups who wish their characters to have between mission lives may do so, and may even have those lives impinge on missions (after all, what better mission motivator can there be but "They got my kid!"), but we will provide no detailed rules for this.
Only one aspect of the between mission life of the characters will be dealt with: lifestyle. Lifestyle is important in determining the type of job offers a character receives, and will be discussed more fully beginning on page 48.
RADS
Nuclear weapons have not been used in any of the wars in Merc, so players and referees should ignore the provisions of these rules.
EQUIPMENT
Characters in Merc do not automatically start the game with any items of equipment or with vehicles. Military characters are allowed their basic bad minus weapon(s). Everything else must be purchased.
Buying Equipment: Unlike in Twilight, characters in Merc can actually purchase equipment, but some types (particularly weapons) will be hard to come by. High priced or extremely rare items maybe provided by a patron (in which case the contract will specify penalties for loss or damage of such equipment).
Prices: Prices in Merc are radically different from in Twilight. The prices in Twilight were set on the basis of the value the item had in the world situation of the game, with considerations as to an item's relative availability. In Merc, current market prices apply in most cases. A new price list has been provided (pages 108 114) including both the new items of equipment discussed in this book and the old ones from the basic game, with proper adjustments made.
The availability code on the price entry now means without / with proper contacts, since some items are difficult to find without help (most governments take a dim view of private citizens - and mercs are just that - owning tanks, surface to air missiles, mortars, and the like). The same Equipment Availability Table (from Twilight page 224) may be used, but the referee should exercise reasonable judgement in applying its results: Obviously, T 72 tanks are not going to be available in every major city.
Contacts: The type of contact needed for purchase of a particular type of equipment varies.
The contact types and their relevant equipment types are discussed below. Some types of contact are not particularly useful in obtaining equipment (entertainment, for example, or journalist), and have been omitted. Contacts have certain requirements that must be met in order to remain on good terms. Buying tanks using a British government contact and then using them contrary to British interests will destroy any good relations between the contact and the character. Some referee discretion should be exercised here: Obviously, nobody will care about innocuous items like skis or radios. Here's a short rundown on what the various types of contact can provide help with:
Business: Business contacts can help locate civilian weapons and explosives, body armour, specialised electronic equipment, military vehicles except IFVs and AFVs, and any forged document. Equipment cannot be used contrary to the contact's interests (defined by the referee), and equipment may be of any nationality.
Criminal: Criminal contacts can help locate civilian weapons and explosives, body armour, military small arms, forged documents, lockpick tools, any civilian vehicle and any military unarmed cargo vehicle. There are no restrictions on use, and equipment may be of any nationality.
Government: Government contacts can help locate military weapons and explosives, body armour, military vehicles of all types, and specialised electronic equipment, providing that these items will not be used against the contact's government. Equipment may be of any nationality.
Intelligence Community: Intelligence community contacts can help locate military weapons and explosives, body armour, military vehicles of all types, and specialised electronic equipment, providing that these items will not be used against the best interests of the contact's agency. Equipment may be of any nationality.
Law Enforcement: Law enforcement contacts can help locate civilian weapons, body armour, lockpick tools, gas masks and incapacitating chemicals, and specialised electronic equipment, provided that the items are to be used outside the contact's jurisdiction. Equipment may be of any nationality.
Medical: Medical contacts can help locate medical supplies. There are no restrictions on use.
Military. Military contacts can help locate military small arms, body armour, specialised electronic equipment, and explosives, provided that they will be used outside of the contact's country. The equipment is limited to the nationality of the contact.
Specialist: The precise equipment provided by specialist contacts will depend on their specialty. Some will have none, engineers will help with explosives, and so on. Any restrictions are a matter for the referee's judgement.
Wealthy: Wealthy contacts can help locate civilian weapons and explosives, body armour, military small arms, forged documents, lockpick tools, any civilian vehicle and any military unarmed cargo vehicle. There are no restrictions on use, and equipment may be of any nationality.
As a rule of thumb, the more valuable and/or dangerous an item, the tougher it should be to get.
Money: Characters begin the game with money in the usual way, representing what the characters have managed to save in their various prewar careers. The amount of money received for each career differs, however.
That is of course written for 2.0 so a small adjustment does need to be made to the subsequent term skills gained.
