Western society is split up into nine castes, from Lower-Lower to Mid-Lower all the way up to the privileged Upper-Upper. Mauser himself was born a Mid-Lower. Ambitious, he had chosen one of the few professions, Category Military, where upward mobility was still a reasonable possibility. To prevent any chance of a ruinous war between the West and the Sov-world, the Universal Disarmament Pact had restricted all militaries to pre-1900 technology. Gradually, powerful corporations began settling business disputes by hiring troops to fight real battles (fracases) on one of many military reservations. This served a dual purpose: to maintain a military well-honed by actual combat and to provide the decadent general population with a diversion. The life-and-death struggles are so popular that they are televised. Mauser had worked his way up to captain and Middle-Middle status after many years of effort. When upstart Vacuum Tube Transport finds itself forced into an expensive, division-sized fracas with Continental Hovercraft, he sees his opportunity. He signs up with the underdog, even though the much wealthier Continental is able to hire the best soldiers available, including Marshal "Stonewall" Cogswell, the finest commander in the business. Mauser tells Baron Haer, the head of Vacuum Tube, that he can engineer an improbable victory with a gimmick he has been working on for a long time; in return, he expects the baron's support which, in conjunction with his anticipated popularity with fracas fans, should be enough to get him promoted into the Upper caste. The baron's son, Bart, scoffs at the undisclosed idea, but the baron is desperate for experienced officers and hires him.

In the year 3050 the mysterious invaders known as the Clans struck without warning from beyond known space. Their advanced 'Mechs destroyed all opposition and captured planet after planet. Now the Clans' secrets are revealed in Field Manual: Warden Clans. The second of two volumes on the Clans, this BattleTech sourcebook describes the seven most noble Clans: Cloud Cobra, Coyote, Diamond Shark, Ghost Bear, Goliath Scorpion, Snow Raven, and Steel Viper. Each Clans tactics, uniforms and battle histories are described in detail, along with new Clan 'Mechs and equipment.

"This book examines the rapidly growing industry of "digital influence mercenaries"-shady online marketing firms and entrepreneurs who use online technologies to exploit the uncertainties, fears, and biases of their targets to gain profit and power. Students, researchers, policymakers, and the general public need this book to help them make sense of how and why each of us is being manipulated, and what we can do about it"--

Mission intel:Full debriefing on all the missions and jobs you can take on. Maps:Area maps to get you to the objectives, including a map of all of Venezuela! Arsenal Breakdown:Rundown of weapons, vehicles, and gear to spend your mission payout on. Co-op play:Expert tips on how you and your comrade can best approach hairy missions.

Ever since the French Revolution and the rise of the rise of national armies, the mercenary has been viewed as a maligned and marginalized actor in international relations. The Mercenary challenges this view, suggesting instead that while delegated to the periphery of Great Power politics, the mercenary remained a coercive instrument of state power who was willing to discretely promote the client's foreign policy when called upon to do so. Never has this been more evident than today. This book offers fresh insight into the future of the mercenary as an instrument of state coercion and explains why there is a mercenary renaissance in the 21st century. The start of the 21st century has seen renewed interest in the mercenary from across the political spectrum. The growing reliance by the US, Russia, and China on military and security contractors suggests that the mercenary remains a key player in International Politics, now emerging from the shadows to help expand state influence on the world stage by serving as an important actor in the conduct of conflict and the winning of small wars. Far from being marginalized, the future of the mercenary is set to be increasingly active.

The best-selling video game from Pandemic Studios is the next new Dynamite Entertainment comic book event, collected here for the very first time! Get ready to join up with the Mercenaries! Mercenaries the game has revolutionized the world of 3rd-person action-shooters by putting players in the middle of real-world combat with the kind of freedom only a mercenary has. Featuring covers by red-hot artist Michael Turner, a stellar script from Mercenaries writer Brian (Ms. Marvel, Red Sonja) Reed, and art from Dynamite up-n-comer Edgar Salazar, The Mercenaries trade paperback puts you into the middle of the Mercenaries next adventure.