It's not like the major factions are super-sympathetic for the most part. Why not Robin Hood all that horded tech and pre-SLDF-collapse knowledge to prepare the periphery for any random invasions they might not be expecting?
Why was this game never ABOUT being a pirate?
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I think you might be glamourising what being a pirate really means if you think it's about being a Robin Hood and/or "preparing the periphery". No offence.
None taken. But, and assume I don't think of RL pirates as glamorous sympathetic types acting in anything but self-interest, who are the good guys in Battletech aside from the mercenaries with a conscience?
So mercenaries accept money to kill. Pirates kill to make money.
At this point, what really matters beyond acceptable targets?
At this point, what really matters beyond acceptable targets?
I admit that my knowledge of Battletech lore is severely lacking, but aren't mercenaries generally subject to various treaties and rules of engagement? Pirates are outlaws who tend to rob and kill easy civilian targets.
Generally? Probably a decent amount of people just living their lives on hundreds of worlds that never even get near military equipment. After that? Ehh...Everyone else is probably a wash at best.
Generally Mercs engage military or industrial targets, Pirates tend to avoid the military targets.
The line is similar to the one that separated the Privateer from the Pirate. They do the same thing yet at least in theory the 'respectable' version limits their aggression to the duly selected lawful prey.
In universe Comstar basically decides who is a legit merc and who is a pirate.
In universe Comstar basically decides who is a legit merc and who is a pirate.
Pirates are Criminal organizations, that rob legitimate businesses / governments / common folks of their wealth. They are put to death by most "civilized" folks for engaging in these activities whenever they are caught. They are Anti Civilization, a scourge to be purged from the Inner Sphere.
Mercenaries are legitimate military organizations / businesses schooled in the ancient and honorable Art of War, but charge a C-Bill price to any potential employer. They generally do not slaughter innocent people, and tend to follow the Rules or War. They can be bad or good at what they do, but they are legit organizations, not Criminals, and tend to be of "value" to Civilization.
Mercenaries are legitimate military organizations / businesses schooled in the ancient and honorable Art of War, but charge a C-Bill price to any potential employer. They generally do not slaughter innocent people, and tend to follow the Rules or War. They can be bad or good at what they do, but they are legit organizations, not Criminals, and tend to be of "value" to Civilization.
In universe, was there ever a Robin Hood like pirate gang? The only ones I can think of are quite nasty.
Since a lot of Pirates start as legit Mercs or house units gone rogue, there should probably have been some that had a moral compass but lived outside the law.
Since a lot of Pirates start as legit Mercs or house units gone rogue, there should probably have been some that had a moral compass but lived outside the law.
Regardless of how most organizations view pirates, the MRB seems to not be as picky when it comes to authorizing and posting their contracts. 
Pirates may be blood thirsty brigands that rob, steal, and cheat, however they always honor their mercenary contract obligations.
Pirates may be blood thirsty brigands that rob, steal, and cheat, however they always honor their mercenary contract obligations.
Regardless of how most organizations view pirates, the MRB seems to not be as picky when it comes to authorizing and posting their contracts.
Pirates may be blood thirsty brigands that rob, steal, and cheat, however they always honor their mercenary contract obligations.
You know it bugs me that there are posted pirate contracts.
I think it is a decent compromise when it comes to gameplay.
I try to think of the pirates in the game that can place contracts as essentially fringe organizations that may have been branded as pirates by a house government or independent government that doesn't like the way they are operating in their territory. Essentially an organization that might be fighting the local government, but aren't all on the up and up either.
All organizations in the Periphery are thieves and marauders, but when they are in control of a planet, they are a "Local Government" but when they don't have a base of power, they are labeled as pirates by those who are in control.
I'm not saying it is the right way to look at it, however everything that seems to go on in the Periphery is very sketchy no matter who is in charge or what they are doing.
Maybe with the waters being so muddy in that area of colonized space, the MRB isn't quite as picky about who they post contracts from.
Um... Who said the Battletech universe was anything but a dystopic hellishabyss abyss plunged in eternal war for the last 200 years and will continue on this path for 200 more? Granted it's not as bad as Warhammer 40k, but this is no utopia. It's a universe filled with militaristic societies trying to kill each other and claim the top prize. There is no good guy, only those that win and those that lose, and even winners will be beaten down by the next big dog.
So sorry, there are no Robin Hoods, just sheriffs of Nottingham.
Depends on your alleigances. A merc unit could be considered pirates by houses that see them as enemies etc. I'll usually try to take pirate missions against factions I don't support.
The term good, bad, villain, hero and evil is subjective because it means virtually nothing as everyone is seen in those lights depending on who you ask. Btech has a habit of being rather grey as things you do tend to fill that hole etc.
Pirates vary, some do it as their way of waging war against a faction they despise. Some do it just because they want to etc... Pirates in general are all over the place, even mercs have behave like pirates to a degree etc.
The term good, bad, villain, hero and evil is subjective because it means virtually nothing as everyone is seen in those lights depending on who you ask. Btech has a habit of being rather grey as things you do tend to fill that hole etc.
Pirates vary, some do it as their way of waging war against a faction they despise. Some do it just because they want to etc... Pirates in general are all over the place, even mercs have behave like pirates to a degree etc.
Like stealing the Argo from Grim Sybil
I get what you mean though. Taking off with a Leopard after a several part Flashpoint would be pretty interesting.
I get what you mean though. Taking off with a Leopard after a several part Flashpoint would be pretty interesting.
This isn't about being a pirate, this is about being a mercenary just slightly removed from "Tagon's Toughs" in the direction their moral compass spins