The asteroidal remains of Aurora fall into two major classes. First are the rocky silicate-rich chunks from the crustal zone or upper mantle. These are often mistaken for small Rock Planet craft, and there is a movement afoot on that War Planet to try to convince the Stone Mercenaries to join them on a permanent basis. The other class of remnant is a cooled chunk of the core, either solid iron or a nickel-rich mix of metals. These metal asteroids are very strong and rugged in a fight, and tend to outnumber the Stone type by about two to one. The only reason the rocky asteroids are even used is that oxygen and silicon can be extracted from the shells during construction, reducing the need for imported materials. Metal Mercs tend to look down on the "bargain basement" Stone Mercs.

    While the specific styles of asteroid craft are as varied as the mercenaries themselves, the three presented below are fairly typical of their respective types. And, aside from certain special-mission configurations, the crews tend to be similar as well. Each has an Electronic Warfare Specialist who also acts as field commander for the unit, and has status equivalent to the Heroes of the War Planets, although he lacks the offensive punch. Each also has a Close Defense Drone, armed with an energy lash, chosen because in the confined quarters of an asteroid craft it's unlikely to cause any damage to vital systems. Finally, the three-man combat crew is rounded out with some sort of ranged combat expert, either a mortar operator or a rifleman.

    Mercenaries are not expected to fight the main battle except in the direst of situations...the heavy weapons of each War Planet are far better at that job. The task of the Merc has rapidly evolved into that of the valuable nuisance. The craft will land behind enemy lines (rather than use a teleporter) and split into its two components. The gun half becomes an anti-aircraft emplacement, protecting the unit from bombing and strafing, plus wreaking whatever havoc it can. Drop zones are chosen for their inaccessibility by ground for this reason. The drive section becomes an observation platform for engaging in electronic warfare, disrupting communications and sensors. The other warriors stand guard against attack, although mortar operators have been known to shell enemy positions from the observation platform as well. Once the unit's position has been compromised, they load up and leave, fighting their way to a new position if necessary.

    Individual styles of the various types of unit are listed below.

   This cheapness epitomizes the Stone Mercs. Most are armed with whatever they had when they left their previous service, so heavier personal weapons like mortars are uncommon. Those who can afford better weapons usually just buy into a better-equipped Merc team instead, although some actually prefer the life (short as it is) of a Stone Merc. The quickest way to pick a fight with a Stone Merc is to insult his ship...either he's resentful that he's on such a cheap craft and you'll hit a nerve, or he's actually proud of the thing.

   The sample ship shown here has a fairly well-equipped crew for Stone Mercs. They actually have a full ECM complement (although it's a used, patched-up set), and the engines are pretty strong. However, there's no maneuvering thrusters, so all direction control is performed using the powerful gyros in the drive section. The cannon is a massdriver, hurling rocks wrapped in metal bands.

   Iron Mercs tend to sneer at Stone Mercs and resent Nickel Mercs, the middle child syndrome, basically. They try to cultivate an aura of rugged macho, and are the most likely to get involved in real fighting rather than just the hit-and-run tactics the Mercs specialize in.

   The ship shown here is very typical. Three powerful ion drives which can be fired in pairs or singly to maneuver. The weapon is actually a modified ion drive itself, designed not so much to destroy a target as push it off course into something dangerous, like a mountainside or an asteroid. It can also be used in maneuvering, although its off-center placement can make this tricky (units which prefer to use the ion blaster for maneuvers often mount it centrally).

   Nickel warriors are the elite, and they know it. They rarely strut and brag, since braggarts tend to die while still working the Stones, but they exude a smug superiority over even the Heroes of major War Planets. And it's not without cause, for those who survive long enough to commission a nickel-alloy ship are the usually the cream of the crop. Occasionally a bored son of a powerful warrior will buy himself a Nickel craft and try to play hard-case, but these "Nickel Plates," as they're called, tend to die quickly, along with the crews they hire, usually from the ranks of the more desperate Stone Mercs. No true Nickel warrior and very few Iron warriors will work for a Nickel Plate.

   The ship to the left is fairly typical of the mix of elegance and awkwardness found in a Nickel Asteroid. The smooth, polished surface gleams in the starlight, and the elegant laser emitter purchased from the Tek Planet complements it nicely. But the Rock thrusters and Ice ion impellor drive clash rather garishly, and sometimes don't work together properly. The warriors wear polished reflective armor, contrasting with the grungy look of the Iron warriors.