The Volsung Mercenaries were a secret organisation of warriors-for-hire using a collection of Solarian-origin warships, created in the early 16th Century PD by mercenary Cutler Gensonne. Their side occupation was piracy, hitting mostly small mining colonies and freighters.
Origin and early development
The Volsungs originated from Gustav Anderman's mercenaries. After the conquest of the Nimbalkar System, Anderman and Gensonne parted ways. With his core crew and a couple of small ships given to him by Anderman, Gensonne established a growing ruthless mercenary organization. Initially, their seat was located somewhere on the fringes of the Solarian League. In the early 1540s PD, a privy headquartes of the Volsungs was located in the city of Rochelle on the planet Telmach in the Silesian Confederacy. (MA2)
Axelrod's plot against Manticore
In the early 1540s PD, the Volsung Mercenaries were hired by the Axelrod Corporation to conquer the Manticore System. Axelrod's aim was control of the recently discovered local wormhole junction. In 1543 PD, a 16-unit Volsung force under Gensonne's command was defeated by the weaker Royal Manticoran Navy. During that battle, the Volsungs fought according to Solarian naval doctrine. (MA2)
Organization
Hardware
As of 1543 PD Volsungs operated:
- three battlecruisers of two classes
- four heavy cruisers of three classes
- two small light cruisers of one class
- seven destroyers of three classes:
- Luna-class
- Hyperion-class
- some obsolete class of destroyer
- For detailed order of battle see: Battle of Manticore (1543 PD)#Volsung Mercenaries
In 1544 OD their fleet included
- one Stilio -class battlecruiser
- three Thu'ban-class heavy cruisers
- five Ordra-class frigates
Discipline
Volsungs' senior officers practised quite informal duty relations, even during a battle. It seems within their underground mercenary organization they acted like partners and cooperators.
Uniform
Gensonne's uniform was alike a solarian dress (black collar line, blue-gray knitted collar), but insignia on his collar were similar to the Tahzeeb Navy ones (a curved comet with a star at its inner edge).