The ambitious gamemaster may either allow the players to achieve great wealth and power or for a change of pace allow them to start a game with such an epic scale. The basic rules and previous articles don't provide much guidance in this area, however. The closest resource would be the Mercenaries Handbook, as it deals with managing large amounts of money and personel. As a result, you might notice that running a noble household is very similar.
Landed nobles are the true power in the Inner Sphere. Land provides resources: raw materials, manpower, taxes, etc. There are many nobles with landless titles, such as knights and baronettes among the ranks of the mechwarriors or the many advisors and hangers on at court that have to be called something in order to hobnob with the elite. They have markedly less power than their landed counterparts, however. The area of a landhold, combined with it's population, general wealth, and strategic importance usually determine the level of title associated with it's ruler: the Duke of Skye has a great deal more power and wealth then a Count who holds sway over several barren border worlds, even if he has less land area. Remember, this wealth is generated from taxes on the people as well as raw materials and resources. A ruler may choose to increase this amount, but it will usually mean taking tax money from public works or raising additional taxes.
Althought the following is loosely based on the chart from MW:2nd Ed, that chart was never meant to handle this sort of use. This chart is a rough estimate and I'm working on a more in depth system currently
Title - Annual Income (CBs)
Knight - 25,000
Baronet - 50,000
Baron - 100,000
Viscount - 500,000
Count - 1,500,000
Marquess - 10,000,000
Duke - 100,000,000
Wealth can be measured in many ways. The first form that comes to mind is massive accounts of House Bills or Comstar Bills. Resources are another form of wealth. Precious metals, gems, radioactive substances, food, and water can all amount to wealth. Other more obscure forms include notes of credit, bonds sold and held, company shares, and any other investment or speculation that comes to mind. Often not thought of as wealth, but very obviously a massive investment is the size of the army a lord can field. Even a single lance represents several million C-bills that can be liquidated at great need. This diversity of assets lends itself to interesting twists. What happens if a currency is suddenly devalued? A resource is in high supply and low demand? There's a bad crop? Oil fields or water wells dry up? A factory is sabotaged? There are a number of ways that a noble's assets can be threatened, causing him to react.
Status and wealth combine to determine what amount of influence a noble has. A high class person with little assets or land to back him up may be dealt with politely, but has no independant means of enforcing his will. A wealthy individual with little social status may be able to buy what he needs, but will find himself ostracized from the circle of the true movers and shakers. Naturally, these aren't hard and fast rules. There are several people who have gained status along with their wealth, and many people who had influencial friends even if their own personal resources were lacking.
Nobles typically employ a working household commensurate to their status. From the cook staff to the mechwarriors, there are many jobs that must be done to maintain the estate that is expected of a noble. The noble pays his retainers a wage, provides for their living expenses, and provides for their defence. In return, they are expected to always be available to serve their employer and to do so loyally and to the best of their abilities. What follows is a guide to the types of servants and retainers that a lord may employee, their pay and cost of living expenses, and recommended minimums for a given household. Remember, the base salary and living expenses can be modified up or down to reflect poorer or better conditions, pay, experience, and standing.
Seneschal - A seneschal is an administrative head who manages the House assets when the lord is away. This is a position of great trust, as he can essential act in the stead of the lord in all things monetary and legal.
Recommended - 1 for Status 6+
Salary - 3950 CB / month
Accountant - Most nobles employee accountants to track their various assets and sometimes to manage their investments. They are also invaluable when it comes time to pay the troops or pay the taxes.
Recommended - 1+ for Status 5+
Salary - 2800 CB / month
Advisor - This is a polite title for the spymaster for the house. He controls the intelligence assets that report to his lord and provides guidance based on that information. Only the greatest of houses have an extensive enough network of spies and scouts to need a man of these talents.
Recommended - 1 for Status 7+
Salary - 3950 CB / month
Lawyer - Nobles tend to be the targets of legal battles, as well as pressing their own legal agendas. Even when not actively engaged in a court battle, many nobles keep a lawyer on hand for advice and day to day expertise.
Recommended - 1+ for Status 5+
Salary - 2800 CB / month
Secretary - Also known as an administrative assistant. The secretary keeps track of appointments and takes calls as well as handling other miscellaneous office work. Most nobles will employ a secretary if they often have external business dealings.
Recommended - 1+ for Status 5+
Salary - 750 CB / month
Chaplain - Some noble families of high standing will have a full-time cleric to minister to the family and the household. His religious order and level of standing varies based on both the status and religious preference of the noble.
Recommended - 1 for Status 6+
Salary - 560 CB / month
Servant - Servants come in many different forms. It is a generic term used to describe maids, cooks, groundskeepers, etc. Slightly higher in rank is the personal servant, who is attached to a member of the noble's family or the noble himself and attends to his needs. The noble almost always knows this person very well after time, and in turn the servant learns his nuances and can attend to his desires sometimes before he is aware of them himself. The highest rank is a chief servant, or a head of the household. This servant is responsible for managing the other servants, often has a hand in hiring and firing, and acts as an intermediary between the noble and the servants.
Servant
Recommended - At least (Status - 4) ^ 2
Salary - 400 CB / month
Personal Servant
Recommended - 1 for Status 5+
Salary - 750 CB / month
Head Servant
Recommened - 1 for Status 6+
Salary - 975 CB / month
Doctor - Many nobles retain a personal or family physician to deal with their day to day health needs. With few or no other patients, the medical professional is always at the disposal of the noble house.
Recommended - 1 for Status 5+
Salary - 3100 CB / month
Medtech - Larger households will employ medtechs to assist the House physician in treating the noble family and the many other retainers. The are also invaluable in the event of conflict.
Recommended - (Status - 5) ^ 2
Salary - 700 CB / month
Bodyguard - Bodyguards usually have some form of military, police or security training. They are charged with the personal safety of the lord or a member of his household. The more power a lord wields, the more likely he is to be a target and the more elaborate his personal security will tend to be.
Recommended - (Status - 5) x 2 + 1
Salary - 1200 CB / month
Security - Security guards are responsible for patrolling the grounds of the wealthy, manning the gates, and other duties. They are meant to deter criminals, not to stop armies. Often they will have security, police or military training.
Recommended - (Status - 4) ^ 2
Salary - 750 CB / month
Chief of Security - A chief of security, security head, weapons master, sergeant of arms, master of arms, etc. is responsible for coordinating the bodyguards and security guards in service to a lord. He also has a say in the hiring, firing, and training of those guards.
Recommended - 1 for Status 7+
Salary - 1500 CB / month
Soldiers - Lords and nobles maintain troops to defend their lands and to send in service to their ruling lords. The rules that apply to creating mercenary units apply here, except these troops are on a permenant retainer. Actual mercenaries can be contracted to supplement the lord's House troops in times of need. Naturally, if a noble has little or no land, troops may not be necessary.
Recommended - (Status - 4) ^ 3 platoons / lances
Scouts - Scouts, spies and rogues who provide the House with eyes and ears. Minor houses may have a few informants on their planet, while major Houses will have men on major worlds across the Inner Sphere.
Recommended - (Status - 4) ^ 2
Salary - 1200 CB / month
Techs - Technically skilled personel are always needed by a noble house, especially when they employ soldiers. Even the minor households sometimes retain a personal mechanic. If enough security guards or infantry are employed, the lord will hire an armorer or weapons master. Techs, mechanics and aero engineers are all hired based on the combined arms needs of the household soldiery. Follow the rules for mercenary units for guidelines.
Recommended - 1+ for Status 5+
Ship's Crew - Some of the most powerful of the minor Houses maintain fleets of dropships and even jumpships. These ships require captains, engineers, crew, and marines to carry out their duties. The Mercenaries Handbook or one of the Battlespace / Aerospace books should be able to help determine the relevant costs and numbers.
Recommended - (Status - 5) ^ 2 Dropships, (Status - 7) ^ 2 Jumpships
Large landholds are often home to many lesser nobles, granted titles by the ruling lord. This is done for political, military, economic, administrative, and many other reasons. From a practical standpoint, a lord who completely dilutes his power base will not remain a lord for long. This cannot be quantified, but just remember that if the majority of a lord's lands are in the hands of vassals who conspire against him, he stands a fair chance of being deposed. Lands that belong to vassals only return a fraction of their income to the leige lord. This is based on the tax rate imposed by the liege. The higher the taxes, the more steps that must be taken to keep the vassals and their peoples in line. On the positive side, vassals will have troops commensurate with their status in order to defend their holdings.
Just as a lord has a great deal of power, he also has a great deal of responsibilities. His lands and his people are the source of his power, and he must maintain them. Famine, rebellion, plague, unemployment, war, disasters, and other things unforeseen are all things that the lord is expected to deal with. Additionally, should his leige call upon him to render service of arms, he must be willing to answer the call, or willing to face the consequences.
Now, for those of you who are boggled by the minutae of tracking every soldier and servant in your care, I've made some "package" deals that will clean things up a bit for aspiring Counts and Dukes. Note, these do not include the cost of military units or spacegoing vessels. For simplicity, the cost of living for the noble is included (add 1000 CB / month per dependant).
Knight (Status 4) - 1,600 CB / month
No household. You hire professionals as needed, but you don't keep anyone on retainer. You have a cleaning lady that comes in once a week. All in all, you manage your own affairs.
Baronette (Status 5) - 16,000 CB / month
A small household. You retain a lawyer, mechanic, accountant, and doctor. You have a bodyguard and a man at the gate. Your manservant and secretary take care of your needs, while a housekeeper maintains your abode. You also have access to an informant who keeps you appraised of things.
Baron (Status 6) - 32,000 CB / month
A modest household. You retain a lawyer, mechanic, armorer, accountant, chaplain, doctor and medtech. You have a team of bodyguards and a handful of men to patrol the grounds. Your manservant and secretary take care of your needs, while a handful of servants maintains your abode. If you are away from your lands, a senechal will administer your affairs while the head servant will keep things ready for your return. You also have access to a few men who keep you appraised of things.
Count (Status 7) - 55,000 CB / month
A larger household. You retain a lawyer, mechanic, armorer, accountant, chaplain, doctor and medical staff. You have a security chief to coordinate your team of bodyguards and the squad of men that patrol the grounds. Your manservant and secretaries take care of your needs, while a group of servants maintains your abode. If you are away from your lands, a senechal will administer your affairs while the head servant will keep things ready for your return. Your advisor provides you with information collected from your team of agents.
Viscount (Status 8) - 84,000 CB / month
A large household. You retain lawyers, a mechanic, an armorer, accountants, a chaplain, a doctor and a medical staff. You have a security chief to coordinate your squad of bodyguards and the section of men that patrol the grounds. Your manservant and secretaries take care of your needs, while a staff of servants maintains your abode. If you are away from your lands, a senechal will administer your affairs while the head servant will keep things ready for your return. Your advisor provides you with information collected from your group of agents.
Duke (Status 9) - 122,000 CB / month
A massive household. You retain lawyers, mechanics, armorers, accountants, chaplains, a doctor and a sizable medical staff. You have a security chief to coordinate your squad of bodyguards and the platoon of men that patrol the grounds. Your manservants and secretaries take care of your needs, while a large staff of servants maintains your abode. If you are away from your lands, a senechal will administer your affairs while the head servant will keep things ready for your return. Your advisor provides you with information collected from your numerous agents.
Sovereign (Status 10) - 170,000 CB / month
It's good to be the king. You retain lawyers, mechanics, armorers, accountants, chaplains, doctors and a very sizable medical staff. You have a security chief to coordinate your section of bodyguards and the large platoon of men that patrol the grounds. Your manservants and secretaries take care of your needs, while a small army of servants maintains your abode. If you are away from your lands, a senechal will administer your affairs while the head servant will keep things ready for your return. Your advisor provides you with information collected from your innumerous agents.
This article is meant as a guide, an aid, or even just a source of ideas. Some people enjoy the bookkeeping that goes along with having a wealthy and powerful character while some would rather it be transparent. If anything here will make your game less enjoyable, don't use it. As always, I'm open to suggestions and comments.