This is a glossary of terms used in Bandit Country.
BANDIT
Bandits are contract operators, the key proponents of Bandit Country. They come from a wide range of backgrounds, similar only in that they have unconventional skill sets. Bandits are hired by Patrons to perform tasks that cannot be done through legal channels.
PATRON
Patrons are the individuals and organisations that hire Bandits. They rarely reveal themselves to the Bandit, using proxy layers to conceal their identities.
JOB
The Job is the action that the Patron has hired the Bandit to complete. Depending on the capabilities of the Patron, the Job may be very well or very poorly defined. Most Jobs outline an Objective or Target. An elementary and initial portion of most Jobs is to determine the Threats (or at least check the Threat list provided). Thereafter the Bandit may determine a course of action and allocate Resources and Assets to execute the plan.
What is the difference between a Job and an Operation? Bandits do Jobs, Governments do Operations. Operations have fancy code names designed to hide their intent or inspire awe and fear in the opposition. Jobs don’t have names because there is no paper trail and they will never enter the historical record. Hopefully.
OBJECTIVE and TARGET
The Objective is the goal of the Job. The thing that the Bandit has been hired to do. Steal the document, destroy the prototype, crack the database. A subset of Objective is the Target. A Target is a human Objective. A Target has an additional range of complications that require specialist skills, attracts more Threats and therefore can demand higher job prices. Targets populate Jobs that include assassination, abduction, specific interrogation and anything else that directly impacts an individual or group of people.
Covertly breaking into a Senators house and uploading child porn images onto his computer is an Objective. Luring the Senator into a situation where he can be photographed in such a way that the images imply pedophilia is a Target job.
THREAT
A Threat is a potential opponent or risk that may be encountered during a job. Threats may be further defined by tiers where Tier 1 Threats are the most capable and Tier 3 Threats the least. A Bandit will often need to define the Threats present before engaging in the risk taking portion of a Job.
RESOURCES
Resources include financial, material and skill set components required to complete a Job. It is a shopping list that can be used to negotiate price with the Patron. It covers all gear used, incidental costs and costs for hiring specialists. It is all about the money.
ASSETS
Assets are people recruited during a job for specific tasks. A Bandit usually recruits assets under a cover name or identity and compartmentalises the Assets role in the Job so as to conceal the intent from them. Assets are used to get access to the Target or Objective and are ultimately disposable.
OPERATOR or AGENT
Operators and Agents are military or government employees. Many Bandits come from these backgrounds and retain contacts within these communities. They are also often part of the Threat list for a Bandit during a job.
