In the 17th and 18th centuries the poverty was so widespread that many of the villagers joined mercenary regiments or emigrated.
If you'd built normal mercenary regiments for use off-planet, who'd they be loyal to?
"Suddenly what Bronson saw as an asset - mercenary regiments he could subvert - became a possible threat."
He had no doubt at all they were veterans of mercenary regiments.
His father was an officer in a Swiss mercenary regiment in the service of the Netherlands.
Normal for places that hired the United Defense Batteries and other mercenary regiments, at any rate.
I will probably join a mercenary regiment and see the world.
Humans were always fringe cargo, save for the occasional new settlement-and, more often, the transport of a mercenary regiment.
Except perhaps for me to retain a mercenary regiment.
'He will sign on with a mercenary regiment somewhere.'