Lazarus
The Lazarus Military Operations Group or Lazarus Group, is a megacorporation entirely focused on private military contracting with operations across the globe ranging from single operatives to entire armored divisions.
The Lazarus Group's reputation, continued success, and income depend on the contracting of military services in a number of disciplines and a wide selection of varying conditions. In short, it is a versatile mercenary force, providing soldiers and special agents for hire to people or organizations that do not have the resources, need, or time to recruit and maintain a full time armed force of their own. The variety of military services offered by the Lazarus Group are considerable. Force sizes range from single, specialized solos and small special-operations teams to entire infantry divisions that can be leased wholesale. A variety of expertise and equipment are available as options.
Nelson Katzadoulos' goal when he founded the Lazarus Group was merely to establish a profitable corporation that catered to the military contracting niche. All expansion and diversification of the corporation has occurred simply because marketing analysis showed that it would eventually lead to increased profits. Katzadoulos has no ulterior motives for the corporation other than to increase his fortune; however, he will go to great lengths to ensure the continued success of the Lazarus Group, including pressuring competitors out of business and engaging in in-house black operations. That is no different from any other modern corporation, however, and not deserving of any special elaboration.
Emile Lazarus' goal was to create and implement a military organization that was efficient, competently run, and worthy of his pride. Since Lazarus commands all the Group's military forces and oversaw their creation, he has been largely successful. Lazarus troops, agents and commanders are competent, battle worthy, and honorable in the field. Morale remains high among the troops, and a Lazarus Group uniform demands respect throughout the global military community. Lazarus continues to keep a tight reign over his forces, ensuring that standards stay high and operational success is the rule. He has done his best to make sure that the incompetence and bureaucracy that undermined the U.S. military forces in Central America does not infect his organization.
Needless to say, a corporation that earns its keep through military action and the analysis of other organizations' military capabilities is bound to make a few enemies. Lazarus is fairly scrupulous about what contracts it takes, attempting to avoid military confrontations with corporations that have the power to take serious retribution. Fortunately, that is a rare limitation. Among the corporations that Lazarus has crossed swords with are Arasaka, Net 54, Orbital Air and Petrochem. The Group's staunchest corporate ally is Militech, from whom it annually purchases millions of dollars' worth of military equipment. Several nations across Southeast Asia, Africa, South and Central America, and even Europe have run afoul of Lazarus mercenaries. Chief among them being Burma, Italy, Spain, Libya, the Congo, South Africa, Venezuela, and Colombia
History
The Lazarus Group emerged in 2010 from the vision of Nelson Katzadoulos, a wealthy inheritor who foresaw the need for an elite mercenary organization in the twenty-first century, aiming to provide services of a significantly higher caliber than existing mercenary companies or loaned corporate military services. Recognizing his own lack of military expertise, Katzadoulos recruited Emile Lazarus, a decorated former Colonel in the U.S. Army Special Forces and a Medal of Honor recipient, to lead the operations, with Lazarus's well-known name also serving as the corporation's brand. Katzadoulos himself remained a silent partner, handling the corporate finances. The first Lazarus training facilities were established in 2010, and their initial cohort consisted of 5,000 trainees who underwent an intensive eight-week program delivered by experts in equipment and tactics. Throughout the 2010s, the Lazarus Group experienced rapid expansion, actively participating in a series of conflicts. These included the brief Central African Conflicts of 2013 involving guerrilla fighters, the Urban Unrest of 2014 within the United States, the large-scale Third Corporate War of 2016 which primarily unfolded on the Net, and the brief European Brushfire Wars of 2018.
Due to its numerous triumphs and continuous operations, the Lazarus Group consistently grew throughout the decade following its inception. This expansion saw the opening of auxiliary, basic training, and recruitment facilities, as well as corporate offices, across the United States and in several other countries. Concurrently, Lazarus established specialized training schools for its troops and operatives worldwide. Both Katzadoulos and Emile Lazarus maintained meticulous oversight throughout this development, ensuring tight financial management and upholding exceptionally high standards for all military acquisitions and training. By 2020, the Lazarus Group had solidified its position as the most successful and largest specialty military service contracting organization globally, boasting a high reputation and continued growth. With over a quarter of a million troops on active service or quick-activation reserve, and amidst increasing global tensions, brushfire wars, and corporate armed conflicts, the future of the Lazarus Group looked exceptionally promising. By 2045, Lazarus Security had ascended to be considered the spiritual successor to Arasaka and Militech's dominant status in Night City's security sector, employing thousands of "rent-a-cops" who patrol urban areas, office blocs, and upscale residential zones, cementing its pervasive presence and influence.
Comments