New Request for Agent Ability: Bribe Enemy Mercs

[Vampiresbane]

Just realized that no Total war game before has offered this. Surprising really. There's a number of times in major battles, troops on one side or another have flipped sides. Mercenaries have been probably been most guilty of this.

Wouldn't it be nice for a R2TW agent to have an ability to bribe an army (with mercs in it) to get a % of the mercs to switch sides that same turn in a single battle? (We had something similiar in S2, but the traitors actually left the enemy army prior to the fight; I'm looking for betrayal right as the battle starts.)

[Spartacus041]

Bribe Mercs DLC maybe?

[Border Patrol]

I've had units in my vanilla Shogun 2 armies switch sides before a battle. I can't remember what the circumstances were but it was pretty damned cool. I've only seen it happen one or two times. They may have been ronin mercenaries. It would be pretty great if bribe nearly always worked on mercs.

[GussieFinkNottle]

There were agent abilities in S2 to get armies to join you, and in ROTS you could bribe away parts or the whole of an army
Promising, I'd say

[TotalWarker]

With regards to switching sides, there was a suggestion a few weeks back which said that if you are recapturing a city of yours recently taken by the AI (or the other way around), units should spawn inside the city representing the populace rising up in support of the reconquering faction. Just basic mob units, but enough to be a thorn in the side of the defender as they would need to stop these from getting to the capture points.

Like the idea of units switching sides all round really, would add another aspect to battles.

[davieholgate]

With regards to switching sides, there was a suggestion a few weeks back which said that if you are recapturing a city of yours recently taken by the AI (or the other way around), units should spawn inside the city representing the populace rising up in support of the reconquering faction. Just basic mob units, but enough to be a thorn in the side of the defender as they would need to stop these from getting to the capture points.

Like the idea of units switching sides all round really, would add another aspect to battles.

unless you get murdered by your veteran troops who fell for the root of all evil...

[Karnil Vark Khaitan]

That would be fun.

[Druidofthewest]

It would be unpleasant playing as Carthage though.

[Aymer de Valence]

Very nice idea, rep+ for it! I'm sure I could get a mercenary elephant to join me if I gave him enough apples.

[Mithridates II the Great]

That's cool . I prefer losing all the mercenaries than losing the whole army like what happened to me in Shogun 2 , 2 full stack armies were bribed in 3 turns .

[SturmChurro]

That's cool . I prefer losing all the mercenaries than losing the whole army like what happened to me in Shogun 2 , 2 full stack armies were bribed in 3 turns .

Better hope all your generals have high loyalty! Better watch out for rogue and rival family members using your armies against you this time around (I've actually never had that problem in SHOGUN 2, all my generals always have a lot of loyalty for me I guess).

[jtfjtfjtf]

Betrayal during battle would be great. Either at setup or right when the battle is happening. All of a sudden the flags above their heads change to a different color and they start killing your men!

[Inhuman One]

Makes sense yes, I dont like how there are no negative effects to hiring mercenaries despite the higher cost. They work for coin after all, so should be more easily bribed.

Factions like Carthage would have less problems with mercs changing sides though, I'd imagine they knew quite well how to keep their loyalty.

[SinerAthin]

I'd like to see the ability to enter battle with the Mercenaries still on the enemy's 'side'.

Essentially, the Mercenary units would be under your enemy's command until you 'triggered' them, and they would immediately turn into one of your units on the spot. Units can not be turned when engaged in combat, however, and if they suffer casualties from your forces before you activate them, like with arrows or siege weapons, they have a chance of not activating in the first place when commanded to.

This would allow you to turn the tide of battle, it would emphasize on timing, and it would also cause generals who suspected their mercs of possibly turning traitor to strategically position them on the battlefield so that they would do the least amount of damage if they suddenly were to turn.


Kind'a like in Braveheart when just before the two armies charged, the front vanguard suddenly embraced the other side, before they both turned around and charged together back against the surprised Englishmen.

[Pontic Pontus]

I think I read somewhere in wikipedia that in a famous battle in the pelloponesian war the Athenian cavalry betrayed them to the Spartans and charged their 'Allies' In the back, winning the battle for Sparta.

[Spajjder]

i did this constantly in rome 1 and especially in mtw1. I remember just buying the whole of east europe with diplomats and getting huge cavalry armies and earning even more cash

[Rittsy]

I can just imagine that being annoying and kinda confusing if used against me during a battle. On the campaign map, I think it would be fine if they were more susceptible to bribery which could make them disperse or join your side, but during a battle I can see problems emerging.

[vietanh797]

25 days left. I am pretty sure that they have less than 15 days to complete any unfinished things left so I doubt any suggestion can apply now. In the last 10 days it is work for physical copies and steam work plus pre-load and any delivery job have to be done.

[adaucph]

I'd imagine they knew quite well how to keep their loyalty.

[SturmChurro]

I'd imagine they knew quite well how to keep their loyalty.

I was referring to the family/politic system and civil wars in Rome 2.