Question regarding mercenary recruitment cost

[BunnyPoopCereal]

I noticed that the recruitment cost for most mercenary units is less than their upkeep. Wouldn't it make more sense to at least increase their recruitment cost by 400%? I find it that players can too easily abuse the cheap recuritment to gain an upper hand over AI. But then I would imagine that raising recruitment cost would heavily hurt some AI factions like Carthage.

Also, where in the .pack could I find the recruitment cost associated with each mercenary unit?

[Dresden]

Mercenaries' recruitment cost should be identical to their upkeep. There may be some effects that are lessening it.

The main units tables have the costs. MERC_main units I believe.

[Irishmafia2020]

I am seeing merc recruitment cost be consistently about 50% lower than their upkeep, although how much cheaper they are seems to vary from unit to unit... I am using Ptolemeic empire (Egypt)...

[Dresden]

Strange, they are set differently in the db but the costs show up as something else. I will check into it thanks.