SUBMOD: Mercenary Costs Rebalanced 1.2.2g

[Dardo21]

I've always loved the old 1.1 mercenary costs rebalanced by ThatWichThinks, which decreases the upkeep of mercenary units, but increases their cost. (http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfile.../?id=617074943)
His philosophy behind this was in his own words "Historically, mercenaries in this time period would have been hired for extended campaigns. Most of the "allied" units for Greek armies were actually mercenaries, and even the Roman auxiliary system stemmed from the wide-spread use of mercenaries throughout Republic-controlled areas. Mercenaries should be hired for whole campaigns, possibly even for longer; not just for a season (at least not most of the time)."

Now I'm not saying that this mod is historically accurate, but I do think it opens up new opportunites, especially at the start of the game, you can save your population and use mercenaries as a main stay force, although it carries the risk of needing to spend more on them.

Units prices have been raised by 60 %, unit upkeep has been reduced by 35%.

I fixed a small error, one of the Volcae units seemed to be missing.
Downloadlink:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BzzEVHnhbWkNWjAyQjgtZDB6dEE

[Maetharin]

Nice!
I´m constanly thining about how to better portray the actual recruitment and upkee of units than CA´s rather lackluster arcade system, this definitly is a way in the right direction.

One idea I had would be a complete revamp of the system, in which the actual sort of soldier is not important.
In this system, I´d use the current mercenary system for rapid short term recruitment,
as in everything which can be scrambled together in as short a time as possible. F.e. in the case of an imminent siege.

Any recruitment for long term would be handled by the current regular recruitment system

Then I´d define units as either levies (everybody who´s conscripted) and professionals (everyone who´s under a contract)

Professionals would have high recruitment and upkeep costs for short term recruitment, as mecenaries would most definitly exploit the desperation and necessity of such a commander.
For regular recruitment, they´d have lower recruitment and upkeep costs, otherwise they wouldn´t be economical. Noone would hire expensive mercenaries if they aren´t needed.

Levies would would have the same low recruitment and upkeep costs for both kinds of recruitment.
Holding them in your service is damaging for your economy because they´re missing from your 3 citizen classes.

What would you think about such a system?
IMO it would rely more on the custom effects in DeI and be more historical.

[Dardo21]

Hmm don't really see the point :p, you mean that levy units would be recruitable with the mercenary function?

[Maetharin]

I´ve edited the whole mess of a text to be more understandable.
F.e. Peltasts were THE Hellenic mercenary unit, but in CA´s current system, they are regular units.

IMO it would also better utilize the population system.

[Dardo21]

It wouldn't be impossible no, you'd just have to edit most of the unit caste's and stats in the unit_junction I think, as well as making duplicate units for both merc and regular recruitment.

[Maetharin]

Yup it would be one mess of an overhaul
But it´s not as if time is a factor here

[Jake Armitage]

in effect in 1.2 i find myself using mercenaries quite often.
i'll try this.
Tx.

[SacredBoltgun]

I like this mod alot. Because i also thing that mercenarys should play a much more permanent role in ancient warfare. 10/10 adds a lot to dei

[Dardo21]

I'm pleased to hear that . I'll keep it updated in case any changes are made to the original mod.

[ThatWhichThinks]

Thanks for making this; I have been busy modding TW: Warhammer and was just about to update my submod for 1.2...but it looks like you beat me to it!

[Dardo21]

Thanks for making this; I have been busy modding TW: Warhammer and was just about to update my submod for 1.2...but it looks like you beat me to it!

Thanks , mine only has a flat increase and decrease for all units though, if you want to make it more specialized like yours, feel free of course .

[leonardusius]

I've always loved the old 1.1 mercenary costs rebalanced by ThatWichThinks, which decreases the upkeep of mercenary units, but increases their cost. (http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfile.../?id=617074943)
His philosophy behind this was in his own words "Historically, mercenaries in this time period would have been hired for extended campaigns. Most of the "allied" units for Greek armies were actually mercenaries, and even the Roman auxiliary system stemmed from the wide-spread use of mercenaries throughout Republic-controlled areas. Mercenaries should be hired for whole campaigns, possibly even for longer; not just for a season (at least not most of the time)."
Now I'm not saying that this mod is historically accurate, but I do think it opens up new opportunites, especially at the start of the game, you can save your population and use mercenaries as a main stay force, although it carries the risk of needing to spend more on them.

Units prices have been raised by 60 %, unit upkeep has been reduced by 35%.

Definitely you're right. Historically mercenaries were greed to see money before battles, because almost ALWAYS they make them after......in one way of another. So, I suggest some interesting: if an army have mercenary in it's ranks, when putting into raiding stance the upkeep to decrease accordingly. And after a successful battle also upkeep to go down. But I don't know if the game engine allow that.

[ThatWhichThinks]

I remember trying to mess with that when I was starting on my mercenary overhaul, and since then have tried similar things with Attila and Warhammer, but tying stance effects to the presence of particular units is impossible as far as I know.

[leonardusius]

I remember trying to mess with that when I was starting on my mercenary overhaul, and since then have tried similar things with Attila and Warhammer, but tying stance effects to the presence of particular units is impossible as far as I know.

That's what I think me too; but maybe we can try some artifices. Suggestions always welcomed.

[Agron the Illyrian]

Can anyone update this to 1.2.1 please, or is it compatible with the new version? Its a must mod for me as i use mercenaries a lot.

[Ygraine]

As far as I know mercs weren't changed in 1.2.1, so it should work since it supposedly only alters upkeep/price in the main_units table.

I do wonder how this affects balance though, both with factions that have the traits that increase upkeep/decrease purchase cost (thracians for example) and factions like Carthage who can stack upkeep reductions quite high. I can imagine that with merc upkeep reduction stacked you'll be able to run mercs with near zero upkeep.

Also bear in mind that some factions (like certain greeks) still use the warrior pool when drawing manpower for certain mercs.

[Dardo21]

I figured i might have to update the file, after re-doing the cost recalculations some differences became noticable, I don't know if this is due to 1.2.1 or me using a wrong formula, but I'll update the file nevertheless.

[Dardo21]

Fixed a missing unit entry.

[Wulfgardt]

Having yet to play a Carthage campaign with DEI this mod could well be my incentive to play them alongside my present Iceni campaign.

[♔Greek Strategos♔]

Mercs and Carthage are like bread and butter or peanut butter if you're American.