not too soon. as it was mercenary troops were severely lacking in content. primarily we want them to be expensive but fast way to get some decent troops but they should not have the same potential as state troops (both cost and power wise), so they will not override regular troop raising methods. we want to do more with them but not just by simply adding more troops into the mix. at this stage we wanted to have some mercs that both feel out of place in their regions but will also will fill same gaps if you were to hire them with other factions.
How did you guys come to the philosophy that Mercenary troops shouldn't perform aswell as state troops? Mercenaries were proffesional soldier before that was a wide spread convention and as such were generally better trained and equipted than all but the most knightly nobility. State troops not fighting all year round like mercenaries did.
That aside under your own balance philosphy of a "fast way to get some decent troops but they should not have the same potential" They seem to me to fail in that regard too.
As it is after maybe the first few game years notables tend to gain enough power in most settlements that finding troops at tier 2 and 3 is not at all uncommon. Add to this noble troops starting at tier 2 and often available at tier 3. Many of the tier 3 nobles perofrm at above their tier level in gear and proficenices. All well and good they are "elite" noble troops.
It is not as though everytime mercenaries are availible to hire they are Tier 4 and 5, they are just as often in my experience tier 3. So we can see they arent much "faster" than regular state troops as far as tier is concerned, and avoiding the need to be upgraded.
Then comes the issue of their gear, which not in every case but generally sits about a tier below State troops, so the tier 5 infantry has a tier 4 troops gear. their tier 4 such as the Mercenary Maceman has tier 3 gear.
So while I can hire a mercenary at tier 4 or 5. I'm getting the power of a tier 3 or 4 troop.
So again barely faster than a state troop.
The greatest change in troops stats also generally happens in the upgrade between tier 4 and 5 with many infantry and cavalry going from 25 to 60 body armour or 30 to 50. So being a tier 5 troop in tier 4 armour is a hell of a lot worse than being a tier 4 troop in tier 3 armour.
I dont think the 30 weapon proffeciencies difference makes up for this short fall of equipment, 2.1% weapon speed and 4.5% damage make little difference compared to the weapon that is equip in the first place.
But now I am also supposed to pay Tier 6 wages at 18 denars for my tier 5 merc which has the power of a tier 4 troop??
I can "fast" recruit my tier 4 mercenary troop without having to upgrade it, except its actually as strong as a tier 3 troop and has the wage of a tier 5 troop. So while much more expensive it not that much faster, primarily because the troop is not "decent".
I do like that you guys chose to expand the cultural diversirty of the mercenaries though, adds to world immersion and fullness.
Do you think while adding this content you could have had an intern or a community member check the equipment loadouts though? As it stands the Hired Pikeman has more body armour than its upgrade the Elite Hired pikeman and the Sellsword has more body armour than its upgrade the Merceneary Maceman, who also losses the Sell Swords Javelin. Thats just what I noticed when I took a brief looks at the new troops out of curiosity.
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