SP - Player, NPCs & Troops Suggestions to make the recruitment system more rewarding

[Tawny]

One of the potentially great systems in the game is the recruitment system, with notables rising or falling in power and handing out quests that contribute towards this. Currently the potential is not realized due to several factors.

Issue 1: As you reach higher clan levels you don't have as much time to manually resolve issues for notables anymore. Use companions you say? See below.

Issue 2: Quest scaling means that using companions to handle issues only works early game, because the requirements become very steep at higher clan levels. You just can't get companions that have 150+ in several skills, so almost no issues can be delegated anymore.

Issue 3: Recruits spawn as basic recruits from their faction (including nobles). And most of the time these recruits are hoovered up by the AI so fast that they never progress beyond that. This particularely hurts the empire player, as the empire noble line is not available via Disciplinarian. You are left with the "Extortion by deserters" issue or rescuing prisoners/fighting empire lords. This workaround is very ineffective if you are commanding an army because other commanders get their share of the prisoners and you can't exchange them in any way.

My suggestions:

1. Lock the AI out of the two highest relation recuitment slots when the player gets access to them. This will incentivize us to spend time and resources on helping notables, as well as reward us for it.

2. Change or remove the level scaling for issues so companions can handle them. If it must remain, at least lower the reqirements. For example one required skill only, and at a reasonable level.

3. Allow us to assign a companion to a village (or all villages bound to a fief) for an indefinite time period, and give notables there a small power and relation boost over time (with no issues coming up because they are handled by the companion). This way we can "protect" the areas we want to recruit from.

 

[Xaerdys]

One of the potentially great systems in the game is the recruitment system, with notables rising or falling in power and handing out quests that contribute towards this. Currently the potential is not realized due to several factors.

Issue 1: As you reach higher clan levels you don't have as much time to manually resolve issues for notables anymore. Use companions you say? See below.

Issue 2: Quest scaling means that using companions to handle issues only works early game, because the requirements become very steep at higher clan levels. You just can't get companions that have 150+ in several skills, so almost no issues can be delegated anymore.

Issue 3: Recruits spawn as basic recruits from their faction (including nobles). And most of the time these recruits are hoovered up by the AI so fast that they never progress beyond that. This particularely hurts the empire player, as the empire noble line is not available via Disciplinarian. You are left with the "Extortion by deserters" issue or rescuing prisoners/fighting empire lords. This workaround is very ineffective if you are commanding an army because other commanders get their share of the prisoners and you can't exchange them in any way.

My suggestions:

1. Lock the AI out of the two highest relation recuitment slots when the player gets access to them. This will incentivize us to spend time and resources on helping notables, as well as reward us for it.

2. Change or remove the level scaling for issues so companions can handle them. If it must remain, at least lower the reqirements. For example one required skill only, and at a reasonable level.

3. Allow us to assign a companion to a village (or all villages bound to a fief) for an indefinite time period, and give notables there a small power and relation boost over time (with no issues coming up because they are handled by the companion). This way we can "protect" the areas we want to recruit from.

1. But would this not also exclude them from some high tier troops? Because these are usually on the right site.

2. Can't argue with that. Although having a decent way to get companions to the respective skill levels would also be good. I mean many perks for example are meant for governors. So it necessary to reach them some day.

3. With my imperial char right now I've quite a lot of nobel imperial troops and much more equite prisoners. I got them mostly through said quest in peace times. But the question remains wether it should be necessary in the first place.

I like your protector suggestion very much, even if if was not necessary. At least as a Lord of a town or vastle you could be able to send a companion and maybe some troops to secure the village. These could also work as a potential although limited defense against raiders.

 

[Tawny]

1. But would this not also exclude them from some high tier troops? Because these are usually on the right site.

2. Can't argue with that. Although having a decent way to get companions to the respective skill levels would also be good. I mean many perks for example are meant for governors. So it necessary to reach them some day.

3. With my imperial char right now I've quite a lot of nobel imperial troops and much more equite prisoners. I got them mostly through said quest in peace times. But the question remains wether it should be necessary in the first place.

I like your protector suggestion very much, even if if was not necessary. At least as a Lord of a town or vastle you could be able to send a companion and maybe some troops to secure the village. These could also work as a potential although limited defense against raiders.

It is true that it would lock out the AI from some noble troops, but they already have so very few due to recruiting before the troops become nobles (at least I think that is the reason). It is certainly something I would like to see addressed.

I am trying to suggest tweaks to the existing system rather than large changes, because I think that has a better chance of being considered. If I were to dream a little I would like to have noble recruitment tied to being a landed noble. Perhaps by removing Disciplinarian and have noble recruitment be from walled fiefs, and only for the clan that controls the fief. That is probably debatable too for some reason I can't see right now

 

[Akka]

2. Change or remove the level scaling for issues so companions can handle them. If it must remain, at least lower the reqirements. For example one required skill only, and at a reasonable level.

The scaling should be removed first and foremost because IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. It's a 100 % gamey design that has no place in anything "simulationist" and also breaks immersion.
Scaling should not exist at all in the entire game, period.

 

[Pentagathoos]

The scaling should be removed first and foremost because IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. It's a 100 % gamey design that has no place in anything "simulationist" and also breaks immersion.
Scaling should not exist at all in the entire game, period.

Agreed. And even from a gameplay perspective, what's the point in levelling up if everything scales with you?