The idea I have is as follows:
1) Retinues:
Retinues would be largely left as they are, but buffed more into Elite Troops, with reduced numbers than now.
1a) Mercenaries would receive smaller bonuses, but still making them better 1v1 than levied units or standing armies.
2) Replacing Levies for centralized Imperial realms:
As the game progresses, with the higher Military Organization techs, as well as higher Centralization, Higher Crown Authority Laws, this would unlock the ability to raise standing professional armies to replace your levies.
2a)
Each of these standing armies would have semi-customizable unit compositions, unlike levies or retinues.
2b)
These armies would cost money like retinues, but retinues would still be better 1v1, as stated above.
2c)
The Army size would be based on your personal levies and your vassal levies.
This would happen through a Law that converts the obligation for Levies into Population.
As you expand your standing armies, they would replace your vassal levies by reducing the max levies that can be called until that number becomes miniscule. This would be representing the recruitment of those levies to your Army, as well as the agreements made to the Vassals to repay them for this loss of manpower by reducing the burden on them in war.
These Standing Armies would be smaller in size than levies, but always available like the elite retinues, though inferior to the combat bonuses of the elite troops in the retinues and the highly paid Mercenaries.
3) Loyalty and Generals:
It would be a great idea to implement a mechanic like the loyalty mechanic from EU:Rome.
Two major factors that are missing in CKII at the moment are insurrections and Coup d'états from within the Military, which was a common occurrence historically.
In this way, Standing Armies would be assigned commanders, as they exist already.
Except, more standing armies would unlock more Commander minor title slots.
However, you would not be able to change the commanders inside enemy territory, and as long as those commanders are assigned, they would gain unit loyalty.
If that commander joins a faction, the units in that Standing Army would be loyal to him and join in if he or his allies rebel. This unit would also increase the apparent strength of the Faction in order to increase the likelihood of the rebellion.
Therefore, in addition to good traits, you need to make sure your commanders are loyal to you and not backing factions.
This could be modeled with loyalties like the Council has.
3a) a 'Military Commanders' window could be activated to manage armies and their commanders.
Commanders that are fully loyal to the King would almost never even consider rebelling.
However, Commanders with other motivations like being a Zealot, Glory-Hound, etc. would be willing to join certain types of factions, especially ones that might put them on the Council, and/or give them a land title or even the Empire title.
So: thoughts?
1) Retinues:
Retinues would be largely left as they are, but buffed more into Elite Troops, with reduced numbers than now.
1a) Mercenaries would receive smaller bonuses, but still making them better 1v1 than levied units or standing armies.
2) Replacing Levies for centralized Imperial realms:
As the game progresses, with the higher Military Organization techs, as well as higher Centralization, Higher Crown Authority Laws, this would unlock the ability to raise standing professional armies to replace your levies.
2a)
Each of these standing armies would have semi-customizable unit compositions, unlike levies or retinues.
2b)
These armies would cost money like retinues, but retinues would still be better 1v1, as stated above.
2c)
The Army size would be based on your personal levies and your vassal levies.
This would happen through a Law that converts the obligation for Levies into Population.
As you expand your standing armies, they would replace your vassal levies by reducing the max levies that can be called until that number becomes miniscule. This would be representing the recruitment of those levies to your Army, as well as the agreements made to the Vassals to repay them for this loss of manpower by reducing the burden on them in war.
These Standing Armies would be smaller in size than levies, but always available like the elite retinues, though inferior to the combat bonuses of the elite troops in the retinues and the highly paid Mercenaries.
3) Loyalty and Generals:
It would be a great idea to implement a mechanic like the loyalty mechanic from EU:Rome.
Two major factors that are missing in CKII at the moment are insurrections and Coup d'états from within the Military, which was a common occurrence historically.
In this way, Standing Armies would be assigned commanders, as they exist already.
Except, more standing armies would unlock more Commander minor title slots.
However, you would not be able to change the commanders inside enemy territory, and as long as those commanders are assigned, they would gain unit loyalty.
If that commander joins a faction, the units in that Standing Army would be loyal to him and join in if he or his allies rebel. This unit would also increase the apparent strength of the Faction in order to increase the likelihood of the rebellion.
Therefore, in addition to good traits, you need to make sure your commanders are loyal to you and not backing factions.
This could be modeled with loyalties like the Council has.
3a) a 'Military Commanders' window could be activated to manage armies and their commanders.
Commanders that are fully loyal to the King would almost never even consider rebelling.
However, Commanders with other motivations like being a Zealot, Glory-Hound, etc. would be willing to join certain types of factions, especially ones that might put them on the Council, and/or give them a land title or even the Empire title.
So: thoughts?
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