How to hire a Ronin?

[unmerged(197434)]

I think the key to this argument was really the statatement "when you can afford them you don't need them" That's the only problem with ronin.

 

[Nefaro]

Ronin would me more useful if they were available for a lot longer period after they show up. Who's going to hire Ronin in peacetime, to suck up a lot of extra income for nothing?

So they should be available much longer.. and mostly during wartime. Mercenaries throughout history tended to multiply and thrive during wars. Ronin are no exception.

 

[unmerged(382543)]

I think the issue there is that they are available specifically when they are in your region. If they were available twice as long that would mean that they move half as often so ultimately you would see even fewer ronin, even if the ones you saw were there a bit longer.

If this were the intended spawning rate maybe you could fix it by having them show up while in regions adjacent to your own. Generally we wouldn't even notice and players wanting to game the system could cast a wide net to catch them- but maybe just amplifying their numbers (in the next patch?) will be enough.

 

[Nefaro]

I think the issue there is that they are available specifically when they are in your region. If they were available twice as long that would mean that they move half as often so ultimately you would see even fewer ronin, even if the ones you saw were there a bit longer.

If this were the intended spawning rate maybe you could fix it by having them show up while in regions adjacent to your own. Generally we wouldn't even notice and players wanting to game the system could cast a wide net to catch them- but maybe just amplifying their numbers (in the next patch?) will be enough.

Yes, the longer availability would require raising the amount floating about, probably in addition to drastically raising the chances of them popping up in areas at war.

The only time I've considered hiring ronin was when I was at war, and even then it's a difficult decision based on the initial flat rate cost. If I were in desperation, outnumbered by my enemy, and had a large sum of money, then I'd hire them for some extra muscle. But the availability period rarely ever gives the opportunity to make that choice as I'm either cutting the treasury too close to hire at the time or not even at war.

 

[unmerged(382543)]

Actually I think it might be a more difficult overhaul than that. It probably takes them as long to move between regions as regular armies.

Though if that were the case they probably would have been tempted to display them just like armies where you could click on them to recruit (or maybe that would be a good UI addition?)

 

[Nefaro]

Hrmm.. "bidding" for a nearby Ronin army? That could instigate some interesting situations, but would also likely require a lot of work, not only in implementing but further work on the AI to use.

Right now, I'm pretty happy with the challenge the AI provides. I feel as if I don't want to curse it or anything. :laugh: