mercenaries are recruited with same amount of gold and their wages are even higher than normal units. I couldn't find a reason to use them? Quesiton is simple: What is the advantage of recruiting mercenaries?
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They dont use up your manpower. However, they dont recover any losses due to combat and/or attrition.
Since the 2.32 patch they do recover. They are actually quite useful now.
I haven't played a lot of Rome, but IIRC Mercs don't get made into a character's loyal units either, do they?
do i understand correct: "mercenaries recover but they don't use manpower while recovering." if it is true, that's awesome
That's been my experience. The manpower thing is the key. I've been in situations where even to recover my existing legions' strength took years (zero manpower and lots of depleted units), so I've used mercenaries to shore up weak spots, fortify choke points, and generally chase after barbarians. You can still hire mercenaries when at zero manpower because they don't draw on it. Also, they recover quite independently, so their strength is resupplied even when every other unit is screaming for manpower.
This, mercenaries are now useful and a great help for smaller countries. I only think they should be more common recruitment-wise, say Sparta can't have them because there's no one to recruit. I think in reality mercenaries were really around in this time period.
I usually only put my generals directly in charge of mercenaries and/or cohorts loyal to the king. This way I only really have to worry about disloyal governors.
There's an interesting bug where captured ships are counted as mercs, so I do this with ships when I can too.
There's an interesting bug where captured ships are counted as mercs, so I do this with ships when I can too.
Mercenaries reinforce at the rate of 33 men per month (when in owned province) what allows a heavily decimated cohort to recover in 2 years. The Tribal Recruitment idea increases it by 50% to 49 per month.
Mercenaries make also a great solution for that awesome martial general with charisma 10 and cool battle event trait you have, as they don't become loyal.
As for Sparta ... just get one Dacian province, and you have bunches of ready mercenaries
Mercenaries make also a great solution for that awesome martial general with charisma 10 and cool battle event trait you have, as they don't become loyal.
As for Sparta ... just get one Dacian province, and you have bunches of ready mercenaries
Where do they get manpower from (to recover)? Cash? Ghosts of old warriors?
Well, since you can only recruit them from border provinces, I'd say they do their own independent recruiting from people living just inside and outside the edges of your empire. They take barbarians and the dregs of society who have nothing to lose and give them a purpose in life.
It's really none of your concern, and that's what makes them useful.
I believe it's connected to barbarian strength in bordering provinces but I'm not entirely sure how that works.