Mercs maintenance

[Rexos]

It should be simple math, but I don't get it, could you guys explain this to me?

https://imgur.com/a/xc45F

I'm byzantium, got the third adm ideas, and unlock the first national idea of byz, so I get -50% mercs maintenance....
Usually mercs infantry cost 0,52 but in my game with the -50% that goes down only to 0,41.....to me it doens't look like -50%....why?

 

[mattkunz]

Basically because "merc maintenance" is an additive modifier, not multiplicative. 50% maintenance cost reduction reduces the cost by 50% of the base cost of a regiment, not by 50% of the current cost of a mercenary regiment after all other modifiers. You can see which modifiers are added up before multiplying in the wiki:
http://www.eu4wiki.com/Army#Mercenaries

 

[hwoosh]

In other words, the normal maintenance of a mercenary is 250% that of a regular troop. A -50% bonus gets added to that +250% for a total of 200% the maintenance of a regular troop. Thus, you are effectively getting a 20% discount on the total maintenance.

 

[f.l.]

In other words, the normal maintenance of a mercenary is 250% that of a regular troop. A -50% bonus gets added to that +250% for a total of 200% the maintenance of a regular troop. Thus, you are effectively getting a 20% discount on the total maintenance.

By the way, if I understand it correctly, then the -10% regiment cost modifier is by far stronger than -10% land maintenance (which has no effect on mercs). The regiment cost modifier changes the base cost and, thus, has an effect on mercs as well. It is basically a combination of -10% land maintenance and -50% merc maintenance.

Does anyone know whether this is correct?

 

[Rexos]

oh.....my god....I dind't know that...ok thanks, I guess pretending the mercs to be cheap was like asking to ottomans not to conquer byzantium

 

[hwoosh]

By the way, if I understand it correctly, then the -10% regiment cost modifier is by far stronger than -10% land maintenance (which has no effect on mercs). The regiment cost modifier changes the base cost and, thus, has an effect on mercs as well. It is basically a combination of -10% land maintenance and -50% merc maintenance.

Does anyone know whether this is correct?

I believe that is correct for the current version of the game, although in the version I play on (1.11.4) the formula was subtly different and land maintenance did affect the base maintenance of mercs. I don't remember precisely when that was changed.

 

[f.l.]

I believe that is correct for the current version of the game, although in the version I play on (1.11.4) the formula was subtly different and land maintenance did affect the base maintenance of mercs. I don't remember precisely when that was changed.

I just hope that it is correct, because I felt so OP when playing a Tengri horde (without second religion) which gets you -20% regiment cost. Perfect for the standard combination of merc inf + cav.

I was thinking about playing a game using Kikuchi (weird but nice NI with -25% unjustified demands, -10% regiment cost and heathen/heretic tolerance).
Wanted to get to -55% regiment cost with Kikuchi Traditions + Tengri + Quantity + Expansion/Defensive policy + trading in iron. If you play Kikuchi, get the Mandate of Heaven and take Influence ideas, you can further reduce your unjustified demands to -75% while using the permanet Enforce Tribute CB. That is a nice alternative for the Deus Vult CB if you took Humanist.

 

[Rexos]

maybe....maybe you forget that kikuchi is a shitty little daymio, it will get a lot to take the mandate

 

[gia257]

Deus Vult CB if you took Humanist.

religious?

 

[f.l.]

religious?

yeah... If you take Religious, you get the Deus Vult CB. If you choose Humanism instead, you do not get the Deus Vult CB and this here might be a small-scale alternative.

 

[Dominion]

Heh, he only quoted half your sentence and confused himself