Better Mercs
Are you tired of mercs doubling in cost after mil tech 7 due to pointless mercenary artillery?
Does seeing a dozen mercenary companies for hire whose only difference is the general they rolled put you to sleep?
Have you wept over the cavalry focused merc companies that consist mainly of infantry?
Do you feel a thunk at getting so huge that almost all your available companies become impractically large?
And on the other end are you puzzled that merc companies are forever small for rich/tall/trade focused nations, who historically used them most out of everyone (and frankly also would in game if viable)?
THEN THIS MIGHT BE THE MOD FOR YOU MY FRIEND
Featuring:
– All companies have had their mercenary artillery REMOVED.
There are a few dedicated merc cannon companies though. Currently just a local merc company available to all after the European mercs modernize and the Black Army gets a discounted arty-only company when reformed (that is frankly still quite pricey)
– ALL (non-local) mercenary companies have been given modifiers that hopefully gives them a unique feel, including some modifiers that no vanilla company has (extra general siege pip and more province loot anyone?)
Costs/sizes have been rebalanced to accommodate this, including some very broken vanilla companies (looking at you Mesopotamian Mamluks).
– Cavalry focused companies, including some vanilla inf companies that really should be cav focused (stradioti), are now actually mainly or entirely cavalry.
Their dev scaling has been reduced (they’re smaller and grow slower) so that their actual number of cavalry is comparable to their vanilla company, but without wasted extra infantry. This way they can still serve as the cavalry wing of your armies without giving you the tactics malus.
– Mercenary companies are hardcapped to not grow beyond 40 regiments. (maximum combat width) Large nations (>1k dev) get access to new local companies that have lower dev scaling (including one that’s quite spicy) to keep mercs a bit more viable for early blobbers.
– Tall nations that really could use some sizeable merc companies get access to unique high dev scaling companies.
Currently this covers just merchant republics and the Netherlands but I’m open to suggestions for more.
– Numerous new merc companies in the works:
(DONE) Imperial Guard unit for empires. Extremely strong on the battlefield but will take forever to replenish casualties, use with caution. (Varangian variant for a restored Byzantium for all you purple lovers).
(DONE) Dedicated Black Army cavalry and artillery companies to make the black army reform somewhat more worthwhile.
(DONE) Merchant republic guards, slightly buffed local companies whose main distinguishing feature is their large size per dev.
(DONE) Dutch Staatse Leger, capable and large unit to provide an edge to the otherwise lackluster Dutch army.
(DONE) Farfanes for a reformed Andalusia, experienced and well led Christian mercenaries.
(DONE) Royal elephants for India/SEA nations, extremely high cav shock but expensive and vulnerable to fire damage.
(DONE) Ghazi for muslim DotFs in defensive wars, cheap and highly motivated, if unruly.
(DONE) Hussite free companies that move around Europe offering their unique fighting style but return en masse to Bohemia if it converts back, making Hussite Bohemia a legitimate early military powerhouse.
(DONE) Schwarze reiters for Eastern Europe, Germany & Scandinavia, cavalry largely forgoing charges for ranged fire through caracoles
(DONE) Ghilman for persian/mesopotamian muslim states (special one for shi’ite Persia if they reach the caucasus)
(WIP) Lisowczycy for PLC/Poland/Lithuania after the age of reformation, potent raiders (future work to make them available to their allies/rivals as well)
(DONE) Qizilbash for Persia, (relatively) affordable shock focused cav
(DONE) Centralized France (revoke strong duchies privilege) gets two compagnies d’ordonnance, one company of hardened reformed bandits on horseback and the second seasoned infantry.
(DONE) Zamburaks for nations holding persian land or with capitals in Hindustan/Central Asia, shock focused (!) artillery units that can last at least a while on the front line
(WIP) Indian Pindari, excellent harassers and raiders.
(WIP) Elite Mamluk infantry to match their existing cavalry companies (including one just for the sultanate).
(WIP) Landsknechten for Germans to supersede the Swiss pikemen.
(WIP) Crusader remnants for Cyprus/Knights, they move over and are restored if Jerusalem is formed.
And a whole lot more~
**If you don’t want the new mercenary companies look here: Better Vanilla Mercs**
Suggestions for new mercs/merc modifiers are welcome!
**Should be compatible with any mod that hasn’t changed 00_mercenaries.txt**
