Mercenaries

Having the same tech tree bug as Klisz. I am using the latest version of EUI, and the latest version of your mod from your response to Klisz.

Hopefully I didn't screw this up and post the wrong stuff, new to the forum specifically to get this mod running right.

My tech tree:


Logs:

Ok, updated to v6 to fix this issue.

Quick Mercenaries update:

• Japanese Translation updated for v6 thanks to Sub6.
• Re-did the splash screen for Jiayuguan Fort.
• Fixed a few issues with CBP support, as noted by Sub6.

Seems Mercenaries isn't compatible with the E&D mod. Are there being worked on making the two compatible, or have the developers no interest in that whatsoever? There seems to be no way to access the mercenary screen..

They're definitely not incompatible. Screenshot will help.

Playing with CBP and also with v.5 of this mod, don't know if this is the 'few issues with CBP support' mentioned maybe. Also, it is of course just one game.

While I'm here, I really like both this mod and Exploration. I haven't had a chance to try the complicated ones yet, but these two are quite fun when I'm not playing a perfect pure Gazebo balance game.

The AI simply isn't researching the Merc tech. With the leaders in the early Medieval, here are the column 3 tech costs: Sailing 803 Writing 747 Math 765 Masonry (i think this is technically construction, but either way) 747 Iron Working 765 and Mercs all the way up at 953. I've had access to Merc contracts for like 150 (marathon) turns, and no one else has bought a single one yet. I don't know how much more work it was for you, but I felt like it was more fun when Contracts came on Writing, a tech the AI leaders would get to before me.

Two things I should add: I did delete the line that caused Trade (horseback riding I think) to no longer need The Wheel. I always get anxious straight deleting stuff, but it didn't seem like it would have other effects.

Second, I got there kinda quick, and built the JFort. So obvi that does reduce the value of the tech in the AI's mind. But the other tech's wonders have been built too of course.

Let me know if want some logs. I turned on a whole bunch and now I kinda forget which are the ones people actually want lol.

Oh, that's no error! I left a game where I used the Mercenary mod. I then activated the E&D mod and didn't notice the Mercenary wasn't activated (for some reason or another).

I'm sorry...

Today was the first time I realized that there was an actual background to the Mercs Banner behind the lettering. I must be going blind.

Bugs!


Also, the AI seems to love spending its Piety on mercenaries. They seem to buy loads of religious mercs, and then few gold mercs.

I think that you also really need to switch the mercs unlocking to being tech based rather than era based. It just seems too unbalanced that you can get much stronger units just by entering a new era.

Chrisy15 said:

Bugs!

Code:

[10323.553] Runtime Error: C:\Users\Christopher\Documents\My Games\Sid Meier's Civilization 5\MODS\JFD's and Pouakai's Mercenaries (v 6)\Lua/JFD_Mercenaries_Functions.lua:124: attempt to compare number with nil

Also, the AI seems to love spending its Piety on mercenaries. They seem to buy loads of religious mercs, and then few gold mercs.

I think that you also really need to switch the mercs unlocking to being tech based rather than era based. It just seems too unbalanced that you can get much stronger units just by entering a new era.

Click to expand...

I actually like the idea of being able to hire mercs whose tech you haven't unlocked yet. I think it should be done a little differently though since right now it is pretty powerful. Maybe the price of a high-tech merc should be really high at first, and should scale down when you research the necessary tech. In other words, you'd be paying a premium to get an advanced unit early.

At various points it seems like I've had the option to hire Great Scouts (and their ilk) through the Mercenary system. I'm not sure if they can still found colonies abroad - but if this is the case I feel like they should be removed from the mercenary pool, as it's possible to hire a couple of Great Adventurers (and thus colonies) for a fraction of what one would normally cost.

TranquilSilence said:

At various points it seems like I've had the option to hire Great Scouts (and their ilk) through the Mercenary system. I'm not sure if they can still found colonies abroad - but if this is the case I feel like they should be removed from the mercenary pool, as it's possible to hire a couple of Great Adventurers (and thus colonies) for a fraction of what one would normally cost.

Click to expand...

A friend of mine hired them a while ago and said they couldn't found colonies, I've not tried them personally so I can't 100% verify it, but I have all my Civ mod knowledge from them, so I trust them on that.

Dallandra said:

A friend of mine hired them a while ago and said they couldn't found colonies, I've not tried them personally so I can't 100% verify it, but I have all my Civ mod knowledge from them, so I trust them on that.

Click to expand...

I'm glad to hear that this is the case - I'd never tested them myself, thanks for the info.

Quick update.

• In light of the fact that new Resolutions are not, after all, possible, the Ban Mercenaries resolution has been removed.
• Slightly increased the cost of taking out Contracts.
• AI will only take at most 3 Contracts out at any one time. You can change the specific amount in the UserSettings.
• Disband Chance and Mutiny Chance are now set in the Contracts table, for those who’ve added new contracts.

JFD, I was wondering - how exactly does Mercenaries select which units to offer as contracts?

The reason I'm asking is that I can forsee some instances where a unit or an entire unit class shouldn't be offered in a contract - a dummy unique unit, perhaps, or a unit that should only be given via an event or decision - and I would like to know if there's a way to ensure they aren't offered.

There is a tag - JFD_CannotBeMercenary - which you can add to any units that you want skipped. It will, however, skip units with <= 0 Combat Strength or <= 0 Cost.

JFD said:

Quick update.

• In light of the fact that new Resolutions are not, after all, possible, the Ban Mercenaries resolution has been removed.
• Slightly increased the cost of taking out Contracts.
• AI will only take at most 3 Contracts out at any one time. You can change the specific amount in the UserSettings.
• Disband Chance and Mutiny Chance are now set in the Contracts table, for those who’ve added new contracts.

Click to expand...

Modded resolutions don't work? The decision in MilM worked fine, or is it an issue relating to Lua?

I don't know what MilM is, but it probably uses a DLL to facilitate those resolutions or is a project-based resolution, which, AFAIK, do work.

JFD said:

I don't know what MilM is, but it probably uses a DLL to facilitate those resolutions or is a project-based resolution, which, AFAIK, do work.

Click to expand...

MilM was Military Milestones, and yeah, it was a project resolution. Guess it was worth a shot.

Not sure if a mod conflict or not but when I finally got to the tech to build the Sea Beggar, I'm told that while only the Dutch can build it, you can only get it via the Mercenary screen. I've been through two wars since then and have yet to see any Sea Beggars available for anyone.

Given that without the Real Polder mod, the Dutch Civ is really screwed if nowhere near flood plains or marsh, having no access to their traditional UU is really harsh especially if you're playing a game of small islands with all the AI Civs picked to be maritime powers.