Expanded Mercenaries

[westamastaflash]

This idea for a modmod comes out of my main forum thread about Mercenaries.

Last Updated 8/31/08
View attachment ExpandedMercenaries_v3a.zip
.33 Patch E version

- Standard Mercenary Max Level 7 (Random Promotion Limit 6)
- Increased requirements for additional mercenary promotions
- Promotions with tech prereqs don't appear unless player has tech, or two other civs have the tech
- Doubled Mercenary Upkeep Costs (removed added costs for Arcane Units)
- Mercenaries can no longer be added to a flesh golems
- Mercenaries can not be sacrificed at the Demon's Altar
- Mercenaries start with the correct amount of experience
- When you discover currency, you receive a swordsman mercenary to found / spread the guild of the nine


Attached is my current working copy, "alpha" release version 3.
There are still a few python bugs that I need to find and squash (something to do with promotions, every once in awhile it causes problems).

I haven't added Disciples yet. Adepts and Mages are available.
You will be charged upkeep / turn for units with the "Mercenary" promotion.
I hate doing it the way I did (a python loop in onPlayerEndTurn). There's got to be a better way, I did that because I didn't want 10 messages from the PyPerTurn call in the promotion xml.

To recruit a mercenary, a city has to have the guild of the nine in it. Units with the "mercenary" promotion can cast a spell "spread the guild of the nine".

Currently the way it works is that the recruit mercenary spell for a human player now costs 0 gold, but you then pay once you click the "hire" button.

The mercenaries that populate the box are based on your current tech level., as well as your opponents tech level (if 2 civs have a tech for a unit, it may appear in the list). Their tier and promotions are based on certain buildings you have in the city, your civics (guilds / consumption), if you are the Hippus, and if the techs for the promotions have been discovered.

To Do List:

• Get Disciples in
  
• Create an ini file instead of the giant ugly python dictionary with the units, tiers, and weights
  
• Fix Python bugs with promotions
  
• Find a better way to manage unit upkeep / turn
  
• Set up a "unique" mercenary mechanic.
  
• AI Logic

 

[westamastaflash]

General Documentation:

Click for a bigger picture:


Unit Selection Process

The First 5 slots will be standard units. Each slot will have a 90% chance of being filled with a mercenary of that unit category, if you have the tech for at least one unit of that category.

(Melee) (Archery) (Recon) (Mounted OR Naval 50/50) (Arcane OR Disciple 50/50)

No Siege Units.

the 10% chance will result in a 50% chance of the slot being empty, and a 50% chance of it having another unit of a different category.

Unique Mercenaries

I also want the sixth slot to have a few "unique" mercenary companies that cost more initially (anywhere from 400 - 1000), and have a high upkeep (5-20 gpt).

These mercenaries announce their arrival in a city via an event and you then would have 10 turns or so to scrape together the gold if you want them.

Westamastaflash

• The Golden Company (Champion unit with Spirit I and Law I)
• The Brave Companions (aka the Bloody Mummers) (Balseperah Champion with Chaos I)
• The Seventh Sons (Swordsmen)
• Shadowbinder Frichosia (Archmage)
• Song of the Mountain (Dwarven Cannon with Barrage I & II)
• Riders of the Storm (Hippus Horsemen with Air II)
• Âkithn's Automatons (1 Iron Golem with Empower II, 1 Dwarven Adept with Enchantment I)
• Wardens of Springtide (Ranger)
• and more... ideas, anyone?

TheJopa

• Garl's Blood Axes - Orc axemen with shock I
• Erwin the Necromancer - Mage with Death I and II
• Ramos the Elementalist - Mage with Air, Fire, Water, Earth I
• Preachers of Lugus - Peiest of Empyrean with Mobility, Combat I
• 1st Home Guard - Archers with City Garrison
• Infantry III Regiment - Bannor Champion with Combat I, II, III
• Barill's Company - Horsemen with Flanking I, II

Avahz Darkwood:

• Saul the Anti-Paladin same unit as death knight without undead promo and has a Nightmare mount.
• Zhava of the Darkwoods: Druid with the Undead promo...
• Myst Windlore: Mage with Illusion promo and water mana III.

Marksman77:

• Blade for Hire - Hidden Nationality Assassin - quite obvious mercenary unit
• Free Company - Swordsman with Flanking (?) for withdrawal - a bunch of mercs not who value their lives
• Raiders - HN Galley
• Corsair - Pirate (HN of course)

Skitters:

• A Goblin Spider-rider would be nice! (this would require new art, something I am completely inadequate at making, but it somone would like to take a stab at it)

Arctic Circle:

• How about some mercenary ships?

arcticnightwolf:

• Sharpeye: living unit with Sentry 1+2, can see Invisible
• Scare: non-demon unit with Fear

deadliver:

• Tim the Enchanter - Twin cast, Fire II?

 

[Arctic Circle]

Sounds interesting.

How about some mercenary ships?

 

[Skitters]

A Goblin Spider-rider would be nice!

 

[Marksman77]

Nice idea!

I like very much the special units (those with names)
Some ideas if you'd like:

• 
  Blade for Hire - Hidden Nationality Assassin - quite obvious mercenary unit
  Free Company - Swordsman with Flanking (?) for withdrawal - a bunch of mercs not who value their lives
  Raiders - HN Galley
  Corsair - Pirate (HN of course)

What do you think about making units cost less recruitment cost but more upkeep? It would be more realistic, as
1. you don't actually create a mercenary unit, but rather hire an existing unit
2. serving for gold they should cost more upkeep than your regular units, that serve because of loyalty

 

[TheJopa]

This is a brilliant idea and I wanted this for quite a while.
Some mercenaries suggestion:
Garl's Blood Axes - Orc axemen with shock I
Erwin the Necromancer - Mage with Death I and II
Ramos the Elementalist - Mage with Air, Fire, Water, Earth I
Preachers of Lugus - Peiest of Empyrean with Mobility, Combat I
1st Home Guard - Archers with City Garrison
Infantry III Regiment - Bannor Champion with Combat I, II, III
Barill's Company - Horsemen with Flanking I, II

Inns and Taverns could attract mercenaries.

Also, what you could hire could depent on alignment. Only evil civs could recruit Vampires, only good Monks. Also, if some civ was not in the current game, it could still be represented via mercenaries, so you could hire Golems if there are no Luchirup, or Elven troops without Elves.

 

[Arctic Circle]

If you want some realism, also having mercenaries in your cities create unhappy citizens.

 

[Ahwaric]

Great idea! I wanted to change the way mercenaries work in my mod for a long time.
Wonderful that you decided to do this mod!

I think that mercenary promotion should give withdrawal chance to all units. After all, war was a buissness for them and death is a bad buissness. So if the things look grim they should withdraw or even change sides. Same if not paid.
Generally battles fought by mercenaries were less bloody than other ones. Especially if mercenaries were fighting on both sides...

I think that you should give a choice of one per type, i.e. one archery unit, one melee, mounted, siege, some special units like a beast or adepts/disciples. Also, the choice should be dependant on specific techs rather than on buildings in the city.
This way you can hire units that supplement the forces that city can build.
Maybe also alignment should be taken into account?

I will try to think of some special units

If you want some realism, also having mercenaries in your cities create unhappy citizens.

Why? I think that well paid mercenaries are better to have in the city that poor peasants that were forced to the army and think only of plunder. Especially if you own a tavern...

 

[Arctic Circle]

Ehm, mercenaries are like professional soilders. And they have no connection or real loyalty to the people that lives there. Rapes, gambling, fights, murders skyrocket. Crime-rate should rise. No people on this earth is more dangerous to have sitting idle and allowed to make up their own ideas of 'what is fun and profitable to do' then mercenaries. Even professional armies that have connections to the local people need secluded areas and military police.

Many mercenaries are mercenaries because they are too much scum/undisciplined/too intelligent to be part of an official standing army. There have been historical exceptions, but they are few.

Common people I guess is the 'happiness' marker, and I doubt they be happy with a lot of rowdy, scuffy mercs around. Especially if they are more numerous then the standing normal troops.

I can't imagine any general or city official that said 'hey, hiring mercenaries and stationing them inside our city is a great idea - yay'. At least an increased crime-rate is for me a natural effect. And the mercenary promotion should bring with it a chance to swap sides if the odds look bad...

 

[Skitters]

The Swiss Guard seem to have got on okay.

Surely much of what your saying also applies to normal troops which may be raised in a city, but then find themselves serving at the other end of an Empire - or indeed garrisoning a captured city. Indeed, it could be argued that in a captured city a mercenary would be more likely to show better behaviour...

 

[Arctic Circle]

The Swiss Guard ..

Recruits to the guards must be Catholic, single males with Swiss citizenship who have completed basic training with the Swiss military and can obtain certificates of good conduct. New recruits must have a professional diploma or high school degree and must be between 19 and 30 years of age and at least 174 cm (5'9") tall.

While that is more modern standards, I feel that the Swiss Guard is a very homogenous, disciplined unit with strong national roots. Many of them served in generations. And they did not take in people with any sort of dubious background. Often fought to the death or until they were commanded to surrender. They I think do not are good examples of 'fantasy mercenaries'. But yes, you could argue that the Guild of Nine only accept the very best, are highly disciplined and have a high level of personal honor.

In a captured city a cercenary would be more likely to show better behaviour? Hmm, could you explain that one? And you do get unhappy citizens for that sort of thing, 'we yearn to bla bla'.

A national unit often fights for some part because of nationalism and ideals. To protect those back home. In many cultures you had to do well in the military and act 'honorably' according to some sort of code to be able to become an important man after your military service. Might be lesser chance for rape, plunder, gambling etc then if you have no other loyalties then your paycheck. I would however argue that genocide is downplayed in Civ, a city taken by force by a military force looses only one in population when it should loose 20-75%.

 

[Skitters]

In the sense that your at war with another nation, you know that nation have been responsible for the deaths of your fellow citizens/family and therefore you may be a little more impassioned when applying civil order on a captured city.

For the mercenary on the other hand, it is a job.

In particular could you imagine a Svalt being as merciful to the Ljosafar as mercs?

 

[Ahwaric]

Well, there are many examples for both national units and mercenaries being worse in the city.
In general, people in middle ages were not connected to the ideal of nationality. They were attached to their city, region, warlord, king and belief.
Nationality as we know it today is in fact a very recent invention. XVIII century to be precise.
I agree that mercenaries in the current world aren't the greatest of men. However, think about the French Foreign Legion

Some examples
Carcassonne 1209 - Caedite eos! Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius In english: "Kill them [all]! Surely the Lord discerns which [ones] are his" (of the true faith, not heretics). According to legend said by french monk (and a papal legate). Even if the legend is not true, the french crusaders (mostly low-born infantry form nothern France) spared no one.

Orava 1683 - polish-lithuanian-transilvanian army burned most of the area (at that time at polish-hungarian border) because there were not enough food for the army to confiscate. That was part of the forces that were going to Vienna to fight the Turkish invasion. National forces, no mercenaries.

from wikipedia:

Varengian Guard
Basil II's distrust of the native Byzantine guardsmen, whose loyalties often shifted with fatal consequences, as well as the proven loyalty of the Varangians led Basil to employ them as his personal bodyguards.

These guardians were highly valued, loyal and respected not only by the emperor but by the citzens of the wealthiest city of the world at that time - Constantinople. And in fact many if not most of the byzantine troops were mercenaries. The system was good enough to help the empire to survive for over 1000 years.
And varengians were just vikings. Not any special requirements. But paid well.

Anyway, I have hijacked this thread enough. I just wanted to say - both types of armies are bad, especially when they are low on food and money.
No need to make mercenaries any special in that regard.

 

[Avahz Darkwood]

Humm I like this... Maybe now I can kill my Hippus Flavor mod and use this one.........

There is already a bit of an event clutter with regular FFH and doing the unique units this way could pose a bit of a problem in that you may never see them....

 

[Avahz Darkwood]

I think i am a bit giddy over this mod
Kael has a habit of including mods in the epic game if they add substance that will not take away from lore. Maybe this will be one of those?!?

 

[Avahz Darkwood]

Suggestion of Hero type Mercs that can be hired at a high price. These units should not have the Hero promo though:

Saul the Anti-Paladin same unit as death knight without undead promo and has a Nightmare mount.

Zhava of the Darkwoods: Druid with the Undead promo...

Myst Windlore: Mage with Illusion promo and water mana III.

 

[westamastaflash]

There is already a bit of an event clutter with regular FFH and doing the unique units this way could pose a bit of a problem in that you may never see them....

This is true. I was thinking that I'd add a call to the event after a random % chance of happening in a city with guild of the nine every ten turns:

Perhaps these percentages:
+1% with the Guild of the Nine
+5% with Guild of the Nine HQ
+1% with a Market
+2% with an Inn
+2% with a Money Changer
+2% with a Smugglers Port
+3% with a Tavern
+2% with a Lanun Harbor
+5% with a Hippus Stables
+5% with the Bazaar of Mammon

+1% for each trade route in the city
+1% for each 3 points of population

+5% if you are running Consumption civic
+5% if you are running Guilds civic
+10% if you are the Hippus Civilization

So a chance of a unique mercenary showing up in a great scenario:
Pop 21, 8 trade routes (max), bldgs, civics, etc

10 + 5 + 5 + 7 + 8 + 5 + 5 + 3 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 1 + 5 + 1 = 61%.

Not realistic, but this just means that they'll show up in the box for 10 turns, not that you can afford them.

I am still building the data storage backend to all of this, and I don't even know if that data is saved when you save/reload....

 

[westamastaflash]

This is a brilliant idea and I wanted this for quite a while.
Some mercenaries suggestion:
Garl's Blood Axes - Orc axemen with shock I
Erwin the Necromancer - Mage with Death I and II
Ramos the Elementalist - Mage with Air, Fire, Water, Earth I
Preachers of Lugus - Peiest of Empyrean with Mobility, Combat I
1st Home Guard - Archers with City Garrison
Infantry III Regiment - Bannor Champion with Combat I, II, III
Barill's Company - Horsemen with Flanking I, II

Inns and Taverns could attract mercenaries.

Also, what you could hire could depent on alignment. Only evil civs could recruit Vampires, only good Monks. Also, if some civ was not in the current game, it could still be represented via mercenaries, so you could hire Golems if there are no Luchirup, or Elven troops without Elves.

Great Ideas. I like the alignment restrictions, they're a neat idea.

 

[westamastaflash]

I will work on release 1, which won't include any "unique" mercenaries, but will have all the basic functionality in place. I will keep collecting suggestions and put them at the top of the thread though.

I like the idea of having a unit of each class available with the appropriate technologies (but I'm still going to add a small random factor).

I.E.

(Melee) (Mounted OR Archery OR Recon, 2 of 3) (Naval OR Siege) (Arcane OR Disciple)

That gives you a selection of 5. I think that mostly I'll keep to units with techs that you have, with a small chance that you might get lucky with a unit that a opposing player has a tech for (but you do not).

 

[TheJopa]

Nice, waiting for a release