Can't build varangian guards? (also no trade bonus as Oman?)

[Theophilos]

I played as Kingdom of Oman in 1.0 but I did not recieve any trade bonus of 50%

Also, the varangian guards cannot be built when I played as byzantines.

Could my base game/install be incorrectly done? Or are they just bugs? Can anyone confirm?

Also, many of the AI kingdoms seem to collapse a lot. (for example, yemen collapses a lot, as does ghorid sultanate)

EDIT:

I guess I am asking can anyone load up a game as Byzantines and see if they can build varangian guards? or load Oman and see if you have a 50% bonus modifier on your trade route?

 

[Theophilos]

btw, my build is:

Civ Version 319
Save Version 302
Build: 3.1.9.0 (128100)

---

mod version:

1.0.0

 

[Theophilos]

The manual states:

-----------------------

Mercenaries

The Sword of Islam mod includes TheLopez's Mercenaries modcomp also known from
RFC, with some changes:

• Instead of a global mercenary pool, there are regional pools i.e. different
mercenaries are available in Egypt and Iran

• Contracting units out is disabled (it's unrealistic - mercenaries are not "sold" by
rulers)

• It is now possible to hire the basic naval units (if the player has a coastal city)

• Mercenaries are named historically, on a per-unit basis, e.g. Camel Archers use
Bedouin names while Horse Archers use various Turkic/steppe names etc.

• Apart from ordinary regional units, following special units are available:

– Bulgarian Raider: Thrace
– Varangian Guard: Thrace, Orthodox Christian rulers only
– Paulician Axeman: Egypt, Fatimids only
– Marine: Lower Egypt, Rhodes, Cyprus and Palestine, Muslim rulers only
– Naffatun: Iraq and Syria, Muslim rulers only
– Hashshashin: Levant, Iraq and Northern Iran
– Maceman: most of the Near East
– Zanji Swordsman and Zanji Spearman: Egypt, Nubia and Yemen
– Daylami Tribesman and Daylami Footman: Northern Iran and bordering provinces
– War Elephant and Armored Elephant: India and bordering provinces
– Pashtun Warrior and Pashtun Cavalry: Afghanistan and bordering provinces
– Pathan Infantry and Pathan Pikeman: Eastern Afghanistan and Northern India
– Marathi Warrior and Marathi Cavalry: Central and Southern India
– Camel Archer, Camel Rider: Egypt, Nubia, Arabian Peninsula, Bactria, Punjab and Sindh
– Camel Gunner: as above + Sindh and Punjab Religion

-------------------------------

Since it is under the "mercenary" section of the manual, does that mean they are only hireable as mercenaries? I don't recall seeing any of those units available in mercenary for me at least for my playthroughs

and in another post someone mentioned to recruit a varangian to defend against the bulgarian raiders

 

[srpt]

Yes the Varangians are mercenaries only and there is randomness involved in what mercenaries show up.
I will look into the Oman trade issue this evening.