Mercenaries

[zwei833]

Is it a bug? In the description, the black bands should have the double plunder effect, but in the sql file it is '0' in CityAttackPlunderAttack entry in the line of black bands promotion.

 

[Alga2]

Uhm thats a big Jäger

Spoiler :

 

[Natan35]

They ar... Giants.

 

[Hypereon]

Uhm, I started a medieval game and got a bunch of bare naked warriors as my starting units This intented?

Thanks though, it's awesome how the mercenaries turn to military contractors in the late game!

 

[JFD]

Ok you guys are blowing my mind with this projects which combine together raise Civ V to whole new level ( I am still waiting patiently for Enlightenment era comp with CPB ), this is very interesting idea and adds new layer of strategy and tacticts to consider, although since it will be awhile before I finish session I currently play (with 22 civs, YnAEMP v23 - huge earth, marathon pacing ) and therefor I can't see it myself, how is AI using them ? Is it aware and does it make rational decisions ?

I make the decisions for them, and I've limited them for now, pending performance. Basically, when at war, provided they have the funds and they have an army smaller than twice the size of yours, the AI will have a random chance to take out a Merc. Contract. This random chance is affected by their "Mercenary" flavour - which is pre-determined for each leader (or defaults to 5). Basically, civs like Venice or Portugal, who will be rolling in Gold, will be more likely to take out Merc Contracts, whilst civs like the Huns and Mongols (who benefit from having their own troops) are less likely.

Looks awesome, can't wait to try it out. Do you know how this would interact with mods like Reform and Rule that switch up the normal requirements to purchase Landsknechts?

Not sure. I accommodated CBP's changes, but I did forget R&R. Will make a note to check.

Not sure if its Mercenaries but this has never happened before. I'm around civil service and I just noticed all decisions have disappeared. Running with Cultural Diversity, E&D, CP, EUI, EEC, More luxuries and pantheons if that helps.

Mercs. doesn't interact with E&D, so it would have to be something else. Please let me see your Lua.log following the issue.

@JFD @Pouakai, could you please see that what's wrong with the code below? The contract I added just dosen't appear int the game.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<!-- Created by ModBuddy on 11/23/2013 1:27:25 PM -->


<GameData>
<JFD_Contracts>
   <Type>CONTRACT_ZWEI_DOPPELSOLDNER</Type>
   <Category>CONTRACT_JFD_MERCENARY</Category>
   <Description>TXT_KEY_CONTRACT_ST_MARK_DESC</Description>
   <Adjective>TXT_KEY_CONTRACT_ST_MARK_ADJ</Adjective>
   <Civilopedia>TXT_KEY_CONTRACT_ST_MARK_TEXT</Civilopedia>
   <ObsoleteEra>ERA_INDUSTRIAL</ObsoleteEra>
   <PrereqEra>ERA_MEDIEVAL</PrereqEra>
   <PromotionType>PROMOTION_ZWEI_DOPPELSOLDNER</PromotionType>
   <Rating>4</Rating>
   <Turns>25</Turns>
   <YieldCost>[ICON_GOLD]</YieldCost>
</JFD_Contracts>

<JFD_Contract_Units>
   <ContractType>CONTRACT_ZWEI_DOPPELSOLDNER</ContractType>
   <UnitType>UNIT_JFD_DOPPELSOLDNER</UnitType>
   <UseUniqueIfAvailable>true</UseUniqueIfAvailable>
</JFD_Contract_Units>


	<UnitPromotions>
			<Type>PROMOTION_ZWEI_DOPPELSOLDNER</Type>
			<Description>TXT_KEY_CONTRACT_ST_MARK_DESC</Description>
			<Help>TXT_KEY_PROMOTION_ST_MARK_HELP</Help>
			<CannotBeChosen>true</CannotBeChosen>
			<IgnoreGreatGeneralBenefit>true</IgnoreGreatGeneralBenefit>
			<ExperiencePercent>-100</ExperiencePercent>
			<JFD_Mercenary>true</JFD_Mercenary>
			<PortraitIndex>58</PortraitIndex>
			<IconAtlas>ABILITY_ATLAS</IconAtlas>
			<PediaType>PEDIA_ATTRIBUTES</PediaType>
			<PediaEntry>TXT_KEY_CONTRACT_ST_MARK_DESC</PediaEntry>
	</UnitPromotions>

<UnitPromotions_JFD_UnitDialogues>
   <PromotionType>PROMOTION_ZWEI_DOPPELSOLDNER</PromotionType>
   <UnitDialogue>AS2D_SOUND_JFD_GERMAN</UnitDialogue>
</UnitPromotions_JFD_UnitDialogues>

	<Language_en_US>
		<!--Brotherhood of St. Mark-->
		<Row Tag="TXT_KEY_CONTRACT_ST_MARK_DESC">
			<Text>Brotherhood of St. Mark</Text>
		</Row>
		<Row Tag="TXT_KEY_CONTRACT_ST_MARK_ADJ">
			<Text>Brotherhood of St. Mark</Text>
		</Row>
		<Row Tag="TXT_KEY_CONTRACT_ST_MARK_TEXT">
			<Text>A group of German fencers wielding massive zweihander, entitled by the Holy Roman Emperor.</Text>
		</Row>
		<Row Tag="TXT_KEY_PROMOTION_ST_MARK_HELP">
			<Text>+100% [ICON_WAR] Attack vs Spearmen, Pikemen, and Lancers. +20% [ICON_STRENGTH] Combat Strength to adjacent Landsneckht.</Text>
		</Row>
	</Language_en_US>
</GameData>

Edit: Problem Solved.

Sorry, so did you get it working? The Contract appears in-game?

Uhm, I started a medieval game and got a bunch of bare naked warriors as my starting units This intented?

Thanks though, it's awesome how the mercenaries turn to military contractors in the late game!

A consequence of how the game selects what units to give at the start. I'll see if I can't fix it.

Uhm thats a big Jäger

Spoiler :

Not sure how this would happen, as I don't include the Jaeger in this mod. Maybe an issue with ExCE. Are you running the latest version (7)?

 

[zwei833]

Sorry, so did you get it working? The Contract appears in-game?

Yes. Last night I edited my codes for many times and finally I got my contracts works in the game.
And I still strongly recommend you to write a template/tutorial about the <UnitPromotions> table in the Merc. mod and explain the tags of the <UnitPromotions> table, which is not in the wikia page now.


Later today, I will release my codes including 3 different contracts of the doppelsoldner unit.
And I have a plan to add special contracts for all those UUs which are historically mercenaries(for example: doppelsoldner, gallowglass, swiss guard, condottiere...) in the new civ mods.

Not sure how this would happen, as I don't include the Jaeger in this mod. Maybe an issue with ExCE. Are you running the latest version (7)?

I have the issue too. Yes, it is actually issue with ExCE. not Merc. I'm sure that I'm running the latest version (7) of ExCE.

 

[shaglio]

I assumed when I took the Bofor contract, that I would get 3 Cannons with 5 Level's worth of experience, not 3 Level 5 Cannons with 0 experience

See bottom left Unit Panel:

Spoiler :

EDIT: Also, it would be nice if there was a way to see which current Contracts you have open and how many turns are left until they expire. Maybe somewhere in the MERCENARY CONTRACTS OVERVIEW window.

 

[JFD]

Mercs. do not gain XP, so giving them any starting XP would be meaningless. They are not meant to completely obsolete having your own army.

You can view your current contracts in the Contracts overview, by clicking on the second button at the top (the one with the 'treasure chest' icon). You can also extend them there.

 

[MasterEcabob]

Another amazing mod, I really love the idea that they have unique "foreign" voiceovers with CulDiv! I haven't looked at the files yet, any chance you could throw a MGS reference or two in? It would be pretty damn cool to hire Big Boss to take care of your problems!

 

[shaglio]

You can view your current contracts in the Contracts overview, by clicking on the second button at the top (the one with the 'treasure chest' icon). You can also extend them there.

Oh, dummy me! I didn't realize that icon was clickable. I'll have to check it out with my next contract, since my last one expired and I didn't have the funds to renew it.

 

[TranquilSilence]

Another amazing mod, I really love the idea that they have unique "foreign" voiceovers with CulDiv! I haven't looked at the files yet, any chance you could throw a MGS reference or two in? It would be pretty damn cool to hire Big Boss to take care of your problems!

True this, a late game MSF or Diamond Dogs contract would be fantastic!

 

[RawSasquatch]

I really like the concept of this mod, especially now that I've seen Bofors (and other manufacturers for Siege/post-Industrial Ranged/Armor units, I'd assume) is a contract for Cannons. For a long time, I had ideas bouncing around my head about how a mod customizing soldiers' equipment could work without being too micromanage-y for civ, and I think you got it right.

 

[MasterEcabob]

Looking through the code, I see you gave us Weyland-Yulandi, so that's pretty sweet. Other references off the top of my head: Umbrella Corp, Aperture Science (can airlift without airports!), Space-X (guided missiles have 50% to respawn) that's all for now though.

 

[zwei833]

Wait! Swiss Guard is the UU( replace landsknecht) of the Papal State. Now Landsknechts can't bought from city and only availble from contract, so how can the Papal state get its UU now? If Swiss Guard can only get from contract, that every civ can get it(when the Papal state mod is enable) and it is no more 'unique' for the Papal state.

 

[RawSasquatch]

Wait! Swiss Guard is the UU( replace landsknecht) of the Papal State. Now Landsknechts can't bought from city and only availble from contract, so how can the Papal state get its UU now? If Swiss Guard can only get from contract, that every civ can get it(when the Papal state mod is enable) and it is no more 'unique' for the Papal state.

I would assume that this just affects the Landsknecht itself, and not any derivative UUs. I'd think that the Swiss Guard's requirements for purchase (Piety unlocked, last I checked) haven't been changed yet.

 

[zwei833]

Ok, that's good.

 

[Natan35]

Ummm... Foreign legion are hardly mercenaries....

 

[JFD]

True this, a late game MSF or Diamond Dogs contract would be fantastic!

Another amazing mod, I really love the idea that they have unique "foreign" voiceovers with CulDiv! I haven't looked at the files yet, any chance you could throw a MGS reference or two in? It would be pretty damn cool to hire Big Boss to take care of your problems!

I could certainly. If I knew what these things were

Ummm... Foreign legion are hardly mercenaries....

Technically, there're the exact opposite of Mercenaries. However, I didn't want to trouble Jan for art for something that most people probably won't ever get to. Come to think of it, I actually forgot to change whatever Ideology unlocks them anyway.

 

[TranquilSilence]

I could certainly. If I knew what these things were

In the Metal Gear franchise, MSF is a PMC founded by one of the main characters (I guess he's both a protagonist and an antagonist) - Diamond Dogs is the successor organisation.

I don't know if this was only on my end - but it seemed that the Mercenary contracts are replaced by the later tech levels a little early. For instance, I was unable to hire any Gaesatae because soon after researching them the contract was replaced by one offering Landsneckht despite the fact that I had not yet researched Civil Service. Was this because one of the other players had researched the tech (I wasn't able to check) or just a feature of the mod?

Only a minor gripe however, as I really enjoy the system as it is thus far - and it provided me an excuse to finally try (and enjoy) the commerce tree.

 

[JFD]

Actually, I found that to be a problem too. I was playtesting George V and hoped to employ a Merc. Navy instead of bothering with science and literacy and learning to swim, but found that it obsoleted far too quickly. I also discovered that there is an outstanding bug preventing the AI from taking out Merc. Contracts (a bug leftover from testing). So I'll probably get to fixing that in a few days.

So, in the meantime, if anyone wants to suggest other Contractors, I can add those in at the same time. I'll add in the ones already mentioned - fictional ones are great for the modern eras because it means companies like DynCorp and Sandline aren't knocking on my door, asking why they're not 5 stars