CKII is released.

[Average Manatee]

Yes, mercs are truly among the most imbalancing features of the game since they let you convert cash into soldiers with no practical limit and at such high efficiency. Abstaining them makes the game much more involved then simply getting lots of gold and conquering everything.

At one point I calculated the cost of hiring mercs permanently vs building castle improvements. For my sample merc group (don't remember which one it was, it was a random pick) the break even point in cost was about 50 years of the mercs being hired before building levies cost less than paying the mercs. And of course, you can't even upgrade your castles that much anyway, and upgrading vassals is... yeah, only a moron would upgrade vassal holdings.

 

[baturinsky]

Mercs are still expensive, and their numbers are limited. They seem a pretty good option for republics, but feudal emperor is better off with retinues and levies (even if he never upgrades them).

 

[Average Manatee]

Obviously you'll want to use the levies you have, and retinue are basically free in comparison to either.

The point is that if you have gold it's ridiculously more efficient to spend it on mercs than it is to build anything that gives you levies. Which is really kind of silly.

 

[communard]

Mercs are a good idea in theory. At least from a simulationist standpoint. The implementation is fucking garbage though. One way to fix it could be adding random events associated with your hired companies affecting their combat performance. Shit like them refusing to fight unless they're paid more or are up against what they perceive as bad odds. Both the player and the AI should be able to pro-actively bribe and/or manipulate employed mercenary companies to switch sides and the like as well. Relying on hired swords to fight your wars should be a risky endeavour, as it were historically.

 

[Malakal]

You know what would really help to balance the mercenary bands? Making their leaders have more personality and being your quasi vassals for the duration of the contract but without any loyalty and inclination to bad traits and deeds. Now they are puppets without their own will.

 

[RK47]

Ghanaian Band - Hired from 900 AD - 1080 AD
Employment Status: Still Employed under Kingdom of Mali. Served for 4 Generations.

 

[Zeriel]

Okay, this is bothering me. How do you establish the Varangian Guard as Byzantium in the Old Gods DLC? Hours of googling has only told me it's something I have to do, but I don't see it anywhere in any of my menus as an option.

 

[Sranchammer]

You know what would really help to balance the mercenary bands? Making their leaders have more personality and being your quasi vassals for the duration of the contract but without any loyalty and inclination to bad traits and deeds. Now they are puppets without their own will.

That sounds like it could be modded somehow even with the current limitations.

 

[RK47]

Okay, this is bothering me. How do you establish the Varangian Guard as Byzantium in the Old Gods DLC? Hours of googling has only told me it's something I have to do, but I don't see it anywhere in any of my menus as an option.

Check your intrigue.

 

[RK47]

Surprisingly there's a new merc I can hire, the Scottish band. I'll take what I can get another 2,000 on permanent employ is a big boost to a fledgling empire.

And being a Pagan empire is bullshit, you can simply walk in uninvited, drop 20k looter stack on Rome and collect.

 

[baturinsky]

Pretty badass, but why your emperor is so not-black-enough?

 

[RK47]

Ask Paradox.

 

[IDtenT]

Do you not have African faces DLC?

 

[RK47]

Why would anybody pay to look like a nigger?

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

Makes it easier to detect when your Patricians have caught jungle fever.

EDIT: Also, they really should have come up with reasonable limitations for Viking invasions. Right now in my Venice game I'm looking at a Norse Tunis. I mean, it's not a problem really, just frustrating beyond belief. IMO, they should have a hard-limit on both time, religious authority, region AND number of invasions so far on Vikings, so you won't end up with stuff much further away than Normandy.

 

[Borelli]

They should have put something to make the vikings go native because seeing couple of thousands of norse adventures spread their culture to civilized people is ridiculous.

 

[Kattze]

Makes it easier to detect when your Patricians have caught jungle fever.

EDIT: Also, they really should have come up with reasonable limitations for Viking invasions. Right now in my Venice game I'm looking at a Norse Tunis. I mean, it's not a problem really, just frustrating beyond belief. IMO, they should have a hard-limit on both time, religious authority, region AND number of invasions so far on Vikings, so you won't end up with stuff much further away than Normandy.

It wouldn't really matter. It would be swallowed by either Umayyads or Abbasids. In my experience, adventurers (even if they won their piece of land) didn't last long unless helped by some outside force (yours truly) like the Zoro kingdom of Ireland (with parts of Scotland) and Zoro duchy of Brittany (RIP, cannot help because of a faction war )

 

[Kattze]

Why would anybody pay to look like a nigger?

Better nigger than sandnigger.

 

[Malakal]

Makes it easier to detect when your Patricians have caught jungle fever.

EDIT: Also, they really should have come up with reasonable limitations for Viking invasions. Right now in my Venice game I'm looking at a Norse Tunis. I mean, it's not a problem really, just frustrating beyond belief. IMO, they should have a hard-limit on both time, religious authority, region AND number of invasions so far on Vikings, so you won't end up with stuff much further away than Normandy.

Remember that Normans conquered parts of southern Italy and that is very close to Tunisia. Frankly taking Cyprus also shouldn't be beyond their capacity. I'd get worried when they get Egypt.

 

[Corporate_Jew_Master]

Well South Italy was already an unstable battleground. Norman numbers or prowess wouldn't be nearly enough to take an organised bastion such as Tunis or Cyprus. I mean, they tried their hardest to invade Byzantium everytime it was in dire straits (such as civil war) and always got pushed back.

But since every paradox DLC breaks the faction it brings in, I suppose it wouldn't come as a surprise. Wonder in what way theocracies will be op.

 

[RK47]

Piety increases Levy Size and Retinue Strength.
Moar Holy Orders.
Grant Knight Titles for increased Martial Skillz.
Double Damage against enemy of faith.

 

[baturinsky]

Piety increases Levy Size and Retinue Strength.
Moar Holy Orders.
Grant Knight Titles for increased Martial Skillz.
Double Damage against enemy of faith.

And game is over when your first char dies

 

[Average Manatee]

Thinking too small here.

You can excommunicate anyone of your religion at any time (assuming pope likes you) and if you go to war with them all of their vassals who like you more than the king rise up to revolt against them and fight for you.

 

[Zeriel]

Okay, this is bothering me. How do you establish the Varangian Guard as Byzantium in the Old Gods DLC? Hours of googling has only told me it's something I have to do, but I don't see it anywhere in any of my menus as an option.

Check your intrigue.

I have. There's nothing there.

Is it supposed to be under decisions? I can reform Rome, and castrate a bunch of prisoners, but that's about it. I wonder if there's some sort of conflict with lots of DLC. I've got pretty much everything enabled, so...

Also: what's the consensus on Old Gods? Noticing a lot of complaints about the weirdness of the new mechanics. Worth playing after one go-through? i.e is this considered worthy as a base part of the game, like EU3's expansions? I'm kind of new to CK2, I have a lot more experience with EU3.

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

Yes, the Old Gods is overall an excellent expansion I'd say. It adds a whole lot of features under the hood, had no technical issues when released, and generally added some extra spice to the game.