雇佣兵

Hiring mercenaries

Mercenaries are bands of troops that can be hired for a price. They can be hired from the Military screen on the Mercenaries Tab.

You can hire mercenary companies whose capital is within a certain distance of your capital. Usually 600 for normal mercenaries. Some mercenaries have different hire range. Many mercenary companies are further limited to one or two religious groups, but unlike holy orders, they will fight any foe and always require wealth upkeep.

Cost

In addition to the initial hiring fee, they have upkeep fees which are much higher than any of your own troops'. Be sure that you have plenty of money to pay them. Mercenaries who do not get paid will at best stand down, and will at worst defect to the enemy or declare war on you (which can even happen in the middle of a battle). Mercenary companies cannot be set to raid.

When hiring mercenaries, the full force of their unit will not be available if they are still recovering from losses sustained under a previous employer. They will gradually replenish their manpower over time. Check their manpower on the mercenary screen to ensure you'll get what you pay for.

The cost of hiring a troop does not vary based on how many units they currently possess, but the cost of maintenance does decrease as the mercenaries take casualties. For this reason, and because mercenaries can replenish casualties while on the field (standard levies do not replenish on the field), it is beneficial to put mercenaries wherever casualties are expected to be highest. The monthly upkeep of a company depends on that unit's current size. A thrifty and unscrupulous ruler may deliberately waste half of a company in a futile assault in order to save money.

Mechanics

Mercenary troops can only be hired by one ruler at a time - therefore it is possible that, at any given time, all the mercenaries which are within your hiring range may be unavailable because they have been hired by other realms. If your war strategy depends on the hiring of mercenaries, ensure that you check mercenary availability before declaring war. You could even hire them before the war starts (only raised levies prevent you from declaring war). Mercenary troop technology bonuses depend on the technology level of the mercenary company's capital province. Even if the company is landed, mercenary troops are not affected by building bonuses to troop offense or defense.

The composition ratio of the company is fixed, but the actual number of troops increases with time, based on size and current year.

A mercenary company is considered a titular duchy and uses open elective succession law.

Vassalization

Mercenary companies may become landed, which usually results from the bankruptcy of their employer leading to the company declaring war on them and seizing territory in lieu of their pay. For example, it's not uncommon to see Venezia ruled by the Company of the Hat. A landed company may be vassalized diplomatically. The requirements are as follows:

• Same religion
• If you are a king, the captain must be of your culture. If you are an emperor, this doesn't apply.
• The captain must hold a duchy title of which you are the de jure liege.

If the captain is landed but does not hold a duchy title (other than his captaincy), it is possible to force him to acquire one. You will need to get wives for all of the men in that mercenary company, as while a mercenary captain can't marry, his courtiers can. Then wait until they have children and those children become adults. Eventually someone with living relatives will become captain. You then need to invite the son/father/brother of the captain to your court, give him a duchy, make sure the captain is his heir and then kill him off, which ensures that one of your de jure ducal titles passes to the captain and making you his de jure liege. Make sure your laws permit inheritance outside of the realm before you do that.

Some companies start as vassals, as noted in the table below. In the earliest starts, the Byzantine Emperor can create and vassalize the Varangian Guard by decision.

If a mercenary company is a vassal, only their liege can hire them, and they're much cheaper.

Dynamic mercenaries

Some rulers can send their children or siblings to prove themselves as mercenaries:

• With the Horse Lords DLC, nomads and their descendants who maintain the "Mercenary Traditions" character modifier
• With the Holy Fury DLC, rulers with bloodlines described with "Children can prove themselves as Mercenaries"

With the Conclave DLC, other rulers can assign a courtier with a military education to lead a mercenary band. This costs 50 wealth and reduces your demesne levies through a "Maintaining Mercenary Band" modifier. In exchange, the band will pay 15% of its income into your treasury. You can also further invest into upgrading your mercenaries. After creating the band, you'll have the options to send it troops or equipment. For 50 wealth, you can add another 100 Light Infantry or 100 Light Cavalry. Sending equipment converts these Light Troops. For 50 wealth, you can either convert 50 Light Infantry into Heavy Infantry or Pikemen or you can convert 50 Light Cavalry into Heavy Cavalry. In order to send troops or equipment, the mercenary band must not be hired out; right-click on the mercenary captain's portrait to see the options.

Sending relatives to prove themselves as mercenaries may help them gain prestige, especially helpful with nomad succession. However, it risks their death in battle or religious conversion, unless you hire them to stand in a safe location.

List of mercenary companies

List of mercenary companies (in order from landed_titles.txt)

CoA	Name	Capital		Religion	Culture	Hire conditions	Vassalizable by decision	Composition	Size	ID
	Turkmen Company	Emba		Sunni	Turkish		No	50% 50%	5	d_sunni_turkic_company
	Khazar Company	Yaik		Sunni	Cuman	Muslim religion group Zoroastrian religion group	No	25% 75%	4	d_sunni_cuman_company
	Berber Company	Atlas		Sunni	Berber	Muslim religion group Zoroastrian religion group	No	25% 13% 38% 25%	3	d_sunni_berber_company
	Arab Company	Halaban		Sunni	Bedouin	Muslim religion group Zoroastrian religion group	No	25% 50% 25%	3	d_sunni_bedouin_company
	Turkoman Company	Emba		Shiite	Turkish		No	50% 50%	5	d_shiite_turkic_company
	Steppe Company	Yaik		Shiite	Cuman	Muslim religion group Zoroastrian religion group	No	25% 75%	4	d_shiite_cuman_company
	Tuareg Company	Atlas		Shiite	Berber	Muslim religion group Zoroastrian religion group	No	25% 13% 38% 25%	3	d_shiite_berber_company
	Bedouin Company	Halaban		Shiite	Bedoin	Muslim religion group Zoroastrian religion group	No	25% 50% 25%	3	d_shiite_bedouin_company
	The White Company	Essex		Catholic		Christian religion group	No	20% 58% 2% 20%	5	d_white_company
	The Great Company	Niederbayern		Catholic		Christian religion group	No	76% 4% 20%	5	d_great_company
	Company of St. George	Lombardia		Catholic		Christian religion group	No	29% 41% 1% 29%	4	d_company_of_st_george
	Company of the Star	Ferrara		Catholic		Christian religion group	No	20% 58% 2% 20%	4	d_star_company
	Company of the Hat	Mantua		Catholic		Christian religion group	No	20% 58% 2% 20%	3	d_little_hat_company
	Company of the Rose	Padua		Catholic		Christian religion group	No	20% 58% 2% 20%	3	d_rose_company
	Catalan Company	Barcelona		Catholic	Catalan	Christian religion group	No	20% 58% 2% 20%	3	d_catalan_company
	Navarrese Company	Navarre		Catholic	Basque	Christian religion group	No	20% 50% 10% 20%	2	d_navarrese_company
	Swiss Company	Geneve		Catholic		Christian religion group	No	40% 40% 20%	2	d_swiss_company
	Breton Company	Penthievre		Catholic	Breton	Christian religion group	No	40% 20% 20% 20%	2	d_breton_company
	Sardinian Company	Cagliari		Catholic	Italian	Christian religion group	No	49% 16% 2% 33%	2	d_sardinian_company
	Sardinian Band	Arborea		Catholic	Italian	Christian religion group	No	40% 20% 13% 27%	1	d_sardinian_band
	Victual Brothers	Marienburg		Catholic		Christian religion group (Reformed) Germanic religion (Reformed) Suomenusko religion (Reformed) Romuva religion	No	34% 32% 2% 23% 1%	5	d_victual_brothers
	Varangian Guard	Uppland		Orthodox	Germanic		Yes (Byzantine Empire, by decision (costs 300 gold and prestige, must be some Germanic pagan rulers not too far away) or from 911)	78% 11% 11%	6	d_varangian_guard
	Cuman Company	Yaik		Orthodox	Cuman		No	25% 75%	5	d_cuman_company
	Rus Company	Kiev		Orthodox	Russian		No	40% 20% 20% 20%	4	d_rus_company
	Pecheneg Company	Olvia		Orthodox	Pecheneg		No	75% 13% 13%	3	d_pecheneg_company
	Bulgarian Company	Dorostotum		Orthodox	Bulgarian		No	40% 20% 20% 20%	2	d_bulgarian_company
	Turkic Company	Emba		Orthodox	Turkish		No	75% 13% 13%	3	d_turkic_company
	Lombard Band	Lombardia		Catholic		Christian religion group	No	40% 20% 20% 20%	1	d_lombard_band
	Swiss Band	Geneve		Catholic		Christian religion group	No	40% 40% 20%	1	d_swiss_band
	Breton Band	Penthievre		Catholic	Breton	Christian religion group	No	40% 20% 20% 20%	1	d_breton_band
	Catalan Band	Barcelona		Catholic	Catalan	Christian religion group	No	20% 40% 20% 20%	1	d_catalan_band
	Saxon Band	York		Catholic	Saxon	Christian religion group	No	10% 50% 10% 30%	1	d_saxon_band
	Cuman Band	Yaik		Orthodox	Cuman		No	25% 75%	1.5	d_cuman_band
	Rus Band	Kiev		Orthodox	Russian	Christian religion group Pagan religion group	No	60% 20% 20% 20%	1.5	d_rus_band
	Finnish Band	Häme		Suomenusko	Finnish	Christian religion group Pagan religion group	No	47% 16% 16%	1	d_finnish_band
	Lappish Band	Kemi		Suomenusko	Lappish	Christian religion group Pagan religion group	No	64% 36%	1	d_lappish_band
	Lithuanian Band	Lietuva / Zhmud		Romuva	Lithuanian	Christian religion group Pagan religion group	No	50% 11% 22% 17%	1	d_lithuanian_band
	Abyssinian Band	Axum		Miaphysite	Ethiopian	Christian religion group Jewish religion group	No	50% 17% 17% 17%	1.5	d_abyssinian_band
	Nubian Band	Hayya		Miaphysite	Ethiopian	Christian religion group Jewish religion group	No	50% 17% 17% 17%	1.5	d_nubian_band
	Scottish Band	Gowrie		Catholic	Scottish	Always	No	37% 26% 16% 5%	1.5	d_scottish_band
	Irish Band	Cill Dara		Catholic	Irish	Always	No	42% 11% 11% 37%	1	d_irish_band
	Alan Band	Alania		Orthodox	Alan	Always	No	14% 43% 43%	1.5	d_alan_band
	Pecheneg Band	Olvia		Orthodox	Pecheneg		No	14% 43% 43%	1.5	d_pecheneg_band
	Bulgarian Band	Dorostotum		Orthodox	Bulgarian		No	40% 20% 20% 20%	1	d_bulgarian_band
	Turkic Band	Emba		Orthodox	Turkish		No	40% 20% 20% 20%	1	d_turkic_band
	Mamluks	Cairo		Shiite		Muslim religion group	No (Egypt from 850)	17% 33% 8% 17% 25%	6	d_mamluks
	Adriatic Galleys	Venice		Catholic		Year 1066 and Christian religion group	No	100%	9	d_venetian_navy
	Ligurian Galleys	Genoa		Catholic		Year 1066 and Christian religion group	No	100%	9	d_genoese_navy
	Baltic Cogs	Lübeck		Catholic		Year 1066 and Christian religion group	No	100%	9	d_hanseatic_navy
	North Sea Cogs	Holland		Catholic		Year 1066 and Christian religion group	No	100%	9	d_frisian_navy
	Maghreb Navy	Mahdia		Sunni	Berber	Year 1066 and Muslim religion group	No	100%	9	d_maghreb_corsairs
	Ghilman	Kara-Kum		Sunni		Muslim religion group	No (Persia from 1037, Rum from 1157)	17% 39% 3% 17% 25%	6	d_ghilman
	Ghanan Band	Ghana		West African	Manden	West African culture group	No	50% 17% 17% 17%	1.5	d_ghanan_band
	Tamil Band	Tagadur		Hindu	Tamil		No	56% 14% 28% 3%	1	d_tamil_band
	Marathi Company	Vairagara		Hindu	Marathi		No	49% 25% 12% 12% 1%	3	d_marathi_company
	Marathi Band	Vairagara		Hindu	Marathi		No	49% 25% 12% 12% 1%	1	d_marathi_band
	Bengal Company	Candradvipa		Hindu	Bengali		No	42% 28% 14% 14% 3%	3	d_bengal_company
	Bengal Band	Candradvipa		Hindu	Bengali		No	42% 28% 14% 14% 3%	1	d_bengal_band
	Rajput Company	Mandavyapura		Hindu	Rajput		No	37% 25% 25% 12% 1%	3	d_rajput_company
	Rajput Band	Mandavyapura		Hindu	Rajput		No	37% 25% 25% 12% 1%	1	d_rajput_band
	Dragon Army	Anxi		Taoist	Han	Long hiring range (1300)	No	25% 25% 19% 3% 28%	6	d_han_massive
	Phoenix Company	Anxi		Taoist	Han	Long hiring range (1300)	No	15% 31% 31% 2% 20%	5	d_han_large
	Qilin Company	Anxi		Taoist	Han	Long hiring range (1300)	No	36% 14% 14% 12% 24%	3	d_han_mid
	Tortoise Company	Anxi		Taoist	Han	Long hiring range (1300)	No	29% 24% 12% 12% 24%	2	d_han_mid_low
	Outlaws of the Marsh	Anxi		Taoist	Han	Long hiring range (1300)	No	40% 40% 20%	2	d_outlaws_of_the_marsh
	Crane Band	Anxi		Taoist	Han	Long hiring range (1300)	No	36% 14% 14% 14% 21%	1	d_han_low
	Peony Band	Anxi		Taoist	Han	Long hiring range (1300)	No	51% 11% 37%	1	d_han_tiny_1
	Orchid Band	Anxi		Taoist	Han	Long hiring range (1300)	No	52% 6% 6% 35%	1	d_han_tiny_2
	Jurchen Band	Anxi		Taoist	Jurchen	Long hiring range (1300)	No	33% 67%	1.5	d_jurchen_band
	Tangut Band	Jyekundo		Buddhist	Tangut	Hiring range: 800	No	43% 36% 21%	1	d_tangut_low
	Bodpa Band	Purang		Bon	Bodpa	Hiring range: 800	No	29% 14% 29% 29%	1	d_bodpa_low
	Treasure Fleet	Samatata		Taoist	Han	Hiring range: 1200	No	29% 22% 22% 21% 6%	5	d_treasure_fleet
	Han Junks	Samatata		Taoist	Han	Hiring range: 1000	No	100%	9	d_han_junks
	Jurchen Corsairs	Samatata		Taoist	Jurchen	Hiring range: 1000	No	100%	9	d_jurchen_corsairs
	Persian Caravan Guards	Merv		Shiite	Persian		No	67% 33%	3	d_persian_caravan_guards
	Silk Road Sentinels	Udabhanda		Buddhist	Panjabi		No	35% 22% 39%	3	d_silk_road_sentinels
	Turkish Guard	Syr Darya		Khurmazta	Turkish		No	67% 33%	3	d_turkic_guard

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