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.
附庸雇佣兵
雇佣兵团可能会获得封地,这通常是由于他们的雇主因破产而发不出工资,此时雇佣兵可能会向其宣战,并最终以占领领土以代替工资。举例来说,一个被雇佣兵团统治的威尼斯并不罕见。有地的雇佣兵团可能可以通过外交方式附庸,要求如下:
如果佣兵队长是有地的,却未持有除了其队长头衔外的公国头衔,可以通过以下方式迫使他获得一个。首先你要让雇佣兵团中的所有男人结婚(尽管佣兵队张本人不能结婚,但是他的廷臣可以),然后等待他们的孩子长大成人。最终某个有活着的亲戚的人成为了佣兵队长,接着把佣兵队长的儿/父亲/兄弟邀请到你的宫廷,授予他公国头衔,在确保佣兵队张是他的继承人后杀了他,如此一来你的一个法理公国就被佣兵队长继承了,而你成为了他的法理领主。请注意:确保你的王权法没有限制领地外的角色的继承权。
有的雇佣兵团在开局时就是封臣,它们在下表中被特别注明。在早期剧本中,拜占庭皇帝可以通过决议建立并附庸瓦兰吉卫队。
被附庸的雇佣兵团只能被其领主雇佣,且花费会便宜得多。
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
CoA | Name | Capital | Religion | Culture | Hire conditions | Vassalizable by decision | Composition | Size | ID | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Turkmen Company | Emba | Sunni | Turkish | No |
|
5 | d_sunni_turkic_company | |||||||||||||
Khazar Company | Yaik | Sunni | Cuman | Muslim religion group Zoroastrian religion group |
No |
|
4 | d_sunni_cuman_company | ||||||||||||
Berber Company | Atlas | Sunni | Berber | Muslim religion group Zoroastrian religion group |
No |
|
3 | d_sunni_berber_company | ||||||||||||
Arab Company | Halaban | Sunni | Bedouin | Muslim religion group Zoroastrian religion group |
No |
|
3 | d_sunni_bedouin_company | ||||||||||||
Turkoman Company | Emba | Shiite | Turkish | No |
|
5 | d_shiite_turkic_company | |||||||||||||
Steppe Company | Yaik | Shiite | Cuman | Muslim religion group Zoroastrian religion group |
No |
|
4 | d_shiite_cuman_company | ||||||||||||
Tuareg Company | Atlas | Shiite | Berber | Muslim religion group Zoroastrian religion group |
No |
|
3 | d_shiite_berber_company | ||||||||||||
Bedouin Company | Halaban | Shiite | Bedoin | Muslim religion group Zoroastrian religion group |
No |
|
3 | d_shiite_bedouin_company | ||||||||||||
The White Company | Essex | Catholic | Christian religion group | No |
|
5 | d_white_company | |||||||||||||
The Great Company | Niederbayern | Catholic | Christian religion group | No |
|
5 | d_great_company | |||||||||||||
Company of St. George | Lombardia | Catholic | Christian religion group | No |
|
4 | d_company_of_st_george | |||||||||||||
Company of the Star | Ferrara | Catholic | Christian religion group | No |
|
4 | d_star_company | |||||||||||||
Company of the Hat | Mantua | Catholic | Christian religion group | No |
|
3 | d_little_hat_company | |||||||||||||
Company of the Rose | Padua | Catholic | Christian religion group | No |
|
3 | d_rose_company | |||||||||||||
Catalan Company | Barcelona | Catholic | Catalan | Christian religion group | No |
|
3 | d_catalan_company | ||||||||||||
Navarrese Company | Navarre | Catholic | Basque | Christian religion group | No |
|
2 | d_navarrese_company | ||||||||||||
Swiss Company | Geneve | Catholic | Christian religion group | No |
|
2 | d_swiss_company | |||||||||||||
Breton Company | Penthievre | Catholic | Breton | Christian religion group | No |
|
2 | d_breton_company | ||||||||||||
Sardinian Company | Cagliari | Catholic | Italian | Christian religion group | No |
|
2 | d_sardinian_company | ||||||||||||
Sardinian Band | Arborea | Catholic | Italian | Christian religion group | No |
|
1 | d_sardinian_band | ||||||||||||
Victual Brothers | Marienburg | Catholic |
Christian religion group |
No |
|
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) |
|
6 | d_varangian_guard | |||||||||||||
Cuman Company | Yaik | Orthodox | Cuman | No |
|
5 | d_cuman_company | |||||||||||||
Rus Company | Kiev | Orthodox | Russian | No |
|
4 | d_rus_company | |||||||||||||
Pecheneg Company | Olvia | Orthodox | Pecheneg | No |
|
3 | d_pecheneg_company | |||||||||||||
Bulgarian Company | Dorostotum | Orthodox | Bulgarian | No |
|
2 | d_bulgarian_company | |||||||||||||
Turkic Company | Emba | Orthodox | Turkish | No |
|
3 | d_turkic_company | |||||||||||||
Lombard Band | Lombardia | Catholic | Christian religion group | No |
|
1 | d_lombard_band | |||||||||||||
Swiss Band | Geneve | Catholic | Christian religion group | No |
|
1 | d_swiss_band | |||||||||||||
Breton Band | Penthievre | Catholic | Breton | Christian religion group | No |
|
1 | d_breton_band | ||||||||||||
Catalan Band | Barcelona | Catholic | Catalan | Christian religion group | No |
|
1 | d_catalan_band | ||||||||||||
Saxon Band | York | Catholic | Saxon | Christian religion group | No |
|
1 | d_saxon_band | ||||||||||||
Cuman Band | Yaik | Orthodox | Cuman | No |
|
1.5 | d_cuman_band | |||||||||||||
Rus Band | Kiev | Orthodox | Russian | Christian religion group Pagan religion group |
No |
|
1.5 | d_rus_band | ||||||||||||
Finnish Band | Häme | Suomenusko | Finnish | Christian religion group Pagan religion group |
No |
|
1 | d_finnish_band | ||||||||||||
Lappish Band | Kemi | Suomenusko | Lappish | Christian religion group Pagan religion group |
No |
|
1 | d_lappish_band | ||||||||||||
Lithuanian Band | Lietuva / Zhmud | Romuva | Lithuanian | Christian religion group Pagan religion group |
No |
|
1 | d_lithuanian_band | ||||||||||||
Abyssinian Band | Axum | Miaphysite | Ethiopian | Christian religion group
Jewish religion group |
No |
|
1.5 | d_abyssinian_band | ||||||||||||
Nubian Band | Hayya | Miaphysite | Ethiopian | Christian religion group
Jewish religion group |
No |
|
1.5 | d_nubian_band | ||||||||||||
Scottish Band | Gowrie | Catholic | Scottish | Always | No |
|
1.5 | d_scottish_band | ||||||||||||
Irish Band | Cill Dara | Catholic | Irish | Always | No |
|
1 | d_irish_band | ||||||||||||
Alan Band | Alania | Orthodox | Alan | Always | No |
|
1.5 | d_alan_band | ||||||||||||
Pecheneg Band | Olvia | Orthodox | Pecheneg | No |
|
1.5 | d_pecheneg_band | |||||||||||||
Bulgarian Band | Dorostotum | Orthodox | Bulgarian | No |
|
1 | d_bulgarian_band | |||||||||||||
Turkic Band | Emba | Orthodox | Turkish | No |
|
1 | d_turkic_band | |||||||||||||
Mamluks | Cairo | Shiite | Muslim religion group | No (Egypt from 850) |
|
6 | d_mamluks | |||||||||||||
Adriatic Galleys | Venice | Catholic | Year 1066 and Christian religion group | No |
|
9 | d_venetian_navy | |||||||||||||
Ligurian Galleys | Genoa | Catholic | Year 1066 and Christian religion group | No |
|
9 | d_genoese_navy | |||||||||||||
Baltic Cogs | Lübeck | Catholic | Year 1066 and Christian religion group | No |
|
9 | d_hanseatic_navy | |||||||||||||
North Sea Cogs | Holland | Catholic | Year 1066 and Christian religion group | No |
|
9 | d_frisian_navy | |||||||||||||
Maghreb Navy | Mahdia | Sunni | Berber | Year 1066 and Muslim religion group | No |
|
9 | d_maghreb_corsairs | ||||||||||||
Ghilman | Kara-Kum | Sunni | Muslim religion group | No (Persia from 1037, Rum from 1157) |
|
6 | d_ghilman | |||||||||||||
Ghanan Band | Ghana | West African | Manden | West African culture group | No |
|
1.5 | d_ghanan_band | ||||||||||||
Tamil Band | Tagadur | Hindu | Tamil | No |
|
1 | d_tamil_band | |||||||||||||
Marathi Company | Vairagara | Hindu | Marathi | No |
|
3 | d_marathi_company | |||||||||||||
Marathi Band | Vairagara | Hindu | Marathi | No |
|
1 | d_marathi_band | |||||||||||||
Bengal Company | Candradvipa | Hindu | Bengali | No |
|
3 | d_bengal_company | |||||||||||||
Bengal Band | Candradvipa | Hindu | Bengali | No |
|
1 | d_bengal_band | |||||||||||||
Rajput Company | Mandavyapura | Hindu | Rajput | No |
|
3 | d_rajput_company | |||||||||||||
Rajput Band | Mandavyapura | Hindu | Rajput | No |
|
1 | d_rajput_band | |||||||||||||
Dragon Army | Anxi | Taoist | Han | Long hiring range (1300) | No |
|
6 | d_han_massive | ||||||||||||
Phoenix Company | Anxi | Taoist | Han | Long hiring range (1300) | No |
|
5 | d_han_large | ||||||||||||
Qilin Company | Anxi | Taoist | Han | Long hiring range (1300) | No |
|
3 | d_han_mid | ||||||||||||
Tortoise Company | Anxi | Taoist | Han | Long hiring range (1300) | No |
|
2 | d_han_mid_low | ||||||||||||
Outlaws of the Marsh | Anxi | Taoist | Han | Long hiring range (1300) | No |
|
2 | d_outlaws_of_the_marsh | ||||||||||||
Crane Band | Anxi | Taoist | Han | Long hiring range (1300) | No |
|
1 | d_han_low | ||||||||||||
Peony Band | Anxi | Taoist | Han | Long hiring range (1300) | No |
|
1 | d_han_tiny_1 | ||||||||||||
Orchid Band | Anxi | Taoist | Han | Long hiring range (1300) | No |
|
1 | d_han_tiny_2 | ||||||||||||
Jurchen Band | Anxi | Taoist | Jurchen | Long hiring range (1300) | No |
|
1.5 | d_jurchen_band | ||||||||||||
Tangut Band | Jyekundo | Buddhist | Tangut | Hiring range: 800 | No |
|
1 | d_tangut_low | ||||||||||||
Bodpa Band | Purang | Bon | Bodpa | Hiring range: 800 | No |
|
1 | d_bodpa_low | ||||||||||||
Treasure Fleet | Samatata | Taoist | Han | Hiring range: 1200 | No |
|
5 | d_treasure_fleet | ||||||||||||
Han Junks | Samatata | Taoist | Han | Hiring range: 1000 | No |
|
9 | d_han_junks | ||||||||||||
Jurchen Corsairs | Samatata | Taoist | Jurchen | Hiring range: 1000 | No |
|
9 | d_jurchen_corsairs | ||||||||||||
Persian Caravan Guards | Merv | Shiite | Persian | No |
|
3 | d_persian_caravan_guards | |||||||||||||
Silk Road Sentinels | Udabhanda | Buddhist | Panjabi | No |
|
3 | d_silk_road_sentinels | |||||||||||||
Turkish Guard | Syr Darya | Khurmazta | Turkish | No |
|
3 | d_turkic_guard |