Your choice of mercenaries

[numahr]

Let's exchange opinions on a strategic issue...

What is your approach toward mercenaries as Carthage or anyone else with a wide choice?

Since you can not use the decision so often, you have to choose. Choosing involves comparing profiles of the different units you can get... Gallic, Italic, Greek, Iberian, Numidian...? Which one(s) do you hire, and why?

I have just started the long 1st Punic War as Carthage, and so far my choice goes for Italic mercs, with the thought that quasi-Romans are the best bet to fight Romans... Future will tell me if that is reasonable.

[Florent]

At first and in emergency, i always choose Italic and Greeks because they appear in Sicily and i can get reinforcements there rapidly.
Thereafter i take Gallic and Iberians. I don't take any numidians since they are by 1200 men units to be compared with 6000 infantry for others and...at the same cost.

[Franciscus]

Just to add that in the beta patch the availability of mercenaries for CAR in the first Punic War has been reduced as it was felt too many became available overtime (much more than historical).

To be tested for official patch, though

Regards

[Ben]

Do hope some attention to the samnite and mercenary war scenarios is also being given in the patch. Samnite war can run to a stalemate as the romans when you defeat everything but are unable to destroy the last samnite troops due to being unable to enter the provinces they're in. It basically means you'll have to press end turn for the entire duration of the scenario with nothing else happening.

Mercenary was is quite exciting, though having more problems appear for the Carthagenians due to uprising Libyan and Nubian forces and towns would be fun. As it is several towns join the mercs and you can recieve cavalery as the mercs but the threat stays minimal for Carthage. While in reality they really did stand a good chance to lose their entire 'backyard' to a growing rebellion. More events giving more troops to the mercs as they keep being succesfull would go a long way. Perhaps even a possible Nubian uprising if the mercs keep doing well. As it is now the scenario is a cakewalk for the Carthaginians and an excersize in futility for the mercs.

[PJJ]

I prefer the Gauls and the Iberians. They seem to be very tough fighters.

[Kotik]

what ever floats my boat I recruit mercs quite aggressively both s reinforcement and to replace lesser units. I just wish that there were more to recruit, especially for non-romans.

[bob.]

This is a bit of a late reply, but is it intended that the Italian and Greek mercenaries are 100 % identical? Seems like there should be at least a little difference between the two, just for a bit more flavour?

[dans221]

As Carthage in the First Punic War, I like to get Iberians and Ligurians at every chance I get. The reason is that recruitment of mercenaries is a finite resource -- if you don't use it the option doesn't respawn. And I like Iberians and Ligurians because they have the highest combat strength and number of men, and they get hill/mountain bonuses which is great fighting tough Roman legions when frontage is limited.

I agree with bob, and would also like to see some differences between Italiot and Greek mercenaries. It would be nice to get a different flavour between them.

Another thing I would like to see is an option to recruit Balearic Slingers. They're not particularly useful, but since you can recruit all the other mercs, why not Balearics which Carthage historically used?