Merging mercenaries

[RJV]

Hi all,

Is it possible to merge mercenary units together. Example I have 2 units of Merc Druzhina cavalry with about 10 men in each - can I combine them into 1 unit? I know I could if they were my own troops but I don't seem to be able to do it with mercs. Anyone?

Cheers.

[Snowhobbit]

Nope you can never merge mercenaries...

[The_Emperor]

It seems Mercs don't like working with Mercs they are not familiar with...

Still there's always plenty more waiting to take the place of a fallen unit

[RJV]

Hi,

Thanks both. Follow-up question then - if they are a unit that I could normally train, can I retrain them?

And out of interest, once a merc unit gets down to say below 50% of it's strength, do people out there get rid of them or do you hang on to them? Depends on their valour I guess, what's the general consensus?

Cheers.

[King John II]

No, you can't train them either.

I keep depleted units. If you were going into a big battle you would not want one of your slots used up by a mere remnant. But often enough you don't need a full stack of troops - when storming a castle for example or facing a markedly inferior foe.

So use the merc remnants for things like that.

You pay upkeep per man, not per unit, so once there are few men left in the unit the upkeep is pretty insignificant.

If you happened to be running a cash strapped empire I suppose other considerations might apply. Or if the effect of keeping the remnants was to leave other troops idle.

[Kristaps]

One used to be able to merge mercs before the VI expansion. They have taken this feature away now.

[MrWhipple]

When I get a bunch of depeleted merc units I use them for diversions and suicide attacks, like attacking a superior force to keep it from attacking, while using my good units to attack elswhere. They are also good to put into crusades, as you do not have to pay maintance on them while they are in the crusade. Once they get too small to be an effective unit (single digits) I disband them.

[desdichado]

Quote[/b] (MrWhipple @ Nov. 13 2003,03:42)]They are also good to put into crusades, as you do not have to pay maintance on them while they are in the crusade. Once they get too small to be an effective unit (single digits) I disband them.
I hadn't heard of this. I thought you still had to pay maintenance on troops in a crusade but have never added mercenaries?

I think merc units should be able to gradually increase their numbers over time, with modifiers for type of unit, location etc. Merc commanders wouldn't simply let their unit dwindle in size without hiring some more and from what I have heard of hundred years war at least there were always bands of unemployed soldiers wandering about the countryside (french called them something beginning with R I think, bandits were Coredors or have I got it mixed up???).

Anyway, I like having an odd unit of merc longbows or jinettes whatever in my armies but as soon as they take 50% casualties there useless. Hmm, wonder if it could be modded?

[Papewaio]

Quote[/b] (Kristaps @ Nov. 13 2003,02:05)]One used to be able to merge mercs before the VI expansion. They have taken this feature away now.
{Considering I only have MTW and don't have VI}

You cannot merge, retrain, upgrade, give titles or otherwise enhance your mercs outside of the bonus to valour from the general.

Mercs given their expense should really only be used as briefly as possible and/or as often as possible. Given their expense they should be out their making head soup as often as possible.

Gah

[Herodotus]

Something that annoys me more than this, is the fact that you cannot merge units within a Crusade. It seems that every Crusade that i have sent has failed (except ones that only go a few provinces or go express by ship). They fail because my units are dwindled down into 10's and 20's so the most I can use at any one time is a few hundred men. Also my choice General, hand picked for his high piety and command always disapears with the deserters before reaching the east. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif

[MrWhipple]

The units in a crusade should auto merge. If you have a weak crusade send an army, with a good general, with them. They don't have to be part of the crusade officaly, but if they attack at the same time they fight as if they were the crusade.

[Brutal DLX]

Strange, I also seem to recall that merging mercenaries was possible, at least in v 1.00...
In VI, of course,it isn't possible anymore. I usually keep them if they are depleted but have high valour, and disband them when I need cash or have loyalty problems.

[RJV]

Hi,

Yes, I seemed to remember merging my mercs in the past, hence my question and my confusion when I realised I now couldn't. I don't often use them anyway (I tend to forget to build inns), but in my Turkish campaign I made a conscious effort to wipe out the Egyptians then use ransom monies and their nice rich provinces to fund a merc army capable of taking on the Byz. Works a treat, just takes me ages now on the pre-battle screen working out which units I want to send in and in what order...

Cheers.

[Saki]

If your units in the crusade are not merging check to see if you have auto merge on,and/or hit "M" while you have the crusade selected ot merge em manually.