What is the best type of government?

For you'r homeland region? currently playing Romani at Vh/M and it's been only 2 years and i've already captured Taras, Rhegion and Segesta.... currently seing that "homeland" is available i shouldn't bother with the lv 4 government rather the longer but in a long term better lv1. so seeing my experience with EB isnt that much yet i was wondering if this decision of mine is good. I like to micro my game so currently the unrest and culture penalties are relaxing even at my standard High tax rate and few garrisons.

Also another thing unrelated to the topic - are mercenaries worth recruiting? i like to form my armies like they were in the past even with the absurdly high cost of mercs.

Thanks and Cheers!

Mercenaries are worth recruiting, as much as to spice up the game as to add auxiliaries to your armies.

Yeah i like to make half of my army mercs and allied socii. although i wonder why mercs cost so much even when my standart hastati even rorarii's were better overall Lol.

The early Roman army is kind of... Well, it's basic. They get better once you start getting reforms.

Hey is it worth it to get type 4 governments for areas that you wont use as a military base? I mean, i find it is easy to set up far way from your capital, but with high corruption and the 800 or so upkeep of a client ruler, those kinds of settlements actually lose me money. Is type 3 better even though it lowers law and takes longer to set up?

what u should do is build a type 4 settlement in any new province (not far away, any new)
and then build up local MIC,
youll be surprised after full upgrades (by the time u finished building local MICs, client wouldve died)
so u destroy type 4 and built type 3, wait some 20 odd years of building than type 2 and wallah
basically, its better build a type 4 for every 2 or 3 close by settllements so u can supply elite local troops
some can get u neitos, gallic calvary 4got name, and even some can get u elite soldiers like scorawu (sp) and elite thracian warriors (ownage) which is i must say,, ownage 1v1 against any elite unit

anyways, if u dont want to bother with type 4 clients go type 3,, just a warning- some settlements with full local MICs can turn out elite heavy infantries thats only recruitable there so watch which settlements u put as type3 or 4

i tend to look in the recruitment Viewer to find out IF they have elite troops there at all, which lead me to establish some type 4 gouvernments in tracia (which is rather close to central greece(KH) and many type 3 in Italy or caucasia^^

Wait.. It's not possible to build the highest level of auxiliary barracks if you have the level I government??? WTF? I just invaded India and made it a homeland goverment.. Does that mean I won't be able to recruit those indian guild warriors?

Correct. Guild warriors require a level 4 native barrack, which can only be build under a type III or IV government.

Could I
1) raze my lvl 1 government
2) build lvl 3 goverment instead
3) build lvl 4 native barracks
4) raze lvl 3 goverment and rebuild the lvl 1 government that I originally had

and be able to recruit the guild warriors? I want the best from both worlds. :)

You can, but that is considered an exploit. But it is certainly possible.

Foot

My grandfather used to say that the best type of government is a benevolent dictatorship. But who's going to be be benevolent? Ooh, ooh, I will!

On another note, as most factions (for example, the SPQR) I gradually upgrade my government's from type III or IV established immediately after conquest to II and I (if possible) to represent the gradual process of Romanization. The exceptions are certain cities which historically remained allies/protectorates of Rome for a long period of time without direct interference in their government or military, such as Syracuse or Pergamum.

I always just build lvl 1 where I can, lvl 2 if there is no 1 and lvl 3 if there is no 1 or 2. Lvl 4 is pointless for me, especially now that I have removed client rulers to improve end turn times.