What's your favourite mercenary?

Since I've been grumbling about rebels in my Poland campaign I thought I'd post something a bit more fun.

What's your favourite mercenary?

Mine is Alan Light Cavalry. I use these whatever faction I'm playing (Turks or Catholics. Not sure if the Egyptians can get them). They are strong, fast, and cheerful :D.

The main factor is that they can catch any fast missile unit (Kazaks, Turkomans, Cumans, Akinji, Mongol/Timurid horse archers) - and beat them when they catch them. Added to this they act more like a medium/light heavy cavalry in melee, and are great to charge at the enemy general while your own general catches him up.

They can also be upgraded at a Swordsmith's guild, and I take the trouble to do this when I get one. And, like most mercs, they can be retrained in cities as well as castles. Note that their replenishment rate is really slow, however.

The elephant artillery from Jedda are fun, but they don't travel well. I also like the Free Company polearm unit that appears late in northern Italy. Otherwise I use mercs for whatever is lacking - merc spearman if England, xbow men for the factions that don't have them etc.

How about you?

personally i just buy where i am an di ahvent played long enough to see al the mercs in the game. however i like to get desert units when i play a catholic faction and once as a muslim faction i had a bug where i could get crusade units when on jihad. ofc i ran straight to italy to get a big cross in my turkish army (ive only played england fully and turks and moors partially)

My favourite mercenary are Knights of Serbia , i got them when i was going on crusade on Constatinopole they were every were nothing cant stop them , they are cost a lot gold but they can do the most of the job :)

I find it annoying that many of the mercenaries (at least for western Europe) come later in the game. I generally am best at so typically play only as Western European Catholic factions. So unfortunately, I must say, the merc spearman and Frankish Knights. Had one full compliment of Frankish Knights up to one gold chevron in a recent campaign! :D

I agree with Six - those Serbian Knights rock. They're better than the merc German knights. It's their high armour rating, I think - they're so difficult to kill. Shame they're only available in the Balkans.

Serbs only live in balkan :) , they are best calvary unit i think , i am getting bored with campangh game meybe u can tell me some mod to download

I like the unhorsed knights in the Holy Lands. Equivalent to DFKs if memory serves and they are not a Crusade merc. However getting them just before taking Jerusalem means you will end up with 2 chevron heavy infantry. Very beneficial if you can't manipulate the pope to declare the first crusade to something better than Jerusalem.

I usually like getting the Mercenary Crossbowmen, pretty much at any time but especially in the beginning. I also like using the Armenian Archers and heavy cavalry when I'm in Anatolia because they're really cheap and quite good for the money.

Early in my campaign I got a lot of Mercenary Crossbowmen and they were really good to have until I got Scots Guard (very good archers!) and Aventurier (the best crossbowmen in the game!).

But my favorite mercenary unit so far is Alan Light Cavalry! As French I have access to a lot of heavy cavalry (Chivalric Knights, Lancers, Knights Hospitaller and Knights Templar) but I have no fast light cavalry at all, so the Alan Light Cavalry is very good to have! Just as sharpshooter said they're perfect for catching annoying horse archers and fleeing cavalry that your slower heavy cavalry cant outrun.

Alan Cavalry are REALLY nice. I love them: they hit as hard as mailed knights, but are faster!

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Originally Posted by Adelaide

Aventurier (the best crossbowmen in the game!).

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I think that title rightfully belongs to the Genoese Crossbowmen.

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Originally Posted by Myth

I think that title rightfully belongs to the Genoese Crossbowmen.

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Depends. Aventurias or whatever they are called are much better in melee than Genoese. In a shoot out, the genoese will come out ahead, but they arn't as capable in melee, and have much lower morale. Light cavalry types will see off the Genoese, while the Aventuriers will be much better at standing off enemy cavalry. Genoese are great, on the other hand, because you can spam them from minor cities, allowing you to field them much earlier and in far greater numbers.

It's certainly not a clear cut "one is best!" situation.

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Originally Posted by Myth

I like the unhorsed knights in the Holy Lands. Equivalent to DFKs if memory serves and they are not a Crusade merc. However getting them just before taking Jerusalem means you will end up with 2 chevron heavy infantry. Very beneficial if you can't manipulate the pope to declare the first crusade to something better than Jerusalem.

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I second this, I love the unhorsed knights. Saved my hide on more than one occasion in the holy lands. Egypt just can't take my walls if I have these boys sitting there.

Alan Light hands down... That charge is not for "light cavalry".. Shame that it's so hard to find them when I need them.

I neveruse mercenaries, although all you guys said is true, there are some awesome units.

My favourite Mercenary that I can't resist to not to get is Khwarazmian Cavalry. It's picture was epic in good old MTW.. Their stats are no different or lesser than European counterparts, but somehow they just don't die.. They are so powerful, I am thinking like there is a bug and they actually have 2 hitpoints.

I do enjoy the fun and rare units also: Rocket Launchers, Elephants... Even Ribault.

Mercenary Frankish Knights, Ghazis, Pavise crossbow militia

Though it's been said already, it bears repeating. Alan cavalry. As Russia, I used these guys as the precursors to my mighty Cossacks. And when I invaded Anatolia, I found yet more Alans! And so I had many, many Alans.

Serbian knights are also very good, and helped me keep the West at bay. (As always with Russia. xD)

Rocket launchers are a great mercenary! And elephant artillery as well. Sometimes ribaults are nice. (If you can't build them.) And the Pavise crossbow mercs are nice too. I used them alongside muskets sometimes.