Quote Originally Posted by [b
Quote[/b] (Malcolm Big Head @ April 06 2004,19:03)]It seems mercenary units tend to congregate to border territories, especially if it is a hostile border. I think the balance is found in the mercenary units generally being disloyal and having a higher upkeep cost. I am not sure but I think they may also have lower valor than a trained unit.
Mercenary units can have a higher valour than ordinary ones, since they are drawn from disbanded units and a 'pool' of general mercenaries. If a high valour unit has been disbanded by another faction, you may be able to hire it. The main disadvantage to mercenaries is their upkeep-double that of the normal units cost. I generally use mercenary units like smart bombs-I buy a whole army of them, and then send them in to a hevily defended enemy province to weaken their defences-usually dying in the attempt. This means that their high upkeep cost doesn't affect me as much.