question about mercanaries..

**Magraev** · 04-10-2005, 20:41

Originally Posted by kekvitirae

Mercenary War Elephants are FAR too expensive (4000 initially, and 400 upkeep) and are too rare. Unfortunately, like all mercenaries, they cannot be retrained if their numbers fall, and thus are best used as makeshift rams instead of frontline troops.

I always buy them though (unless I can build elephants myself). They are useful but wasted as only rams. I like to use them for missile support and as a great charge down the middle at the crucial moment. Every time you lose one it's a tragedy though.

**Watchman** · 04-10-2005, 22:15

They're pretty neat for chasing off those über-annoying Egyptian chariots, though...

**MajorFreak** · 04-18-2005, 10:51

mmmmmm...i find that the elephants will sometimes take the place of the bedoin camel archers, which i love as well. i would like to know the "trick" to replenishing them tho, and hope the poster reveals this gem.

oh, and i'm darned sure that upgrading mercs never seems to work (anymore?)

**Kraxis** · 04-18-2005, 10:56

Of course you can upgrade them, that is not hard to do. Just send them to a city where there are upgrades available to their type and put them into the Retraining qeue.
I always upgrade my mercs as they might lag behind if you don't.

**MajorFreak** · 04-18-2005, 11:16

*ahem* go take your mercs into battle and you'll see nary an upgrade present, even though you might see it cosmetically on the strategy map.

**pezhetairoi** · 04-19-2005, 02:06

Well, what's the trick for replenishable mercs? Someone mentioned it but never elaborated on it...

**Kraxis** · 04-19-2005, 17:10

Originally Posted by MajorFreak

*ahem* go take your mercs into battle and you'll see nary an upgrade present, even though you might see it cosmetically on the strategy map.

What are you talking about??? I see plenty of upgrades, and they are applied as well. Are you sure you haven't mistaken some of your different mercs? I have a screenshot lying where this is very obvious, but sadly the uploadtool doesn't work at the moment.

pez, there is no trick. You have to find another depleted merc unit, then you can combine them. So obviously mercs are easier to use in large numbers.