What makes a mercenary?

[Kagemusha]

Is this thread about what is the meaning of the word of mercenary or what one would think it is? I think its wrong to call a soldier of National standing army an mercenary. Mercenary is an fighter who sells his abilitys for anyone with the right money. Its same like calling a police officer an private security guard.
Thats my five cents anyway.

[Tribesman]

What makes a mercenary ?
First you must build an Inn , then they may turn up and you can hire them and add them to your army , but beware as they are expensive and their loyalty is often low , plus you cannot upgrade or retrain them .

[Kagemusha]

Lol! But sometimes you can hire them only by moving your general out of the city. And i also remember earlier situations where you just cant get those no matter what you do.

[Crazed Rabbit]

They ARE mercenaries. PERIOD.
They werent forced to go to Iraq, they werent serving their country out of duty and devotion, they are professional employed for money.
It makes me sick seeing all those coffins covered with the flag, what about the WWII veterans? Those who died for their country with no monetary gain (on both sides)? My grandfather fought against Mussolini not because the governement would give him money but because he was defending his family and his homeland. So its time to stop pretending that those mercenaries in Iraq are some kind of heroes because heroes dont fight for money...

Hellenes

What a bunch of crap. You want to know who were really mercenaries? All the soldiers who made up 'The Ten thousand' who fought under the Persians solely for money. Or all of Alexander's soldiers who were paid to march to India, subjecting peoples along the way.

Learn the difference.

Crazed Rabbit