Interesting Mercenaries

[Empirate]

I usually only hire mercs in the early game, and like many others here, I just can't resist Longbowmen and Billmen (esp. when not English), Catapults (dirt-cheap upkeep), Italian Light Infantry (best spearmen around!) and Khwarazmian Cavalry (when all the heavy cav you have are Royals, these come in handily).
I try to build specialized foreign contingents sometimes, containing many merc horse archers when Catholic or many heavy infantry (Druzhina!) when Muslim or Byzantine. I tend to find the best variety of mercs, and the most frequent refills, in provinces that are really poorly developed and don't have a big income either. Try to build Inns in Bretagne/Ireland/Norway and some Med islands, as these can be quickly relocated by sea.

[SCRIBE]

Ah so I see the general consensus on longbowmen, ital infantry, and billmen.
Has anyone found Almughavars to be useful?

[Ironside]

Ah so I see the general consensus on longbowmen, ital infantry, and billmen.
Has anyone found Almughavars to be useful?

Admittably they had weapon upgrades (made them trainable in Aragon), but they can really chop up cav fast. That they can get a volley off before the charge if the hill is steep enough is only an improvement.

They don't preform too well in prolonged melee though, but the most unique unit in MTW has to have some downside

[Kralizec]

As the Almohads, I loved hiring any lancer mercenaries I could find, thereby using my enemy's best unit against them

Gallowglasses I also found useful, even as mercenaries their upkeep isn't very high.

I regularily trebuchets and mangonels, as I can't be bothered to build the required infrastructure myself unlike gunpowder artillery.

[SCRIBE]

They don't preform too well in prolonged melee though, but the most unique unit in MTW has to have some downside

Don't forget rare!
Ah, I feel like installing MTW again after that disheartening virus attack.
And maybe doing that cheat code to play as the rebels and build an empire as the Khazar Khaganate and the steppe peoples.