I personally love to use mercs early on playing as GRE. Ater taking Pomerania FIRST TURN of the game, I always build an inn ASAP. This allows me to attract mercs quick for an Instant Army of very high quality troops before the cash crunch hits. I then take those guys and take Ile de France, Flanders, and Champaign.

All in all, an excellent opening.

I agree with you that it would be very historically accurate for mercs to rebuild their numbers. However, I would asusme that it would screw up game balance something fierce.

I would have personally loved to have seen a "contract conversion feature" in which you could buy out a merc company's contract and bring them on a full-time household troops.