Age of Strategy Forums

I'm honestly not sure how to suggest this properly but ill try.

With the current payment method for mercs, it's inefficient to do so. Because of this, no one really pays the mercs and most likely will just let them die and train new one. Their use is most likely as defence rather than for attacking which is kinda good in a sense.

So yeah, I want to suggest this. What if there's a unit (can be an existing one) that would be able to pay them through range? I mean, healers have range heals, why not payment also?

Minister?
Ability:
pay one unit
Range:5
Sacrifice unit within 5 range to pay a merc.

Or this could just be the current condotierre but now a solo version.

There could also be like a "payment center" which could have a really great range like 10-20 that could be used to pay the mercs. Maybe the merc building suggestion?

Efficiency to get courier to the unit is one thing, but there are other.
- unit survivability is too low, so it's not worth to invest, as it's gonna be dead before ending vanishing anyway
- there is no real reason to keep older units, as there is no experience bonus of any kind
- there is no difference between paying cheaper or pricier mercenary, with shorter or longer leaving, so cost-efficiency may dictate to skip cheapest

But it's about general balancing of mercenaries, which is kind of limited with engine.

Coming back to real topic - there is only small problem of cost/turns.
As number of turns decreased/increased on effect or cooldown is set in stone on effect definition - there would need to be separate effect for each cost.
And it still leaves some problems with sacrifices choosing.
I really wonder if easier solution wouldn't be to just increase default range of pay mercenary effect to something like 3-5.

Although I like suggestion of merc factory having innate ability to increase leaving with huge range.
It could additionally have an aura to stop leaving in vicinity (+1 leaving each turn not stackable).

Also - moved topic.

Endru1241 wrote: ↑Sun Jun 12, 2022 4:19 pm It could additionally have an aura to stop leaving in vicinity (+1 leaving each turn not stackable).

Oh, that could be interesting indeed, I like that idea too.