New Mercenaries that could come in the New DLC?

Does anyone think that there could be new mercenaries in the DLC and if so what? I’d like to hear ideas.

I had a few ideas:

Sekban/Levend: A Turkish musketeer/skirmisher mercenary

Székely: A Hungarian speaking Uhlan

Gallowglass: A Gaelic Speaking Shock Infantry

Seimeni: A Serbian Speaking Skirmisher

Serduk: A Ukrainian speaking Strelet

Swiss Guard: A German Speaking Grenadier or Heavy Musketeer (Based off of European Swiss Regiments, not the Papal unit)

Redshank: A Gaelic speaking Azap

Genoese Crossbowman: A mercenary Paviser

Bashkir: A Bashkir Speaking Qizilbash or something similar.

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I listed quite a few options here:

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Great ideas! Adding mercenaries like Sekban or Gallowglass would definitely diversify the gameplay. I’d love to see some of these units in action. Another interesting addition might be unique abilities or bonuses tied to their historical roles. Looking forward to seeing what the DLC brings!

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I’d love for new merc additions to be a way to shoe-horn in the early modern era Euro units that would absolutely have been used during the games earliest ages.

Condottiere - A mounted Italian Merc captain. Similar to a Daimyo*, he can train certain mercs (mainly archaic, Renaissance-era ones such as Elmetto and Swiss Pikes) and would boost nearby mercs but would be horribly expensive and pop-heavy. * Disclaimer - Daimyo-style but has to be near friendly buildings to train.

European Arquebusiers - 16th century, renaissance-era styled Arquebusier (. A better version than the Chinese counterpart (which incidently would get renamed to a native language unit title). Addresses the popular wish for Euros to get Arquebusiers without changing up the default rosters

Border Reiver - a 16th century light (hand) cav unit from the British Isles. Despite operating as outlaw chiefdoms, they were very commonly hired as light cavalry due to their skill. Armed with a border lance and very lightly armoured, they rely on speed. What makes them unique is their passive ability to Raid when seiging buildings, giving tiny trickles of resources as they siege Economic buildings. Border Reivers could also have lesser Treasure Guardian / Outlaw variants (Border Raiders).

Organok - Controversial but hear me out. We make the Organ Gun, the infamously not-particulary Portuguese Unique Unit into a Mercenary artillerty unit. Around the time of AOE3, the use of them waned very quickly in Western Europe, however they lingered longer in Central/East Europe, particular Cossacks, Poles and Russians. In-game they could have Ukrainian VOs and the only other change could be that they have a passive which makes them more powerful when near friendly structures (reenforcing their defensive-only role). What happens to the Ports? They get a Berco (swivel gun) unit or a Berco crew unit (two Bercos with crew operating as a single in-game unit).

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no

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I had some artillery ideas too

Frame Gun (mercenary Leather cannon, based off Scot Conventor armies.)

Mitrailleuse or Hotchkiss Gun (Mercenary Gatling Gun)

Lonbarda (An Italian or Spanish cannon with a bonus to walls)

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Siege Engineer
Specialist European unit who can build Stockades (Campaign Art) which function as weaker forts that can garrison ranged infantry to boost firepower. Can also construct Observation Towers (Fort Tower models) which offer great sight and Gabions (which could have a similar damage absorption passive as Hospitallers). Armed with an axe which deals melee-siege damage.


Scottish Swordsman
Claymore and targe clansman. Melee light infantry unit that can charge.

British Legion
Mercenary British Riflemen. Ex-Napoleonic War soldiers lending their services in the various South American Wars of Independence.

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I think this is what the cannoneer tries to represent, though he uses the heavy arquebus or the original definition of “musket”.

Royal arquebusier also fits into this role very well.

These two units already cover generic looks of European arquebusiers (armored and un-armored) and a new one may not be visually distinct enough.

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I think the mercenary pool is already very bloated.

So unless the devs organize them into groups or draw them based on unit types, I think many such ideas should go into natives not mercenaries. Some regions still have very poor native coverage.

Some changes could be made with the highlander, for example the normal highlander could have a rework using a sword and shield transforming into a shock unit which in turn would make it a new mercenary unit, as for the Highlander (Black Watch Guard ) introduced in the previous August 2023 patch could continue to maintain its original appearance and would continue to be a musket unit, this way we could differentiate one unit from the other and each one would have a different use

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To be fair, you’re right. I guess it also doesn’t help that we have Outlaws as well which have a similar (and not particularly clear) role.

I’m all for more Native coverage and from that civs with particular Native links via HC shipments.

I love these ideas for new mercenaries! Each of them adds so much flavor and variety to the game. The Sekban/Levend as a Turkish musketeer/skirmisher is a fantastic idea, especially for the Ottomans, and the idea of a Szekely Uhlan is an awesome addition to the Hungarian roster. The Gallowglass as a Gaelic-speaking shock infantry could be a great way to bring in more versatile, heavy-hitting units for the European factions. The Bashkir as a Qizilbash also sounds like a unique and interesting concept. It would be cool to see how these units could complement existing strategies in the game. Great suggestions overall, hope we get something like this in a future DLC!

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Promyshlennik - A Russian mercenary explorer that can gather treasures, hunt (gains gold instead of food), and build Trading Posts.

Yamshchik - A Russian mercenary wagon driver that can transport (garrison) up to 5 foot units.

Fedayee - A Persian mercenary assassin that counters spies and mercenaries alike.

[i like the Russian ideas, especially a mercenary explorer, though it’d have to be limited or balanced in some way.

However wouldn’t the Fedayee be a bit early for this games time limit? It was a medieval sect that ceased to exist far before the games start period.

If we wanted an Iranian mercenary, perhaps a Baloch Arqubusier of some kind, as they were known to work as mercenaries for Indian powers and even Oman.

The amount of features Promyshlennik gets makes it look like native settlement/card unit

Yamshchik is just a trek wagon

Dunno how to feel about Fedayee, from what you say it’s just a spy. It could have been usefull to Native American civs but they don’t have access to mercenary units in the first place & giving them shipment of Persian unit is just weird.

PLC mercenary units were the Registered Cossacks and the Lisowczyk’s. Although I think Lisowczyk’s could be a Royal Guard for PLC civ (Cavalry Archer).

That’s a great question with some great responses. I wonder what they will cook up in the end!

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