Population Problem of Mercenaries
Couldn’t the Mercenaries take up less population? For example, if Landsknecht has 2 populations or Ronin has 3 populations, but melee attacks against light infantry will be more useful if they have a negative multiplier of 0.1x to 0.5x. It’ll be worth the cost spent.
Summary
Let Mercenaries occupy less population.
mercenaries essentially gives you imperial age stats early, in some cases actually more than what imperial age stats of the standard unit is.
the units need to cost more pop, otherwise they would break the game, imagine Sweden with 1 pop mercenaries, they would break the game.
Outlaws may need a pop reduction tho, outlaw starts are no where to be seen
British + manor boom
Sweden + Torp boom
Japan + Shrine boom
These civs could pull it off, they already have a need to make tons of houses early game, sure worked 4 me