Re: A few small tips...
 

FWIW, I usually bid about 10% over the asking price, and the AI never outbids me.

Re: A few small tips...
 

When I first started I just bid the asking price and found that I had about a 50% success rate. Then I changed my method to bid 10 to 15G over the asking price and seemed to always win.

Then I read this thread, was impressed by successes people had with bidding 1G over and adapted that technique. I started to lose about half the bids again. I'm now at 5G over and to date I am back to 100% successful.

Re: A few small tips... - bidding
 

Actually, I had myself outbid several times while giving about 10 gold extra on repeat contract. I mostly play Imp AIs, though (but don't remember whether it was so in these cases).

Re: A few small tips... - bidding
 

ehm is it just me or is having 5 mercs for a large part of the game just a waste of cash??? better train your own troops if you are just having them running around right?

I always thought mercs where to trow into the fray for quick reinforcements without having to pay them more than 1-2 times

Re: A few small tips... - bidding
 

Aezeal: That all depends on the mercs involved. For the cost, the Farstrikers are probably the best mercs in the game, and I will happily keep them around forever.

The various Inquisitor merc units are nice because they give you a H2 priest, which is sometimes not even recruitable by the nation, and allows for 2 armies to move around both bolstered by Sermon of Courage.

Almost all of the mages, IMO, are worth their cost. Especially if you want to diversify, getting (e.g.) the Illusionist is much better than Empowering someone in Air just to try to find more Air sites.

Edit: Oh, regarding the actual hiring of mercenaries, I offer 5g over their asking price, and the only time I can remember getting outbid is when a nation has an advantage with that given mercenary troop. E.g., Fordo Boggit charges less to Ulm, and so AI Ulm gets them quite a bit. I don't think the AI is programmed to bid the lower cost they could, and so they 'overbid' by (in this case) 80g, and nab them.

Re: A few small tips... - bidding
 

I never use mercs against the AI. It's a rule I have about SP games. I never use the mercs. It kinda helps a little against the AI, but you still always win. It just makes the early game a little more challenging.

Re: A few small tips... - bidding
 

To the list of mercs I would like to keep forever I would add Renegate sage & possibly all mages of Metal Orders (the same reason - research bonus). It also allows to diversify not only magic, but troops, too. Especially if you need/want to grab some underwater provinces... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: A few small tips... - bidding
 

I would rate the Farstrikers as good, yet definitely not the best.
Per cost verses value the best would be Orion and his band.
Per overall game effectiveness the best would be the air mage which has the large group of slyphs.

Re: A few small tips... - bidding
 

Mm. NTJedi, you have a point, but Farstrikers are quite possibly available from turn 1. I don't think Orion is available until year 2 if not year 3, and the Sylph Mage is VERY rare.

Re: A few small tips... - bidding
 

I've seen the Sylph Mage quite often, I'd say in most games I've played.