[Norfleet]

The other catch: It is in no way PROFITABLE to *EVER* rent out most mercenary units!

If you look over the prices of most mercenary companies, for instance, you'd quickly notice that the rate at which they are priced is actually UNPROFITABLE: Their basic cost is far below what the actual units tend to be worth.

Given that the fate of most mercenary units is to return either with only the commander, or not return at all, it is very difficult to explain how any but a few select nations with free troops can possibly stand to benefit from offering an actual mercenary company up for sale (other than Bubba's Cripple Corps).

If nations that the merc will be offered to can then be restricted, then what we have here is actually a far simpler arrangement: Now that we've divorced ourselves of any real concept of this being a PROFITABLE line of work, the real reason manifests itself: To give specific commanders, usually mages, to the service of a presumably allied nation.

So isn't this what we *REALLY* want, and what this feature would be abused for, if implemented?