Currently all mercenaries cost −25 food, +25 metal. However, infantry costs 100 resources in total, cavalry 150, elephants 250, so the changed costs represents 25%, 16.7%, and 10% of the total costs, respectively, which means infantry mercenaries are relatively more expensive than cavalry mercenaries.
This patch further differentiates mercenaries from citizens:
- they cost −60% food and 0 wood or stone, but have a metal cost:
- infantry 20 food, 60 metal (instead of 50 food + 50 wood)
- cavalry 40 food, 80 metal (instead of 100 food + 50 wood)
- elephants 70 food, 120 metal (instead of 175 food + 75 wood)
- they have −30% training time
- they can no longer gather resources
- like heroes and champions, they can still collect treasures
- unlike heroes and champions, they can still build structures
To do:
- maybe raise their attack damage or health a bit
- investigate if the AI can handle them
- figure out if Worker or Citizen class needs to removed
- consider adding a loading screen tip
[ Initial version ]:
This patch changes it to 20% of total costs:
- infantry −20 food, +20 metal;
- cavalry −30 food, +30 metal;
- elephants −50 food, +50 metal.
[ second version ]:
Mercenaries cost only a single resource, metal:
- infantry 70 metal (instead of 50 food + 50 wood)
- cavalry 100 metal (instead of 100 food + 50 wood)
- elephants 180 metal (instead of 175 food + 75 wood)