Mercenaries in the sequel

[NichG]

What if thematically, mercenaries are sort of 1-shot strategic reserves? That is to say, you buy them with Metal or whatever, but every time you buy a mercenary ship the next one gets more expensive. So you might be able to buy 1000 mercenary ships with your metal cap once, but the next time you try that you'll only get 500 for the same amount of metal, and so on?

So it's kind of a panic button, but if you use it too much then it stops being effective.

To retain the 'make use of metal over cap' feature, why not have any excess metal above cap go to something like a bank account/mercenary fund - so it can only be used for buying mercenaries, but it doesn't cap out.

[nas1m]

Sounds very good to me.

[Draco18s]

What if thematically, mercenaries are sort of 1-shot strategic reserves? That is to say, you buy them with Metal or whatever, but every time you buy a mercenary ship the next one gets more expensive. So you might be able to buy 1000 mercenary ships with your metal cap once, but the next time you try that you'll only get 500 for the same amount of metal, and so on?

That's how it works in classic.  Except piecemeal.

[WolfWhiteFire]

I rather like Tridus's idea of how they could work, except you don't necessarily need to control them but it does help in various ways.

Besides: Real world experience tells me that just because the whole galaxy is desperately fighting for survival, doesn't mean there aren't going to be those trying to turn a profit on it.  If anything mercs make even more sense in AIW2, since the AI is attacking an established galaxy rather than having already been ruling one for a while.

Actually, with current plans the lore will pretty much be the same as in AI War classic, they were planning on having it like that, but decided to change it.

[Draco18s]

but decided to change it.

Or rather, cut back on things to pay for, and the thing they're not paying for, is the writing of new/more lore.

[keith.lamothe]

but decided to change it.

Or rather, cut back on things to pay for, and the thing they're not paying for, is the writing of new/more lore.

Yea, and with it switching back to me doing the lore I'll do a better job continuing what I've been doing with the story since LotS.

For the mercs, this is just folks coming out of the backwaters (like nebulae) to join the war. Once suitably motivated.