Mercenary Corps

Mercenary Corps Faction All except Roving Clans Obtained Era IV Category Military Type Army Action Focus Privateers Effects: Unlocks Privateers Armies composed exclusively of mercenaries can carry a neutral flag, preventing other empires (even allies) from knowing which empire owns them Armies of privateers have an increased upkeep -20% on Heroes and Mercenaries market Buyout cost on empire. +2 Fortification Damage per turn on Mercenary.

An Era IV Empire Improvement which grants the ability to convert an army made up of Mercenaries to Privateers, which appear to all other factions as a roaming army. However, Privateers will have an increased upkeep cost, and cannot perform the Bribe, Parley, or Search army actions.

The Roving Clans are not able to research this technology, and instead have the Freelance Guards technology, which provides the same function, but is available in Era II.

ELCP

If you play with Endless Legend Community Patch there is some changes for Mercenary Corps and Freelance Guards:

• Also reduce the Buyout cost of Mercenaries and Heros by 20%.
  • This feature is mostly overlooked, mainly because mercenaries are too expensive in the important midgame portion of the game.
  • The added bonuses makes the tech a bit more lucrative, even if you dont plan to use it immediatly.

• Also grant +2 Fortification Damage per turn to all Mercenaries.
  • This is done to promote pillage play and mercenary usage across all factions.

Lore

Commanders occasionally prefer hardened professionals to local recruits, believing that they gain in experience what they lose in patriotism.