New Action for Traders: hire mercenaries

[Alasteir]

Well, as far as I can see, too few people play as traders, basically, because the major of the players just don't know how they can play and grow as a trader, and, second, because the hole of the banker can do the major necessities a realm could have for traders.

Thinking about this, a good way to help the class to get more players is giving them more options, and I thought on this:

What is it?

A new action.

What it will do?

As the Hero, the Trader will be allowed to recruit soldiers on places there are not the capital. Different of the Hero, the trader will not hire simple peasants, lowing the population of the place. instead, he will spend some money to hire well trained soldiers, from the Recruitment Centers of that place, lowing the number of soldiers available on that RC.

Will this bring any benefit?

Yes, of course. Hiring people from anyplace is very, very better than the necessity to travel to the capital.

Will this have any danger?

Yes. As the search for Black Market, the hire of soldiers on their homeland is forbbiden,  and every noble should travel to the capital, to make his own unity. Hiring soldiers directly from the Recruitment Center is a good way to be imprisioned. Plus, the trader will need to spend some money with the manager of the recruitment center, as a feature to balance this skill with the other classes.

What you guys think about this?

[Norrel]

The reasons that you can only recruit in the capital are purely artificial and don't really have much to do with "unity".

[De-Legro]

How would this help traders? In general they have small units anyway? Or is the intent you can hire from RC's outside of your own realm to replace your unit when far away?

Really though, if people aren't finding the Trading class useful, then too few people aren't playing it are they. There is no magic number of player that must be traders for any real purpose. Traders are still quite useful, the Banker can no longer move food around at a whim, and so must rely on Lords setting movement orders, or traders to move food.

The real issue is that with the exception of the black Market Traders are still reliant on Lords to set up the correct buy/sell orders.

[egamma]

I think everyone would play a trader, on long campaigns at least, if this was put in.

[fodder]

eh... why? traders don't get to command many men, do they?

[egamma]

they can command plenty, but they are forced to be mercenaries. which, if you're on a long campaign, you'll do anyway.