Merc Contract Conduct

[Kloreep]

When do we put the "Hired" label on units? On the turn that we move them into the position where the hirer will start issuing orders, or only on the turn that they give their first order for the units?

It seems to me that the latter will get us into some sticky situations later in the game. We want to discourage people from attacking Merc units that do not say "Hired" but if we do it the latter way, we will be showing up on the edge of people's borders with large stacks of, for a turn, non-Hired units. I don't think it makes much difference in the end for the moment, but later on, when people have roads to the edge of their borders, they'll have the option to attack as soon as the stack shows up. If we don't put the Hired label on when we move up to someone's border and instead wait until after, I think we'll only be jeopardizing efforts to get people to respect our non-Hired units.

[polarnomad]

I think we can only name our units as "hired" once a contract begins. Otherwise they are not hired. If a civ attacks our units before a contract begins, then they are declaring war on us directly. The issue of a civ attacking across their border because they see an amassment of troops shouldn't be a concern. I don't think any merc army would wave across a border to get the victims attention and say "Yoohoo, we are going to attack you at dawn, so get a jumpstart and do something about it!!"

The issue that bothers me a bit about this situation is that we are already moving units for Sarantium so that they can conduct their war, and for free.

[UnOrthOdOx]

No, we are moving them to the start location. We are doing the same for the Horde.

And yes, Sarantium has a 156 gold debt to us at present. This is a concern.

It is also grounds for taking some of their cities in payment or declaring the border deal void if they refuse to pay up with Mathematics at the proper time.

As to the issue at hand, I actually agree that they should get the units the "Hired" label the turn they move into place. Payment is also due the turn they move into place.

This allows teams to know for sure which are hired and which are not. We don't need to be making any more grey area than we already have.

[polarnomad]

Fair enough.

[Kloreep]

Originally posted by polarnomad
If a civ attacks our units before a contract begins, then they are declaring war on us directly.

I agree, and I want to stick to this distinction - which is why I think it's worth labelling units upon delivery rather than upon start, so we don't force people into a choice between not pissing us off, and good tactics.

Originally posted by polarnomad
The issue of a civ attacking across their border because they see an amassment of troops shouldn't be a concern. I don't think any merc army would wave across a border to get the victims attention and say "Yoohoo, we are going to attack you at dawn, so get a jumpstart and do something about it!!"

And in the future it may be possible for our units to dive right into Horde or Sarantine lands without spending a turn on the border (once roads are in place). Otherwise, however, there will be a turn where the units are right outside. Anyone in their right mind would see them as a threat - and, if they could and if our units were in open enough terrain, they'd attack. But if we don't label them as hired at that point, that's technically war against the Merc empire as a whole.