Wallenstein's Contracts
Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2010 7:12 pm
Now that I'm free to get on ESO once in a while again, I've naturally taken a big interest in 1.2's German changes. The biggest one, of course, is the Wallenstein's Contracts overhaul. For those who don't know, Wallenstein's Contracts is an option at the Advanced Church after you send the Treaty of Westphalia card. In the past, it was pretty useless: For 2000 gold "mercenary shipments" no longer cost additional coin.
Now, however, it is a much more viable option. If you research Wallenstein's contracts now, it only costs 1000 gold. In return, it makes mercenary shipments 40% cheaper and arrive 50% faster. As a guy who used to LIVE for mercenary shipments, this is a big deal.
Germany has devastating Age 3 merc options. In 1v1, they can be game-enders: (1) 13 Jaegers; (2) 9 Black Riders; (3) 10 Landsknechts; and (4) 8 Hackapells. They each cost 1000 gold. But in the past, the big problem was that they take an ETERNITY to arrive (90 or 100 seconds, someone please correct me). I can't tell you how many times I've been waiting on a merc shipment and my TC gets sieged. It's heartbreaking.
But with the new Wallenstein's Contract option, you can get those mercs on the field CHEAPER and FASTER. I am very excited about this. I have even experimented with a few prototype semi-FFs to accommodate it. To make it work, you need a lot of coin and available shipments. You need to get to Age 3 (1000 coin), then you need 1000 for Wallenstein's Contracts. After that, you need 600 per merc shipment. Finally, you need to make sure you have a shipment to send as soon as you get the required amount. A Trade Post would help with that.
What does everyone else think about this new German option? Has anyone used it in a game yet? I'm going to keep tweaking details and come up with an airtight build. Naked FF is tough because you generally won't have a shipment to spare once you get all the coin. Remember: You need to send the advanced church card sometime in Age 2, which takes away a shipment. That's why TPs will be essential.
I think an old-school 7-10 uhlan semi-FF could really be nasty with Wallenstein thrown in
Now, however, it is a much more viable option. If you research Wallenstein's contracts now, it only costs 1000 gold. In return, it makes mercenary shipments 40% cheaper and arrive 50% faster. As a guy who used to LIVE for mercenary shipments, this is a big deal.
Germany has devastating Age 3 merc options. In 1v1, they can be game-enders: (1) 13 Jaegers; (2) 9 Black Riders; (3) 10 Landsknechts; and (4) 8 Hackapells. They each cost 1000 gold. But in the past, the big problem was that they take an ETERNITY to arrive (90 or 100 seconds, someone please correct me). I can't tell you how many times I've been waiting on a merc shipment and my TC gets sieged. It's heartbreaking.
But with the new Wallenstein's Contract option, you can get those mercs on the field CHEAPER and FASTER. I am very excited about this. I have even experimented with a few prototype semi-FFs to accommodate it. To make it work, you need a lot of coin and available shipments. You need to get to Age 3 (1000 coin), then you need 1000 for Wallenstein's Contracts. After that, you need 600 per merc shipment. Finally, you need to make sure you have a shipment to send as soon as you get the required amount. A Trade Post would help with that.
What does everyone else think about this new German option? Has anyone used it in a game yet? I'm going to keep tweaking details and come up with an airtight build. Naked FF is tough because you generally won't have a shipment to spare once you get all the coin. Remember: You need to send the advanced church card sometime in Age 2, which takes away a shipment. That's why TPs will be essential.
I think an old-school 7-10 uhlan semi-FF could really be nasty with Wallenstein thrown in
Btw does it also makes mercs from saloon cheaper?