I would guess at least for PC use it will be more like "you will be paid for the time you are with your CO and must be present for at least 4 hours". Then you need someone to keep track of who is present and stuff. Then pay them at the time. Much like it would work in real life
I believe some of this will be dependent on your in-game skill in writing contracts. The other part is in how practical it is to enforce.
In this case, there's probably no way to track or monitor time spent so their pay would be contingent on other things like killing the target or keeping it safe. In that case, if a merc wants to get paid, they'll put in the time necessary to ensure a pay day.
I was talking more about using people with contracts to get the job done. Like you could assign the job to an officer and he could keep track of who is their. Much like a raid leader might keep track of who is at an even and award DKP. The contract would just establish what the reward/pay is.
Historically a large part of a soldier's pay would have come in the form of war booty and loot. The more victories an army won the better paid the soldiers were. Of course this has had a lot of variation and caveats through time, but it wasn't uncommon.
I'd be surprised if the contracts got to be too complex, but the complexity of the contracts would probably end up being up to the players. How well do the signers trust each other is going to be a lot more important in determining the exact details of the contract than actual game mechanics, I imagine. In other words, if you're hiring someone you basically trust then you may not feel the need to add every conceivable binding clause in the book. If you're hiring someone you don't trust then things could get more... complicated.
In terms of medieval feudalism, prior to standing armies, yearly terms of military service were required as the 'rent' for minor lords to keep their land, they were expected to provide themselves or a strong son for 3-4 months out of the year. They were expected to also provide their own basic equipment (armor, weapon, horse) and maintain it at their own cost. That was in exchange for 'owning' the land and enough serfs to work it and produce crops. If a noble was unable to serve or provide someone in his stead, or make payments to the crown in other ways, his family lands would often be repossessed and provided to another man at arms instead.
This is not perhaps very exciting to players though, in exchange for coming here and doing everything i say for 3 months out of the year you get to keep the stuff you already own...
I was asking more so for the NPC soldiers, to write the contract in a way where they cant turn and say NO I dont want to do that....PCs will sign a contract that says they will work for me as a soldier for x amount of time, If they try anything funny then they will just be fired or whatever. im worried about the control i will have over my NPCs if the contract is to vague.
Posted By TheCoz at 1:16 PM - Wed Mar 07 2018
I was asking more so for the NPC soldiers, to write the contract in a way where they cant turn and say NO I dont want to do that....PCs will sign a contract that says they will work for me as a soldier for x amount of time, If they try anything funny then they will just be fired or whatever. im worried about the control i will have over my NPCs if the contract is to vague.
You will never have control over npcs, every decision is an economic one to them, do the pros outweigh the cons... Between laws of the land and contracts they sign as well as reputation and other factors they will decide their own course of action. Remember, that even irl breaking a contract is always an economic decision too, you will not go to jail for it, if you're willing to pay the penalty for breaking a contract it's not considered immoral to do so (except for like, health insurance or essential stuff like that).
Also, NPCs will not sign excessively complicated contracts. It used to be they wouldnt sign contracts at all but the devs have changed tune on that, now there are probably a few standard type they will accept, but no way you can rules lawyer them into being your slave.
I dont want slave soldiers and I dont want to be complicated in regards to contracting them. Im just curious as to like you said how the NPC soldiers will view being a soldier...will they believe in the Baronys mission to defend the international border? or are they just doing it as a job? How much will my fame trickle down to them thus raising their moral and interest in fighting with me vs for me?
NPC can’t not sign player written contracts they WILL however offer contracts to players for a job when there is a job that is vacant
Posted By Dekul at 04:34 AM - Thu Mar 08 2018
Also, NPCs will not sign excessively complicated contracts. It used to be they wouldnt sign contracts at all but the devs have changed tune on that, now there are probably a few standard type they will accept, but no way you can rules lawyer them into being your slave.
Posted By Kable at 1:55 PM - Wed Mar 07 2018
NPC can’t not sign player written contracts they WILL however offer contracts to players for a job when there is a job that is vacant
No longer true, SBS has recently said the opposite, I'd have to go digging through logs but they have decided to allow them to sign certain contracts, probably basic employment or sales contracts. Some functionality will require it.
To the OP's point though, that's what the reputation system is for, if your count or baron is beloved in their land, it's likely the npcs would view orders to defend the realm more favorably. If they don't have a high opinion of their lord then why would they care if he is attacked?
To the OP's point though, that's what the reputation system is for, if your count or baron is beloved in their land, it's likely the npcs would view orders to defend the realm more favorably. If they don't have a high opinion of their lord then why would they care if he is attacked?
Yes, makes sense of course. I guess I just don't like when Caspian says NPCs will say no to me...the way he says it bugs me lol. I refuse to make over inflated recruitment forum post so i will likely be under strength in regards to PCs at launch and will thus need to rely on a main NPC force. And that doesnt mean militia that I call to arms when I am attacked, Im talking about Soldiers who live in the Barracks and are on patrol/guard duty/manning check pints etc every day, not to mention training. It worry's me that I may have to beg soldiers to do their jobs lol....Thats just not how the military works. Militia, I totally understand because they are whinny and emotional and are always breaking and running. jk Get what I mean?
I think everyone will get a mixed bag of NPCs. Certain factors like starting tribal cultures might mean the NPCs you hired are 5-10% more likely to stick around when trouble comes knocking, or otherwise. How much money they currently have vs how much they earn might determine if they want to flee because they would rather live being called a coward than the so-so odds of confronting those two brigands burning down the orphanage. The same NPC to protect his wealth would at the same time stand his ground if marauders were trying to scale the city walls possibly attempting to steal the wealth of himself or friends.
Aim to put them in jobs which would incline them to take a risk to their lives. Hire PC's for jobs which a simple NPC might run from. For example, there is a bear mauling people who go into the forest. Bad time to send in NPC's except in large numbers. The better choice is to send in a PC or two backed up by NPC's who have had their family members killed by the said bear.
As for war, that a bit more complicated. If you are a commander with a record/fame of winning battles, NPCs will likely hold their lines a lot longer than if you don't. If you don't have that fame you need to bolster the morale some other way...like bonus loot, or women of the night, or something motivational. Possibly inspirational speeches might work if the system controlling NPC AI is as nice as I've heard it is planned to be.
Remember, a lot of this game is player skill. Think about it, confer with friends, consult experts, and don't repeat mistakes.
Good points. But your glossing over the day to day functions of a military. As a Baron I will have to have a standing force that is out patrolling, guarding, at checkpoints etc These will not be all PC jobs becasue not enough ppl are going to playing this game. The NPCs will have to pick up the slack and the thought that I will have NPC soldiers who don't want to function as soldiers on a day to day basis is frustrating. I wont send NPCs to go kill a bear or go apprehend this guy or that lady, I will take some troops and go do those things, I will go out on patrol with them, Im not a leader who stays back and sits in a chair. I hope that's gives my NPCs a morality Buff enough to keep them loyal and enjoying their job. I am being patient for the time when combat is the next mechanic to be the main focus of the dev process.