Ever dreamed of witnessing Joan of Arc leading Roman Centurions into battle? Or perhaps Hannibal Barca commanding Japanese Samurai to sack Rome? With the latest update to Age of Empires Mobile, these scenarios become a reality thanks to the new Mercenary Troops system.
Starting at level 26, players can unlock the Mercenary Camp, a new structure that allows you to contract and recruit powerful units typically unavailable to your faction. Not only can you hire these mercenaries, but you can also unlock and upgrade technology to enhance their capabilities. To sweeten the deal, you can secure your first mercenaries for free through a new event that's currently live.
The Mercenary Troops system introduces a variety of units to the game, including Byzantine Cataphracts, Swiss Pikemen, Persian Immortals, Indian Battle Elephants, Roman Centurions, Egyptian Chariot Archers, Japanese Samurai, and Korean Archers. Each of these units comes with unlockable technology to further boost their already impressive battlefield prowess.
The new system evokes memories of Total War games, where players could overwhelm foes with hired swords, as seen in Rome: Total War and Medieval II. However, this addition might be divisive among players, with some potentially viewing it as a disruption to the game's balance.
Only time will tell how the Mercenary Troops system will be received by the community. There's even speculation about future additions, such as custom units like the historical Landsknechts. We'll have to wait and see what unfolds.
For those looking to get started, our guides on Age of Empires Mobile can help you identify the best heroes to unlock. Check out our tier list, which ranks all Age of Empires Mobile heroes by power, to ensure you're not wasting your time on less effective characters.
