What's the porpuse of establishing the Varangian Guard?

[Death]

As Byzantine emperor:

Costs 300 gold and 300 prestige.

What is this Guard? As usual, the game tells me no info about it...

[Leondark]

If you establish the varengian guard, they become a mercenary force that only you can hire for free with no upkeep.

[Death]

Originally posted by Leondark:

If you establish the varengian guard, they become a mercenary force that only you can hire for free with no upkeep.

Sounds good, thanks.

[Two Bears High Fiving]

If you do the math, they're the cheapest merc force you can use (with the possible exception of Holy Orders during those types of wars)

Early game you can use them to be a really effective fighting force.

Mid to late game, the Varengian Guard will become outclassed by in the numbers game, but considering that you don't have to build anything and you'll get the extra 3k in troops.. it's always worth it. Plus the commander (SHOULD) get the Varengian Guard trait adding to his martial.

[Death]

Originally posted by Browncoat:

If you do the math, they're the cheapest merc force you can use (with the possible exception of Holy Orders during those types of wars)

Early game you can use them to be a really effective fighting force.

Mid to late game, the Varengian Guard will become outclassed by in the numbers game, but considering that you don't have to build anything and you'll get the extra 3k in troops.. it's always worth it. Plus the commander (SHOULD) get the Varengian Guard trait adding to his martial.

In that case, let's say after a war, they suffer 2000 casulaities. When I disband them they will replenish instantly? Also, will they remain ready to be used even when my current ruled who hired them dies? What happens if they completely get killed in a battle? How's all that?

[Leondark]

They will replenish gradually, even if they get wiped out during a battle. Also, you will always be able to hire them as long as your characters remain emperors.

[Sol]

the varangians make a good standing force also to help keep raiders off your lands and deter factions along with their usefulness in war, you can pretty much treat them as another set of retinues, just keep the varangians landless so they cant join factions

[Two Bears High Fiving]

I once had them suffer almost 98% loss in a pretty bad civil war. (They had ~3250 people when I hired them. They had less than 100 at the end of the war) Had it not been for their 3k in the battle of... I forget, I would have lost the war. My forces would have retreated back to Rome leaving my land open for their forces to attack the counties and I would have lost. Over 100,000 people were in that battle. The losses were MASSIVE for both sides. Their numbers, although small, were just enough to tip the balance in my favor. It took YEARS for their numbers to regen.

Another time I was fighting against the Muslims in a Jihad for Egypt. It was BAD. I was down to -50 war score. Most of my advanced forces had been killed and were fleeing to the coast. I stuck the VG with my reinforcements from Barcelona. They held the Suez for the rest of the war. When I relieved them of duty, they had less than 500 people left (The VG, not the combined army in total.) I 'won' the war (white peace). After that mess, I built up the castles that my vassals were too lazy or broke to build up. Next Jihad went much smoother.

[al_x_ator2411]

They're not free though, just dirt cheap (for a 3000+K army).

[The Cure]

Their numbers insta regen back to normal if you raise them again, then release them. Same for Holy Orders. Kinda cheesy, but you can do it.

[Two Bears High Fiving]

Originally posted by The Cure:

Their numbers insta regen back to normal if you raise them again, then release them. Same for Holy Orders. Kinda cheesy, but you can do it.

Really? I've never tried that.

[Aethe]

Highly recommend these guys as you carve out Byzantine. Around 40 gold to recruit and 5 gold upkeep? Its a steal.

[Death]

Originally posted by steve615:

Highly recommend these guys as you carve out Byzantine. Around 40 gold to recruit and 5 gold upkeep? Its a steal.

When the commander or leader of the vangarian dies, do I still keep them under a different commander?

[Two Bears High Fiving]

Originally posted by 大名 Takeda Yabusame:

Originally posted by steve615:

Highly recommend these guys as you carve out Byzantine. Around 40 gold to recruit and 5 gold upkeep? Its a steal.

When the commander or leader of the vangarian dies, do I still keep them under a different commander?

Yeah. I think it's election so you wont ever be able to screw with whoever gets picked. It's not a title you can takeaway nor give out. They'll stay loyal to only you until the end of the game or until you lose the Emperor of the Byzantine/Roman Empire.

[Death]

Originally posted by Browncoat:

Originally posted by 大名 Takeda Yabusame:

When the commander or leader of the vangarian dies, do I still keep them under a different commander?

Yeah. I think it's election so you wont ever be able to screw with whoever gets picked. It's not a title you can takeaway nor give out. They'll stay loyal to only you until the end of the game or until you lose the Emperor of the Byzantine/Roman Empire.

Alright, thank you =)

[Two Bears High Fiving]

Originally posted by 大名 Takeda Yabusame:

Alright, thank you =)

No prob. Hope you it helps. CK2 is a fun game and I enjoyed my time rebuilding Rome.