Ever dreamed of witnessing Joan of Arc leading Roman Centurions into battle, or Hannibal Barca deploying Japanese Samurai to sack Rome? With the latest update to Age of Empires Mobile, your dreams can become a reality thanks to the new Mercenary Troops system.

Once you reach level 26, you'll unlock the Mercenary Camp structure, which allows you to contract and recruit powerful new units from various factions. Not only can you hire these mercenaries, but you can also unlock and upgrade technology to enhance their already formidable abilities on the battlefield. Plus, you can secure your first mercenaries for free through a new event that's currently live.

The Mercenary Troops system introduces a diverse range of units, 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 its own tech tree, allowing you to further boost their prowess in combat.

The new system evokes memories of Total War games, where overwhelming the enemy with hired swords was a thrilling strategy. However, this addition might be divisive among players, as some may feel it disrupts the game's balance. Only time will tell how well the Mercenary Troops system is received by the community. Who knows? We might even see custom units like the historical Landsknechts introduced in future updates.

If you're eager to dive into the game and need guidance on the best heroes to unlock, check out our comprehensive guides for Age of Empires Mobile. Our tier list ranks all heroes by power, helping you distinguish the top performers from the rest.