Conscription

Has anybody tried using conscription? If you’re economy is doing well can you over recruit and take the hit on economic health? Recruit say 0.5% of your population, drill them and then lease them back into the economy using the Cantons system?

In G10 I just forced a recruits concscripion at half the rate you are suggesting via the Hatamoto Buke Edict and my Economic Health score took an immediate four point hit. I’m expecting further downward pressure in the coming months. And this was an edict agreed by the Daimyo

The cost of going negative on recruits is huge.

In game 8, I started up some new businesses, not realizing I would need recruits for them (new businesses/industries require 1,000 recruits to start up). Being down 4,000 recruits as Portugal, in a game with an insanely good economy, dropped me into economic shrinkage (I think I dropped to EH 3 for a bit) until I could fix it.

Maybe if you plan ahead, and do it carefully, it wouldn't be as bad. For myself, I wouldn't try it unless I was really desperate for men.

Probably not a good idea then, thanks to the advice. Will have to think of another cunning plan to elevate the impact my booming economy has on my military ambitions.

Ever consider hiring labor or people Abyssinia has many recruits you could maybe pay annually for recruits over three year treaty say above their costs and training as regular combat units you would provide send a annual sum to the Empire on condition they not go to Africa. I might put up 3,000 for such a treaty and need to think more about this idea.