Cuman Mercernies in 1vs1

Is it viable? Should we research?

My answer is: it depends. It's not entirely useless. So let's analyse the cost of 10 Kipchaks vs the cost of the tech and then weigh the difference of cost.

1. Each Kipchak costs 60W and 35G.

2. Cuman Mercenaries costs 650F, 400G and 40 seconds.

Difference: You are investing 650F, 50G and 40 seconds thus saving 600W. This certainly is useful when either the wood available on the map is low or you have low wood in the bank (this happened to me yesterday so I had been thinking about this). Since Cumans have crop rotation 600W can bring you 3750 to 5500 food, thus saving 3100 to 4850. Selling this much food at the market can surely bring you much more than 50G which you have spent. Even if you do not have Crop Rotation and Guilds researched, you are bringing in 434G, that's 384G profit. Considering both CR and Guilds, you are bringing in 774.5G profit.

That's sounds pretty great so far. Well, that's not it. We have another resource to consider: time. We are atleast investing 40 s to research the tech and several hundred more to convert 60W to 375/550F.

Now the last point, the Cuman Mercenaries always gives you Elite Kipchak, which can be seen as another reason to get it if you do not have the Elite Kipchak researched. That's +5 HP, +1 pierce attack and +1 arrow. It's especially useful when you are being "rammed". This increases your damage by atleast 1 (since against Elite Huskarls, the +1 pierce attack is not having an effect). Compare that to upgrading fully upgraded Castle Age Crossbowmen with Bracer to fully upgraded Imperial Age Arbalesters which also seems to give you +5 and +2 attack which doesn't increase damage against Elite Huskarls and Buildings.