I thought it might be helpful to discuss the various retainers to which our avatars have access. Share your experiences with your retainers or retainers your opponents have used, and let us know if you felt they were not worth the slot or if they were a don't-leave-for-the-battlefield-without-them value. Perhaps, we can continually update the OP to summarize the various retainers. Is a rating system in order?
My MP career is young; so I've only used a few retainers. Along with our clan's cavalry retainer that reduces melee casualties, I've been using the retainer that gives your melee cavalry +2 attack. Since I usually use at least 3 units of cavalry (1 or 2 Yari Cav and 1 or 2 Light Cav), this has been a valuable combination.
I sometimes use the Trading Post retainer instead, which offers of 5% reduction of costs for units. This allows me to field 1 or 2 more units in a battle, which can make a difference. Especially if I end up matched up against an 8 to 10 star general (as a 2 star), I can use the extra units to swamp his generally higher quality army.
I just received the Metsuke Inspector, which gives a morale penalty to any opponents inside my avatar's area of influence when I use the rally ability, presumably in addition to the rally ability's normal effects. I haven't fought a battle with this retainer, yet; but I think it can have a significant impact as long as I'm still facing mostly ashigaru armies. If used at the right time, I expect it can completely change the tides of a battle.
The most frustrating retainer I've faced is not the Untrained Fugu Cook, although that one is definitely annoying. It is, rather, Unbalanced Spears, which gives a -5 to melee defense for spear units. I still use several spear units, and since they are mostly ashigaru, I was very quickly crushed by my opponent.
"It is impossible to enjoy idling thoroughly unless one has plenty of work to do. There is no fun in doing nothing when you have nothing to do.
Wasting time is merely an occupation then, and a most exhausting one. Idleness, like kisses, to be sweet must be stolen." -- Jerome K. Jerome
"Some people become so expert at reading between the lines they don't read the lines." -- Margaret Millar
ERADICATE CONDESCENSION! (That means don't talk down to people.)
My MP career is young; so I've only used a few retainers. Along with our clan's cavalry retainer that reduces melee casualties, I've been using the retainer that gives your melee cavalry +2 attack. Since I usually use at least 3 units of cavalry (1 or 2 Yari Cav and 1 or 2 Light Cav), this has been a valuable combination.
I sometimes use the Trading Post retainer instead, which offers of 5% reduction of costs for units. This allows me to field 1 or 2 more units in a battle, which can make a difference. Especially if I end up matched up against an 8 to 10 star general (as a 2 star), I can use the extra units to swamp his generally higher quality army.
I just received the Metsuke Inspector, which gives a morale penalty to any opponents inside my avatar's area of influence when I use the rally ability, presumably in addition to the rally ability's normal effects. I haven't fought a battle with this retainer, yet; but I think it can have a significant impact as long as I'm still facing mostly ashigaru armies. If used at the right time, I expect it can completely change the tides of a battle.
The most frustrating retainer I've faced is not the Untrained Fugu Cook, although that one is definitely annoying. It is, rather, Unbalanced Spears, which gives a -5 to melee defense for spear units. I still use several spear units, and since they are mostly ashigaru, I was very quickly crushed by my opponent.
Wasting time is merely an occupation then, and a most exhausting one. Idleness, like kisses, to be sweet must be stolen." -- Jerome K. Jerome
"Some people become so expert at reading between the lines they don't read the lines." -- Margaret Millar
ERADICATE CONDESCENSION! (That means don't talk down to people.)