Professional Military

Could I get a more complete discussion of the merits of buying a professional military (soldiers & officers) Vs. using regular recruits?
First, I'm having a hard time sifting through the documentation. Keyword searching the documentation should be as easy as it is for the forum, IMO.
Second, past forum discussions on the subject are a bit dated, and have not answered my particular question.

Which brings me to my specific question: why wouldn't I simply spend 6GC to buy a million plebs, train, then draft them instead of paying 15.2GC for a professional army (only to see some of them get killed). It seems a pretty steep investment. Yet there's some demand for them on the direct market. There has to be some calculus to this that I haven't understood.
I think a more complete education is in order.

I suppose I should add that I don't plan on leaving war protection any time soon. So I don't need a standing army - just something to build up, attack a couple of w3s, then disband.

The major advantage in using professionals is that they "live" outside of your population.
Consider it this way:
Each pro soldier is a contract for continued use of a soldier. This soldier isn't part of your workforce or population, doesn't have a salary, doesn't eat or age. The only way you can lose this soldier is if he were to die in battle (or if you sell him again).

The only thing that's missing is naming them T1000.

wouldent it also be for in sense superior units? mobiles at 600Q max vs regular at 450Q max, plus some wings such as mobile stealth bomber yields 30% more weapons per wing(20 regular 26 mobile) to regular helicopter/int wing at 4% more weapons per wing(125 regular 130 mobile). Aswell as speical features such as Anti Air or Missiles Defense, aswell as nuke defense units to defend alongside of units that only mobile units of those type can do.

That is what really i would think is what makes mobiles even useful at all. I have noticed i still have to pay for weapon costs to maintain the weapons though i dont have to pay for soldiers cost.

That Professionals don't draw a salary is not entirely right. Professionals in the army, as opposed to idle Professionals, do draw a salary. I have tested this. It is intended and stated in game news at their release:

"Professional soldiers and officers that are used in the army receive the same salary as the existing soldiers and officers. In case some of the professional soldiers or officers are not used in the army, they are not paid."

The other big advantage of mobiles is that they can be moved by space shuttles, and even bought and sold on space stations. Regular units need to be raised by each country individually, but mobiles can be thrown around without worrying about spending limits as fully-formed units.

OK, I'm starting to get the gist of it.
Never detract from civilian labor pool like regular soldiers do.
Only Professionals can produce superior mobile units.
Mobile units can be transported as units between worlds - can be traded at a space station.
They don't cost money unless in an active unit.
Never age.

So they're not really for the small time, one world player. They would make an excellent standing army, but the initial cost is quite high - plus the cost of upgrading a unit to this 'elite' status.

I imagine a few such elite units based in space would be especially useful. Just drop them on any planet as needed.

I think they're still very useful for a one world player. If you're above wl3 and have an empire worth attacking. Having mobile missile, air, and nuke defense is a very important part of your defensive strategy. If you have no defensive nuke mobiles for example the player would just have to destroy the garrisoned nuke defense at the target, then send a nuke. If you have mobile nuke defense. The player would have to take that defense out completely. While getting shot by int/heli mobile aa and missile defense at the same time if they're within range. Also 600q int/heli wings would seem like a good investment if you have extra professionals.

Since pros never die unless in war, they're also good for helping staff a conventional army when not at war if you're short of LLW/MLM. You an also choose to keep them out of normal units, to not risk them in c3 wars. When you aquire higher numbers of professionals, you won't need to kee

I'm starting to believe the biggest problem with the war game is the cost/benefit analysis. Costs too much/benefit too low.

Now you are on to something jdlech. I have pointed out that the risks of pvp warfare are not offset by the benefits for some time. I have made suggestions that were before their time before and were later implemented. My suggestions for War College, Battlegrounds, and Total War make more and more sense in the current state of the game.

https://www.simcountry.com/discus/messages/8/25043.html?1439414203

https://www.simcountry.com/discus/messages/8/25045.html?1439461174

https://www.simcountry.com/discus/messages/8/24038.html?1434986948