Im currently playing as Mercenary to fight the snowballing that essentially voids the savegame and get penalized for doing this. The problem is that you do battle for a faction and do not receive any relationship bonuses for any of the lords but leaving drops ALL lords relationship by 20 which makes no sense.
1 i keep my compsnions busy on other stuff (in parties or governing) 2 you dont lose that much relation in fact it might as well be nothing. 3 look for richer villages (their prosperity) the richer it is the more you will raid but they will have more militia and take longer to raid. 4 mercs are ♥♥♥♥♥ as they are. #11.9C12.