Mixed Unit Tactics - Follower Squads

This plugin allows you to have follower squads, provides balanced salary system and context dependent order mechanics. There are a lot of mods that simply increase the follower limit. The goal of this plugin is to create balanced, less chaotic combat experience with focus on preparation.

This mod is not about cheating. Actually, in the vanilla system the game is trying to protect your followers from dying with the "Protected" flag. Your followers will die very rarely, often because of the "poison" bug. The enemy will just let your mates to recover.
http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Followers

This mod doesn't protect your followers and doesn't try to trick the AI. They have the same chances as your enemies. Sure, they can die very easily. However, you can select the right tactics, use your troops wisely and avoid losses in fair battle. This will lead to more rewarding experience than what you have with the vanilla system.

Brief list of features:

- Create squads from followers.
- Use ONE single spell to give ALL types of orders. Precise control. No menus, no annoying pop-up windows. Starcraft style: select the unit -> select the destination.
- Control your troops from the ground or from a Dragon.
- Bind any shout to the squad and use it as a signal.
- Pay salary.
- Stealth orders. Followers can perform stealth kills.
- Followers can ride any horse from the game, they can even steal horses.
- Select the combat formation for each squad.
- Write orders on paper.

You can have up to 120 followers in your party in any combinations. There are no limits for squad size or squads count! Also, you don't have to take your troops with you (just define squads, send them to their homes and call only when you need some support)

Please, watch the following video guides::

Plugin doesn't change the native follower system, so it should be compatible with most follower mods. Some native follower topics have no effect. They are not filtered for compatibility reasons.

How to define a squad:
1) Select the squad leader (use dialogues)
2) Attach other followers to leader ("Mark this person" -> "Attach the marked person")

Most characters won't join your party for free. There is a daily salary for all members. The more salary value you set the more advanced followers you can hire. Salary is affected by player's reputation and "Speech" perks.

Write orders on paper (use Ruined Books and Rolls Of Paper as Paper Source; also, you need a Quill => Activate Inkwell to write orders). Recruit people to distant squads. Pay salary at distance (Talk with any guard to hire courier; you need to have Payment Instructions).

If the leader is dead or dismissed, the most advanced squad member will automatically take the lead with the next order.

You don't have to dismiss squads if you don't want to loose the current structure.
1) "You and your people can go home and relax" - suspend all orders for the squad or specified squad member. You don't pay to party members that are in the "relax" mode
2) "Take your old place in squad' - resume orders for the specified member

Use the "Tactical Sign" power (squad leaders MUST see player in order to recognize his signs)
1) Cast it near the squad to select it
2) Cast it under the player's feet while your weapon is DRAWN to give the "Hold" order to every leader
3) Cast it under the player's feet while your weapon is SHEATHED to give the "Regroup" order
4) Cast it near the enemy to give the "Attack" order to the selected squad. If no squad is selected, every squad nearby will be involved in combat.
5) Point with Tactical Sign to the selected squad to enter "favors" mode
6) Use Tactical Sign to give the Long Term Order to the selected squad. Followers will move to the location you pointing at. Long Term Orders can be used for a VERY LONG distances. Also, you don't have to wait until it completes, unlike regular ("favors") order. You can give a Long Term Order to every squad and they will execute orders in parallel.
7) SILENT KILLS for followers! If you are crounching, while giving an order, followers will try to move to their target undetected. If you give an attack sign while crounching, squad leader will try to approach the target undetected and perform a stealth kill (the squad leader must be equipped with a sword or dagger to perform stealth attack). If he has ivisibility spell or potion, he will use it.
8) Select the squad three times to clear the formation
9) Select the horse to order your followes to use it (they must be allowed to ride animals from the dialogue)
10) Temporary attach one squad to another to create Tactical Unit (squads will follow the Leading squad, each squad will maintain own formation); Regroup Sign will disassemble Units

If you have Dragonborn DLC, you can control your units from the sky while riding a Dragon, almost like in a Real-Time Strategy (select troops and give orders - simple as that) Use the illusion spells. They will work just like Tactical Sign (which is unavailable while you ride a Dragon), except player visibility doesn't matter. The squad remains selected before you select another one! That extends the usability of Long Term Orders. For example, you can select a squad, fly to any place in the world and mark the location. Your troops will travel all over the Skyrim to reach their destination.

The "Dragon Sign" ability allows you to use dragon shouts as signals to your followers.
First you have to equip the shout.
Second, talk with the leader and bind this squad to the shout.

Use the "Dragon Sign" in 3 different ways:
1) Use the voice as usual. If you have squads nearby that are binded to shout that you use, they will regroup and start following you.
2) If you are involved in combat, use the voice as usual and the binded squads will attack your current target. You can hide your troops while preparing for battle. Then you can use shouts as signals in proper order with proper timing to create tactical advantage.
3) Shout into the sky (literally). All binded squads will hear your voice. They will find you in few days, no matter where your location is.

You can also use regular Skyrim orders activation system. Hold the "Use" key while pointing on the target follower to select him or her. Regular squad members will hold the position like leaders, until you give the regroup order.

All squad members are allies. But sometimes even friendly troops can attack each other because of friendly fire. Use the Regroup sign to force squads to stop fighting with each other. In this case visibility doesn't matter.

SKSE is NOT required!
Compatible with most follower mods!