How to make merchants worthwile!!

[MagyarMatt]

Ok, so if you like me are fed up with all your merchants making nothing on resources then do the following

within your bc folder go to data and then the descr_campaign_db.xml file. Covert to a .txt file for editing and then look for the line <base_income_modifier float="1.0" />

alter it and convert back to .xml. The change will take effect in any current game so you do not need to start again.

changing this number will mean that rather than 26 gold for a resource you can get maybe 100 etc. The higher the number the more you earn. Though of course this applies to ai-merchants as well.

This can be applied to any mod. Don't forget to back up files before changing them.

[Manco]

Merchants already earn tons of money in my campaign, just send them to a slave resource and they make 500-800 gold per turn easily

[OTZ]

Interesting, as I think the Merchants are overkill. My ERE Merchants are each pulling in over a 1000 (one dude is taking 1575) per turn. Way too easy to make money in this mod.

[MagyarMatt]

Merchants already earn tons of money in my campaign, just send them to a slave resource and they make 500-800 gold per turn easily

Then your lucky. Depends which faction you play as. Some it's easy to earn pots of gold and others it isn't. Just thought I'd post it up as there are plenty of people who think they are worthless. It's more for them than those who know where to pack your merchants off too. i.e Timbuktu in the standard vanilla campaign.

This also makes it easier to get good money closer to home without having to send your merchant half way across the map only to have their assets seized.

[MagyarMatt]

Interesting, as I think the Merchants are overkill. My ERE Merchants are each pulling in over a 1000 (one dude is taking 1575) per turn. Way too easy to make money in this mod.

What factions are you guys playing as? You really struggle as Oman, trust me!!

[anaztazioch]

@ MagyarMatt

Send Abbassid merchant to ivory, lvl 3 merchant earns 1300 and that are is safe from foreign merchants.

Send Seljuk merchant to Slaves in Urganch, lvl 3 will dig 900.

Send Turkish for silk in Constantinopole each earning lvl 3 should ern 300.

Send merhcnats to resources that are 2 or more in one region (Constantinopole has 3 dyes and 2 silks). If you will controll all resources of same type in region, your merchant will get capitlaist, moarkket controller, monopilist traits, giving, +1, +2, +3 finanse. Also remember to build slave markets, markets silk roads, roads, paved roads.
Playing as Khwarezm, My capitol is Nishapur, Urganch fully built, my merhcnas at lvl 3 dig 600, some are lvl 6 or gigher dig 1800.

Well the closer your capitol is to a resource, the cheapr will it be for your merhcants. Having capitol in Urganch with slaves, you wont get much money from slaves.
Having capitol in Constantinopole, your merchans will barelly get money from silk and dyes.

[anaztazioch]

What factions are you guys playing as? You really struggle as Oman, trust me!!

BAH, send them on some ivory to the far south of staring position by ships. Capture that city and you cash about 1000/turn.

[Dooz]

Seriously. My merchants are the only things keeping my head above water in the Omani campaign. When one of them dies, or is displaced by a traveling army or something, I take a huge hit and the impact is definitely felt.

Of course, this is playing as one of the factions that's poorest and toughest in terms of economics from what I gather, barely keeping two armies funded. Although I suppose if it's a faction with plenty of wealth, which I understand some of the factions are, then maybe what the merchants make isn't as big a part of the economy. In that regards, I'd say they're balanced just fine because they make a huge difference for the poor, and aren't a major influence for the rich, although I would venture to say that if you look more closely they probably do contribute a significant amount.

[King Xiao]

For Ohman, go to the southern most island on the map. There are deposits of ivory which gets you loads

[DenniZ]

I play as KoJ and my merchants are being killed off every turn by Roman Merchants... Really annoying!

[anaztazioch]

You want me to make screenshots of my merchants cashin money ?

Ivory, slaves, silk, cotton, dyes, spices, gold are the most valuable. Forget about gold, as its never with 2 resources in 1 region, so cant train your merchants.

[Arkat]

I play as KoJ and my merchants are being killed off every turn by Roman Merchants... Really annoying!

I have the opposite problem, my ERE merchants are losing to the KoJ ones. They seem to be hunting my merchants. Also just about every encounter I lose.

[zznɟ ǝɥʇ]

As the ERE my merchants are under attack from other merchants, to th point where if I wasn't dirt poor I'd go and build forts around em as to protect my finacial interests.

But maybe I just suck at M2...but I'm always struggling for cash.

[MagyarMatt]

BAH, send them on some ivory to the far south of staring position by ships. Capture that city and you cash about 1000/turn.

Thanks for the info. I hadn't checked that part of the map. Too busy trying to expand North into Iran/ Persia.

[anaztazioch]

Dont go norht. Seljuks dont like company, and do Ghazni. Sidh, Ghorids are the only ones you have chance vs. (Ghorids becouse of theyr war with Rajput and Ghazni)

[paradamed]

Everytime I hire merchants they are removed by the ai merchants. I just gave up on them.

[Cyrus the Virus]

Interesting, as I think the Merchants are overkill. My ERE Merchants are each pulling in over a 1000 (one dude is taking 1575) per turn. Way too easy to make money in this mod.

That must grant a good income.

[NoFrag]

Interesting, as I think the Merchants are overkill. My ERE Merchants are each pulling in over a 1000 (one dude is taking 1575) per turn. Way too easy to make money in this mod.

I totally agree with this. They should increase cost for all units and buildings or reduce income as a whole, mines give ridiculous amount of +income and trade have to be nerfed as well.

[anaztazioch]

Fromg what i heared, Silk road, Slave market will have smaller trade bonus modifier. Right now they are stronger than markets IMO.

[Artannis Wolfrunner]

Merchants are wickedly good in BC. There are plenty of money hotspots, but my favorite is on the little strip of land on the bottom right of the map in the Indian Ocean that goes off the edge of the map (not the tiny island) - there are two ivory resources there that my merchants are making 3000 each per turn on.

Assassins seem to always have a 95% chance to kill merchants no matter the skill level of either. So keep an assassin around to guard your merchants from foreign acquisition. They are soooo worth the time and money.