some tips on a pristine campaign from an expirienced modder/player

[Druvatar De Bodemloze]

you want a campaign where you have boundless wealth! Happy, happy citizens & the best military infra-structure? FOLLOW THESE PRINCIPLES:

1. put all ( most of it at least %75) your resources (income) into building Brothels, Taverns, churches & town halls, Anything which contributes to public order/happiness
you will not see immediate results but your cities will grow faster, wealthier & healthier!
yes the game is ToTal war! but it is really about population management

2. Build roads, ports, farms & markets sparingly (they have a negative reductive effect to your public happiness! & whatever monetary gains you get from them does not equate with the tax revenue from a happy & boisterous city! but do build them because especially when your cities get large the lack of them has a negative effect as well!)

3. Try to before upgrading any settlement, build everything for the Level it is at (trust me it makes a difference)

4. your castles should only be focused on after you have Secured healthy infra structure in your towns & cities

5. Avoid spreading yourself thin ( too many settlements) example I have followed my own suggestions & playing as Florence in my mod I have only 7 Settlements
2 huge cities
2 large cities
2 citadels
1 fortress
My income is per turn 20,000
I control all top five
& I have 207,00 in reserve

and I am only about 70 turns into the game
( which is 550 turns total in my mod)

so good luck! & great campaigns!

[The Source]

building brothels orginates bad traits for the governer
with focusing on production and income, you arnt ready for enemies/invading factions

[shikaka]

building brothels orginates bad traits for the governer

This. I don't think building these is a good idea in the first place.
(alcoholic governors hurt more then the brothels help)

[DennisRoos]

Why do roads and markets cause unhappiness?

[Old Geezer]

Roads enable faster troop movement and markets allow merchants. What about specialization? No farm improvements means no growth and no large cities. Warves are crucial for income. By turn 70 the game should be in a mop up stage.