Just began a Vassal, hemorrhaging cash.

[Orophen]

Quite simple: how do I make money now that I am a vassal? I don't have any fief, and the 170 coins I used to earn as a mercenary are gone.

Also, what can I do with the influence gained?

Thanks

[Kayeka]

You're going to have to earn money the hard way, by fighting the kingdom's enemies. Or by trading, if that's your thing and conditions happen to be favourable. (and yes, there's also smithing. We all know about smithing. Smithing is boring and is probably best used as a quick panic button)

Influence is used to vote on kingdom decisions such as policies and the handing out of recently conquered fiefs. However, you can also use it by forming an army. In the bottom-left corner of the map screen, just above all the dials and numbers, you can see a button showing three flags. Click on it, and you can use your influence to invite other war parties into your army, banding up to take out larger targets such as castles, cities or opposing armies.

[Orophen]

Originally posted by Kayeka:

You're going to have to earn money the hard way, by fighting the kingdom's enemies. Or by trading, if that's your thing and conditions happen to be favourable. (and yes, there's also smithing. We all know about smithing. Smithing is boring and is probably best used as a quick panic button)

Influence is used to vote on kingdom decisions such as policies and the handing out of recently conquered fiefs. However, you can also use it by forming an army. In the bottom-left corner of the map screen, just above all the dials and numbers, you can see a button showing three flags. Click on it, and you can use your influence to invite other war parties into your army, banding up to take out larger targets such as castles, cities or opposing armies.

For how long do those parties stay with me?
Yeah, I am fighting, a couple of big battles too (great game by the way), but apart from that, what should I do?
I heard that raiding villages it is not a good idea, I tried to chase enemy's caravans, but they are too fast, I can't seem to be able to catch them...

[standalone99]

if you look in the army info it shows the coheasion (not sure if i spelled that right) a number from 1-100 when thats gone the army will disband you have to use some influence to keep it up, fight battles and sell the loot is best way to make money untill you make freinds in your faction then they will start voting for you when your team takes a city or castle. Raiding villages will make your companions that are squares or have feelings not like you as much, plus you dont want to raid anything you might be taking over someday, caravamns your gonna need cavalry to get your map sdpeed up to catch them.

[Kayeka]

It is true that raiding is generally considered to be not worth it. It requires a serious investment of time, it cheeves off many companions, doesn't pay out much at all and you're likely to be atacked while you're suffering the "disorganised" debuff and thus can't get away. The mechanic is going to need some serious changes before you can make real money by raiding.

Including lots of cavalry in your army to increase your travel speed is one way, but you can also keep horses in your inventory for your infantry to use while traveling. Any horse besides Sumpter Horses and Mules will do. (Sumpter horses and Mules will increase your carrying capacity instead, which is pretty useful as well. Basically, don't sell any horses you might capture until you start suffering the "herding" debuff).

Don't forget that you don't need to form armies yourself to benefit from the mechanic. You can also join armies formed by other vassals. So whenever you see an army, join up with them to get in on whatever action they're planning and perform well in battle, and you'll often find yourself claiming half the spoils.

And, if you're having difficulty getting into some action, you can always try getting into trading. It's a decent enough money maker at this stage of the game, and it comes with some free EXP for your character as well. Just travel past several cities, buy any goods marked as cheap, and sell goods marked as expensive. You can make thousands within minutes at minimal risk.

At this stage, I like to take "Caravan Escort" quests. You'll be getting into multiple medium-sized battles with bandits (all on horseback, so you'll likely get some extra horses out of it as well), travel past several cities where you can do trading, and get paid for the escort. It's about as good as it gets for making easy money.

[EmpressMelanie]

The after battle loot you get from big 500+ battles is great vassal money. You can easily get 10k+ of equipment to sell and pay your bills for weeks if not months. Inbetween those battles, or if you and your army need time to heal up from one of those, I'd run quest for every noble in your kingdom. Look for the blue exclamation mark and do everyone you can ESPECIALLY FOR YOUR FACTION LEADER. You get some decent income doing these but more importantly you get your relationship up with them. When your kingdom captures a new fief, or reclaims an old one, having a high relationship can get them to give it to you. Even if you didn't participate in the fighting. Once you got a fief get the loyalty up first then you will have a constant income stream.

[Muscarine]

It's hard to tell without you giving the numbers, what do you mean hemorrhaging money ?

What's your finances breakdown ?

Just chasing a handful looters daily is easy 1k, delivering a couple horses to other vassals is easy 4-5k

If you're spending more than that on your personal army there's a problem

So how much are you really losing daily ?

[Grizz_FMJ]

It happens. Look at what's draining you .

-Probably have too much wages to your party : stop leveling them all up. Not needed.
-Do work as the vassal and earn your keep. Check wages.
-Start getting good at collecting bandit loot. Then get good at smithing said loot. Lots of $$$$ in that after some grinding.
- Caravans and shops are $$$. Shops are safer . Build the shops in a city not on the border of enemy if at all possible .
- Fiefs : ensure you limit the wages allotted to the garrison ( default unlimited) .

This should square ya away some.

[Orophen]

Originally posted by Muscarine:

It's hard to tell without you giving the numbers, what do you mean hemorrhaging money ?

What's your finances breakdown ?

Just chasing a handful looters daily is easy 1k, delivering a couple horses to other vassals is easy 4-5k

If you're spending more than that on your personal army there's a problem

So how much are you really losing daily ?

I spend a little less than 500 in wages, but I find myself wandering for days doing nothing or encountering just small bandit parties (like 5 people) and I don't even bother to catch them.
I am forced to run from looters to looters just to pay wages... I am trying to find a more reliable (and big) source of revenue... the days are too short...
I also tried to give a party to my brother just to find out I have to pay the wages for him and his men too... Luckly, he has been captured XD (by the way, how can I get him back?)

[Orophen]

Originally posted by Grizz_SS:

It happens. Look at what's draining you .

-Probably have too much wages to your party : stop leveling them all up. Not needed.
-Do work as the vassal and earn your keep. Check wages.
-Start getting good at collecting bandit loot. Then get good at smithing said loot. Lots of $$$$ in that after some grinding.
- Caravans and shops are $$$. Shops are safer . Build the shops in a city not on the border of enemy if at all possible .
- Fiefs : ensure you limit the wages allotted to the garrison ( default unlimited) .

This should square ya away some.

How do I get a shop?

[Grizz_FMJ]

Originally posted by Orophen:

Originally posted by Grizz_SS:

It happens. Look at what's draining you .

-Probably have too much wages to your party : stop leveling them all up. Not needed.
-Do work as the vassal and earn your keep. Check wages.
-Start getting good at collecting bandit loot. Then get good at smithing said loot. Lots of $$$$ in that after some grinding.
- Caravans and shops are $$$. Shops are safer . Build the shops in a city not on the border of enemy if at all possible .
- Fiefs : ensure you limit the wages allotted to the garrison ( default unlimited) .

This should square ya away some.

How do I get a shop?

Go to a city and click on one of the shop folk ( tanners , blacksmith etc) and open dialog. Click " id like to ask a few questions" or w.e. it is. Then click the option to buy his/her shop.

Just check the cities main profit and try to pick the shop in that category. Worst case convert later once you get money for it.

[thommikel]

I wouldn’t attack caravans either, as that will make the merchants mad at you and can affect your relations with them and make it harder to build your prosperity once you have a fief.

[Grizz_FMJ]

Originally posted by thommikel:

I wouldn’t attack caravans either, as that will make the merchants mad at you and can affect your relations with them and make it harder to build your prosperity once you have a fief.

Yup. Pretty much don't piss anyone off too much...until you get a lot of $$$ and military. I just executed Caladog and like 3 other Battanian lords. I usually avoid this but it had to be done. They were just dragging out the war (10 year war) and I need to end them and focus south. ( I am Vlandia. )

[Muscarine]

Yea follow what people advise you

Couple workshops and a caravan should set you straight for a long time even without bothering to do quests or chasing thugs

Smithing is broken lucrative but it's optional

Once you start winning a few real battles you'll have more money than you know what to do with

[Monsieur Tourette]

I have to spend my influence to keep the wars declared, I would go bankrupt in a month of peace. It gives some edge to the gameplay, but I prefer it the old way, like to set workshops and forget about money. Must be rough for a new player.

[Orophen]

Luckily I didn’t attack any village or caravan so far, mistake avoided eheheh.
I am going to try with some shops then.
I am a little be afraid about the lords given missions, in the first game they were sometimes very broken and hard to do…