Rebel/Brigand Trigger?

[Red Harvest]

Has anyone been able to determine if there is a specific trigger (or triggers) for Rebels and Brigands? I've tried keeping public order at 100+% without seeming to have much effect.

I even seem to get these guys springing up in areas that I have held for a long time that are now happy interior provinces. I admit I've gotten very bored fighting two or three of these guys every turn (can't use autoresolve, because they often survive and I get coward vices.) This is on VH/VH so other settings might have different effects.

One thing that does seem to correlate: rebel family members seem to appear shortly after a new province has been taken from the rebels. Doesn't always happen, and not always that way, but it seems much more frequent.

[Quillan]

If you've gotten bored fighting them, throw money at them. Just keep diplomats stationed nearby. They are far cheaper to maintain than a standing army.

[Sinner]

I've been trying to work out the trigger myself, my current goal is to try and trap a rebel army with a superior force so that it can't move and then see if its existance stops further rebels appearing in that province.

To cut down on the boredeom factor of fighting rebels I've been using a few armies of Equites, Cavalry Auxilia and/or Roman Cavalry led by captains so that I don't have to worry about cowardly vices. I autocalc the majority of battles and just keep hitting the rebels until they're gone, then a quick trip to the stables and my cavalry are up to full strength again. Using cavalry I can cover a wide area with one army plus they have low upkeep and can act as emergency reinforcements if enemies invade.

Occasionally I send a new family member rebel hunting to gain experience, with a captain leading the first attack in case the rebels just retreat, then the general joins the cavalry to lead the second killing attack which I fight on the tactical map. Post-Marian Reforms I sometimes swap out the cavalry for Archer Auxilia so that the general gets a chance to pick up the Infantry Commander virtues.

[Doug-Thompson]

I can find neither rhyme nor reason in the appearance of bandits.

However, I haven't built an infantry unit in decades in my current game, except peasant for garrisons. Parthia have only Eastern Infantry, which are lousey. Bribed brigands give me all of those I'll ever need for sieges, etc., usually at half-price.

[Ldvs]

Has anyone been able to determine if there is a specific trigger (or triggers) for Rebels and Brigands? I've tried keeping public order at 100+% without seeming to have much effect.

I even seem to get these guys springing up in areas that I have held for a long time that are now happy interior provinces. I admit I've gotten very bored fighting two or three of these guys every turn (can't use autoresolve, because they often survive and I get coward vices.) This is on VH/VH so other settings might have different effects.

In my current germanic campaign, all my settlements are above 150%, so I can tell you for sure that there's no link between happiness and bandits, when I have enough money I generally bribe them...

[Oaty]

They are more frequent in the barbarian lands and newly conquered territories. Its from my observation that anything north of Patavium seem to be frequented by them more often. Playing as Brutii and not owning any of the barbarian lands I rarely see rebels and on avaerage get them every 3- 5 years.

Also I believe unrest is another trigger for them.

[motorhead]

i generally agree with what oaty said. In my last julii campaign and current carthage campaign, the most rebels appear in gaul/german lands. The iberian peninsula sees a small group of rebels perhaps every 5-8 years. Gaul/german lands see them much more frequently. It may be like MTW, and certain provs are just naturally rebellious.

I think there may also be a connection between enslaving lots of towns and seeing slave rebellions in those towns that import alot of slaves. I saw many slave rebellions in my julii campaign (especially around my core cities which were importing alot of slaves), where i used enslavement quite a bit. Only enslaved one town in my carthage campaign and haven't seen a single slave rebellion.

[Oaty]

I enslaved half of Turkey and did not get but maybe 1 or 2 slave rebels there.