Quote Originally Posted by RemusAvenged
Stripping the retainers is great. I do that for all crappy generals and anybody over 55. That way you don't loose them when the general dies.
Works also with spies, assasins and diplomats. Already proven persons with good traits will get retainers much faster than others. So use them to become 'trainers' for newbies.
For example, I have some older assasins with good retainers. I stripped them. Send them out to kill captains or enemy generals. I often get a new retainer when they succeed. Sometimes I recived up to 3 (!) retainers for my old veterans with one success! They work like a trainer for sure.
Not that easy, but similar with generals. Put a newbie into the same city with a proven, great other family member. Strip the veteran of retainers. If you do this inside of a city with good education buildings (Akademy upwards..., big temples and stuff) there are good chances that your veteran will get a new retainer soon and you can strip him again.
Similar with battles. A veteran general will get retainers in battle easier when he already has several good traits and NO retainer left, when he commands a force in the battle as main general. Works almost fine in killing big numbers of rioting peasants on his own^^