Merchants and frustrations

[Grifman]

Merchants are a nice add to the game but rather frustrating in some ways. I see what happens when another merchant buys them out. That's fine, I can understand that and the game shows me what happens. But sometimes they just disappear. But this seems to happen after I hear a scream as the turn is processing just before they seem to disappear. Are they being killed by assassins? If so, it would be nice to see this, or get some sort of notification. Instead I have to hunt each turn to see what happens with them.

Also, if they are being assassinated is there some way to protect them? I've lost some very powerful merchants that were just about impossible to be bought out, but disappear without any notice. That's kind of frustrating when there's nothing you can do about, nor any explanation as to what happened given by the game.

Can somone help here? Anyone know what is going on? Thanks.

[Handel]

They often just died from ageing. I don't think you get a message then.

[Musashi]

You get a message if they die from old age. The only time you don't get a message for an agent death is if an enemy assassinates them.

[Lochar]

I noticed on an enemies traits a few that earns more merchant skill also reduces his personal security.

I get frustrated with them too but the lkey seems to be moving them way away. I finally found a spot where I was netting 25 floring for a lvl 2 merchant and now he's lvl 6 and rakin in the cash. The home items seem to raise it way too slowly. Altho most of my merchant missions are for rival merchants on home turf so its hard to get another back in time.

[Wallas]

1. If you see a higher level enemy merchant zooming to your merchant move him off the resource. The AI won't attack merchants that are off an resource.

2. Allways try to make agressive merchant war. You will get alot of experience and money by taking over AI merchants.

3. Try to assassinate high level enemy merchants that you cannot by out. They will build new low level ones that you can buy out. Normally they come out from the capitals.

[Rameusb5]

Maybe it's just me, but I'm having a hard time understanding merchant buyouts. Sometimes I'll have a VERY high mercantile merchant try to buy out a lesser merchant and he'll have a very low percentage to do so. On the other hand, sometimes I'll have a lower level merchant "attack" a higher level one and get a very good percentage (and he won't have any traits that appear to help him in this department).

Personally, I think that MOST of the time, the buyouts should be a "tie." It seems like the "ties" are extremely rare though.