Merchants--Less is more
I've given merchants another go on my current game. I've kept the numbers way down this time. I find that if I produce fewer merchants they seem to come out with more acumen.
The problem with merchants is you have to manage them. Navigate them across the map and attack merchants that are weaker and build up your acumen. This takes time but this game I only have about 5 merchants moving around the map. The best earner has 8 acumen and is making 500 florins a turn. He's on the gold just east of the Venetians cities. Working my way further east to Constantinople where I expect to make about 600 a turn for 1 Merchant. I have higher acumen merchants but they aren't on the gold . . . yet.
So this is what I've learned.
1. Build fewer merchants and they come out better.
2. Use a spy to help you find weaker merchants. (or toggle_fow)
3. Try to end every turn with your merchant on a resource so he makes money and gains experience.
4. If your merchant is on a resource he has a defensive bonus. I didn't read this in the code I just experience it out on the map. I also think the defense bonus is bigger on your own territory.
5. Not all resources are created equal. Find the good ones and camp them. The enemy will send you plenty of victims.
6. You can push enemy merchants off of resources by moving your merchant onto the upper right side of the resource while the fog of war still hides anyone there. For instance, scout the resource with your spy, and then move him away and then move your merchant onto the resource. One of two things will happen: Either the merchant will give up and go somewhere else or he will try to acquire you. Since you are at a resource you have a defense bonus.
7. Once you take out all of a factions merchants it pays to stick around and wait for them to produce more. If they do so consistently then you can bring in low level merchants and train them up there.
8. When you get a few good merchants keep them near low level merchants to protect them from predators. In fact your low levels will act as bait for other merchants looking for a score. Just make sure you get to them first with your high level merchant.
Currently my merchant income is 10% of my trade income which is a respectable income for just a few merchants. This income does not include acquisition moneys. (don't even know where to look for those) Sadly, I can't mass produce my merchants and increase my gains. Success with merchants depends a lot on micro-managing and keep their numbers small. Because you boost their acumen by making acquisitions and because there aren't that many enemy merchants out there then you reach a point of diminishing returns on merchant advancement.
All in all I'm finding it more manageable and profitable to produce just a few merchants. By using them aggressively they build up acumen faster and have more life to spend raking in cash on a high value resource. Problem is that it takes a while to build them up and sooner or later they die. As the game gets going any extra managing I have to do takes away from the game and makes each turn take forever.
Best resources I've found: Silks, Gold, Amber, Sugar, Marble in that order. Sometimes even Tin or Iron can beat have of those, but I'm not sure why.
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