Merchants and Assassins

[Didz]

My merchants are total shite. If I send them to a resource, they are smacked down by enemy merchants. If I send them after enemy merchants, they are smacked down too. What can I do to make them better? I am training them all in one city to get Merchant Guild bonuses, but it doesn't help much at all.

These questions have been answered in more detail in other threads and guides.

This is my favourite, if you want to read one:
http://forums.totalrealism.net/showthread.php?t=2798

However, to answer the two keys issues you raise above.

If I send them to a resource, they are smacked down by enemy merchants.
Yes...They will be....the AI specifically targets merchants standing on a resource. So ,as soon as you stand a merchant on one consider it a target.

The solution is micro-management unfortunately, never leave a merchant standing on a resource blind. If it is operating in foriegn territory it has to be accompanied by a spy with a decent sight range so that you can see the hostile merchants closing on your location.

When an hostile merchant gets within striking distance, simple move your merchant off the resource. The hostile merchant will instantly lose interest and wander off. Once he has 'pissed-off' stand back on your resource point and carry on trading until he returns.

If I send them after enemy merchants, they are smacked down too.
Well there's no excuse for that. You should get a clear statement of the % odds of success before you send the merchant in, but the AI is notiously fickle about its resolution. My own advice is to basically cheat....I check the combat odds for a successful takeover and if its 85% or 95% I don't expect to lose my merchant doing the dirty deed. So, I do a CTRL+S quick save just before the attempt and if the AI thinks its being funny by killing my 8 Star merchant with its 1 Star noob trader I teach it whose really boss by reloading and making it think again. I have a sort of unwritten code of honour that says that if I get a NIL-NIL result I let it stand, and if the AI kills my merchant 3 times in a row on the re-rolls I accept it as a rare result. But having your Alan Sugar super-merchant taken out by some Dell Boy from the local market is just some computer programmers idea of a laugh, but I don't think its funny so I won't accept it.