Quote Originally Posted by Captain Pugwash
How is it calculated?

I have maxed out assassins that can take out generals in cities, in forts and in the open but a single solitary merchant with some crappy rating no chance.

Spies that cannot get into cities yet there are no host spies inside because the assassin above shows no one to bump off, how come? whats keeping them out.

merchants that one turn show no chance of a takeover then the next they can

Is there some obscure formula or just a figure plucked out of the air.

By the way can you mod the game to enable a varied tax rate in castles etc

ta
There could still be spies there and your man doesn’t see them. If a spy can not get into a town there is something there.

Put the spy next to the town and then send up the assassin, you may be very surprised what you will find.