Author:
Simulacrum
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Date:
2/8/2018 6:20:40 AM
Subject:
Adventures in Warband Economics Part 3
My checking account balance: about 330k denars.
My weekly payroll: about 7500 denars.
My weekly
net
income apart from ransoms and looting defeated enemies: about 80 denars.
The above income derives from dyeworks in 12-13 cities and taxes from two castles and three villages.
I must get a city asap.
We're at the tail end of a war with the Khergits. The city of Narra is not very well garrisoned. If I could exchange my 85 knights for a mix of about 125 Nord Veterans and Vaegir Archers, I could take that city.
The problem is that I rely a lot on speed and unit efficiency to get things done. If I trade my knights for infantry and archers, I would lose considerable morale and food by the time I arrived at Narra. I'm certain that I could take the city, but would the benefit outweigh the losses?
Not at first, but I would immediately have to garrison the town. The siege might reduce my numbers by as much as 33%. I could not afford to leave any of my Nords or marksmen. The trip back to my castles would be too messy and too slow. I could hire maybe 40 prisoners and leave maybe 20 of my guys, but I guarantee that Sanjar Kahn would mosey over there with 500 men and retake the town while I'm recruiting from villages. And what would I be able to recruit? Khergits and Saranids, unless I go all the way back to get more Nords and Vaegirs. I could split the difference and get some Swadians. Their marksmen and archers aren't too bad, but the training would take too long. For obvious reasons, I wouldn't use knights in a siege, either for attacking or defending.
So even though Narra is tempting, there are too many negative possibilities. One hope is that our marshal, Boyar Knuddar, will notice the town's defense status and take it, but the likelihood that King Yargolek would award it to me is quite small.
Ideally, Boyar Knuddar would take the town, install a bad garrison, and I could run over and defend it. This would increase my chances of getting the property, but the scenario is unlikely.
A better outcome, but one fraught with danger, would be for Sanjar Kahn to seize Khudan and leave a Khergit garrison. I could run over and take it back. Even though the odds of my being awarded the town are still not good, at least the distance from my castles wouldn't be such an issue.
I've been declining King Yargolek's offers of villages. He wants to give me something. He's listed as one of my friends, though ironically some lords in enemy factions like me a lot more. Maybe if I do another chore or two for him, and if the stars align just right, I can get a town.
I need a town. I've bought dyeworks everywhere I can, but because the Swadians and Rhodoks are nearly always at war with us, at least two towns are always under sequestration. This drives me crazy. Every spare moment I have is used chasing bandits or punishing small bands of faction enemies for raiding villages. This is not the way to make money.
I need a town.
