Raid & Trade

Dynamic Trade Routes opens up raiding or trading for all cultures with historically sensible rules.

CK3 game images used in this article are hyperlinks to navigate through the Crusader Kings III Wiki for appropriate explanations of game concepts.

pdx-onmap-raid-icon 1. Who can Raid & Trade?

To be able to  toggle the raid & trade button into active mode, a ruler needs to not be at war (hardcoded), and fulfill one of these conditions:

  • pdx-tribal_government Have a Tribal government.
  • feudal_government Have a Republic government.
  • Others need to have one of these:
    • Government has the flag Government Can Raid (only pdx-tribal_government Tribal government has it, but mods can add it to any government).
    • Faith has doctrine parameter Faith Can Raid (like the pdx-Core_tenet_swordWarmonger Tenet).
    • Dynasty has the pdx-Modifier_horse_dead_positive Legacy of Piracy dynasty modifier.
    • Culture has the parameter Can Raid at Sea Even if Feudal (like the cultural tradition Practiced Pirates).
    •  Any Independent Ruler, if they have a:
      • pdx-_default Feudal government.
      • pdx-clan_government Clan government.
      • pdx-theocracy_government Theocracy government + pdx-Religion_sunni Islam religion.
    •  Vassals, depending onpdx-rulesGame Rule selected on game start:
        • Historical (default): only with vasal contractpdx-LawSanctioned War Declaration.
        • Kingdom: vassal pdx-Kingdom King or higher can always raid.
        • Duchy: vassal pdx-DuchyDuke or higher can always raid.
        • County: vassal pdx-County Count or higher can always raid.

pdx-naval_transportation 1.1. Who can Raid & Trade Across Water?

To be able to raid across water, a ruler has to meet one of these conditions:

  • pdx-CultureAppropriate Culture + Innovation + Tradition (Nordics kept raiding after the Tribal Era: Norwegian, Danish & Swedish in the Baltic; Norse in Britannia).
    1. pdx-city-western North Germanic heritage
    2. pdx-Tradition_viking Coastal Warriors (DLC Northern Lords).
    3. Innovation Longships.
  • pdx-Modifier_horse_dead_positiveLegacy of Piracy dynasty modifier (DLC Northern Lords).
  • Tradition Practiced Pirates (or any modded culture with the Cultural Parameter “culture_can_raid_at_sea_even_if_feudal”). Tradition made easier to Reform for:
    • pdx-city-mena Heritage Berber (Barbary Piracy).
    • pdx-city-mena Heritage Arabic (Mediterranean, Red Sea, Persian Gulf Piracy). Maghrebi have it on game start.
    • pdx-city-iberia Andalusian (Kretan and Mallorcan piracy).
    • pdx-city-india Sindhi (Bawarij).
  • pdx-Religion_sunniIslam Religion plus Both of these conditions:
    1. pdx-Building_tradeport Tradeport in itsRealm_capital-provinceCapital Province (=Realm Capital + Capital Barony)
    2. pdx-realm-capitalCapital County (within) one of these titles:
      • pdx-Kingdom Kingdom of Ifriqiya (region dominated piracy in the Mediterranean for centuries). Includes Duchy of Bejaïa.
      • pdx-Duchy Duchy of Mallorca (base for naval raids against Iberia, France)
      • pdx-Duchy Duchy of Sicily (base for naval raids against Provence, Italy)
      • pdx-Duchy Duchy of Krete (quintessential “corsair’s nest”)
      • pdx-County County of Soqotra (a haven for pirates).
      • pdx-County County of Uwal (Bahrain, a haven for pirates).
      • pdx-Duchy Duchy of Sauvira (Muslim Bawarij from Sindh).
      • (Below this line are potential pirate havens, exploited throughout history though not systematically in the MA)
      • pdx-Duchy Duchy of Cyprus.
      • pdx-Duchy Duchy of Aegean Islands.
      • pdx-Duchy Duchy of Sardinia.
      • pdx-Duchy Duchy of Corsica.
      • pdx-Duchy Duchy of Konkana.
      • pdx-Duchy Duchy of Chera Nadu (including Maldives)
      • pdx-Duchy Duchy of Sinhala.
  • feudal_government Have a Republic government, if one of these conditions are met (should cover overseas trade by Venice, Amalfi, Pisa, Genoa, Visby, Hansa…):
    • pdx-Building_tradeport Tradeport in itsRealm_capital-provinceCapital Province (=Realm Capital + Capital Barony).
    • coastal Coastal Realm (any county in the realm is coastal) andpdx-CultureCulture has apropriate Innovation/Tradition (one of these):
      • Innovation Longships.
      •   Innovation African Canoes.
      • Tradition Seafarers.
      • Tradition Fishermen.
      • Tradition Maritime Mercantilism.
  • pdx-Commander_trait Fulfilling All these conditions (adding random AI events and opportunity for player):
    1. Trait pdx-Trait_reaverReaver or pdx-Trait_vikingViking.
    2. Trait sailor_2 Expert Sailor (2) or higher.
    3. pdx-CultureAppropriate Innovation/Tradition (one of these):
      • Innovation Longships.
      • Innovation African Canoes.
      • pdx-Tradition_viking Coastal Warriors (DLC Northern Lords).
      • Seafarers.
      • Dexterous Fishermen.
      • Maritime Mercantilism.
  • pdx-culture_era_late_medieval  Late Medieval cultural era and Both these conditions are met (representing late, “fluid”, small-scale piracy and slave-raiding):
    • pdx-Building_tradeport Tradeport in itsRealm_capital-provinceCapital Province (=Realm Capital + Capital Barony)
    • pdx-CultureAppropriate Innovation/Tradition (one of these):
      • Innovation Longships.
      • Innovation African Canoes.
      • pdx-Tradition_viking Coastal Warriors (DLC Northern Lords).
      • Seafarers.
      • Dexterous Fishermen.
      • Maritime Mercantilism.

defender_river_large 1.2. Who can navigate major rivers?

An army can navigate through major rivers if they have:

  • pdx-CultureAppropriate Culture Innovation or Tradition.
    1. Innovation Longships (added to Russian culture after Sviatoslav’s reign and his cultural & faith change from Norse Germanic to Russian Orthodox).
    2.  Innovation West African Canoes.
    3. Tradition Seafarers, or any modded culture with the Cultural Parameter “can_travel_along_rivers”.
  • pdx-Modifier_horse_dead_positiveLegacy of Piracy dynasty modifier (DLC Northern Lords).

pdx-action_being_raided 2. Who is Raidable?

For a holding to be raidable, the Raider and/or the Raided County Holder’s Top Liege have to meet these conditions:

  • Raider’s pdx-Culture Culture:
    •  Not have the tradition Pacifism.
  • Raider’s Religion_valentinianism Faith:
    • Not have the doctrine parameter pdx-Core_tenet_pacifismHoly Wars Forbidden.
  • Raider’s Government:
    • pdx-tribal_government Tribals can raid anyone.
    • feudal_government Republics can only raid other Republics (to represent the constant wars and raids between competing republics in the Mediterranean).
    • Other Governments must meet one of these conditions:
      • Raidable by Religion_valentinianism Faith (one of these)
        • Raider has an pdx-Icon_crossUnreformed faith (disregard for faith hostility).
        • Raided Holder’s Top Liege has a faith considered pdx-Faith Hostile or Evil by the Raider’s pdx-Icon_check Reformed faith.
      • Raidable bypdx-Culture Culture in one of these Regions:
        • Raider Can Enslave in Africa by Culture + Raided Holder’s Top Liege’s Realm_capital-provinceCapital Province is in pdx-Titles West or East Africa Region (frequent raids).
        • Raider Can Enslave in India by Culture + Raided Holder’s Top Liege’s Realm_capital-provinceCapital Province is in  pdx-Titles India Region (cattle raids).
        • Raider Can Enslave in Britannia by Culture + Raided Holder’s Top Liege’s Realm_capital-provinceCapital Province is in pdx-Titles Britannia (male warrior bands).

icon-trade 2.1. Getting a sacking Event

To get a chance of Sacking a County, these conditions have to be met:

  • Raider ruler is pdx-commander_is_leader Commanding the raiding army.
  • The Raided Barony is the pdx-county-capitalCapital Barony.
  • The County has not Modifiers for being province_modifier_outdoors_negative Recently Sacked, province_modifier_enslavement_negative Recently Enslaved, province_modifier_counterfeit_1 Dies Robbed or  province_modifier_counterfeit_2 Dies Counterfeited.

The probability of getting a Sacking Event adds up the following factors:

  • Base chance: +20%
  • pdx-Pillage_legacy_trackPillage Legacies: +10%+20%+35%+50%+70% chance.
  • Raider trait pdx-Trait_reaverReaver* or pdx-Trait_vikingViking: +30%
  • Raider is ofpdx-Culture Specialized Slaver Culture: +25%
    • pdx-city-western Goidelic heritage (Irish certain, Scottish very likely raiders [CWHS2 2021]).
    • pdx-city-western Welsh (still active in 1136).
    • pdx-city-western Pictish.
    • pdx-city-western Cumbrian (Northumbrians still raiding in 1065).
    • pdx-city-western Anglo-Saxon.
    • pdx-city-western North Germanic heritage (Vikings, but later also under Christianism)
    • pdx-city-western Russian (dominate Northern Arch slavery trade).
    • pdx-city-western Norman (Norse Tradition – Robert Giscard known for pillaging).
    • pdx-city-mena Maghrebi (Ifriqiya and West Mediterranean raids).
    • pdx-city-mediterranean Alan (Abkhazia known for its slave market).
    • pdx-city-mediterranean Greek (Byzantium, common enslaver and slave trader).
    • pdx-city-mena Ethiopian (famous enslavers in the Horn of Africa [CWHS2 2021]).
    • pdx-city-mena Nubian (common sellers to Egypt [CWHS2 2021]).
    • pdx-city-mena Somali (common sellers to India [CWHS2 2021]).
    • pdx-city-mena Bedouin (at least early on [CWHS2 2021]).
    • pdx-city-western Mogyer.
    • pdx-city-mena Butr (dominated slave trade through Sahara [CWHS2 2021]).
    • pdx-city-western Mongol (at least in later bookmarks).
    • pdx-city-iberia Iberian heritage (endemic razzias against each other for centuries).
    • pdx-city-mena Turkic heritage (from Seljuks to the steppes).
    • pdx-city-india Sindhi (Bawarij).
    • pdx-city-india Kannada (from MA stone inscriptions, cattle-raids particularly prevalent in Karnataka (?) [Singh 2008]).
    • pdx-city-india Tamil (from MA stone inscriptions, cattle-raids particularly prevalent in Tamil Nadu (?) [Singh 2008]).
  • Raider has appropriate pdx-CultureCulture Tradition: +20%
    • Practiced Pirates (Heritage Berber, Arabic, or culture Sindhi).
    • pdx-Tradition_riderKonni Raids (Heritage Magyar, South Slavic, Vlach, & West Slavic).
    • pdx-Tradition_vikingHirds (Heritage North Germanic, West Germanic, & Balto-Finnic)
    • pdx-Tradition_swordsBattlefield Looters (Heritage North Germanic).
  • Raider pdx-Intrigue Intrigue x 0.5 (e.g. Intrigue 10 = +5%).
  • Raider pdx-WarProwess x 0.2 (e.g. Prowess 10 = +2%).
*Reaver and Viking traits

Every time a ruler raids a holding as army commander a counter increases, and there is a chance with every raid to receive the pdx-Trait_reaverReaver trait:

  • Base: +20%;
  • Counter>10: +10%
  • Counter>40: +20%
  • Counter>50: +30%

Once the Reaver trait is received, the same process applies to receive the pdx-Trait_vikingViking trait.

icon-prison 2.1.1. Enslaving the population

The absolute Maximum Enslaveable Population for an army is equal to the Raider’s pdx-Icon_soldierarmy size (e.g. if you have 4000 soldiers, you can enslave max. 4000 peasants).

The number of slaves taken will translate into -150% loss in pdx-Task_develop_county development-equivalent (e.g. enslaving 4000 peasants means killing an extra 2000 unusable/rowdy peasants in the fray, so a pdx-Task_develop_county development-equivalent loss of 6000 population).

Once a population is enslaved, your enslaver army (marked with icon-prison) must arrive to your realm for the slaves to be delivered, like any other icon-trade loot.

icon_serfs_small 2.1.1.a. Bringing Serfs to your Capital

The number of slaves taken will translate into 50% pdx-Task_develop_county development-equivalent gain for the Raider’s pdx-realm-capitalCapital County, due to a much less efficient workforce (e.g. enslaving 4000 peasants means contributing 2000 population in pdx-Task_develop_county development-equivalent gain).

The number of slaves taken will, however, contribute in full to the number of icon_serfs_small Recent Serfs that counts towards a potential Slave Revolt malus, which in turn depends on the maximum number of serfs that the Raider’s culture is used to, as well as on the development of the Raider’s pdx-realm-capitalCapital County.

icon_slaves_small 2.1.1.b. Selling (female/children) peasants as chattel slaves

The number of slaves (automatically sold on arrival) corresponding to the  Ruler that pdx-commander_is_leader commanded the army during the raid depends on:

  • Base number of slaves:
    • A count will get 1 icon_slaves_smallpeasant slave.
    • A duke will get 2 icon_slaves_smallpeasant slaves.
    • A king or higher will get 3 icon_slaves_smallpeasant slaves.
  • Extra slaves if the number of slaves taken is greater than the raiding pdx-Icon_soldier army size on arrival:
    • 66% chance of getting 1 extra icon_slaves_smallpeasant slave.
    • 33% chance of getting 2 extra icon_slaves_smallpeasant slave.

Landed pdx-icon_knightKnights that form part of the army (usually AI only, unless using a modded version of the game) will receive:

  • Base number of slaves:
    • A duke will get 1 icon_slaves_smallpeasant slave.
    • A king or higher will get 2 icon_slaves_smallpeasant slaves.
  • Extra slaves if the number of slaves taken is greater than the raiding pdx-Icon_soldier army size on arrival:
    • 50% chance of 0 extra slaves.
    • 50% chance of getting 1extraicon_slaves_smallpeasant slave.
pdx-report-battle-won 2.1.1.c. Defeating an Army of Slavers

If a Raider’s army which has taken peasants to be sold as slaves is pdx-report-battle-lost defeated by the Raided Holder or any friendly army (same Realm, or non-Hostile Faith, or cannot enslave/be enslaved by Culture), those peasants will be returned home: the Raided County will change modifiers from province_modifier_enslavement_negative Recently Enslaved to province_modifier_enslavement_positive Returned Slaves, and its pdx-Task_develop_county development will increase accordingly (e.g. if 4000 peasants were taken, 4000 development-equivalent will be gained; the development-equivalent lost from the extra 2000 peasants who were killed will not be recovered).

If the army defeating the Raider’s army is not friendly (Hostile Faith, Can Enslave by Culture), then the owner of that hostile army will instantly get those slaves to sell (regardless of the original intention for the enslaved population):

  • 45% chance of getting 1icon_slaves_smallpeasant slave to sell.
  • 36% chance of getting 2 icon_slaves_smallpeasant slaves to sell.
  • 9% chance of getting 3 icon_slaves_smallpeasant slaves to sell.

coin_dies 2.2. Getting a Mint Raid Event

To get a chance of Robbing the Dies of a Mint, these conditions have to be met:

  •  Raider ruler is  pdx-commander_is_leader Commanding the raiding army.
  • The Raided Barony has a icon_royal_mint Mint.
  • The Raided Barony is Not thepdx-county-capitalCapital Barony (in that case, the Raider can get the Sacking Event).
  • The Raided Holder or any Liege or above have a icon-coin Coin in circulation.
  • The County has not Modifiers for being province_modifier_outdoors_negative Recently Sacked, province_modifier_enslavement_negative Recently Enslaved, province_modifier_counterfeit_1 Dies Robbed or  province_modifier_counterfeit_2 Dies Counterfeited.

The chance of this event depends on:

  • Barony Holder’s pdx-Intrigue Intrigue x 2 (e.g. Intrigue 10 = -20%)
  •  Barony Holder’s trait mintmaster Mintmaster: -50% (the first thing they’ll do is protect the mint)
  • Raider’s pdx-Stewardship Stewardship x 2 (e.g. Stewardship 10 = +20%)
  • Raider’s Greed x 0.25 (max. range -25% to +25%)
  • Raider’s trait mintmaster Mintmaster: +50% (the first thing they’ll look for is the mint)

diplomatic_icon_trade_deal 3. Who can Trade?

Raiding armies which cannot Raid a county (see conditions above) will attempt to Trade with the target County Holder or their Top Liege.

For the event to trigger, you need to have the DLC Northern Lords, and these conditions have to be met:

  • Raider Government:
    • pdx-tribal_government Tribal government: never.
    • feudal_government Republic government: always except with other feudal_government Republics (which are always considered hostile and will be raided).
    • pdx-_default Feudal, pdx-clan_government Clan, or pdx-theocracy_government Theocracy governments must meet certain conditions:
      •  Ruler is  pdx-commander_is_leader Commanding the raiding army.
      • Raider did Not have this event in the past 50 days—representing the need to resupply goods to offer—unless they selected option d in the event (continue looking for trade options).
  • The Raider’s army is Not in Combat (sometimes an army will engage directly a local or otherwise hostile army when they enter a foreign realm).
  • Raider has Not pdx-Modifier_stewardship_negative Banned Strategic Exports (if they don’t share important resources, nobody wants to deal with them).

diplomatic_icon_truce_trade 3.1. Getting a Trade Event

The probability of getting a Trade Event with a County Holder or their Top Liege adds up the following factors:

  • Base chance: +10%
  • Has feudal_government Republic government: +70% (almost certain event)
  • lifestyle_traderLifestyle Trader trait : +10%+20%+30% with increasing rank.
  • Has cultural Tradition Maritime Mercantilism: +40%
  • Has appropriate cultural Tradition: +25%
    • pdx-Tradition_diplomat Astute Diplomats.
    • pdx-Tradition_city Parochialism.
    • pdx-Tradition_laurel Republican Legacy.
  • pdx-DiplomacyDiplomacy Skill x 2 (e.g. a Diplomacy 10 = +20%)
  • pdx-StewardshipStewardship Skill x 0.5 (e.g. a Stewardship 10 = +5%)
  • If the Target County is the Holder’s pdx-realm-capitalCapital County: +10%
  • If the Target County is the Top Liege’spdx-realm-capitalCapital County: +25%
  • Raider’s pdx-Icon_soldier Army Strength compared to County’s Eligible Settlement Value (= County diplomatic_icon_trade_deal Available Imports x 100):
    • If army strength is lesser: -50% (assumed to have not enough goods to offer).
    • If army strength is 2x or more of the settlement value: +10%
    • If army strength is 3x or more of the settlement value: +25%

Not getting a trade event in a non-raidable county will grant a bilateral diplomatic_icon_truce_pass_meFree Pass Truce for 180 days between the Raider and the County Holder’s Top Liege, which will preclude the possibility of triggering a trade event in the Top Liege’s realm for that period.

diplomatic_icon_trade_deal 3.1.1. Trade Deal

Rulers can have only take part in one Trade Deal Truce as diplomatic_icon_trade_deal Trader (=main trading partner). However, any ruler can be the object of multiple Trade Deal Truces as diplomatic_icon_truce_trade Tradee (=passive trading partner).

A raider/trader can offer a Trade Deal to the County Holder or to their Top Liege (if they are different).

The chance of the AI ruler accepting a Trade Deal depends on:

  • Base chance: +80% (AI ruler will usually prefer this option rather than a damaging Trading Post)
  • pdx-Opinion Opinion of Trader (-100% to +100%)
  • Is At War: +50% (ruler cannot afford to have county’s economy damaged by Trading Post)
  • pdx-Trait_diligent Diligent : +20%
  • pdx-DiplomacyDiplomacy Skill < Trader’s: +25%
  • pdx-StewardshipStewardship Skill < Trader’s: +15%

If a trade deal proposal is not accepted, a province_modifier_trade_positive Trading Post will be automatically set up by the trader.

A Trade Deal Truce gives the  diplomatic_icon_trade_deal Trader access to 100% of the icon-coin Resources of the diplomatic_icon_truce_trade Tradee, except for Strategic Resources if the Top Liege has pdx-Modifier_stewardship_negative Banned Strategic Exports.

Conversely, the same Trade Deal Truce gives the diplomatic_icon_truce_trade Tradee access to 50% of the icon-coin Resources of the  diplomatic_icon_trade_deal Trader, except for Strategic Resources if the Top Liege has pdx-Modifier_stewardship_negative Banned Strategic Exports.

province_modifier_trade_post 3.1.2. Trading Posts

A ruler can set up a Trade Post in a county instead of reaching a trade deal with the holder or their liege.

  • province_modifier_trade_post Trading Posts are permanent settlements set up by feudal_government Republics, so that their merchants can trade with a county’s resources. A Trading Post will deplete the icon-coin Resources of the county by -15%, and they will only disappear when a Republic enters into war, or when the trader dies or loses their primary title.
  • province_modifier_trade_positive Trading Houses are temporary stations set up by pdx-_defaultpdx-clan_government pdx-theocracy_government other governments, to trade with the target county’s resources. A Trading House will deplete the icon-coin Resources of the county by -40%, but they will disappear after 5 years, or when the trader dies.