How to Raid in ck2 | Sure Guide

How to Raid in ck2? Loot.png Certain cultures, as well as pagan and Hindu rulers, tribal and nomadic rulers of any faith, and tribal and nomadic rulers of any religion, may raid enemy territories without declaring war. Norse, Turks, etc. can always raid regardless of their kind of government, as culture trumps government type. Bringing home plunder can be a significant source of money and status.

Any province on the map can be plundered (barring relationships or settled adventurers – see below), but you will not receive Province Loot (i.e. gold – depicted as an orange bar) and Prestige unless the province is:

a nearby province (next to your demesne or your vassal’s demesne). You immediately receive Province Loot and Prestige.
A province with ships operating in neighbouring waterways. When the fleet docks, the Province Loot and Prestige will be transferred to the fleet and deposited to your coffers.

If you raid a province without one of the two prerequisites listed above, you will not receive gold if you successfully siege a holding, but you can still obtain captives and artefacts.

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Before an army leaves your region, it must be set to the “raiding” position. This stance is only available to armies when you are at peace. As long as you remain at peace, maintenance costs for looter armies are reduced to 10%. Conflict and relations

You are permitted to raid anyone who is not your liege, vassal, or tributary/suzerain. For instance, nomad vassal clans may engage in interclan raids. If your subordinate attacks you, you may confine him without resorting to tyranny. (Do not be mislead by the tooltips “Rulers can raid infidel neighbours for loot” and “Can raid internationally using ships” These pertain to AI behaviour; players can also raid their own religion and can always utilise ships to help raids.)

When you raid a realm, you become hostile for 180 days (from the last raiding). All count-tier and higher rulers who own holdings in the county will have the negative view “Pillaged my Lands: -40” for the same duration.

If you have a non-aggression treaty with the top liege or any of their vassals who rule the county, you cannot raid it. However, truces do not preclude raids.

The vassals have no objection to their armies being mobilised for pillage (only while sieging). Vassals will become enraged every 60 days if their forces are on the move or if their troops are plundering free loot after all holdings have been devastated.

Raid defence

Consider constructing forts in bordering counties, as raiding armies will be obliged to besiege the fort before threatening the county’s more valuable possessions.

If invading troops are threatened, they will typically embark on ships and search for a new kingdom to plunder. The majority of defenders think this adequate. If a province contains a high proportion of free loot, it is vital that defenders drive raiding armies to escape as quickly as possible; lost free wealth reduces the province’s tax value. This is especially important for nomads, as their free plunder is not secured by the fort levels of their holdings and they cannot construct forts; it is advisable to station some horde troops in provinces with Silk Road trade posts.

However, if a defending army is able to capture and destroy a raiding army, its owner is barred from raiding the target ruler for five years (only if the game rules has shattered retreat enabled). Although not necessarily necessary, these battles can be a good source of points for commander practise or military research. Several techniques can be employed to capture raiders without allowing them to return to their ships:

Dock a fleet carrying a sizable army. (To avoid the “amphibious landing” penalty, select the fleet as opposed to the army.)
Once the army begins to escape, assign a commander who improves movement speed, such as an Organizer.
Just before the plunderers reach their ships, collect levies from the ravaged province. These troops are not required to fight the raiders; they must just hold out until the main army arrives.
Attack with a small force before combining with a large force.