Merchants

Unit Type

Trading

Rank Required

Serf (5)

Research Required

• level 1 - Education • level 2 - Mathematics • level 1 - Merchant Guilds

Gold Cost

10 each

Resources Needed

1 peasant per unit

Unit Space

10

Merchants allow the player to trade at market, and send goods to their own or other players' villages. Before a merchant can be created, players must first research Merchant Guilds, as well as placing a market in a village. By researching Commerce, the player can go beyond their own parish, and sell to the County, Province, Country and finally, the world.

TIP: Each merchant takes up 10 unit spaces, leaving less room for troops or other units.

The Basics

Initially, the player must research the first level of Merchant Guilds; this is available when Level 2 of Mathematics has been completed.

A market will become available via the industry buildings tab of the village UI, and can be placed anywhere in a village (each village requires separate markets). Once the market has been built, the player can create merchants from the units tab of the village UI.

TIP: Without further research, only one merchant per market may be created.

Trading with a market

To buy or sell at market (assuming the relevant research has been completed), select the village you wish to trade from by accessing the drop down menu on the top toolbar, by using arrow buttons on the top toolbar, or by using the world map and clicking on the yellow shield above your village.

On the map screen, click on a capital with which you wish to trade (don't click on its shield), and a market button will appear in the user interface on the right-hand side of the screen. By clicking on this button, you will be taken to the Stock Exchange screen, where you can buy and sell goods at the market (you may want to look at other markets for the best prices).

Trading with a village

To trade with your own or another player's village, select the village you wish to trade from by accessing the drop down menu on the top toolbar, by using arrow buttons on the top toolbar, or by using the world map and clicking on the yellow shield above your village.

On the map screen, click on a village with which you wish to trade, and a Send Resources button will appear in the user interface on the right-hand side of the screen. By clicking on this button, you will be taken to the Trade Village screen, where you can choose which of your goods you wish to send to the other village (if this village doesn't belong to you, the goods they own will not be shown).

The Interface

click image to view a larger version	The merchant interface is relatively simple: after researching Merchant Guilds, click on the units screen icon(found in the village tab), indicated by the scout horse. It is here that you can create scouts, merchants and monks. TIP: Merchants may only be created once a market has been built in the village, and if you have unemployed peasants available. TIP: Merchants cost 10 gold, and take up 10 unit spaces each.
click image to view a larger version	This is the stock exchange screen, which appears after selecting a market in a capital. From here you are able to: Buy goods, if the stock exchange has the goods available. Sell goods to the stock exchange, providing your village has the goods available. TIP: You may only sell/buy goods from the market in complete cartloads; e.g. 1000 stone, 500 apples, 5 bows. TIP: Selecting other stock exchanges enables you find the best price to buy or sell goods. TIP: Change the resource categories by selecting one of the four icons along the top of the resource window.
click image to view a larger version	This is the trade village screen, which appears after selecting a village you own or another player’s village. Providing you have the goods available, you can: Send goods to another village you own. Send goods to any other player, regardless of status. TIP: You can send partial cartloads of goods to and from other villages.

Research

Researching Merchant Guilds allows you to create merchants, and trade within your parish. Further research allows more merchants for each market you have built in your village(s). At the maximum level, you may have five (5) merchants per market.

Researching Commerce allows you to buy and sell in a county at Level 1, a province at Level 2, a country at Level 3, and finally, the world at Level 4.

Cards

Card Name	Description
Completed delivery	The next delivery will be completed immediately.
Completed contract	The next trade will be completed immediately.
Merchants	Merchants arrive at the castle.
Trade caravans	Traders can carry more goods per trip to a stock exchange.
Carters	Traders move faster across the map.
Villagers	Peasants arrive in a village of your choosing - these may be turned into merchants, providing you have available gold and unit space.