How to make money as a Viking King?

[Riekopo]

I'm a bit confused on how to earn money as a Swedish Viking King. It seems like I have almost no income because tribal vassals don't give you any. I only have like one temple in my realm and definitely can't afford to build any more. I would like to go raiding, but having levies and ships raised costs me money every month. I tried using the Marshal's "Organize Raid" function, but that only raised a paltry force of 300 men which is easily destroyed if I'm not constantly babysitting them. I tried using the "Make Tributary" casus belli on my neighbors, but my neighbors are all poor tribals as well. I don't really understand what I'm supposed to do.

 

[AjayAlcos]

I'm a bit confused on how to earn money as a Swedish Viking King. It seems like I have almost no income because tribal vassals don't give you any. I only have like one temple in my realm and definitely can't afford to build any more. I would like to go raiding, but having levies and ships raised costs me money every month. I tried using the Marshal's "Organize Raid" function, but that only raised a paltry force of 300 men which is easily destroyed if I'm not constantly babysitting them. I tried using the "Make Tributary" casus belli on my neighbors, but my neighbors are all poor tribals as well. I don't really understand what I'm supposed to do.

You need to judge regions by fort level rather than wealth, so if your levies are low prioritize raiding those weaker less-fortified counties - preferably prince-bishoprics or mayorships. Now that you've accumulated a sum of gold, you have to reinvest it into your assets - namely your economy. This means building up the castle-settlement chain (as well as the other necessary building chains), as well as constructing ports & IKEA's town markets in your cities to revitalise your Dark-Age Scandinavian economy.

Over-time income from raiding will make up less & less of your positive balance and instead your demesne and vassals (assuming your vassals have also built up their holdings) will be the main source of wealth for your treasury.

 

[mewzle]

That paltry force isn't usually so paltry if you pick your raid targets wisely.

Raid other pagans, like Romuva ones. You don't get much from tribal holdings, but if you raid their provinces with Temple holdings you can rack up fat stacks of cash pretty easily because Temples have nice amounts of loot. Plus, you get increased RA.

Ireland is usually also a good option, since it's usually rather disunified and individual counts usually can't/won't do much to stop you.

 

[Less2]

Important things to know:

- Max looting rate is at 500 troops per province. If you are just 'skimming' gold off the top, split up stacks and raid multiple provinces at once.
- AI will refuse to raise levies in a province that has enemies in it. If you can put a raider in every province of a realm simultaneously, you can pillage and siege at your leisure. This obviously includes all OPMs (lots scattered around ireland, and heading down to the merchant republics in the Mediterranean can bring back a thousand ducats. Try and kidnap the Pope too.)

You can certainly make boat-loads of money raiding with your own levies.

 

[nkibilko]

It's a slightly slow start, but if you raid with troops and ships from just one of your counties you should be able to maintain a positive balance while out raiding.

 

[JonathanOfArc]

Ireland if they're still tribal. Burning down their tribe settlement won't get you much, but every county in Ireland has a temple, and that's where the easy money is.

 

[yourworstnightm]

Raid easy targets, but keep your eyes on France and England for richer pray. If their armies are distracted with other conflicts start raiding French and English counties. Also be prepared to do some hit and run raiding, i.e. flee as soon as you see an army on the horizon (I recommend slow game speed for this).

 

[Thrake]

Ireland is a good pick for quick and easy money. England is good too; takes longer but it's certainly not a bad idea to loot dukes holdings; you can get a hundred gold or two and it's certainly possible to get another hundred with a bit of luck with ransoms (tribals don't always have the money to pay ransoms...). All time favourite is probably Rome because of all the bishoprics and the Pope hasn't the levies to pull you back.

I also like to be more bold at times; paying attention to big wars around allows to hit the jackpot, like sneaking and pillaging Paris with a few thousand men.

 

[ststmitch]

keep using Make Tributary until all the low-income tribal counts and dukes are paying you and more importantly forced to answer your call to arms when starting new wars. with this method, I eventually gained enough troops (and prestige for raising tribal armies) to take on West Francia with a tributary claim. that will give you a considerable amount of revenue and your vassals get lots of bonus opinion

 

[Yrr]

Why i'm so poor...
Cmon - you are viking. Do viking job - raid, rape and burn. Take hostages. Burn Rome, take Pope as Hostage and ransom him for 250 gold. Make battle duels (you are fearsome viking - remember?), spare their lifes and ransom them.

My warriors wanna eat, wanna drink and wanna my money...
Cmon - you are King. Do King job - force people to do what you want, and of course continue to raid, rape and burn as usual. Raid with a vassals troops\ships - they will like you even more. Raid England, merchant republics, raid ERE, raid muslims, raid everything that still have money and hostages.

 

[Talq]

Yep, picking raid targets, look for OPMs (wont raise troops with raiders on them), bishoprics/republics (low fort levels), provinces that have just been sieged (very low garrisons) certain high-value provinces (basically where there are 2x cities or temples but only one castle). Merchant republics can be lucrative depending on the state of their retinues (also if you are hostile to them and not the province you land in, you destroy their trade post first.

Sailing down to Italy and hitting Genoa, Pisa, Capua, Rome, Venice (there are also a couple of prince-bishoprics I can't recall) is lucrative.

Also, only your personal boats cost money, use only your vassals if you can.

All that said, raiding isn't effortless, and isn't intended to be.