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The Retinues tab under the Military screen

Retinues are regiments of troops which form a standing army for each ruler. They require the Legacy of Rome DLC. Unlike levies, retinues do not need to be dismissed before declaring war.

Non-tribals must pay a fee to hire retinues. They also have a monthly maintenance cost and can be expensive while reinforcing back to full strength. With the Monks and Mystics DLC, a Marshal can be assigned to a job which reduces the monthly maintenance costs of retinues.

In place of retinues, nomads use horde troops. Tribals use tribal retinues which costs Prestige to hire and maintain.

Retinue cap [ edit ]

Each ruler can only have a retinue of a limited size, dependent on their retinue cap. Different troop types take up differently-sized portions of the cap, with more powerful types (such as heavy cavalry) using more.

The retinue cap is given by the formula:

Retinue cap = (Rank * RealmHoldings + BuildingBonus) * (1 + 1.5 * MilitaryOrganizationTech) * (1 + UnreformedGermanicBonus)

where:

Rank is 2 for Counts, 3 for Dukes, 4 for Kings and 5 for Emperors.

is 2 for Counts, 3 for Dukes, 4 for Kings and 5 for Emperors. RealmHoldings is the number of holdings in the realm.

is the number of holdings in the realm. BuildingBonus comes from specific buildings: Training Grounds in a Castle give 20 cap per level. Garrisons in a trade post give 20, 30 and 50 retinue cap at each level. This applies to the patrician that controls the trade post, not the ruler of the province where it is built. The Silk Road Trade Office building, built in Silk Road Trade Posts, gives 50, 100, and 150 retinue cap for each level. This applies to the owner of the trade post. The Military Warehouse buildings in a patrician's Family Palace give 200, 400 and 600 retinue cap. The Royal Palace Great Work gives 250, 500 and 750 retinue cap. This applies to the top liege of the Palace, not the ruler of the province where it is built.

comes from specific buildings: MilitaryOrganizationTech is the Military Organization technology in the ruler's capital.

is the Military Organization technology in the ruler's capital. UnreformedGermanicBonus is 0.5 if the ruler is unreformed Germanic pagan. Their 50% bonus to retinue is multiplicative rather than additive.

If a retinue unit is completely wiped out (i.e. all members killed in battle) then it will be disbanded and the retinue cap usage will be decreased by the amount that had been used by the now-destroyed retinue unit.

Reinforcement [ edit ]

A purchased regiment starts out with a single man and gradually reinforces up to full capacity. If the retinue takes casualties, each regiment will reinforce continually until they are back to full strength.

If a ruler cannot afford the (sometimes steep) cost, reinforcement can be halved or stopped completely on the retinue tab:

normal reinforcement rate: 2.5% per month.

normal reinforcement rate: 2.5% per month. half reinforcement rate: 1.2% per month.

half reinforcement rate: 1.2% per month. no reinforcement.

At 2.5% per month, a retinue normally takes 40 months to fill. It may be slightly faster due to rounding.

List of retinues [ edit ]

Retinue regiments can be divided into three types:

Generic retinues are available to all rulers except tribal rulers.

Cultural retinues are specific to the ruler's culture.

Tribal retinues are exclusive to tribal goverments.

Generic retinues [ edit ]

Type Composition Retinue cap usage Initial cost (gold) Monthly reinforcement cost Monthly Upkeep Unique Effect Shock 200 50 700 98 2.1 0.175 +20% Archer Offense

+10% Heavy Infantry Offense

+10% Heavy Infantry Defense Defence 250 50 725 101 2.175 0.18125 +20% Archer Defense

+20% Pikeman Offense

+40% Pikeman Defense Cavalry 200 50 900 126 2.7 0.225 +20% Light Cavalry Offense

+20% Light Cavalry Defense Skirmish 50 200 550 77 1.65 0.1375 +20% Archer Offense

+10% Archer Defense

+10% Heavy Infantry Defense Light Skirmish 400 150 580 81 1.74 0.145 +20% Archer Offense

+10% Archer Defense

+20% Light Infantry Defense

+20% Light Infantry Morale

Cultural retinues [ edit ]

Starting with patch 2.4, retinues also receive the benefit of the cultural buildings in the capital holding. In addition, each cultural retinue always has the unique effects outlined in the table below.

See Combat and the 3 Culture Bonuses for an explanation of how cultural building bonuses can stack with retinue's unique effects, also known as the cultural retinue bonus.

This list is up to date as of the Holy Fury expansion:

Type Culture Composition Retinue cap usage Initial cost (gold) Monthly reinforcement cost Monthly Upkeep Unique effect Longbow English

Welsh 250 500 70 1.5 0.125 +20% Archer Offense

+10% Archer Defense Schiltron Scottish 400 1000 140 3 0.25 +20% Pikemen Offense

+40% Pikeman Defense

+20% Pikeman Morale Baltic Warrior Baltic group

Finno-Ugric group 300 900 126 2.7 0.225 +30% Heavy Infantry Defense

+10% Heavy Infantry Morale Horse Archer Altaic group (Except Jurchen)

Iranian group 120 130 880 123 2.64 0.22 +20% Horse Archer Offense

+12% Horse Archer Morale Knight French

Norman

Occitan

German

Breton 100 150 1200 168 3.6 0.3 +10% Heavy Cavalry Offense

+10 Heavy Cavalry Defense

+20% Heavy Cavalry Morale Caballero Iberian group 400 1200 168 3.6 0.3 +20% Light Cavalry Offense

+20% Light Cavalry Morale Pike Italian

Dalmatian 400 1000 140 3 0.25 +20% Pikeman Offense

+20% Pikeman Defense

+40% Pikeman Morale Druzhina East Slavic group 250 750 105 2.25 0.1875 +10% Heavy Infantry Offense

+50% Heavy Infantry Defense

+20% Heavy Infantry Morale Housecarl North Germanic group

Anglo Saxon

Saxon

Frisian 200 600 84 1.8 0.15 +40% Heavy Infantry Offense

+20% Heavy Infantry Morale Hussar Hungarian

West Slavic group 300 900 126 2.7 0.225 +60% Light Cavalry Defense

+20% Light Cavalry Morale Camel Warrior Bedouin

Egyptian

Levantine 250 750 105 2.25 0.1875 +20% Camel Cavalry Offense

+20% Camel Cavalry Defense

+20% Camel Cavalry Morale Andalusian Cavalry Andalusian 400 1200 168 3.6 0.3 +20% Light Cavalry Offense

+40% Light Cavalry Defense

+20% Light Cavalry Morale Berber Cavalry Berber 400 1200 168 3.6 0.3 +50% Light Cavalry Offense

+30% Light Cavalry Morale Cataphract Armenian

Greek

Georgian

Gothic 150 100 1300 182 3.9 0.325 +10% Heavy Cavalry Offense

+10% Heavy Cavalry Defense

+20% Heavy Cavalry Morale Gallowglass Irish 200 600 84 1.8 0.15 +40% Heavy Infantry Defense

+20% Heavy Infantry Morale Ethiopian Skirmisher Ethiopian 400 280 39 0.84 0.07 +50% Light Infantry Offense

+30% Light Infantry Defense Somali Skirmisher Somali 400 280 39 0.84 0.07 +40% Light Infantry Offense

+40% Light Infantry Defense Free Warrior West African group

Central African group

Daju 400 100 480 67 1.44 0.12 +60% Light Infantry Offense

+10% Light Infantry Defense

+10% Light Infantry Morale Gusar South Slavic group 150 100 1050 147 3.15 0.2625 +10% Heavy Cavalry Defense

+10% Heavy Cavalry Morale

+20% Light Cavalry Offense

+20% Light Cavalry Defense Goedendag Militia Dutch 300 100 460 64 1.38 0.115 +20% Light Infantry Offense

+20% Light Infantry Defense

+10% Light Infantry Morale

+30% Pikeman Offense

+20% Pikeman Defense

+10% Pikeman Morale Jaguar Warrior Nahua 375 125 638 89 1.914 0.1595 +40% Light Infantry Offense

+20% Light Infantry Morale

+20% Heavy Infantry Offense

+10% Heavy Infantry Morale Bar Kochba Guards Israelite group 200 600 84 1.8 0.15 +20% Heavy Infantry Defense

+10% Heavy Infantry Morale Steel Bow Infantry Indo-Aryan group

Dravidian group 200 20 600 84 1.8 0.15 +10% Archer Offense

+30% Archer Defense Nubian Archers Nubian 300 600 42 0.9 0.075 +20% Archer Offense

+20% Archer Defense Frankish Heavy Infantry Frankish 200 600 84 1.8 0.15 +20% Heavy Infantry Offense

+10% Heavy Infantry Defense

+10% Heavy Infantry Morale Lombard Heavy Infantry Lombard 300 900 126 2.7 0.225 +10% Heavy Infantry Offense

+10% Heavy Infantry Morale Suebi Longspearman Suebi 200 150 515 72 1.545 0.12875 +30% Light Infantry Defense

+20% Light Infantry Morale

+30% Pikeman Defense

+20% Pikeman Morale Pictish Raiders Pictish 375 125 512 71 1.536 0.128 +30% Light Infantry Offense

+10% Light Infantry Defense

+20% Light Infantry Morale

+10% Archer Offense

+10% Archer Morale Nubing Han 100 250 750 105 2.25 0.1875 +30% Archers Offense

+10% Archers Defense

+20% Pikeman Defense

+30% Pikeman Defense

+10% Pikeman Morale Himalayan Mountaineer Tibetan group 300 100 510 71 1.53 0.1275 +50% Light Infantry Offense

+30% Light Infantry Defense

+10% Light Infantry Morale

+20% Light Cavalry Offense

+20% Light Cavalry Defense

+10% Light infantry Morale

Tie-Futu Jurchen 175 75 975 136 2.925 0.24375 +10% Knights Offense

+10% Knights Defense

+10% Light Cavalry Offense

+10% Light Cavalry Morale

Praetorian Roman 150 400 1450 136 2.925 0.24375 +20% Pikemen Offense

+20% Pikemen Defense

+40% Pikemen Morale

+25% Heavy Infantry Offense

+25% Heavy Infantry Defense

+20% Heavy Infantry Morale

Guerriers Assyrian 200 600 136 2.925 0.24375 +20% Heavy Infantry Defense

+10% Heavy Infantry Morale

Matoei Coptic 200 100 600 136 2.925 0.24375 +30% Archers Defense

+20% Pikemen Defense

Outremer Knight Outremer 100 150 1050 147 2.55 0.19625 +10% Heavy Cavalry Morale

10% Heavy Cavalry Attack

+20% Camel Cavalry Attack

+10% Camel Cavalry Morale Arberian Stratiotet Arberian 200 600 84 1.8 0.15 +20% Light Cavalry Defense

+20% Light Cavalry Attack

+40% Light Cavalry Morale Sardinian Birrudo Sardinian 200 200 900 126 2.7 0.225 +20% Archers Defense

+20% Pikemen Attack

+20% Pikemen Defense

+40% Pikemen Morale Horse Horse 300 900 136 2.925 0.24375 +75% Light Cavalry Defense

+75% Light Cavalry Morale

Cat Cat 300 210 136 2.925 0.24375 +200% Light Infantry Offense

+25% Light Infantry Morale

Bear Bear 300 900 136 2.925 0.24375 +100% Heavy Infantry Offense

+25% Heavy Infantry Morale

Hedgehog Hedgehog 300 750 136 2.925 0.24375 +100% Pikemen Defense

+25% Pikemen Morale

Duck Duck 300 900 136 2.925 0.24375 +50% Heavy Infantry Offense

+50% Heavy Infantry Defense

+50% Heavy Infantry Morale

Dog Dog 150 900 136 2.925 0.24375 +75% Heavy Cavalry Defense

+100% Heavy Cavalry Morale

Elephant Elephant 100 1000 136 2.925 0.24375 +50% War Elephants Offense

+25% War Elephants Defense

Dragon Dragon 150 900 136 2.925 0.24375 +75% Heavy Cavalry Offense

+100% Heavy Cavalry Morale



Tribal retinues [ edit ]

As of patch 3.0, the mechanic of prestige based tribal retinues has replaced the option to "Raise tribal army" if is active.

These retinues are available if you use a tribal government and cost prestige instead of Gold. There are also retinues with piety costs available to defensive pagans.

Type Composition Retinue cap usage Initial cost (prestige/piety) Monthly reinforcement cost Monthly Upkeep Unique Effect Tribal Warriors 150 105 25 +20% Light Infantry Offense

+50% Light Infantry Defense

+20% Light Infantry Morale Trapper 100 50 170 50 +60% Light Infantry Defense

+30% Light Infantry Morale

+40% Archer Offense

+20% Archer Defense

+10% Archer Morale Hunting Party 100 50 220 75 +60% Light Infantry Offense

+20% Light Infantry Defense

+10% Light Infantry Morale

+10% Light Cavalry Offense

+10% Light Cavalry Defense Veteran Warriors 100 50 220 75 +30% Light Infantry Offense

+30% Light Infantry Defense

+30% Light Infantry Morale

+10% Heavy Infantry Offense

+10% Heavy Infantry Defense

Steppe Riders 50 25 250 75 +10% Light Cavalry Offense

+10% Light Cavalry Defense

+10% Horse Archer Defense Ardent Guardians 50 50 250 75 +20% Archer Offense

+40% Archer Defense

+20% Archer Morale

+20% Heavy Infantry Defense

+10% Heavy Infantry Morale Sworn Defenders 75 75 203 50 +60% Light Infantry Defense

+40% Light Infantry Morale

+40% Archer Defense

+20% Archer Morale

Strategies [ edit ]

Using retinues for combat [ edit ]

By letting you control army composition, retinues can easily beat a messy levy army that has the same total "cost". The key is to choose an army composition that lets you:

Excel at one combat phase, and control phases to your advantage.

Excel at one combat tactic in each phase, and ensure the tactic is chosen.

Appoint a commander whose combat specialization and cultural tactic matches your forces.

When combining retinues with levies, always keep them on separate flanks to avoid polluting the retinue's tactics. A popular choice is retinues in the center and levies on the sides.

Another approach is to engage the enemy first with pure cavalry (likely to roll a Charge tactic), then follow with another army as combat quickly enters the melee phase.

Using retinues for siege [ edit ]

An army of pikemen is great at assaulting holdings (computed as melee).

An army of light infantry is best for carpet sieges and discouraging rebellion, since it is the cheapest per soldier.

Beware of unreformed Pagan provinces, where attrition can be extremely high (unless you have Military Organization level 4). When fighting a war on their lands, assaulting walls may cost less troop losses than attempting to siege. Alternatively, constructing forts can negate attrition due to unreformed paganism.

Using retinues for raiding [ edit ]

This strategy is better suited for tribal rulers, as their retinues cost Prestige. Using retinues to supplement a raiding party can make raiding faster and opens possibilities for sacking holdings.

Tribal retinues for transition period between tribalism and feudalism [ edit ]

A newly converted holding will generally have fewer levies than the tribal holding it replaced, since it no longer gets a bonus to levies from empty holding slots. Also, tribal vassals will be unhappy (-20 Wrong Government Type) until they convert, and if you convert to a merchant republic, this penalty will never lapse as vassals can only adopt feudalism. Event troops from council missions and (without )decisions will no longer be available. Thus, hiring and retaining tribal retinues during the transition phase can help the newly-feudal ruler significantly.