Cities

A city holding

Cities are holdings commonly held by republic rulers. They pay the most taxes, and once upgraded give numerous levies, but have a lower fort level than castles and their levies consist more of the lighter soldier types than both castles and temples.

Most characters cannot hold a city within their direct demesne without suffering penalties to taxes, vassal opinion, and levies. Characters with government types that allows for cities in their direct demesne without penalty are merchant republics, Confucian Bureaucracy, Chinese and Roman Imperial.

Cities are worth more when built in a coastal county, as this allows two types of income-increasing buildings to be built and upgraded. Also, patricians of merchant republics can build trade posts in coastal counties, which boosts the income of cities in the county. Rulers of counties on the Silk Road can also build trade posts.

The buildings that can be upgraded in cities focus exclusively on light infantry, archers, and pikemen, as well as increasing income and tech research speed.

Constructing a city (or castle) can prevent a formerly-normadic province from reverting due to nomad agitation.

Hindu characters must be of the Vaishya caste before they can be granted cities.

Granting a city to someone within your dynasty will disqualify them from succession

Note that building upgrades stack.

Base Stats

All holdings have certain base statistics, providing income, fort level, and levies, so even a newly constructed holding will have some value.

	Characteristic	Value
	Income	12
	Fort level	0
	Levies	75 light infantry 40 archers

Fortifications

These buildings increase fort level, increasing the time it takes an attacking army to siege the holding and reducing the amount of free loot available to raiders.

	Price (gold)	Build time (days)	Effects	Requirements	Tech Requirements
City Fortifications I	50	182	+0.4 fort level	Town Walls I
City Fortifications II	50	182	+0.4 fort level	Town Walls II City Fortifications I	Improved Keeps I
City Fortifications III	50	182	+0.5 fort level	City Fortifications II	Improved Keeps III
City Fortifications IV	100	365	+1 fort level	City Fortifications III	Improved Keeps V
City Fortifications V	100	365	+1 fort level	City Fortifications IV	Improved Keeps VII

Walls

Walls increase levy size and fort level, raising the defensive capacity. They also slightly increase yearly income from the holding.

	Price (gold)	Build time (days)	Effects	Requirements	Tech Requirements
Town Walls I	50	365	+0.4 fort level +2.5% levy size +0.2 income
Town Walls II	50	547	+0.4 fort level +2.5% levy size +0.2 income	Town Walls I	Improved Keeps II
Town Walls III	100	730	+0.4 fort level +5% levy size +0.2 income	Town Walls II	Improved Keeps IV
Town Walls IV	100	1095	+0.5 fort level +5% levy size +0.2 income	Town Walls III	Improved Keeps VI
Town Walls V	150	1460	+1.0 fort level +7.5% levy size +0.5 income	Town Walls IV	Improved Keeps VIII

Merchant Republic Arsenal

These buildings may only be built in the capital of a merchant republic.

	Price (gold)	Build time (days)	Effects	Requirements	Tech Requirements
Arsenal I	200	1460	+1.0 fort level +25% garrison size +7.5% levy size 15 galleys
Arsenal II	400	1460	+1.5 fort level +20% garrison size +7.5% levy size 15 galleys	Arsenal I	Town Infrastructure IV
Arsenal III	600	2190	+2.0 fort level +25% garrison size +12.5% levy size 15 galleys	Arsenal II	Town Infrastructure VII

Militia Training Grounds

Militia Training Grounds are one of the most important buildings in cities. They increase percentage-wise the total number of base troops provided by other buildings, which means more levies and garrisoning troops.

	Price (gold)	Build time (days)	Effects	Requirements	Tech Requirements
Militia Training Grounds I	150	547	+5% levy size +5% garrison size
Militia Training Grounds II	200	730	+7.5% levy size +10% garrison size	Town Walls I Militia Training Grounds I
Militia Training Grounds III	300	1095	+10% levy size +15% garrison size	Militia Training Grounds II	Improved Keeps II
Militia Training Grounds IV	400	1460	+12.5% levy size +20% garrison size	Militia Training Grounds III	Improved Keeps IV
Militia Training Grounds V	500	2190	+15% levy size +25% garrison size	Militia Training Grounds IV	Improved Keeps VI
Militia Training Grounds VI	500	2190	+15% levy size +25% garrison size	Militia Training Grounds V	Improved Keeps VIII

Mustering Grounds

Mustering Grounds increase the raw number of light infantry and archers available. These two troops are of low quality, but make up the majority of armies and are utilised mostly in the skirmish phase of battles.

	Price (gold)	Build time (days)	Effects	Requirements	Tech Requirements
Mustering Ground I	100	365	+60 light infantry +30 archers
Mustering Ground II	120	547	+40 light infantry +70 archers	Town Walls I Mustering Ground I
Mustering Ground III	200	730	+80 light infantry +50 archers	Mustering Ground II	Town Infrastructure I
Mustering Ground IV	300	1095	+60 light infantry +90 archers	Mustering Ground III	Town Infrastructure III
Mustering Ground V	400	2190	+100 light infantry +70 archers	Mustering Ground IV	Town Infrastructure V
Mustering Ground VI	500	2190	+80 light infantry +110 archers	Mustering Ground V	Town Infrastructure VII

City Guard

The City Guard provide pikemen, which are heavy hitters and important in the melee phase of battles.

	Price (gold)	Build time (days)	Effects	Requirements	Tech Requirements
City Guard I	100	365	+45 pikemen
City Guard II	120	547	+55 pikemen	Town Walls I City Guard I	Town Infrastructure II
City Guard III	200	730	+65 pikemen	City Wall II City Guard II	Town Infrastructure IV
City Guard IV	300	1095	+75 pikemen	City Guard III	Town Infrastructure VI
City Guard V	400	2190	+85 pikemen	City Guard IV	Town Infrastructure VIII

Economic Buildings

These economic buildings increase the income of the holding, a portion of which goes to the liege. These are good to build because whatever gold which doesn't go to the liege goes to the mayor of the city, who, in theory, will use that gold to build other buildings. If you are a patrician or a doge holding cities, constructing these buildings is a high priority.

	Price (gold)	Build time (days)	Effects	Requirements	Tech Requirements
Town Market	100	365	+3.0 income
City Guild Hall	120	547	+3.0 income	Town Market Town Walls I
Toll Booth	200	730	+3.0 income	City Guild Hall City Walls II	Town Infrastructure I
Court	300	1095	+3.0 income	Toll Booth	Town Infrastructure III
Assay Office	400	2190	+3.0 income	Court	Town Infrastructure V
Fair	500	2190	+3.0 income	Assay Office	Town Infrastructure VII

Ports

Ports are buildings that can only be built in provinces with a coastline that provide extra income. If the player is holding coastal cities, constructing these buildings is recommended, more so if they also control the trade post in the same county.

	Price (gold)	Build time (days)	Effects	Requirements	Tech Requirements	Notes
Port I	100	365	+3.0 income			Only available in coastal holdings
Port II	120	547	+3.0 income	Port I Town Walls I	Trade Practices I	Only available in coastal holdings
Port III	200	730	+3.0 income	Port II City Walls II	Trade Practices III	Only available in coastal holdings
Port IV	300	1095	+3.0 income	Port III	Trade Practices IV	Only available in coastal holdings
Port V	400	2190	+3.0 income	Port IV	Trade Practices VI	Only available in coastal holdings

Shipyard

City shipyards are buildings that can only be built in coastal provinces; they provide ships that can be used to transport troops.

	Price (gold)	Build time (days)	Effects	Requirements	Tech Requirements	Notes
Shipyard I	100	365	+5 galleys		Shipbuilding I	Only available in coastal holdings
Shipyard II	100	730	+6 galleys	Shipyard I	Shipbuilding II	Only available in coastal holdings
Shipyard III	100	1095	+7 galleys	Shipyard II	Shipbuilding III	Only available in coastal holdings
Shipyard IV	100	1460	+8 galleys	Shipyard III	Shipbuilding IV	Only available in coastal holdings

Universities

Universities are expensive educational institutions that increase the rate of technological growth in the entire county. Name varies depending on religion.

	Price (gold)	Build time (days)	Effects	Requirements	Tech Requirements	Notes
University I	600	1095	+30% tech spread rate +0.05 economic tech points		Town Infrastructure II	Bonus affects the entire county
University II	800	2190	+30% tech spread rate +0.05 economic tech points	University I	Town Infrastructure IV	Bonus affects the entire county
University III	800	2190	+30% tech spread rate +0.05 economic tech points	University II	Town Infrastructure VIII	Bonus affects the entire county

Infrastructure

This building chain is accessible when the owner or any liege of the city has the Architect or Peaceful-Architect bloodlines. See Bloodline#Forged_Bloodlines

	Price (gold)	Build time (days)	Effects	Requirements	Tech Requirements	Notes
Garrisoned Roads	125	395	+3 Tax Income +5% morale of armies +5% tech spread rate +5 trade value			Requires an owner or any liege with the Architect or Peaceful-Architect bloodline
Stone Roads	250	560	+3 Tax Income +2 Trade Post Limit +5% tech spread rate +5 trade value	Garrisoned Roads	Town Infrastructure III	Requires an owner or any liege with the Architect or Peaceful-Architect bloodline. Trade Post Limit bonus limited to capital holding, so it cannot be stacked.
Cleared Pathways	450	760	+10% tech spread rate +10% Levy Reinforcement Rate +5% Disease Resistance +5 Trade Value	Stone Roads	Town Infrastructure V	Requires an owner or any liege with the Architect or Peaceful-Architect bloodline
Great Acqueduct	750	1250	+5% tech spread rate +0.1 economic tech points +10% Disease Resistance +5 Trade Value	Cleared Pathways	Town Infrastructure VII	Requires an owner or any liege with the Architect or Peaceful-Architect bloodline

Holdings

Settlements

Castles • Cities • Temples • Tribes • Nomadic capital

Special holdings

Family palace • Trade post • Fort • Hospital

Concepts

Capital • Economy • Levies • Revolt • Technology • Cultural buildings • Great works