Hired forces

Hired forces are predefined armies which may be temporarily controlled by hiring them with Gold. Hired forces cannot be used to raid. There are two types of hired forces, each one with its own tab in the Military menu.

Mercenaries[edit | edit source]

A screenshot of the mercenaries screen.

Mercenaries are armies that can be hired by rulers for 3 years. The gold cost is paid upon hiring the Mercenaries and there is no additional cost associated with hiring them, but at the end of the 3 years, they will leave if their contract is not extended. Extending a contract for 3 years has the same cost as initially hiring the army.

Each culture generates between one and three mercenary companies depending on the number of counties of that culture, with each additional company being bigger and more expensive than the previous one. They will pick a county of their culture as their headquarters and will be available to be hired by anyone with capital within diplomatic range of that county. Range between Mercenary armies come with one or more specific men-at-arms regiments and will also contain a number of knights. Mercenary regiments reinforce 3 times faster than regular regiments. Character can hire mercenaries of their own culture from further away.

Rulers are allowed to go into debt up to 2 years in order to hire mercenaries.

The cost of hiring mercenaries can be reduced by 30% with the Soldiers of Lesser Fortune perk of the Overseer tree.

Mercenary company	Levies	Regiments	Knights	Cultural regiment chance
1st	400	1	2	50%
2nd	800	2	3	66%
3rd	1200	3	4	80%

Mercenary armies select a name based on their culture, as shown in the table below.

Culture/Culture group	Name(s)
Default	Culture adjective Band of location
Akan group	Ashanti Band, Company of the Volta, Followers of Akwei
Arabic group	Mamluks
Bedouin	Wanderers, Company of location
Mashriqi	Sarkans of location, Company of the Oasis, Desert Brethren
Egyptian	Host of the Nile, Keepers of the Lighthouse
Maghrebi	Union of Swords, Army of the Senator
Andalusian	Almogavars of location, Mawali Band, Treasurers of location
Baltic group	Baltic Band, Riders of the Coast, Company of the Deeplands
Butr	Army of the Crossing, location Band, Riders of the Mountains
Baranis	Followers from location, Company of location
Burman group	Arakan Band, Company of the Valley
Burmese	Company of the Irrawaddy, Burmese Host
Mon	Sadhuim Company, Mon Host
Byzantine group	Manglabites, Ten Thousand
Greek	Varangian Guard, Herules, Hoplites of location
Georgian	Veterans of Chaldia
Central African group	Sahelian Band, Company of the Chad, Company of the Gambra, Followers of Bayajida, Followers of Sundiata
Pictish	Woad Raiders
Welsh	Lawgoch's Followers, Band of the Horn
Breton	Company of Bretons
Cornish	Bodyguards of Gwendolen
Saxon	Teutonic Brotherhood, Saxon Steelbearers, Hansa Guard, Sons of Widukind
Franconian	Great Company, Franconian Company, Thuringian Blades, Rhenish Band, New Franks
Swabian	Swabian Band, Alsace Fighters, Alemannic Sellswords, Helvetic Guard
Bavarian	Bavarian Band, Austrian Company, Tyrol Warriors, Styrian Panthers
Dutch	Company of the Brabançon Wolf, Flemish Band, Company of the False-Earl
German	Great Company, Veterans of the Marches, Swiss Guard
Dravidian group	Velaikkarar of location, Company of the Tiger, Tungabhadra Gang, Dreamers of the Jog, Company of the Ghats, Guards of Rama Setu, Terrors of Tamilakam, Company of the Koyil
Ethiopian	Ge'ezan Company, Tigrayit Band
Nubian	Noba Company, Kushite Band, Company of Meroe
Welayta	Company of the Leopard, Gondershe Band, Guardians of Almnara
Daju	Army of the Crossing, Beja Place Band, Riders of the Mountains
East Slavic	Kievan Band, Varangian Host, Raiders of Caspia, Company of Rus, Followers of Oleg
French	Tard-Venus de location, Band of location, Routiers of location, location Band
Norman	Band of the Black Monk, Iron Arm's Company, Normans of Drengot
Occitan	Routiers of the Archpriest, Host of the Viscount, Marchers of Wasconia
Irish	Band of Kerns, Madhmann's Company, Company of Shield and Scian
Gaelic	Gallowglasses, Redshanks
Iberian group	Almogavars of location, Almogavars of location
Basque	Navarrese Company
Castilian	Slaughterers, Band of the Brigand Emperor
Catalan	Great Catalan Company
Portuguese	Count's Exiles
Galician	Slaughterers, Band of the Brigand Emperor
Asturleonese	Slaughterers, Band of the Brigand Emperor
Aragonese	Slaughterers, Band of the Brigand Emperor
Indo-Aryan group	Tigers of location, Apabhranśa Band
Bengali	Company of the Delta, Bengal Host
Oriya	Oryia Band, Company of Odisha
Hindustani	Company of Many Colors, Hindustani Band, Company of the Ganges
Gujarati	Company of the Great Rann, Band of the Nilgai, Company of the Stone Anchor
Punjabi	Company of the Punjab, Host of Sangala
Rajput	Rajaputra Band, Company of the Exile, Followers of the Priest King
Sindhi	Company of the Dead Men, Harappan Band
Marathi	Company of Four Kings, Servants of the Vatandar, Badami Companions
Kashmiri	Company of Kashmir, Host of Kashmir
Sinhala	Company of the Staff, Rice Grain Band
Iranian	Ghilman, Warriors of Zaranj, location Cataphracts
Persian	Band of Medes, Immortals of location
Sogdian	Company of Sogdiana, Sogdian Warriors
Tocharian	Band of Tókharoi
Kurdish	Band of Sermaj
Afghan	Khorasani Band, Company of Shahids
Baloch	Company of Makran, Westwards Band
Daylamite	Daylamite Company, Band of Sermaj
Khwarezmian	Company of Khwarezm, Khwarezmian Warriors
Tajik	Company of Bukhara, Dehqan Warriors
Latin group	Company of the Bull
Italian	Company of the Star, Black Band, Italian Condottiere Band
Cisalpine	Company of Saint George, Company of the Star, Company of the Hat, Company of the Rose, Cisalpine Condottiere Band
Sardinian	Sardinian Band
Sicilian	Sicilian Condottiere Band, Sicilian Band
Lombard	Longbeard Band
Magyar group	Band of the Fields, Band of the Arrow Rain, Company of the Saint
Mongolic group	Location Horde, Army Under the Sky, Riders of Mongol location, True Khan's Faithful, Company of the Yurt, Steppe Dancer's Band, Chastisement of location, Band of the Father, Company of the Goad
North Germanic group	Thinglith, Army of Kylfingar, Company of Jarl Landless, Huscarls of the Sea, Band of Firesmoke, Queen's Hird
Swedish	Göta Band
Norwegian	Birchers of location
Danish	Border Reaver's Band
Sahelian group	Sahelian Band, Company of Awkar, Followers of Kayamagha
Senegambian group	Sahelian Band, Company of the Gambra, Followers of Sundiata
Somali	Company of the Leopard, Gondershe Band, Guardians of Almnara
Beja	Army of the Crossing, Beja Place Band, Riders of the Mountains
Afar	Company of the Leopard, Gondershe Band, Guardians of Almnara
South Slavic group	Stratioti of location, Wayfarers of location, Band of location Stratioti
Bosnian	Bitter-Winter Band, Knéževi of the Road, Forest Wolves
Serbian	Allemannic Guard
Vlach	Sheperds of the Romans
Bulgarian	Company of the Skull Cup, Brothers of Bayan
Turkic group	Location Horde, Army Under the Sky, Turkic Riders of location, True Khan's Faithful, Company of the Yurt, Steppe Dancer's Band, Chastisement of location, Band of the Father, Company of the Goad
West African	Sahelian Band, Company of the Gambra, Followers of Sundiata
English	White Company, Hawkwood's Band
Anglo-Saxon	Retinue of Hengist, Wake's Guard, Band of Horsa
Scots	Border Reivers, Warband of the Great Hall, Company of the King's Son
West Slavic group	Companions of the Woods
Pomeranian	Oder Free Company, Company of the Dog
Czech	Free Lances of Brandýs, Army of the Ore, Company of the Cruel Hand
Polish	Drużynan Host, Free Company of the Pospolite
Polabian	Band of the Fallen Knez, Company of the Stout Horse
Slovien	Freelances of Velehrad, Army of Morava Bend, Company of the Faithbearers
Yoruba group	Yoruba Band, Company of the Niger, Followers of Oduduwa

Holy orders[edit | edit source]

Holy orders are independent military organizations that work to defend and expand the influence of their faith. Each holy order has a Duke rank title.

Rulers can create a holy order via the Found Holy Order decision. The decision costs and then requires the ruler making the decision to choose an owned castle or city holding as the order's headquarters. The designated headquarters title is leased and may be revoked at any time by the title holder and revoking a grandmaster's last lease will destroy the holy order. When a holy order is created the ruler who created it will become its Patron and the order's grandmaster will belong to its faith and culture.

Rulers of a holy order's faith may hire them if they are at war with a faith considered Hostile or Evil, regardless of casus belli. A ruler may only have one holy order hired at a time. Hiring holy orders costs Piety unless the ruler is the order's Patron, scaling on the maximum amount of Levies and Regiments the holy order has. Holy orders remain hired for as long as their employer is at war with someone of another faith.

Holy orders have 500 Levies, 2 Knights and 2 Regiments. Each Holding they own provides an additional Regiment and 200 Levies and every two Holdings they own provide an additional Knight. Their Men-at-Arms do not gain bonuses from the buildings in its Holdings, but rather from their employer's buildings.

Holy orders select a name based on its religion, with some names shared among orders all faiths of the religion, and some faiths having unique names for their orders, as follows:

Religion	Faith	Name(s)
Christianity	Common	Knights of the Chalice
		Order of the Holy Communion
		Knights of the First Gospel
		Guardians of the Shroud
		Knights of the Reliquary
		Warriors of the Cross
		Knights of Location
	Catholicism	Knights Templar
		Knights Hospitaller
		Teutonic Order
		Order of Calatrava
		Order of Alcántara
		Knights of Santiago
	Orthodoxy	Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre
		Knights of the First Patriarchate
		Order of the Holy Virgin
	Coptic	Order of Saint Anthony
	Nestorianism	Order of Saint Addai
	Insular Christianity	Order of Saint Patrick
Islam	Common	Mujahideen of Location
		Warriors of the Hadith
		Ghazis of Location
		Warriors of the Wahy
		Sahabi of Location
		Companions of Hira
	Nizarism	Hashshashin
	Alevism	Bektashi Order
	Ibadism	Haruriyya
Judaism	Common	Zealots of Location
		Herem Warriors
		Zealots of Location
Dualism	Common	Army of Light
		Dreamers of Location
		Servants of the Patricians
Miletê Tawûsê Melek	Common	Servants of Melek Taus
Buddhism	Common	Chosen of Ashoka
		Guardians of Bodh Gaya
		Sangha of the Struggle
		Warriors of the Illuminated Heart
		Shakyan Faithful
Hinduism	Common	Followers of Arjuna
		Faith Marharatas
		Vyuha of War God
		Vyuha of the Temple of Location
		Maharatas of War God
Jainism	Common	Bulls of Rishabha
		Jivas of Madhya Loka
		Guardians of the Lotus Ocean
		Sacrifices of Devloka
Zoroastrianism	Common	Immortals
		Ahura Mazda's Champions
		Fire Walkers
	Zurvanism	Zurvan's Chosen
Tibetan	Common	Guardians of the Five Khandro
Mandé	Common	Watchers
		Guardians of Divine Realm
		Faithful of War God
		Warriors of the Religious Symbol
Tanism	Common	Warriors of Mother Sun
		Warriors of Father Moon
		Warriors of High God
		Warriors of the Temple
Mundhumism	Common	Warriors of Mundhum
		Warriors of High God
		Warriors of the Temple
Hausa	Bori	Spirit Guardians
		Possessed
		Guardians of Divine Realm
		Faithful of War God
		Warriors of the Religious Symbol
Steppe	Tengriism	Lords of the Sky
		Guardians of Divine Realm
		Faithful of War God
		Warriors of the Religious Symbol
Finno-Ugric	Ukonusko	Sons of Kalevala
		Guardians of Divine Realm
		Faithful of War God
		Warriors of the Religious Symbol
Slavic	Slovianska Pravda	Warriors of Perun
		Guardians of Divine Realm
		Faithful of War God
		Warriors of the Religious Symbol
Oromo-Somali	Waaqism	Guardians of Divine Realm
		Faithful of War God
		Warriors of the Religious Symbol
Yoruba	Orisa	Guardians of Divine Realm
		Faithful of War God
		Warriors of the Religious Symbol
Akan	Akom	Guardians of Divine Realm
		Faithful of War God
		Warriors of the Religious Symbol
Baltic	Vidilism	Chosen of Perkunas
		Guardians of Divine Realm
		Faithful of War God
		Warriors of the Religious Symbol
Kordofan	Kushitism	Guardians of Divine Realm
		Faithful of War God
		Warriors of the Religious Symbol
Norse	Ásatrú	Jomsvikings
		Faithful of Tyr
		Odin's Valkyries
		Chosen of Freyja
Uralic	Táltosism	Táltos of the Field
		Faithful of War God
		Warriors of the Religious Symbol
Greco-Roman	Hellenism	Myrmidons
Greco-Roman	Hellenism	Priesthood of Ares
Zunbil	Zunism	Guardians of Divine Realm
		Faithful of War God
		Warriors of the Religious Symbol
Siberian	Turumism	Legion of the Bear
		Thousand Crows
		Downstreamers
		Sylvan Saviors
Euskal Erlijioa	Common	Company of the Caves
Pagan	Paganism	Guardians of Divine Realm
		Faithful of War God
		Warriors of the Religious Symbol

If an order is created, it will prioritize using a unique faith-based name, and once all unique names are used, it will start using a common name. Any orders created after all the above names are used, as well as orders for any faith not listed above, will be named “Faith company of Location”.

Patronage[edit | edit source]

The first king or emperor upwards in the liege hierarchy of the holy order's headquarters is their patron. It is possible for a holy order to have no patron if no such ruler exists.

Patrons of a holy order may hire them at no cost, as long as they belong to the same faith. They may also take any leased holdings from the order. A Ruler that is a Patron of a holy order may get events that allows them to grant holdings to the new holy order. If a Patron takes a loan from the order and does not repay it, the Order may choose a holding it wants (usually a city) and demand that it be leased to them.

If a holy order is hired by another character, its Patron can repay their employer the Piety hiring cost to hire the holy order. This option is not available in multiplayer if the holy order is hired by another human player.

As Patron and not a Liege, the Holdings that the holy orders have leased will give neither taxes nor levies to their Patron.

When you raise a holy order, they spawn at the oldest existing army assembly point in your realm.

Strategy[edit | edit source]

It is often advantageous to establish a holy order or become one's Patron as soon as possible if you border hostile or evil religions. It acts as a free army in holy wars (except Crusades), even if already rented by another ruler. They can grow quite large on their own with no oversight by the player, sometimes snowballing into a 5-6k heavy infantry stack by 1044.

Although you have to be at war with a hostile or evil ruler to raise them, they can fight armies of your faith in other wars. One strategy is to maintain one province minors of a hostile or evil religion on your border, so you can declare a holy war against a weak ruler at will. In a war against a ruler of your faith, you can declare a holy war against the one province minor, raise the holy order, and use them in the war against your stronger opponent.

Members[edit | edit source]

All members of a holy order, including its grandmaster, gain the Order Member trait. Rulers may also use the Ask to Take Vows interaction to send courtiers to a holy order, as long as the following conditions are met:

Has none of the following traits:
- Devoted
- Order Member
- Excommunicated
- Incapable
Is not your Court Chaplain.
The faith has a holy order whose leader is not a rival of the ruler
Is adult
Is not imprisoned
The faith's View on Gender doctrine allows the prospective member's gender to serve as commanders or knights
Has a martial education

If the courtier accepts, the ruler will lose Piety while the courtier gains a level of devotion.

If the courtier is a close family of the requestor the courtier moves to holy order's court, but since Invite to Court interaction is available on all holy order's courtiers, the absent courtier can still be moved back to requestor's court upon request. If the courtier is not a close family of the requestor the courtier doesn't move to holy order's court when taking the vows.

Note that sending characters to a holy order is available even if the faith doesn't have the Monasticism Tenet.

Losing titles[edit | edit source]

If a holy order's headquarters is lost, the holy order will select a new owned holding to fulfil the role, with a preference for holdings within the current patron's realm. However, if the holy order loses its last holding, it will be disbanded.