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There are many who ask the question: “What are they?” and “Are they worth it?” in regards to Crusader Kings II’s (CK2) retinues. Well, let us answer the second question first: Yes, CK2’s retinues are worth it. You know how every time you want to go to war, you first have to disband all your troops and then mobilize them? Retinues don’t go through that process. They can always be mobilized, which makes them superior to normal troops. So, let us explain how retinues work in CK2, what types there are, and how you can get more of them.
Related: CK2 (Crusader Kings II): Pagan Reformation Guide – Tier List
How the Retinue Limit Works in CK2
If you enter CK2’s Retinue tab, under the Military option, you will see something similar to the image above. That shows the amount of retinue troops that you have, and the upper limit for them.
Though there are a lot of factors that influence your retinue limit in CK2, these are the most important ones:
- Noble Rank (Count, Duke, etc.)
- Number of Holdings in Realm
- Military Buildings
- Military Organization Technology
There is a special mathematical formula to know exactly how these influence the retinue limit, and we will leave it here for the math nerds:
- Retinue Limit = (Rank * Holdings + Buildings) * (1 + 1.5 * Military Organization) * (1 + Unreformed Germanic Bonus + Royal Palace Bonus)
Unreformed Germanic tribes get a natural 50% bonus retinues and you also get more for every Royal Palace you own.
The Rank in the formula is 2 for Counts, 3 for Dukes, 4 for Kings and 5 for Emperors.
The Buildings that offer bonuses are:
- Training Grounds in a Castle are 20 per level.
- Garrisons in a trade post are 20, 30 and 50 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, are 50, 100, and 150 for each level. This applies to the owner of the trade post.
- The Military Warehouse buildings in a patrician’s Family Palace are 200, 400 and 600.
- The Royal Palace Great Work are 250, 500 and 750. This applies to the top liege of the Palace, not the ruler of the province where it is built.
Related: CK2 (Crusader Kings II): All Empires – Requirements and IDs
All Retinues in CK2
Naturally, the base Retinue Limit is 1k. This does not necessarily mean you will have one thousand troops, it just means that their maximum value will be of 1k. To understand that, here is a list of all the retinues in CK2 to see their troop number and value:
Normal retinues
| Composition | Retinue Limit Usage | Initial Cost (Gold) | Monthly Reinforcement Cost | Monthly Upkeep | Unique Effect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 200 Heavy Infantry 50 Archers | 700 | 98 | 2.1 | 0.175 | +20% Archer Offense +10% Heavy Infantry Offense +10% Heavy Infantry Defense |
| 250 Pikemen 50 Archers | 725 | 101 | 2.175 | 0.18125 | +20% Archer Defense +20% Pikeman Offense +40% Pikeman Defense |
| 200 Light Cavalry 50 Heavy Cavalry | 900 | 126 | 2.7 | 0.225 | +20% Light Cavalry Offense +20% Light Cavalry Defense |
| 50 Heavy Infantry 200 Archers | 550 | 77 | 1.65 | 0.1375 | +20% Archer Offense +10% Archer Defense +10% Heavy Infantry Defense |
| 400 Light Infantry 150 Archers | 580 | 81 | 1.74 | 0.145 | +20% Archer Offense +10% Archer Defense +20% Light Infantry Defense +20% Light Infantry Morale |
Culture-based retinues
| Culture | Composition | Retinue Limit Usage | Initial Cost (Gold) | Monthly Reinforcement Cost | Monthly Upkeep | Unique Effect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Welsh | 250 Archers | 500 | 70 | 1.5 | 0.125 | +20% Archer Offense +10% Archer Defense |
| Scottish | 400 Pikemen | 1000 | 140 | 3 | 0.25 | +20% Pikemen Offense +40% Pikeman Defense +20% Pikeman Morale |
| Baltic group Finno-Ugric group | 300 Heavy Infantry | 900 | 126 | 2.7 | 0.225 | +30% Heavy Infantry Defense +10% Heavy Infantry Morale |
| Altaic group (Except Jurchen) Iranian group | 120 Light Cavalry 130 Horse Archers | 880 | 123 | 2.64 | 0.22 | +20% Horse Archer Offense +12% Horse Archer Morale |
| French Norman Occitan German Breton | 100 Light Cavalry 150 Heavy Cavalry | 1200 | 168 | 3.6 | 0.3 | +10% Heavy Cavalry Offense +10 Heavy Cavalry Defense +20% Heavy Cavalry Morale |
| Iberian group | 400 Light Cavalry | 1200 | 168 | 3.6 | 0.3 | +20% Light Cavalry Offense +20% Light Cavalry Morale |
| Italian Dalmatian | 400 Pikemen | 1000 | 140 | 3 | 0.25 | +20% Pikeman Offense +20% Pikeman Defense +40% Pikeman Morale |
| East Slavic group | 250 Heavy Infantry | 750 | 105 | 2.25 | 0.1875 | +10% Heavy Infantry Offense +50% Heavy Infantry Defense +20% Heavy Infantry Morale |
| North Germanic group Anglo Saxon Saxon Frisian | 200 Heavy Infantry | 600 | 84 | 1.8 | 0.15 | +40% Heavy Infantry Offense +20% Heavy Infantry Morale |
| Hungarian West Slavic group | 300 Light Cavalry | 900 | 126 | 2.7 | 0.225 | +60% Light Cavalry Defense +20% Light Cavalry Morale |
| Bedouin Egyptian Levantine | 250 Camel Cavalry | 750 | 105 | 2.25 | 0.1875 | +20% Camel Cavalry Offense +20% Camel Cavalry Defense +20% Camel Cavalry Morale |
| Andalusian | 400 Light Cavalry | 1200 | 168 | 3.6 | 0.3 | +20% Light Cavalry Offense +40% Light Cavalry Defense +20% Light Cavalry Morale |
| Berber | 400 Light Cavalry | 1200 | 168 | 3.6 | 0.3 | +50% Light Cavalry Offense +30% Light Cavalry Morale |
| Armenian Alan Greek Georgian Gothic | 150 Heavy Cavalry 100 Horse Archers | 1300 | 182 | 3.9 | 0.325 | +10% Heavy Cavalry Offense +10% Heavy Cavalry Defense +20% Heavy Cavalry Morale |
| Irish | 200 Heavy Cavalry | 600 | 84 | 1.8 | 0.15 | +40% Heavy Infantry Defense +20% Heavy Infantry Morale |
| Ethiopian | 400 Light Infantry | 280 | 39 | 0.84 | 0.07 | +50% Light Infantry Offense +30% Light Infantry Defense |
| Somali | 400 Light Infantry | 280 | 39 | 0.84 | 0.07 | +40% Light Infantry Offense +40% Light Infantry Defense |
| West African group Central African group Daju | 400 Light Infantry 100 Archers | 480 | 67 | 1.44 | 0.12 | +60% Light Infantry Offense +10% Light Infantry Defense +10% Light Infantry Morale |
| South Slavic group | 150 Light Cavalry 100 Heavy Cavalry | 1050 | 147 | 3.15 | 0.2625 | +10% Heavy Cavalry Defense +10% Heavy Cavalry Morale +20% Light Cavalry Offense +20% Light Cavalry Defense |
| Dutch | 300 Light Infantry 100 Pikemen | 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 |
| Nahua | 375 Light Infantry 125 Heavy Infantry | 638 | 89 | 1.914 | 0.1595 | +40% Light Infantry Offense +20% Light Infantry Morale +20% Heavy Infantry Offense +10% Heavy Infantry Morale |
| Israelite group | 200 Heavy Infantry | 600 | 84 | 1.8 | 0.15 | +20% Heavy Infantry Defense +10% Heavy Infantry Morale |
| Indo-Aryan group Dravidian group | 200 Archers 20 War Elephants | 600 | 84 | 1.8 | 0.15 | +10% Archer Offense +30% Archer Defense |
| Nubian | 300 Archers | 600 | 42 | 0.9 | 0.075 | +20% Archer Offense +20% Archer Defense |
| Frankish | 200 Heavy Infantry | 600 | 84 | 1.8 | 0.15 | +20% Heavy Infantry Offense +10% Heavy Infantry Defense +10% Heavy Infantry Morale |
| Lombard | 300 Heavy Infantry | 900 | 126 | 2.7 | 0.225 | +10% Heavy Infantry Offense +10% Heavy Infantry Morale |
| Suebi | 200 Light Infantry 150 Pikemen | 515 | 72 | 1.545 | 0.12875 | +30% Light Infantry Defense +20% Light Infantry Morale +30% Pikeman Defense +20% Pikeman Morale |
| Pictish | 375 Light Infantry 125 Archers | 512 | 71 | 1.536 | 0.128 | +30% Light Infantry Offense +10% Light Infantry Defense +20% Light Infantry Morale +10% Archer Offense +10% Archer Morale |
| Han | 100 Pikemen 250 Archers | 750 | 105 | 2.25 | 0.1875 | +30% Archers Offense +10% Archers Defense +20% Pikeman Defense +30% Pikeman Defense +10% Pikeman Morale |
| Tibetan group | 300 Light Infantry 100 Light Cavalry | 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 |
| Jurchen | 175 Light Cavalry 75 Heavy Cavalry | 975 | 136 | 2.925 | 0.24375 | +10% Knights Offense +10% Knights Defense +10% Light Cavalry Offense +10% Light Cavalry Morale |
| Roman | 150 Heavy Infantry 400 Pikemen | 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 |
| Assyrian | 200 Heavy Infantry | 600 | 136 | 2.925 | 0.24375 | +20% Heavy Infantry Defense +10% Heavy Infantry Morale |
| Coptic | 200 Pikemen 100 Archers | 700 | 136 | 2.925 | 0.24375 | +30% Archers Defense +20% Pikemen Defense |
| Outremer | 100 Heavy Cavalry 150 Camel Cavalry | 1050 | 147 | 2.55 | 0.19625 | +10% Heavy Cavalry Morale 10% Heavy Cavalry Attack +20% Camel Cavalry Attack +10% Camel Cavalry Morale |
| Arberian | 200 Light Cavalry | 600 | 84 | 1.8 | 0.15 | +20% Light Cavalry Defense +20% Light Cavalry Attack +40% Light Cavalry Morale |
| Sardinian | 200 Pikemen 200 Archers | 900 | 126 | 2.7 | 0.225 | +20% Archers Defense +20% Pikemen Attack +20% Pikemen Defense +40% Pikemen Morale |
| Horse | 300 Light Cavalry | 900 | 136 | 2.925 | 0.24375 | +75% Light Cavalry Defense +75% Light Cavalry Morale |
| Cat | 300 Light Infantry | 210 | 136 | 2.925 | 0.24375 | +200% Light Infantry Offense +25% Light Infantry Morale |
| Bear | 300 Heavy Infantry | 900 | 136 | 2.925 | 0.24375 | +100% Heavy Infantry Offense +25% Heavy Infantry Morale |
| Hedgehog | 300 Pikemen | 750 | 136 | 2.925 | 0.24375 | +100% Pikemen Defense +25% Pikemen Morale |
| Duck | 300 Heavy Infantry | 900 | 136 | 2.925 | 0.24375 | +50% Heavy Infantry Offense +50% Heavy Infantry Defense +50% Heavy Infantry Morale |
| Dog | 150 Heavy Cavalry | 900 | 136 | 2.925 | 0.24375 | +75% Heavy Cavalry Defense +100% Heavy Cavalry Morale |
| Elephant | 100 War Elephants | 1000 | 136 | 2.925 | 0.24375 | +50% War Elephants Offense +25% War Elephants Defense |
| Dragon | 150 Heavy Cavalry | 900 | 136 | 2.925 | 0.24375 | +75% Heavy Cavalry Offense +100% Heavy Cavalry Morale |
Tribe retinues
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.
The costs of these retinues are not affected by reinforce speed, but are affected by Marshal job Organize the Army.
| Composition | Retinue Limit Usage | Initial Cost (Prestige/Piety) | Monthly Reinforcement Cost | Monthly Upkeep | Unique Effect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 150 Light Infantry | 105 | 25 | 0.24 | 0.02 | +20% Light Infantry Offense +50% Light Infantry Defense +20% Light Infantry Morale |
| 100 Light Infantry 50 Archers | 170 | 50 | 0.36 | 0.03 | +60% Light Infantry Defense +30% Light Infantry Morale +40% Archer Offense +20% Archer Defense +10% Archer Morale |
| 100 Light Infantry 50 Light Cavalry | 220 | 75 | 0.48 | 0.04 | +60% Light Infantry Offense +20% Light Infantry Defense +10% Light Infantry Morale +10% Light Cavalry Offense +10% Light Cavalry Defense |
| 100 Light Infantry 50 Heavy Infantry | 220 | 75 | 0.48 | 0.04 | +30% Light Infantry Offense +30% Light Infantry Defense +30% Light Infantry Morale +10% Heavy Infantry Offense +10% Heavy Infantry Defense |
| 50 Light Cavalry 25 Horse Archers | 250 | 75 | 0.6 | 0.05 | +10% Light Cavalry Offense +10% Light Cavalry Defense +10% Horse Archer Defense |
| 50 Heavy Infantry 50 Archers | 250 | 75 | 0.72 | 0.06 | +20% Archer Offense +40% Archer Defense +20% Archer Morale +20% Heavy Infantry Defense +10% Heavy Infantry Morale |
| 75 Light Infantry 75 Archers | 203 | 50 | 0.6 | 0.05 | +60% Light Infantry Defense +40% Light Infantry Morale +40% Archer Defense +20% Archer Morale |
And that is all you need to know about retinues in CK2. Check out other interesting CK2 guides and articles:
- CK2 (Crusader Kings II): Immortality Event ID and Guide
- CK2 (Crusader Kings II): Strange Chest Item and Event Results
- CK2 (Crusader Kings II): AGOT (A Game Of Thrones) – Download Mod and Submods
