Economy & growth – SSHIM Guide

Settlement sizes

Population needed to upgrade to the next level, and the most each level can hold.

Cities	Upgrade at	Max
Village	2,000	3,000
Town	6,000	9,000
Large Town	12,500	16,000
City	30,000	45,000
Large City	80,000	100,000
Huge City	–	250,000

Castles	Upgrade at	Max
Motte and Bailey	2,000	2,500
Wooden Castle	6,000	9,000
Castle	12,500	16,000
Fortress	30,000	40,000
Citadel	–	100,000

Population growth

Growth is a percentage per turn. Most settlements barely grow at the start of the campaign; it comes from investing in farms, health and the right governor.

Raises growth
Fertility of the province	+0.5% to +3%, fixed per province.
Farms	+0.5% for each level of farming.
Health	+0.5% per point (churches, water supply, hospitals...).
Growth buildings	+0.5% per point, as listed on the building.
Happiness	Only a little: about +0.1% per point of happiness from buildings.
Governor	His Chivalry adds growth (capped). Dread doesn't reduce it.
Low taxes	A quick boost, at the cost of income.

Lowers growth
Squalor	The biggest drag. It rises as a settlement grows; health buildings and some governor traits reduce it.
High taxes	Slow growth quickly.
Plague	Stops growth - 1.5x as hard in cities, 0.75x in castles. Health buildings help prevent it.

Trade itself gives almost no growth in SSHIP; only trade buildings that list a growth bonus do.
Law and public order don't affect growth.

Income

How much each source counts in SSHIP:

Taxes	Cities collect 20% more than normal; castles 30% less. A castle earns far less tax than a city of the same size.
Trade	Counts half (castles 60%).
Farming and mining	Count 90%.
Building income and upkeep	Many buildings cost money every turn; walls, roads, farms, mines and markets earn it. See the Buildings page.
Devastation	Enemy armies on your land cut income four times harder than normal.
Corruption	Grows with distance from your capital. Governors with Law traits (and a crowned king) keep it down.
Governors	A Good Farmer adds up to +280 a turn; a Good Miner up to +50% mining income. The governor is the general with the highest Piety in the settlement (white scroll on his icon).

Public order

Public order in SSHIP, and how strongly each factor counts compared with normal Medieval II:

Garrison	The strongest tool. Every soldier counts, so big units help most. Peasants, local troops and knights count half.
Law buildings	Half strength.
Happiness buildings	40% strength.
Governor	Chivalry (happiness) and Dread (fear) both help.
Low / high taxes	Low taxes help less than normal (65%); high taxes hurt a bit less (85%).
Distance from capital	Weaker than normal (40%) and capped.
Squalor	Weaker than normal (45%) and capped.
Religious unrest	70% (castles 50%), capped.
Besieged / blockaded	1.5x / 2x as bad as normal.
Excommunication	Twice as bad as normal.
SSHIP unrest	The extra unrest below - castles feel 80% of it.

SSHIP unrest

SSHIP adds its own unrest to every settlement you own, recalculated each turn. Each source gives points; every 5 points (above the first 5) adds 5% unrest, up to 60%.

Source	Points	Details
Not yet integrated	+1 to +9	Newly conquered provinces; fades as integration rises (see below).
King not crowned	+4 to +9	Higher in newly conquered provinces.
Faction size (Very Hard)	+2 / +4 / +6	4-10 / 11-19 / 20+ settlements. Removed by the Protector policy.
Weak leader	+5 to +10	A leader with low Authority (or a weak usurper) took the throne.
New faction leader	+10 to +20	One turn only, and every settlement loses 200 people.
Greedy Ruler policy (Very Hard)	+3 to +6	Your leader has the Greedy Ruler trait.
Warmonger (Very Hard)	+4 / +12 / +28	From conquering too fast outside your own lands.

Small factions (1-3 settlements) ignore faction size, weak and new leaders and greed.
The AI gets +20 points in provinces that aren't historically its own, so AI empires rebel.

Warmongering (Very Hard)

On Very Hard, the game tracks how fast you conquer. Expand too quickly and every settlement you own gets restless, and other factions start seeing you as a threat. It only affects the player.

Each settlement you take that isn't one of your own historical lands (the "no warmonger points" column below) adds points. Taking the same province again after losing it counts again. Your faction leader decides how many:

Faction leader	Crowned	Not crowned
Exquisite diplomacy (Intelligent 7+)	+3	+6
Refined diplomacy (Intelligent 4+)	+6	+12
Mediocre diplomacy	+9	+18

Points drop by 3 every turn (most you can hold: 40). Waiting is the only way to lose them.

Points	You're seen as	Unrest in every settlement	Diplomacy
0-6	Acceptable neighbour	-	-
7-8		+4	-
9-11		+4	Every faction's attitude to you slowly sinks towards hostile, and your reputation falls
12-23	Aggressive	+12 (from 13)	Sinks faster
24+	Warmonger	+28 (from 25)	Sinks fastest - expect preventive wars

Example: a crowned king with exquisite diplomacy can take a province every turn and barely register (+3, then -3 next turn). An uncrowned king with mediocre diplomacy is a warmonger after two quick conquests (18 + 18). Retake your own lands first - those are free.

Integration

Each province has an integration score from 0 to 560. A faction's historical provinces start fully integrated (core) or half-way; everything else starts near 0 after conquest.

How fast it rises

+1 per turn (none while a weak leader or usurper rules)
+1 more while your king is crowned
+1 more with the Thinks of His People policy

What it changes

Unrest: +9 points right after conquest, dropping by 1 at 8, 12, 16, 25, 50, 90, 160, 320 and 480 integration.
Religion converts to yours much more slowly until 500 (one fifth of the speed at first). The Strictly Religious policy removes this.

Integration	Unrest points
0-7	+9
8-11	+8
12-15	+7
16-24	+6
25-49	+5
50-89	+4
90-159	+3
160-319	+2
320-479	+1
480+	0

Core provinces

Provinces each faction has fully integrated from the start, those that start half-way (200), and those it can conquer without warmonger points.

Leader policies

Your faction leader's traits set the realm's policies. Each comes from a trait he earns through his actions; it lasts as long as he keeps it.

Policy	Effect	How a leader gets it
Thinks of His People	More growth from some buildings (walls, charity...), faster integration, but less income everywhere.	Being generous to his troops.
Wise Administrator	Buildings 10% cheaper everywhere.	Authority 3+ and an administrative skill (Good Builder, Good Administrator, logistics...).
Strictly Religious	+1 Piety and Chivalry for him and generals, better religious buildings, more priests, religious buildings 20% cheaper, and conquered provinces convert at full speed.	Piety 4+, not pagan, no cruel or perverted traits.
Protector of His People	+1 free upkeep slot in every city and castle, faster recruitment, and no faction-size unrest on Very Hard.	Chivalry 2+, Authority 4+ and a chivalrous or victorious record.
Merchant Skills	Merchants get +2 Finance and +10 movement; more trade income.	Faction income over 1,000-1,500, Authority 3+, no expensive tastes.
Greedy Ruler	+35% tax income (+30% for generals), Mints pay 600 instead of 400, but less public order and extra unrest on Very Hard.	High taxes with unhappy settlements, low Chivalry and Piety, or corruption.
Shady Connections	Spies and assassins get +2 Subterfuge and +10 movement; settlements rebel less; some invasions less likely.	Chivalry below 0, Piety below 2, superstitious or a gambler.

Policy buildings

Four building lines act as policies you choose to build, keep or tear down:

Tribute	Some settlements start with it: growth and happiness there, but a heavy penalty to growth and happiness in every other settlement you own - worse the more you conquer. Replace it and demolish it when you can.
Landowners	Your source of the best feudal troops, but each level costs upkeep.
Local Autonomy	Lots of happiness (+5 / +10) and some trade and farming.
Gallows	+8 law, but less growth, happiness and trade.

Faction	Core	Half-integrated	No warmonger points
Abbasids	Basra (Al-Basra), Sauad al-Irak (Baghdad), Wasit (Al-Wasit)	Al-Heġāz (Makkah), Carmania (Kerman), Dasht-e Kavir (Yazd), Diyar Bakr (Hisn Kayfa), Esfahān, Fars (Shirāz), Halab, Jerusalem, Kara Kum (Konjikala), Khorasan (Nīshāpūr), Media (Hamadān), Merv, Oultrejordain (Aqaba), Ray, Ġarb al-Ġezīra (Ar-Raqqah), Šark al-Ġezīra (Al-Mawsil)	Bahrain (Al-Ahsa), Basra (Al-Basra), Sauad al-Irak (Baghdad), Wasit (Al-Wasit), Šark al-Ġezīra (Al-Mawsil)
Aragon	Aragon (Zaragoza), Cathalaunia (Barxiluna), Valencia (Balansiyya)	Aquitaine (Bordeaux), Balearic Islands (Medina Mayurqa), Castile-LaMancha (Toledo), Languedoc (Toulouse), Murcia (Mursiyah), Provence (Arles)	Aragon (Zaragoza), Balearic Islands (Medina Mayurqa), Cathalaunia (Barxiluna)
Byzantium	Bithynia (Níkaia), Epirus (Arta), Hellas (Kórinthos), Ionia (Smyrne), Kretē (Chándakas), Kýpros (Lefkosia), Makedonia (Thessalonike), Marmara (Kōnstantinoúpolis), Paphlagonia (Sinópē), Thrake (Adrianoupolis)	Albania (Dyrrachion), Antioch, Apulia (Bari), Arminiya (Ani), Calabria (Regium), Chaldia (Trapezous), Cilicia (Sision), Pamphylia (Attaleia), Taurike (Chersonesos), Trinacria (Balermus)	Bithynia (Níkaia), Epirus (Arta), Hellas (Kórinthos), Ionia (Smyrne), Kretē (Chándakas), Kýpros (Lefkosia), Makedonia (Thessalonike), Marmara (Kōnstantinoúpolis), Pamphylia (Attaleia), Thrake (Adrianoupolis)
Cumans	Circassia (Tmutarakan), Kazak Steppes (Kiçi-Saray), Khazaria (Sharukan), Kypchak Steppes (Azaq), Moldavia (Siret), Scythia (Sharkil), Volga Bulgaria (Bolghar), Volga Delta (Saqsin), Wallachia (Târgovişte)	Alföld (Várad), Derbent (Bāb al-Abwāb), Pereyaslavl', Ryazan', Shirvan (Baku), Taurike (Chersonesos)	Circassia (Tmutarakan), Kazak Steppes (Kiçi-Saray), Khazaria (Sharukan), Kypchak Steppes (Azaq), Moldavia (Siret), Scythia (Sharkil), Volga Bulgaria (Bolghar), Volga Delta (Saqsin), Wallachia (Târgovişte)
Denmark	Iutland (Ribe), Sialand (Roskilde), Skane (Lund)	Borgarthingslog (Ánslo), Gulathingslog (Bergvin), Gutland (Visby), Gøtland (Skara), Smaland (Kalmar), Swerike (Sigtuna)	Borgarthingslog (Ánslo), Gulathingslog (Bergvin), Gutland (Visby), Gøtland (Skara), Iutland (Ribe), Sialand (Roskilde), Skane (Lund), Smaland (Kalmar), Swerike (Sigtuna)
Egypt	Asāfil Ard Misr (Al-Qāhira), Bilād al-Dumyāt (Dumyāt), Bilād al-Iskanderia (Al-Iskandariyya)	A'alī Ard Misr (Qūs), Al-Maghrib al-Adna (Tarābulus), Asqalān, Aš-Šām (Dimašqu), Galilee (Acre), Jerusalem, Northern Ifriqiya (Tūnis), Oultrejordain (Aqaba)	A'alī Ard Misr (Qūs), Asāfil Ard Misr (Al-Qāhira), Bilād al-Dumyāt (Dumyāt), Bilād al-Iskanderia (Al-Iskandariyya)
England	East Anglia (Norwich), Essex (London), Mercia (Lincoln), Northumbria (York), Wessex (Bristol)	Bretagne (Roazhon), Kýpros (Lefkosia), Normandie (Rouen)	East Anglia (Norwich), Essex (London), Mercia (Lincoln), Northumbria (York), Wessex (Bristol)
France	Anjou (Angers), Champagne du Nord (Rheims), Champagne du Sud (Troyes), Orleanáis (Orléans), Poitou (Poitiers), Île-de-France (Paris)	Aquitaine (Bordeaux), Auvergne (Clermont), Bourgogne (Dijon), Brabant (Loven), Bretagne (Roazhon), Dauphiné (Lyon), Flandre (Gand), Languedoc (Toulouse), Niza, Normandie (Rouen), Provence (Arles)	Auvergne (Clermont), Poitou (Poitiers)
Georgia	Egrisi (Kutatïssi), Kartli (T'pilisi)	Armenian Highland (Qālīqalā), Arminiya (Ani), Chaldia (Trapezous), Derbent (Bāb al-Abwāb), Diyar Mudar (Édessa)	Arminiya (Ani), Egrisi (Kutatïssi), Kartli (T'pilisi)
Great Seljuks	Esfahān, Fars (Shirāz), Media (Hamadān), Ray	Carmania (Kerman), Dasht-e Kavir (Yazd), Kara Kum (Konjikala), Kazak Steppes (Kiçi-Saray), Khazaria (Sharukan), Khorasan (Nīshāpūr), Khwarezm (Gorganch), Kypchak Steppes (Azaq), Merv, Scythia (Sharkil), Shirvan (Baku), Volga Bulgaria (Bolghar), Volga Delta (Saqsin), Āzarbayjan (Tabrīz)	Dasht-e Kavir (Yazd), Esfahān, Fars (Shirāz), Khorasan (Nīshāpūr), Media (Hamadān), Ray
Holy Roman Empire	Bayern (Regensburg), Niederlothrigen (Coellen), Nordfranken (Frankfurt), Oberlothringen (Trier), Ostfalen (Magideberc), Ostfranken (Nuorenberc), Schwaben (Ulm), Südfranken (Speyer), Westfalen (Bremen)	Bohemia (Praha), Brabant (Loven), Brannenborg (Brennaburg), Curonia (Riga), Friesland (Utrecht), Holstein-Mecklenburg (Liubice), Kärnten (Freiberg), Livonia (Kolyvan), Moravia (Olomóc), Ostmark (Wien), Pomerania (Stetin), Pomerania Gedanensis (Gdańsk), Prussia (Twangste), Westschwaben (Basel)	Bayern (Regensburg), Dauphiné (Lyon), Holstein-Mecklenburg (Liubice), Niederlothrigen (Coellen), Nordfranken (Frankfurt), Oberlothringen (Trier), Ostfalen (Magideberc), Ostfranken (Nuorenberc), Schwaben (Ulm), Südfranken (Speyer), Westfalen (Bremen)
Hungary	Alföld (Várad), Felföld (Eger), Pannónia (Székesfehérvár)	Bosnia (Vrhbosna), Croatia (Zagreb), Moldavia (Siret), Ragusa, Transylvania (Gyulafehérvár), Wallachia (Târgovişte)	Alföld (Várad), Felföld (Eger), Pannónia (Székesfehérvár)
Kievan Rus	Chernigov, Kyev, Pereyaslavl', Smolenesk, The Marshes (Turov)	Circassia (Tmutarakan), Halychyna (Halych), Novgorod, Pleskov, Polotsk, Rostov, Ruthenia (Goroden), Ryazan', Suzdal, Volhynia (Volodymyr)	Chernigov, Kyev, Pereyaslavl', Rostov, Smolenesk, Suzdal, The Marshes (Turov)
Kingdom of Jerusalem	Antioch, Galilee (Acre), Jerusalem, Tripoli	Cilicia (Sision), Diyar Mudar (Édessa), Kýpros (Lefkosia)	Antioch, Diyar Mudar (Édessa), Galilee (Acre), Jerusalem, Tripoli
Lithuania	Curonia (Riga), Lietuva (Kernavé), Livonia (Kolyvan), Prussia (Twangste), Ruthenia (Goroden)	Austrland (Turku), Halychyna (Halych), Masovia (Płock), Polotsk, Rostov, Smolenesk, Suzdal, The Marshes (Turov), Volhynia (Volodymyr)	Austrland (Turku), Curonia (Riga), Lietuva (Kernavé), Livonia (Kolyvan), Pleskov, Polotsk, Prussia (Twangste), Ruthenia (Goroden), The Marshes (Turov)
Moors	Eastern Andalusia (Garnāta), Ganūb Maġreb al-Aksa (Murrākus), Šemāl Maġreb al-Aksa (Fās)	Algarve (Šilb), Castile-LaMancha (Toledo), Central Andalusia (Qurtubah), Extremadura (Batalyaws), Murcia (Mursiyah), Tajo (Al-Ušbuna), Tilimsān, Valencia (Balansiyya), Western Andalusia (Išbīliyyah)	Eastern Andalusia (Garnāta), Ganūb Maġreb al-Aksa (Murrākus), Šemāl Maġreb al-Aksa (Fās)
Norway	Borgarthingslog (Ánslo), Gulathingslog (Bergvin), Scottish Highlands (Obar Dheathain)	Gutland (Visby), Gøtland (Skara), Iutland (Ribe), Sialand (Roskilde), Skane (Lund), Smaland (Kalmar), Swerike (Sigtuna)	Borgarthingslog (Ánslo), Gulathingslog (Bergvin), Gutland (Visby), Gøtland (Skara), Iutland (Ribe), Sialand (Roskilde), Skane (Lund), Smaland (Kalmar), Swerike (Sigtuna)
Novgorod	Novgorod, Pleskov, Polotsk, Smolenesk	Chernigov, Halychyna (Halych), Kyev, Pereyaslavl', Rostov, Ryazan', Suzdal, The Marshes (Turov), Volhynia (Volodymyr)	Novgorod, Pleskov, Polotsk, Rostov, Smolenesk, Suzdal
Pisa	Eastern Tuscany (Firenze), Liguria (Genova), Niza, Romagna (Bologna), Sardìgna e Córsica (Calari), Spoleto (Ancona), Western Tuscany (Pisa)	Al-Maghrib al-Adna (Tarābulus), Antioch, Apulia (Bari), Asqalān, Balearic Islands (Medina Mayurqa), Bilād al-Dumyāt (Dumyāt), Bilād al-Iskanderia (Al-Iskandariyya), Calabria (Regium), Campania (Napoli), Cathalaunia (Barxiluna), Chaldia (Trapezous), Galilee (Acre), Ionia (Smyrne), Jerusalem, Kretē (Chándakas), Kýpros (Lefkosia), Lazio (Roma), Lombardy (Milan), Maġreb al-Ausat (Al-Jazā’er), Murcia (Mursiyah), Northern Ifriqiya (Tūnis), Pamphylia (Attaleia), Taurike (Chersonesos), Tilimsān, Trinacria (Balermus), Tripoli, Valencia (Balansiyya), Verona	Eastern Tuscany (Firenze), Liguria (Genova), Niza, Romagna (Bologna), Sardìgna e Córsica (Calari), Western Tuscany (Pisa)
Poland	Malopolska (Kraków), Masovia (Płock), Pomerania Gedanensis (Gdańsk), Silesia (Wrezław), Wielkopolska (Poznań)	Halychyna (Halych), Moravia (Olomóc), Pomerania (Stetin)	Malopolska (Kraków), Masovia (Płock), Pomerania Gedanensis (Gdańsk), Silesia (Wrezław), Wielkopolska (Poznań)
Portugal	Beira (Coimbra), Tajo (Al-Ušbuna)	Algarve (Šilb), Extremadura (Batalyaws), Galicia (Santiago de Compostela), Salamanca, Western Andalusia (Išbīliyyah)	Algarve (Šilb), Beira (Coimbra), Galicia (Santiago de Compostela), Salamanca, Tajo (Al-Ušbuna)
Scotland	Scottish Highlands (Obar Dheathain), Scottish Lowlands (Dùn Èideann)	Ireland (Duibhlinn), Mercia (Lincoln), Northumbria (York), Wales (Kaerenarvon)	Ireland (Duibhlinn), Scottish Highlands (Obar Dheathain), Scottish Lowlands (Dùn Èideann)
Serbia	Bosnia (Vrhbosna), Dioclea (Skadar), Lower Serbia (Belograd), Upper Serbia (Ras)	Albania (Dyrrachion), Croatia (Zagreb), Dalmatia (Zara), Epirus (Arta), Makedonia (Thessalonike), Northern Bulgaria (Tarnovgrad), Ragusa, Southern Bulgaria (Triadica), Transylvania (Gyulafehérvár)	Albania (Dyrrachion), Bosnia (Vrhbosna), Dioclea (Skadar), Lower Serbia (Belograd), Upper Serbia (Ras)
Sicily	Apulia (Bari), Calabria (Regium), Trinacria (Balermus)	Campania (Napoli), Spoleto (Ancona)	Apulia (Bari), Calabria (Regium), Trinacria (Balermus)
Spain	Castilla La Vieja (Burgos), León y Asturias (León), Salamanca	Castile-LaMancha (Toledo), Galicia (Santiago de Compostela), Murcia (Mursiyah), Tajo (Al-Ušbuna)	Castilla La Vieja (Burgos), Galicia (Santiago de Compostela), León y Asturias (León), Salamanca
Sultanate of Rum	Armenian Highland (Qālīqalā), Galatia (Angora), Lykaonia (Konya), Northern Capadoccia (Sivas), Paphlagonia (Sinópē), Southern Cappadocia (Kayseri)	Bithynia (Níkaia), Ionia (Smyrne), Pamphylia (Attaleia)	Galatia (Angora), Lykaonia (Konya), Northern Capadoccia (Sivas), Paphlagonia (Sinópē), Southern Cappadocia (Kayseri)
Venice	Dalmatia (Zara), Romagna (Bologna), Sardìgna e Córsica (Calari), Spoleto (Ancona), Veneto (Venèzsia), Verona	Al-Maghrib al-Adna (Tarābulus), Albania (Dyrrachion), Antioch, Apulia (Bari), Asqalān, Balearic Islands (Medina Mayurqa), Bilād al-Dumyāt (Dumyāt), Bilād al-Iskanderia (Al-Iskandariyya), Calabria (Regium), Cathalaunia (Barxiluna), Chaldia (Trapezous), Dioclea (Skadar), Eastern Tuscany (Firenze), Galilee (Acre), Hellas (Kórinthos), Jerusalem, Kretē (Chándakas), Kýpros (Lefkosia), Lazio (Roma), Liguria (Genova), Lombardy (Milan), Maġreb al-Ausat (Al-Jazā’er), Murcia (Mursiyah), Niza, Northern Ifriqiya (Tūnis), Pamphylia (Attaleia), Ragusa, Taurike (Chersonesos), Tilimsān, Trinacria (Balermus), Tripoli, Valencia (Balansiyya)	Dalmatia (Zara), Eastern Tuscany (Firenze), Ragusa, Romagna (Bologna), Veneto (Venèzsia), Verona
Zengids	Halab, Tripoli, Ġarb al-Ġezīra (Ar-Raqqah), Šark al-Ġezīra (Al-Mawsil)	A'alī Ard Misr (Qūs), Antioch, Armenia Minor (Malatya), Asqalān, Asāfil Ard Misr (Al-Qāhira), Aš-Šām (Dimašqu), Bilād al-Dumyāt (Dumyāt), Bilād al-Iskanderia (Al-Iskandariyya), Diyar Bakr (Hisn Kayfa), Diyar Mudar (Édessa), Galilee (Acre), Jerusalem, Oultrejordain (Aqaba), Sauad al-Irak (Baghdad), Wasit (Al-Wasit)	Aš-Šām (Dimašqu), Basra (Al-Basra), Diyar Bakr (Hisn Kayfa), Halab, Sauad al-Irak (Baghdad), Ġarb al-Ġezīra (Ar-Raqqah), Šark al-Ġezīra (Al-Mawsil)