so basically everyone makes troops on the map automatically, based on how much they play crpg (max production rate you have to play maybe 2 hours a week or something i'm not sure)
you can attack fiefs (villages, castles, towns) with soldiers to make them yours
when you own a fief, you can choose which equipment (armour, weapons, horses), that village can produce
once you've chosen it, any player will be able to go to that village and buy the gear.
you can tell the gear is specialised for that village because it won't have two little red minus marks in the picture.
you make money buy buying goods from a village with a low price and selling it far away at a high price.
i hope this helps!