Yeah the trade did matter. A number of NA players went and worked as traders in the EU and then came back to NA with literal millions and people just had dumb looks on there faces when they found out what was possible with a real trade route.
Just some crazy brainstorming and running off of the mouth, but;
It just doesn't make sense that a group of 500 bandits can hide in a fief of 250 citizens and 50 army w/o being seen. Then when an independent trader, who is already at a disadvantage because the bandits can see not only his troops and armed status; but most of all how many goods he is carrying, tries to enter he is attacked while entering by an unseen force. I would think riding up to the village a caravan should be able to distinguish between 500 bandits running around the fief and the regular population.
3 ways to solve (many more but my thoughts.)
1. Would it be possible to make a no war/weapon zone around each populated area of about 1k meters.
2. Have bandits receive neg. points for attacks. This changes their color, size, shape of icon, or something on the map and can be seen by all whether they are in a pop. area or on the open plains.
3. Do like last strat and allow a player to view the occupants of a pop. area when they are say 2k meters close to it.
I like the no war zone the best. Or maybe
require all the troops and pop of the fief. castle, city to reinforce the people who are attacked within a 1000m area. The logic being they are also defending trade to their area and their own livelihood...so a attack within that area is an attack on the pop. area.
This also means bandits would have to have a hide out with limited LOS to others, but when in the open the LOS is much longer due to their notoriety.+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Raiding also needs something diff. Right now people can evacuate a town when a raid is initiated. Thats crazy! A raid is fast and surprising. Things that bother me about the raid;
1. The raiders shouldn't get all the loot from a pop. area if successful...its a hit and run so they only get what they can see and ride away with quickly. This isn't an attack where they take time to search every nook and cranny.
2. Defenders shouldn't be able to reinforce or retreat w/ equip (they can run w/ troops and pop. though, but it should be considered a retreat, with the same loses as if it was a full battle, if it happens after the raid is started and b4 the battle. Maybe they can retreat, but can't carry any crates in the retreat and just enough equip for each man which is then partially lost according to the retreat rules.
3. another fun thing would be if a raid battle started 5-8 hours after being initiated. Yes this would limit the clan's/owner's ability to respond in due time...BUT IT IS A RAID!!! 
It should also not be regulated by any nighttime setting. Raids usually happen at night...so the raiders sneak in, attack, and run. This means if you are caught on the toilet, drunk and hungover, on a hot date in another fief, sleeping peacefully with you cat, or whatever; you will take, initially, huge loses and then be able to mount an attack. There would also have to be some controls between NA/EU raids though. Its not fair that I can cross the Nebun/Vovka line and raid Dhrim during my primetime and Nebun's sleep time. If I raid I should also be sacrificing my work time or sleep time.
HHHMM maybe have the raid automatically default to the attackers nighttime setting???? Which has to be set at the beginning and can only be changed once a week or something, and if changed a raider can not raid a settlement for 10 days (but still has the ability to attack as normal.)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufWgXA1XPTQ&feature=related+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I didn't find things to be too expensive this round. I just had to make sacrifices and get what I really needed to operate and not any of the luxury items (gothic plate) until I could afford it. As chadz said you had to pick between being slow and strong, or light and fast...I'm both and after the price cuts even more so!!!
I'm sure I can find other stupid things to suggest, I just don't have the time.
