Empire: Total War - Game Mechanics - Secret Service - Rakes - game guide, walkthrough, secrets, game tips & strategies

You can recruit some rakes by building some Coaching Inns (and every more advanced type of this building).

If you want to recruit rakes create one of the buildings marked with red.

Rakes are thugs which are doing things that any government cannot admit that they're happening, for example: they are spying. The higher abilities rake has, the most probable is to infiltrate enemy fort, town or village. He can inform you what kind of units are in the enemy fortress and how many.

Rakes can kill enemy characters. They may assassinate opponents generals, priests, gentlemen and rakes. The more experienced your rake is the more probable that the action will end with success.

Rakes can sabotage buildings located on the enemy territory. If you want to damage your opponent economy, technology development, etc., order your thug to blow up an enemy construction (farm, school, opera house, etc.). Damaged buildings cannot function until they will be repaired.

Rakes can assault merchants that are using trade routes. Go to your neighbors land and look for some trade routes. When you will find some, then order your rake to attack caravans (try to choose these routes that are not used by you and your allies). That will grant you some money.