The economy of Rule-by-Mail™ is based upon the interaction of population and territory.
The basic unit of territory is the grid square a 10 mile by 10 mile square ruled by a single lord. Each grid square is depicted in the game
| Fortification | Weather | Terrain |
| Trade | Village | Water |
| First Hundred | Second Hundred | Third Hundred |
| Forth Hundred | Fifth Hundred | Sixth Hundred |
The six hundreds in the territory represent the useful land in the grid square. A Shire is three hundreds in size, and a barony is twice the size. In this way, a sheriff can earn herself a promotion by improving all six hundreds in the grid square. While realistically two shires might share the same grid square, in Rule-by-Mail™ to keep things manageable we limit ownership of a grid to one lord.
Each hundred will have resources which it offers, it could be good for agriculture, livestock, or some sort of resource gathering operation. How the lord chooses to use the land is entirely up to the lord, but the site of a coal mine might be a particularly bad place to grow crops, and a grassy prairie wouldn’t be a good place for a lumber mill if there is no forest nearby.
The second important element of the economy is the peasant family. While others may have jobs in your society, it is really the peasant families who do all the work. Peasants are counted in whole families, as the unit depends upon all members of the family for survival. If your domain manages to have large families, it will be reflected in a high growth rate among your peasants, if your domain is short of food or has poor hygiene your growth rate may be low or may even become negative.
Resource Types
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