improving income

[gaijinalways]

I've run into a weird problem in my current campaign. I am playing expert Italians, early and am around 1350 in a GA game. I have quite a few provinces because after going 200 () years with no war, I decided to go on a rampage and took over most of western Europe and part of Africa.

My problem is this, after getting rid of my mercenary troops and upgrading some farming and trade buildings, my income is still in the red (small, but doesn't seem to get better). I haven't built any new ships, troops, or agents. What gives? I would think after the income boosters, at some point I would be in the black on a yearly basis, I can't seem to get there (I might add, the first time it has happened).

Now, I remember reading in a post that ships further away from their port of origin are more expensive to maintain, in other words their support costs would be higher. This may be a cause as I have moved some ships far away in my raids on the BYZ navy (the only other one left except for a few Nov. ships). So I will have to check that, and I have stripped some military buildings I didn't need (in provinces I captured), though stripping the building provided cash, it didn't always lower my overall expenses?

Any ideas? Besides attacking, which I just did, though I would assume with some troops killed (I took some casulties), my support costs should have gone down, not up. Is it a morale thing, as far as happiness? I did get excommed again.

[Phatose]

Did the black death event occur yet? I think by 1350 it would've, and that's fairly apocalyptic as far as farming income goes.


Have you done a heavy duty upgrading of farms and mines? Trade becomes less viable as you expand, due to widespread war and just not being many people left to trade with.

Also, have you checked the governors of your highest producing provinces? Beyond a certain point the game just loves saddling them with income reducing vices.

How is your king's acumen and V&Vs? Those affect the whole empire.

[Sociopsychoactive]

Also trade is a major one, especially for the Italians. If you went on the rampage then it is likely you have few or no alliances, and if you moved your boats about you probably have no unbroken boat chains to nuetral/allied provinces.

You can't trade with yourself, only with allied or nuetral provinces, so rampaging has probably killed your trade income, even if you do have boats all over the place. My suggestion, farm up if you still have some cash.

[Kraxis]

Ships far away from the closest friendly port (your port) will cost you a whole lot.
Right now I have two Barques down by Sicily and my nearest port is in Venice, they cost me 120 florins each year. That is only three patches of sea from Venice, try and guess how much it would cost if it was further away, or more ships.

So recall the ships if they aren't directly helping you attacking or getting you trade.
Also, go over your governors, replace the weak ones (thus get a good number of emmisaries) with stronger ones. Beware of Vices. It might take some time, but it is well worth it.

[katank]

yeah, trade was probably it.

You shouldn't worry about it though as if you were trading properly, you likely had something like a million florins in the bank and can stomach the deficit for long enough to wipe out the remaining factions and claim a victory.

Otherwise, just abandon the newly conquered provinces after razing them and go on a rampage with your remaining armies until they die off. left lands to the rebels and let factions reappear.

If they do, they don't remember old grudges so you can trade again.

the port thing is important. you should have all the islands you can to use as naval bases to lower cost.

[gaijinalways]

Thanks guys. Things have gotten better, up to 1360 or so. Just had a weird thing happen. The Spanish reappeared in Africa ( not so unusual) but also Switzerland and somehow they completely kicked the Swiss out in the same turn, no war no nothing. HMM?

Anyway, trade is back, the BYZ, Norg,the rebels, and the pope are trading with me, and no my farming isn't completely upgraded on all properties (some I got not so long ago). And the black death did come, but not before my last post. Anyway, thanks for the suggestions. I was still stripping other property from the Polish and the Hungarians since they refuse to come to peace terms with me.

Just have to ride it out as the GA points shows me as a leader right now. The Byz have no ships and the Norg only a few. Everybody else doesn't dare put in the water