Any way to tell, pre-governer, which settlements make great cash?

[grapedog]

Same as the title, is there any way to know ahead of time, what settlements will produce the best amounts of cash pre-governer? I want to get more of my family out in the field, but since I'm going to be abandoning a number of provinces to basic self governance, I want to get the most out of the ones I keep governed.

I don't suppose there is an excel file listed somewhere that has each city ranked by economic output?

[Tamur]

The economic model in RTW is Extremely complex, so I don't think there is an easy answer to this question. You might try spying on possible takeover targets, see what level of economics buildings they have (ie market, port, roads), and population, and then make a guess based on your own towns.

If you're up for it, you might try poking around in the Ludus Magna for info on all things economic, like trade buildings, roads, slaves, ports, etc.

[x-dANGEr]

Usually, the closest coastal city to a friendly coastal nation.

[grapedog]

thanks for the advice, I'll take a look around Ludus Magna...

I started as the Brutii faction, and i really DON'T need the cash, but I'm keeping my youngest home to make babies for the next generation, and I might as well put them in the best possible cities. Right now I'm mostly stationed in the coastal cities of greece and macedon and up the coast like Salona and Patavium.

Maybe I should also ask this question....will trade revenue ever decrease or not be affected by a 0 maint governer? Or will trade/rev always increase when you have an actual governer in the city, regardless of how much or how little management he has.

[Garvanko]

Athens is probably the biggest money-maker in Greece.

[orangat]

Trade is the biggest moneymaker. Farming, mining, natural resources etc are relatively poor compared to having settlements with ports. When playing as Romans, following Brutii and Scipii armies to steal a few victories is a great strategy. Grab Carthage early and you'll be swimming in cash.

[Severous]

Hi

I dont station family members in towns to maximize income. Particulary as Brutii with those great cash flows they develop as they take over the Aegeon.

I typically move them around so some spend time in the city with an Academy. Move them around to swap ancilleries. Move them towards the front so they can lead armies of conquest, or so they can beat up rebels.

As for the trade income part of the question:
"will trade revenue ever decrease or not be affected by a 0 maint governer? Or will trade/rev always increase when you have an actual governer in the city, regardless of how much or how little management he has"

Trade revenue fluctuates based on
1) the trade routes in operation
2) the population of the cities involved
3) appearance/disappearance of the slave resource
4) rebels (but not pirates)
5) gaining or losing trade rights with other cities
6) buildings
7) governor skills, traits and ancillaries

1) Routes fluctuate. You might blockade an enemy city and a trading partner may now choose to trade with you instead.
2) Population change due to growth or recruitment impacts income..in both cities.
3) Enslavement creates a slave resource for 20 turns. If one city has it and another doesnt this is a tradeable resource (population doesnt change)
4) Rebels on roads reduce road trade income
5) Roman civil war for instance cuts Roman income dramatically as you can no longer trade with other Roman factions.
6) Buildings like temples, roads, ports can improve trade income
7) Governor skills and ancilleries will affect trade income.

[grapedog]

will the revenue ever be higher in a town without a governer then with a governer? if i just let the city auto-manage it does pretty ok, but is it always improved by the presence of a governer even if he has no +management. i wouldn't think so, but i've yet to see it in action...

[professorspatula]

If a governor has traits that have a negative impact on trade/tax/mining/farming income etc, and those negatives outweigh any positive bonuses he may have, then it's possible for the settlement to make more money without him.

Obviously good governors with good bonuses are preferable, but sometimes the biggest impact on income can just come from the placement of your capital. The further away a settlement is from the capital, the more corruption occurs, and if you place the captial far from the more profitable settlements, you end up losing money. In a Roman campaign, the moving of my capital from Carthage to Sardinia (or one of those islands near Rome) brought in an extra 6K a turn - that's not to be sniffed at!

If you do have a governor with high management skills, (and hopefully some other good traits/ancilliary characters) definitely stick him in charge of your richest settlements though. High management skill alone can bring in an extra 1000+ denarii a turn. Money gained through management skills shows up on the settlement details screen as 'administration' or something like that.

[x-dANGEr]

I remember in my latest Vandal campaign, my money maker was the city south-west of Rome, through the Italian provinces. I never earned many management points, so the governor I put in it had those ancilaries that increase trade profit by 10% each.. And I think they all summed to 30%/40%.. Not sure what does the managment count do though..

[Oaty]

Heres the easy way to put it.

If he has traits benifitting taxes, put him in yr highest populated city, as all citizens get taxed the same, minus what the happiness factor makes you tax it at.

If he has that oddball trait ~ -30 law plus 30 happiness, but still has other ecomical traits its safe to keep him near the capital but will tear your treasary apart if hes afar. Same goes for a general that has plus 10-20 law or more. Put him in a city far away plus it helps happiness.

The best way to do trade is to open the settlement details and look what the actual trade amount is and throw one with the trade traits there.

Then there are the ones with the mine bonuses. wich obviously go in provinces with mines.

I hope that clears it up for you as there is no general that is perfect for any city. As a general with -50 law plus 30 happiness pluse 20 on tax and trade revenue, would do more harm far away due to the increase on corruption. and also would not do well in a city on the brink of rebellion. But could greatly increase yr income in the right city