Question regarding the finances

[darkangel87]

I´m playing with Carthago and now I´m in the year 229 BC. I´m in domination of the whole “Spanish” peninsula (I annihilated the Lusotanians and all the Rebels in this area), Africa to the point of the Ptolemaeic border, Sicilia and a few cities on the “Italian” peninsula… 30 regions altogether. 3 field-armies are in my services, generally comprising 5-6 solid spear-units like the Liby-Phoenician Heavy Infantry or the Elite African Pikemen, 2 units of skirmishers (Balearic slingers or Thracian medium skirmishers), 3 Units of Cretan archers, 3-4 units of assault infantry (Iberian assault infantry or the Dorkim Aloopim) and 5-6 units of cavalry (1-2 generals, 1 “Sacred Band” cav., 2 Carthagian citizen cav., 1-2 local cav.). I´ve enlarged my settlements with all available money and actually I´ve built large mines and bigger trade-ports. But despite all efforts my cities do not produce much profit.
Meanwhile I´m not able to build anything in either turns.
Are my armies such money-absorbing?
I think, that my only chance to turnabout my finances is to dig into Ptolemaeic territories… my most relieable Allies and the “Most Advanced Faction” :-(

[Sdragon]

Navies are the real money suckers. How big and how many are they?

[darkangel87]

Only two navies are in my services so far... one "normal" flotillia of Tiremes and one fleet of the big warships (I don´t remember the name at the moment) with attack 31! By now I´m not ready for "war by sea"... my fleets are only existing for transport-purposes, primarily for the troop-supplies from Africa to Sicilia...

[Pharnakes]

In that case dismiss the big fleet, keep the triremes to keep the sea free from pirates and build a few kerkuroi fleets, they are the cheapest and they actualy have increased movement compared to the bigger ships. And dissmiss any elephants you have, they are only to be kept if you have so much money that you don't know what to do with it.

[darkangel87]

I´ll try :-) Thank you