How to develop FM's using schools and temples

This is a continuation from the popular thread on how to properly develop good combat Generals in EB.

The good and bad of schools:

I have found that FM's MUST send their FM's to the biggest and best schools if you want to raise a great governor. In terms of ancillaries, the academies and libraries really toss big time farming/trade-enhancing and logic/anti-unrest traits and entourages to your FM. If they stay too long however, they become pendatic and spend their days drinking, womanizing, and eating.

On the flip side, I have found this disastrous for making a good combat general (as much as you roleplaying Roman players might hate to hear this). Why? When a FM spends too much time in a city (esp. the first decade following his recruitment), or stays in school too long, he turns into a bookworm, or a man too comfortable in the city (attuned governor, or worse.... supervisor.) Attuned governor should be a warning that the FM is starting to get a hang of the city-life, and supervisor is the governing equivalent of "warmonger."

More importantly, schools are bad for combat generals because you LOSE combat-related ancillary/entourages to governing-related ancillaries. The absolute best combat generals are the allied generals created in type IV governments because they hit the bricks as soon as they are recruited... no school, no wasting time studying stars or chasing women in the forum. Try to remember those type IV generals when thinking about sending that FM to school.

The good and bad about temples or combat related development structures (like the agoge):

This comes in particular handy when developing combat generals, b/c there are combat related temples (like the temple of mars). This is the one exception I would make about keeping generals in cities: the FM's turn into skull-crushing, blood-drinking warriors, and its great. They become angry, lively, extremely devout and proud, and seem to develop more combat related ancillaries. It seems like combat related temples should be placed in cities w/o schools because you don't want to develop an angry, bloodthirsty bookworm.

Temples that improve law, I find, should be placed in all other cities you don't seek to develop combat talent in.

To summarize, regardless of faction, if you want a good combat general, you have two options:
1. send him into battle IMMEDIATELY. No school whatsoever, because you want the FM to develop a war-related entourage instead of philosophers, librarians, and grain dealers.
2. send him to a city with a structure dedicated to boosting morale (like a temple of mars or the agoge). It will make him bloodthirsty and ready for battle. Ideally, the city should not have a school.

If you want a good governor simply send the guy to the city with the biggest, baddest school possible and let him sit there and develop as many ancillaries as possible.


Your thoughts?

That's a good guide from a purely gameing standpoint but a nightmare from a role-playing point of view, I have had a few generals that have been to school and still got 6+ stars, it's just a matter of luck probably.

"If they stay too long however, they become pendatic and spend their days drinking, womanizing, and eating. "

Sounds like my time at university. Turned my hard and lean body soft...

Athens. The place where the dumbest family member becomes surrounded by nerds who run the city for him. seriously. Yah, athens would be the place to send your governers in training. when you capture it from those boy loving greeks. (playing as Rome)

the best place to send a FM if you are playing a greek faction is sparta for the agoge

specialy if you make the lvl 3 academy with the highest level of gymnasium + academic gymnasium/that other special academy building.

Sparta, making champs since 500 bc