What is the best advice for keeping in the black when playing as the Sarmatians in the early phases of the game?
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What is the best advice for keeping in the black when playing as the Sarmatians in the early phases of the game?
Buildings
1) Build Temples of Sun. The highest level grants +15% law, plus a tax income bonus and some happiness. That's the best one by far, because you really need all law boni you can get to cut down on corruption.
You may also build temples of Fire and Sword, but only in provinces that will remain in the centre of your empire (e.g. your capital) and are thus low on corruption. Fire is for happiness and trade bonus; Sword gives an experience bonus at the highest level.
2) Build farms, "Camp preparation", and healers ASAP. These will generate more taxpayers. The farms also generate a relatively steady income. Healers prevent plagues as well.
3) Build mines if you can. However these are expensive initially, so it will not be possible to build them in the first twenty turns (unless you make crazy cash with some insane raiding party).
If you go a-pillaging, look for mining centres (specifically those with large mines). Try to keep them for a few turns, or even consider permanent occupation.
4) Try to build caravans. The Scout Parties add to population growth, which might be useful for fast growth, while the higher levels add a decent amount of cash. Nomadic settlements can have the biggest caravans, which is their only economical advantage over Pastoralist or Allied ones.
Strategy
1) Carefully move your capital around. Look at the prospective income scroll to find out which position is the best.
2) Take Gava-Yugra ASAP. Install a non-nomadic FM as governor there, and implement Pastoralism. This will allow you to build farms and walls in this settlement. Build a Temple of Sun there!
3) Try to develop Uspe and Tanais as commercial centres. Optionally, you can take the Crimean settlements and Olbia early on; they are vital for trade in that region.
4) Gelonus comes with regional barracks pre-installed. Take it. It will be an efficient recruitig centre for a very useful infantry unit, even without building anythig there.
5) Set taxes to maximum, unless that means revolt or population drain.
6) Don't recruit too many units! One unit of Sarmatian foot archers plus a governor (if there is one available without the nomadic traits - look a the trait description!) should be enough for settlements of your own culture. Unless of course the enemy is in a very threatening position.
Keep your cavalry moving about in two or three small armies led by FMs. If you have too many "nomadic" FMs, band some together and use them to eliminate Eleutheroi bands in auto-resolve. Unless of course you want to play out every bloody skirmish.
And avoid warring on more than one front. Especially when you go to war with the saka it can be very bloody and expensive, so staying at pecae with the Hai and Getai is essential.