wealthy places near AS

[artaxerxes]

being a rather inexperienced EB player who hasnt got EB in the vicinity right now, but still can't stop making strategies in his mind, I was wondering - Exactly what are the wealthiest regions (in the long run - after building up economies there) that are accessible for conquest by the AS early on.... I'm thinking, perhaps the mines of Asia Minor... But what of Egypt - historically it was fabulously wealthy, but is the wealth generated by a pacified and economically restored Egypt in EB really fabulous, or is it just more or less ordinary?

[Tellos Athenaios]

Due to the way RTW works, you will want to gain control over as many 'shores' as possible. Therefore, your war with the Ptolemaioi is not merely something 'to get your VC's'; it's probably one of the single most lucrative entrerprises your empire will embark on. There are a number of other such lucrative trading hubs: the Aechean, the Black Sea... Also, don't forget that the Persian Gulf and to a lesser extend the Red Sea and the Caspian Sea are not to be dismissed as too much of a hassle to bother either.

Apart from that, mines are always nice; so Baktria & surroundings; as well as the Indos valley and the Caucassus are good pickings too. Plus, if you are smart you can easily keep the Saka at bay with some well-placed armies; and if you control the Indos you can stick a few of those longbow-men for double-duty service too...

[artaxerxes]

Thx. I didn't know about the 'shores'-thing - Provinces with shores generate more wealth or? Is this something one can feel even without ports, and which ports then multiply, or is it only after building up the naval trade system, that it becomes a factor?

[Digby Tatham Warter]

Make sure you have all the trade agreements you can get, partic with factions with coastal cities.
Take Greece, both for the excellent trade and mines(partic pella-9,000 per turn). My own Seleukid campaign is only in profit because I have Greece, Empire is now big(with lots of large mines)and I am building up newly captured settlements, I have 3 very strong fields armies(with Nel's) and very expensive fleets(I am not loosing any of my vet armies at sea).

[-Praetor-]

Thx. I didn't know about the 'shores'-thing - Provinces with shores generate more wealth or? Is this something one can feel even without ports, and which ports then multiply, or is it only after building up the naval trade system, that it becomes a factor?

It`s because of the sea trade. It`s incredibly lucrative. Off course, you have to build ports and upgrade them later.

[Pezlu]

Also, shores inside small "closed" seas are far more lucrative, especially if you have multiple regions bordering that sea. For example the adriatic, the aegean, th black sea; even if you have only one city there, it will trade with a lot of neighbouring regions, and your trade income will be quite high.

[Titus Marcellus Scato]

Do what the Seleucids tried to do historically - take all the Ptolemaic coastal cities from Asia Minor all the way to Libya. Once you've got all their ports and sea trade, you'll be rich and they'll be poor.

Make peace with KH for lots more trade income. They're too busy fighting Macedon to be any threat to you.

[Tellos Athenaios]

Until they get going on the mainland; by which time you will have your hands full elsewhere and they will be a Real Valuable Trading Partner (tm). So yeah, peace with everyone who can make you money is a wise idea...

[Digby Tatham Warter]

Talking about coastal trade, I presume this is why Rome makes so much money so easily, and from the start, that and it's overheads can be low(not surrounded by foes).

Oh and artaxerxes, incase your not clued up, taking time to properly groom your city governers in school and retinues can increase revinues by double, if you can get 9,000 out of Pella(looking at the trade and income scroll) then you don't need my advice.

[General Appo]

Ha, I got 14000 out of Dalminion! Half mining, half trade. So yeah, mines and sea trade are the biggest money-makers, except maybe early game for small faction, as the Sab´yns you won´t really get to trade much in the early game.

[artaxerxes]

Thanks so much for all this advice :) my future campaigns will sure be a lot more focused, and a lot less "random buildings-random units-random wars" :)

[Midnj]

Aside from the obvious (lucrative trade goods), the best trading regions are the areas with many ports close to each other... the ideal setup would be to have 4 cities with ports in close proximity.

Trade is calculated as a combination of how lucrative the trade goods are (and quantity of them), city population and proximity to the port its trading with. Shortening the distance your goods need to travel over the sea to its destination can have extremely profitable gains for your economy.

This is why Egypt in particular can be so profitable.

[I of the Storm]

And don't forget to take Cyprus ASAP! It's a nice trading port and it's got mines too IIRC.

[/Bean\]

When you guys say you got 9000 from Pella and 14000 from Dalminion, can you be specific in time and state of your empire? The most i ever got out of Pella was 7500ish, so with less armed forces to pay for i can see you getting 9000. But 14000 out of Dalminion? The most i have ever seen is about 5000. How did you do it?

[Irishmafia2020]

Since nobody has mentioned it yet, you can make a lot of money in the region around Baktria. Every city up there has first and second level mining complex available. Also, go East to India and secure a profitable off-map trade income by capturing the the 3 cities in the Indus Valley. If you want to wipe the Sabyn out, they have a cluster of four cities in Arabia that make a decent profit off of the spice trade and also through mining. You don't have to go west, their are other options as well!

[Tellos Athenaios]

Since nobody has mentioned yet....
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Apart from that, mines are always nice; so Baktria & surroundings; as well as the Indos valley and the Caucassus are good pickings too. Plus, if you are smart you can easily keep the Saka at bay with some well-placed armies; and if you control the Indos you can stick a few of those longbow-men for double-duty service too...

... you mean like that?

[Digby Tatham Warter]

When you guys say you got 9000 from Pella and 14000 from Dalminion, can you be specific in time and state of your empire? The most i ever got out of Pella was 7500ish, so with less armed forces to pay for i can see you getting 9000. But 14000 out of Dalminion? The most i have ever seen is about 5000. How did you do it?

14000 out of Dalminion, that's sound very good, I'll have to look at that one.

To get 9,000 out of an excellent city like Pella, it doesn't have to be late game, my Seleukid campaign is currently 196 BC. I own 3 quarters of the Meds ports, Pella is making 9,700, the mines are fully upgraded and the excellent Governer has the two retinues which boost mining by about 50%.
Starting as the Maks, I could be getting this money alot sooner than 196 BC, but getting that expensive mine built is a top priority, and you don't need zillions of ports, just a decent gaggle of ports close together(as someone said above).