Base Realignment and Closure

[Prussian1]

I wanted to get a feel for what the community generally does as a matter of policy when buildings become redundant. Specifically, as my empire grows, I find that buildings erected early to provide military units as close to the border as possible are no longer needed. Does anyone have an opinion one way or another as to whether these buildings should be retained, or should they be destroyed to save the support costs?

[Martok]

Well buildings don't actually cost anything once they're constructed, so I'm not sure if I understand your question correctly.

That said, you could of course scrap buildings if you're strapped for cash, but I would still only do so if it were absolutely necessary. For one, it just doesn't feel very realistic, at least from the perspective of roleplaying my campaigns. From a more practical standpoint, it also gives me sort of a "cushion" in case of natural disasters -- I'd rather a flood destroyed my Town Watch than my Cathedral.

[caravel]

Buildings do not, in the vanilla unmodded game, incur support costs. If you destroy buildings you can recoup some of the florins you spent on their construction, but that's about it. Personally I never destroy any buildings as a) I'm never that strapped for cash in an MTW campaign and b) things can change quickly in war and your frontier troop production centres may fall to the enemy. It's then left to your inner production centres to take over troop production again, but if you've already demolished all of the smithies buildings.... well.

[Martok]

There is that as well. Another very good point.