Questions about the economy

[Yarema]

Salve,

I am currently playing a Romani campaign (very hard/very hard). While reading this forum i noticed thad most peole playing as Romans wrote that they get very rich quickly, while in my case it is quite the countrary - I suffer of a constant lack of money

I don't build granaries since when the population grows i need more soldiers to keep order in my settlements (i use cheap units such as accensi or slingers for that), and i also need better governors (that is nt a problem however, i am able to creat family members who are good in management rather quickly).

What is the way to have more cash in EB? And i don't wanna cheat or exploit the diplomatic stupidity of tha AI factions for that, just wanna know what is best to be build in the cities.

And one more question, I don't have riots in my towns baut all the "romanized province" and "roman homeland" buildings are damaged, repairing them doesn't work since the get damaged again next turn. Is this normal or is this a bug?

[Yarema]

To clarify the situation, i enclose the screens which show my situation:

This is my financial scroll



Now the diplomacy scroll



I have 3 major armies and there is NO WAY that i disband any of them or move them elsewhere:
First in spain, fighting the Carthaginians



Second in Transalpine/Cisalpine Gaul, repelling Aedui constant massive invasions and lunching punitive expeditions againdst them



Third in Greece, capturing Macedonian cities one by one and gaurding my settlements from The Hellenes

[Fluvius Camillus]

The simplest is put your taxes on max, or if you really need cash, try selling map information to factions for 1000 each (or more, but it is not taking advantage of AI diplomacy).

You should finish off the final carthaginians in Iberia, a few cities left and Gader is extremely rich if the mines and ports are built. Then you have one active front less and rich cities are yours!

Also I think more than a half of Iberia can build mines, which cost a lot to build, but will boost your economy and pay back soon! I know that you are allied with the lusotana, but keep in mind if you get into a war with them, those mines are a must!

If I remember well, the only Iberian cities who dont have mines are:
Arse, Emporion and Numantia. (I think, perhaps another).

Sacking carthage and destroying the barracks will probably give 30000 mnai, same goes for Atiqa, but perhaps that is a too bold move (balance/history/roleplay).

Aegean trade in nice too, try to finish off the Maks.

At building options I would suggest mines/markets and ports (not the over-expensive).

Good luck with your campaign! Looks nice!

Btw, am I right that you are getting Polybians in 240BC?

[Fluvius Camillus]

And one more question, I don't have riots in my towns baut all the "romanized province" and "roman homeland" buildings are damaged, repairing them doesn't work since the get damaged again next turn. Is this normal or is this a bug?

Arr, a nasty bug which the EB team can do nothing about if I am right. Do you have two campaigns running?

Example:
If you play Ptolemaioi and you activate the script, then get bored and you switch to the Romans. When you are done loading you activate the script again, the government buildings get damaged.

If something like this example happens I know what you mean, it is a nasty bug which can be extremely annoying if you dont have much cash.

~Fluvius

[/Bean\]

I would say your armies are extemely expensive as well. You have a lot of Triarrii and cavalry. Your city garrisons are also quite large. Army upkeep is always the biggest drain on the income. I'd put the taxes on auto, and then disband all unnecessary units, and reform my military.

Any income you get should be spent on farms, mines, ports etc, so you can build up your economy.

Make sure your navy isn't too big. I'd say maybe one or two fleets just to keep your Iberian and Greek theatres supplied.

[retep219]

I'll agree with the above poster...why do you need such large garrisons in Greece? The cities are fairly well-built up, with plenty of happiness and law bonuses. And they are quite close to Roma, so you have no Distance to Capital to worry about. Reducing all those garrisons to, say, two Roarii or something similarly cheap would help your economy greatly. Even if the stacks are for defense, why do you need such a large defence in Segestica and Dalminion? They are quite well-buffered by rebel settlements. (And I've never seen the Getai get past Singindium's garrison.) At least those could be disbanded....they are probably taking up a couple thousand mnai each!

Similarily, I agree with everyone who said you have to take Spain. The war there will probably be quite costly unless you decisively end it and seize the Carthaginians' rich mines.

[Drewski]

I don't want to say you've expanded too fast, but then you probably have ...but congrats on the fighting effort :)

In EB armies are expensive, and even more so is continuous warring. Normally as Rome, I find that I take Italy (including Sicily) quite quickly, then sit back and let my cities grow, and FMs get good at managing the provinces. By 240BC, I'm very rarely out of Italy, and generally have a couple of 100 K in the bank..

By blitzing as much territory as you have already, but not allowing the cities time to grow....to me THAT'S why your running on empty. Newly conquered provinces need reasonable garrisons for a while until they "cool down" on the conquer resentment. This is exasperated by having to fight wars all the time too.

I have 3 golden rules on cities (especially as the nations that have full building economy trees)...

1) Low taxes to 2000 pop
2) Normal taxes to 6000
3) Then as high as you can go without revolt and still minimal growth.

By taxing tiny cities at a high rate, you're killing yourself in the long run, by stopping them from growing.

In your case, once all your cities are decently managed, and have grown a bit, you'll suddenly start raking in the mnai. You're probably best playing defensively for a while though, until that happens. More conquest is only a quick fix, as is sacking everywhere in general.

[Fluvius Camillus]

Phah he is slow compared to me! I disagree with Drewski, when I conquer the world I swim in cash...

Also I never disband when I have too much units, I just conquer more!

Don't let them convince you that you went too fast... I think you have a nice republic there!

[Drewski]

Phah he is slow compared to me! I disagree with Drewski, when I conquer the world I swim in cash...

Also I never disband when I have too much units, I just conquer more!

Don't let them convince you that you went too fast... I think you have a nice republic there!

Well if You want to flat out non-stop blitz, and go on a despotic conquest, where you sack every town you capture, then I suppose that works too. And why not once in a while?

But you'll end up at war with everyone, have tiny cities, and then your only course is to go and sack more and more cities....fine if you like to play that way..

[everyone]

I'm at a similar stage in my Romani campaign, except that I've got Massalia, and I don't have Mastia. however can still manage to upkeep 9 legions (here, 1 legion is a halfstack, consisting of 1 accensi, rorarii, hastati, principes and triarii, and 1 allied skirmisher, 2 allied infantry, 1 pedites/hoplites and 1 allied cavalry, with 1 or 2 generals) and 2 consular legions (which is twice a normal legion), and I'm getting a base of 15000 mnai income per turn.
I think the problem is that your troops cost more than the troops I use. perhaps, you could raise taxes, decrease the amount of buildings you build (I see you have spent around 10000 on construction) for a few turns, restructure your legions, temporarily halt the war, reduce garrisons, create new legions from your garrisons (if they're not all made of akontistai).
actually, public order should be easy to maintain, and an increased population leads to more taxes paid, although it doesn't appear to be, since an increasing population causes the city's income to appear as negative.

[Yarema]

Fluvius Camillus: The simplest is put your taxes on max

- Done that already. As for conqureing Spain and Greece, i am moving slowly which is caused by monetary problems

Fluvius Camillus: Btw, am I right that you are getting Polybians in 240BC?

Yeah, you are right. I got them in late 242 or early 241 i think.

Fluvius Camillus: Arr, a nasty bug which the EB team can do nothing about if I am right. Do you have two campaigns running?

Yes i do, i play Baktria.

retep219: I'll agree with the above poster...why do you need such large garrisons in Greece? The cities are fairly well-built up, with plenty of happiness and law bonuses. And they are quite close to Roma, so you have no Distance to Capital to worry about. Reducing all those garrisons to, say, two Roarii or something similarly cheap would help your economy greatly. Even if the stacks are for defense, why do you need such a large defence in Segestica and Dalminion?

i'm gonna use those guys as garrison troops in the next provinces on my "to conquer and enslave" list

Drewski: By blitzing as much territory as you have already, but not allowing the cities time to grow....to me THAT'S why your running on empty

that's exactly what i've been doing, but now i can't lower the taxes because:
1. I won't be able to afford to resupply my armies in Spain and Greece which is vital for the survival of my provinces there ( especially in Spain, i destroyed 3 Cart armies and they keep sending more)
2. If i lower the taxes in some settlements the cities population will grow too fast. I'll have less Mnai and i won't be able to pay for new buildings and garrison to keep order.
3. looting and enslaving captured cities makes money, and reducing their population helps in keeping order after the conquest

i'll just go on conquering spain and greece, and bulid more mining centers for 32k mnai (i' ll have to save money )
Btw, i just captured Athens and the Balearic Isles, my next targets are Chalcis and Gadir it's 240 before christ now.
And yes, this is my first campaign in EB, thats why i'm so green

Thx for the advice everyone.

[Cincinnatus Johnson]

As a long-time lurker and occasional poster I wanted to thank Yarema for asking a good question and thank everyone else for giving up some good ideas. I seem to be in a similiar position of having expanded rapidly then felt the pinch of fiscal reality. When I start my next campaign I'll bare these suggestions in mind.
Thanks again.
CJ