The RTW II Economy - Research, Tips and Strategies

[Quillan]

L3 give 10 for 4 squalor, L4 give 18 for 10 squalor (and most cultures I am familiar with give a 2 food bonus per far for the bread and games edict).

Roman farms give 9 for 4 and 15 for 10 at the 3rd and 4th levels. When I took Aegypt in my campaign and found L4 farms there I just left them, because they were superior to what I could build and weren't upgradable beyond that point.

I still built level 4 farms in other places; I needed the food surplus. However, by that point I was carefully balancing public order against squalor across my empire.

[Bramborough]

I agree that livestock is not as good as farm. Given one slot, I always prioritize the farm first. Minor settlements have two non-port slots, however, and building options are limited. I build very few military buildings outside my one designated army-production province. Sometimes (but not often) I'll build a temple in a minor settlement, depending on the makeup of the province whole. With a farm in Slot #1, and no city-center, industrial, or plumbing options available, that leaves livestock for Slot #2 in most cases. This isn't necessarily all-bad...livestock doesn't produce as much food, but compensates by producing significantly higher income.

EDIT: Obviously I'm talking about the livestock ranches in minor settlements. With regard to the yellow cattle-market line in provincial capital, yeah, that thing is terrible, I can't see ever building it. Tried it once or twice in first campaign, will never build one again, unless some future patch re-balance changes its characteristics or something.

[mbrasher1]

I can see how to make a province making 4000/turn by focusing on cultural buildings and commerce, but I haven't seen the benefit of an industrial focused income province. There simply are too few industrial buildings, and having the bonus-giving buildings does not make sense when the base industrial income is so low. The ag bonus buildings rarely give much extra income (usually because base ag wealth is fairly low) and I don't build the farms for the cash but for the food.

Can anyone give advice on the slave trader city center buildings?

[Bramborough]

I can see how to make a province making 4000/turn by focusing on cultural buildings and commerce, but I haven't seen the benefit of an industrial focused income province. There simply are too few industrial buildings, and having the bonus-giving buildings does not make sense when the base industrial income is so low. The ag bonus buildings rarely give much extra income (usually because base ag wealth is fairly low) and I don't build the farms for the cash but for the food.

Can anyone give advice on the slave trader city center buildings?

The Roman amphora factory is pretty potent, as it boosts both agriculture and commercial.

Have never built a slave-line city center so can't comment on that, as generally I avoid having any slaves in my economy at all. I just don't think they're worth the public order headache.

[Myth]

The Amphora factory is worth it if you build it in a large (3-4) settlement province with at least 3 docks in it and if you have 12 PO to spare. For example, if you end up building a Circus Maximus in Africa, you'll have more PO than you can use up, so slapping that Amphora Factory there makes sense.

The Brickworks line gives huge (600 raw) income from industry - more than what the barbs get for sure! It's useful to build that in a small, land-locked province. For example, a province with 2 settlements (1 capital, 1 minor) which will not be able to use up even the basic PO you can sustain in the main city. 600 raw income is nothing to sneeze at if you have PO to spare.

I haven't tried the culture for money approach, though it was in the back of my mind for when I get to play Athens (for historical and RP reasons). I've always felt partial to Athens.

[mbrasher1]

I haven't tried the culture for money approach, though it was in the back of my mind for when I get to play Athens (for historical and RP reasons). I've always felt partial to Athens.[/QUOTE]

Yep, the Greek/successor states get some great 100% culture income bonuses that quickly make buildings cash cows.

[andrewt]

I haven't tried the culture for money approach, though it was in the back of my mind for when I get to play Athens (for historical and RP reasons). I've always felt partial to Athens.

Yep, the Greek/successor states get some great 100% culture income bonuses that quickly make buildings cash cows.[/QUOTE]

Yup! For Carthage, the Melqart line gives culture income and a huge percentage increase to maritime commerce income. I combine that with the Tanit line that gives public order and a huge bonus to culture income. I haven't done the math but I suspect I can replace the Amphorae Factory or either of the wine/grain market lines and/or then replace the Odeon with the Melqart line. Might come out on top in terms of income.

[mbrasher1]

One other helpful tip is to closely look at your faction's available temples. Since each province has a high likelihood of having alot -- probably more than anything other building type -- you should know their bonuses, and especially, know which temples give you buffs for no squalor or p.o. The Hellenistic temples that have the food are way better than Roman Neptune temples, IMO.