Costs unbalanced?

**Malachus** · 10-09-2004, 15:58

Is it me, or does it seem that the costs for buildings and units in this game are quite high. For example, I'm playing as the Julii and slowly but surely taking land from the Gauls, but I need to keep sending in reinforcements to my armies in Gaul seeing as the Gauls have so many god damned soldiers. But, by doing so, I can barely afford, if at all, the most basic buildings. So, for me, it's always, should I build up my cities or send in more troops.... I need both, but can't afford them both. Anybody else agree, or perhaps I'm just complaining too much?

**Dorkus** · 10-09-2004, 16:04

higher level non-troop buildings are largely a waste, in the sense that they take a decade -- soemtimes decades, to earn back the money you pay to build them. (at least until you get to huge city size, and need every 5% ordre boost you can get)

mines, traders, farms, roads... all a waste of money. Just focus on the troops, troop producing buildings, and maybe some ports (the one buildng that actually generates a reasonable return).

Originally Posted by newagebassist20

Is it me, or does it seem that the costs for buildings and units in this game are quite high. For example, I'm playing as the Julii and slowly but surely taking land from the Gauls, but I need to keep sending in reinforcements to my armies in Gaul seeing as the Gauls have so many god damned soldiers. But, by doing so, I can barely afford, if at all, the most basic buildings. So, for me, it's always, should I build up my cities or send in more troops.... I need both, but can't afford them both. Anybody else agree, or perhaps I'm just complaining too much?

**Akka** · 10-09-2004, 17:15

If you're playing at Medium difficulty, then you are definitely doing something wrong.
In my two campaigns, I'm litterally drowning in Denarii (more than 500 000 when playing Julii and discovering the game, more than 2 500 000 when playing Greeks and knowing what to do, and I'm only in 195 BC, with a steady +20 000 to +40 000 each turn).

To reach this position, I simply build all the "money" buildings (traders, road, ports, etc.) with the exception of farms (never build farms, never), sign a lot of trade agreement, and then see the denarii cashing in. When I conquer a new city, I start to build the militia unit for the faction I'm playing (town watch for Romans, Hoplite Militia for Greeks, etc.). It makes a good and cheap police, and it can even work for repelling small-scale invasions.
Never had to bother about money at any time. If you upgrade your economy, and keep cheap garrisons, conserving your expensive and specialized troops for battles only, you won't have any problems.

**Doug-Thompson** · 10-09-2004, 17:54

A lot of people are going broke playing the Julii, judging by the posts.

That's the trouble with fighting the Gauls: No Greece, no Carthage, no money.

**Akka** · 10-09-2004, 19:08

Well, as I said, I was playing the Julii in my very first campaign, and despite discovering the game, I still managed to have a steady 500 000 denarii treasury during the game...

**Inuyasha12** · 10-09-2004, 19:39

WHY SHOULDN'T I BUILD FARMS??

I've been doing that alot lately...ooops!

**metatron** · 10-10-2004, 20:03

Originally Posted by newagebassist20

Is it me, or does it seem that the costs for buildings and units in this game are quite high. For example, I'm playing as the Julii and slowly but surely taking land from the Gauls, but I need to keep sending in reinforcements to my armies in Gaul seeing as the Gauls have so many god damned soldiers. But, by doing so, I can barely afford, if at all, the most basic buildings. So, for me, it's always, should I build up my cities or send in more troops.... I need both, but can't afford them both. Anybody else agree, or perhaps I'm just complaining too much?

It's because you play with huge sizes. The game corrects itself based on the unit sizes you play with, therefore, your units will cost more.

The more you know...

**Spartiate** · 10-10-2004, 20:11

Ahh my friend............there you are wrong.
Well maybe you are

I play with unit sizes of 80 men as a Roman century had 80 fighting men(the rest being cooks,smiths and general logistical support).I don't have the game in front of me right now but i didn't think that was the huge unit setting.

**metatron** · 10-10-2004, 20:37

I know newage irl, he always plays with huge.

**Dark_Magician** · 10-11-2004, 08:06

I wish it would be possible to enslave routers for money. And ransome captured faction members

**Ulstan** · 10-11-2004, 15:43

"So, for me, it's always, should I build up my cities or send in more troops.... I need both, but can't afford them both."

I think that is the idea. As the Juliii I can't afford to just keep cranking out buildings in every town *and* build all the troops I Need, so you have to make choices - which is good.

I think it means you can't just always roll onwards in a continuous tide sweeping all before you.

Launch a campaign, take some provinces, then rest a bit while you spend your funds in building up infrastructure, cultivating trade routes, etc, instead of pumping out legions.