problem with Egyptian Huge Cities

[Fridge]

I think there's a bug with grain exports as well - cities which export the grain get population boosts rather than the cities that import it. So its a double whammy - any city that grows enough grain to be able to export it will already be growing quickly, and then they get this bogus boost as well. Not that that's any help to you, but at least it explains why.

That's what I've read, anyway...

[The_Emperor]

Yes that is the problem.

Those cities already have a big base level farming values anyway. The problems arise because they export grain to themselves and they get this big fat grain bonus that dwarf's their base level farming value... This is then placed on top of their base farming value.

Squalor goes through the roof as a result (hence why so many people have called Squalor a bug).

[The Stranger]

try total realism 4.1 they modded it so you dont need so much garrison
but if you already use it try this build all buildings and give it a governor with much influence and maybe one that also have a negative impact on pop growth

[Old Celt]

The Egyptian cities are the toughest to control, but it can be done without exterminating them. Public order is what you need. You have many ways to keep order: garrison up to 80%, remove culture penalty by destroying Egyptian temples and replacing them with your own (take temples which increase public order and law), but don't knock down the old ones until/unless you can withstand the drop in public order you will get in the short run, Move capitol closer to lower distance penalty, adjust taxes to lower growth rate (zero growth is ideal if the city is already huge), build entertainment buildings and use them as much as needed, keep several spies in each city if you see unrest on the scroll, and last but certainly not least, a governor with high influence and traits which actually do reduce squalor and increase public order will help tremendously.

I've found the governor to be the most potent of all those tools. Seemingly good governors can have nasty squalor and public order penalties buried in their traits. Cheapskate is a killer, and Downright Miserly is really bad, too. Hover over the traits on the governor to see what all the effects are.

[Count Belisarius]

I have 2 standard ways of dealing with the teeming Egyptian hordes.

The first is very simple: 1) I knock back the Egyptians as quickly as possible (they are the most resilient and frustrating faction in the game anyway), eliminating them from the game at the expense of all other enemies; then 2) I simply allow the cities to revolt and be controlled by rebels. Once the population of these cities grows to the unmanageable point - which doesn't take very long - they result in negative income anyway. So letting them sit there inert until the very end of the game doesn't really hurt that much. I then station a diplomat and a small army in the vicinity to keep other factions from gaining a toehold in the middle of my empire.

If the Egyptians have been particularly nettlesome, I also may employ a more Stalinist - as a previous post so accurately put it - tactic: when the plague strikes in one of my cities, I send an infected unit immediately to Alexandria. The plague is most effective in pruning back the Egyptian population, especially since I can pass it back and forth between Memphis and Alexandria, just as it starts to abate. This tactic will work indefinitely if monitored and managed carefully.

[Lord Hammerschmidt]

Well, the Stalinist plague usage is certainly more convenient (and cheaper) than my strategy of getting peasants killed off. I have used that on occasion, you just have to keep from accidentally sending the plague bearer to a city you care about.

[Darius]

Of course, no matter what you really do, unless you manage to get a negative growth rate consistently, anything you do will most likely just delay their revolt rather than prevent it. Should worse come to worse, there is one solution that is both tried and true, though somewhat cruel, unusual, and to some a bit of an exploit.

When despite all your valiant efforts the ungrateful, rabbit like reproducing citizens are about to overthrow your rightful rule, give the city as a gift to any other faction, preferably one you're currently at war with or plan to be at war with. Your garrison will be ejected and it will be said factions city now, but completely empty. Now, march back in and exterminate, thus solving your population problem through a massacre of biblical proportions and a great deal of looting too sweeten the deal. Rinse sword and repeat as necessary, but in Egypt, your sword arms will most likely ache with overuse.

[Vanya]

GAH!

Or... donate your troublesome city to your enemy as a "gift". The new masters will expell your army, and voila! it is free to march right back in there and "take" the undefended city from the enemy! And, youz get to slaughter your people along the way! :) Plus, you ingratiate yourself with your bitter enemies too, as they will find you generous for their own good.

GAH!

[mambaman]

my goodness some cracking replies here guys but i have to say i love the one about handing the city over to my enemies the best-storming!

You are correct i have all the grain producing cities mentioned above and that must be the reason for the rapid population growth and then revolts

I think i will also try the destroy the Egyptian cultural buildings that are contributing a culture penalty

i cannot really move Capital any closer as i also hold lands as far west as Corduba and am now making serious inroads into Spain vs the Julii (just about to take 2 out of 3 remaining provinces in Spain-Julii only hold Cathago Nova-the others are all held by rebels with whom i share a similar culture?). If i shift the Capitol eastwards will it not make it harder to keep in line my Spanish provinces?

I am also pursuing a policy of slash and burn vs the great Egyptian cities of Tyre, Jerusalem, Sidon etc-generating lots of money which has quickly been exhausted by my rapacious auto-generated building policies

Heres the plan:

1. I will try destroying the cultural buildings as advised
2. I will hand over pesky cities to the Egyptians then march back in after exterminating the population
3. I will have good governers to hand and watch the grain situation

what does everyone think?