how do I combat squalor

**Craterus** · 05-03-2005, 16:49

Originally Posted by Rubber Ducky

If the population is going out of control above 24k put em to the sword

1) Empty the city of all units and park em just outside.
2) Give city to enemy (or some faction you're willing to go to war with). Offer it as a gift.
3) After changed hands, reoccupy and slay them all!

I find this the most efficient way to maintain order and gain huge amounts of cash of loot. It wouldn't hurt much in taxes in the long run as someone proved that population above 12k I think pay much less taxes per.

Why don't you just let it go rebel? They are less likely to field decent units.

**Rubber Ducky** · 05-03-2005, 17:08

Rebelling would be good but there is a chance of it not happening each turn. I prefer to be done over with at the same turn. I would time my execution

properly to coincide with finishing a building. Wouldn't want to start building all over again coz of time and cost. Besides rebelling can prove to be dangerous sometimes.....especially with a small garrison.

**tibilicus** · 05-03-2005, 17:23

Hack a bit of the population down. ever let it rebel and then enslave the poulation afterwards or recruit loads of pesents and send them to there deaths.

**Productivity** · 05-04-2005, 01:46

Originally Posted by Craterus

Why don't you just let it go rebel? They are less likely to field decent units.

Leave->Give city->Slaughter

The enemy never gets a chance to drop any units in there.

**Camp Freddie** · 05-04-2005, 14:40

"What? I can't hear! What did he say?"

"Err... I think it was, blessed are the cheesemakers"

**SirGrotius** · 01-11-2006, 06:04

Why can't population growth just be a good thing!

**x-dANGEr** · 01-11-2006, 11:38

OR simply adjust unit scale and then pop will be needed in Campaigns.

**Doug-Thompson** · 01-12-2006, 00:11

This topic must be the most difficult management issue in the game, judging by the number of complaints.

Recruit peasants, this reduces population and then send them rebel-hunting, or move them to a town, where there is less population and you want it to grow...

This is true. I was an early advocate of this approach in RTW. However, there are some drawbacks.

For instance, reducing the population can increase your population growth rate. You're not curing the population problem as much as delaying it. That can be OK. It gives you time to complete "happy buildings."

Also, simple math shows that if a 24,000 population and a slight growth rate of 0.5 percent, then building a peasant unit will only offset the population growth, not reduce population.

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Controlling population growth is valid, but easier said than done.

I don't agree with the conventional wisdom of not building advanced farm upgrades. They are important for revenue. Also, fertility temples can be useful. It all depends on the circumstances.

Careful examination of governor virtues and vices is a winner. Of course, you're ripped when he dies. It's not a bad idea to move your governor out of a town every once in a while, check what the "real" contentment level is, then move him back in.

Improving your city walls improves happiness and law.

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Bottom line: Manage all your own cities. Pick that option in the game settings. It's a hassle, but less of a hassle than constantly dealing with revolts.

**Kekvit Irae** · 01-12-2006, 01:15

I avoid building farms, health buildings, and anything else that increases population growth. I set my taxes so that I will get at least 0% growth rate. Then I start building units to get the city to the size I want.
Only the palace buildings tier are population dependant. Once you hit 24000, build the Imperial Palace and then exterminate the populace at your leasuire. The other final tier buildings do not look at the population, but rather wiether or not you have an IP. This way you can exterminate all you want and still build Siege Engineers and Hippodromes with 2000 population, provided you have the IP, of course.