L1 vs. L2 vs. L3 vs. L4 gov

[Biges]

Please share your experiences, where you use shich goverment, even tell us your mistakes :)
Thanks

[s0meguy]

I just use the best possible gov that I can.

[Megas Methuselah]

But if I can't afford to send out a governor to some backwater, isolated town, I just use the lvl4 government so I can get a client ruler. Hey, it works for me!

[d'Arthez]

It is really area dependent. If there is no military need, usually L1 is best, followed by L2.

Sometimes installing a L3 or L4 government may be better, as it may provide you with interesting units (area dependent, of course). Use the recruitment viewer for details.

[Korlon]

Generally I put up the highest level government that I can unless it's a special province with extremely good regional units.

[Teleklos Archelaou]

I roleplay with it. Also if the town is really built up already and has great local units, then I'm more likely to go all gov4 up on its ass. I hate having a gov4 stuck inside an empire though (i.e., move further on past it with gov2/3), so I don't build them where that happens much.

[Biges]

What for Romans? Looking at the building chart, it seems the difference between L1 and L2 is very little and I suppose I have already enough L1 provinces, so I tend build L2 even if I could build L1 (I'l to train units in Rome anyway, as they get morale boost there).
What are territories which are better suited for L4? And is Or L3?

[pantsukki]

(I'l to train units in Rome anyway, as they get morale boost there).

I thought that these morale bonuses were broken..?

[Watchman]

(I'l to train units in Rome anyway, as they get morale boost there)

...or maybe not.

Details of the unit's mentality.

• [morale] : Unit's morale or else how easy is for a unit to lose heart and flee the battle. The greater the value, the less likely the unit will rout. Note that morale bonuses from buildings in campaign mode are bugged and do not work.

...that's what it says anyway.

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

That means that all the temple boni of +1, +2 morale are useless? Now that's interesting. Just further encourages me to roleplay temple-building (Just like government placement).

[Tarkus]

Biges,

Check out Konny's excellent Roman Unit Guide at https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=93896 -- in addition to information on which units the Romani have access to in the various regions, the Guide also gives advice on optimal governance structures in order to maximize troop availability...great stuff!

[Olaf The Great]

Morale from chervons(exp) or morale(OOWOWOOWOOO) from something else(Sorry, I don't have EB atm)

[Biges]

Biges,

Check out Konny's excellent Roman Unit Guide at https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=93896 -- in addition to information on which units the Romani have access to in the various regions, the Guide also gives advice on optimal governance structures in order to maximize troop availability...great stuff!

Thanks!

On the other hand, if I understand it correctly, the the lower the gov, the more non-military buildings I can construct (althou difference between L1 and L2 is very little).
So I can choose between less money and more local units? Or does in L4 the local governor build something himself?

[konny]

On the other hand, if I understand it correctly, the the lower the gov, the more non-military buildings I can construct (althou difference between L1 and L2 is very little).

It depends very much on the faction you play. In general, advandced structures need a better governement. So, to develop economy you need Level I or II govs. That is of course pointless when the culture of the settlement you have conquered is much more advandced than your own, for example when you conquer one of the Roman starting towns as the Sweboz.

A rule of thumb is that you can still build Level 3 local barracks with a Level II governement, and that all non-elite infantry and a lot of the cavalry doesn't need more than Level 3 barracks. So you are always on the safe side when building a Level II gov where you cannot build a Level I gov.

Another rule of thumb is that you should always build a Level I gov. where possible. These provinces are the lands where your best factional units come from, and these are also the lands where you usually can only train limited regional units - if any at all.

There are of course exceptions to the rules; these are factions with a different building/government structure, like Pontos, or homelands with a number of better regional units.

When you go on conquest with a faction for the first time you should check the building trees (docu folder of EB) what governement you need for which level of barracks. You should also check the recruitement viewer for the highest regional barracks needed in that province to get the regional troops you want to. You do not need every regional unit, for example when your faction can allready recruite regular Prodomoi you don't need a higher regional barracks to raise Tharkian Prodomoi.


The Level IV governement is a bit tricky because you get a governor for free, but you are bound to him for the next c. 30 years. I use them mainly for outlying territories that I had to conquer because they belonged to a faction I was at war with, but what I don't want to incooperate into my empire. They are falso needed for roleplaying. And don't forgett that you have to pay the (very expensive) upkeep for the client ruler's bodyguard. So, don't start to spam them in an early stage of a Sweboz, Nomads, Arverni or other beggar folks' campaign.

[Zenith Darksea]

What I'd like to know is this - does anyone ever build a Type III government, the one that is supposed to give economic bonuses? I haven't found myself doing it at all yet.

[stupac]

Thank LorDBulA for the second most useful program on my computer (that is after EB), the almighty recruitment viewer. I always use it to plan my governments, since for the most part, I usually choose a gov't based on recruitment and occasionally roleplaying. There are several situations I've choosen type II or III over I or IV to get a good combo of faction and regional troops. Don't forget, client rulers aren't free though, you have to pay their salary, so if they turn out to be a total dunce, or at worst corrupt, they may cost you.

I can always use feedback on this WIP: http://ebmanual.wikispaces.com/Governments

[General Appo]

Depends really. Sometimes I focus my campaign on economy, and then I always build the highest Gov. available.
Of course sometimes I get across really cool and useful regional units and then I might build a L3 Gov, for example I often do this in Galatia, at least until all nearby enemies are gone.
And sometimes I roleplay my faction, so for example as Romans when I take Massilia I install a L4 Gov and when the Client Ruler dies I install a L2 one, just as I do with Pergamon. After all the Massilians and Pergamons were vital to Rome´s war efforts in their area, but hardly by supplying them with ordinary legions.

[The Celtic Viking]

What I'd like to know is this - does anyone ever build a Type III government, the one that is supposed to give economic bonuses? I haven't found myself doing it at all yet.

Yeah, I've done it quite frequently in my Arverni campaign. It gives plus to happiness, law, experience and trade, whilst lvl 4 gives -5% happiness, same experience bonus and a plus to tax income instead.

Sometimes I also build a lvl 3 even in homelands when I can't afford a type 1, and later upgrade it. (Of course without building any building I can't have with the gov I plan to change to, or plan to destroy when I make the change. Otherwise it would be cheating.)

[Biges]

I can always use feedback on this WIP: http://ebmanual.wikispaces.com/Governments

Hey! Whay isn't this link sticky somewhere? :)

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

That means that all the temple boni of +1, +2 morale are useless?

Does anybody know?

[Jaywalker-Jack]

If theres some interesting regional units I'll build an L3 or L4 and build up the regional MIC, THEN upgrade to best gov available.
So you can have your cake and eat it.

[Parallel Pain]

I thought the temples that give morale bonus actually gives chevrons.

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

If theres some interesting regional units I'll build an L3 or L4 and build up the regional MIC, THEN upgrade to best gov available.
So you can have your cake and eat it.

Except that many people, including the EB team, consider that cheating.

[Olaf The Great]

Except that many people, including the EB team, consider that cheating.

Thats where roleplaying comes in :)

[Apgad]

I also use the Recruitment Viewer to identify one settlement in each area that I'm pacifying to be the source of my local troops. Usually I have one for every 6-8 "non-military" regions. I choose one that has a good range of local troops available, and is fairly close to all of the neighbouring regions that it will be providing security for.

This allows me to focus the other regions on developing their economies, while the military one can focus on MICs (and blacksmiths, military temples). For the military settlements I go for a level 4 government, as I can build the best MICs (and so get the best regional soldiers), and I find that the client rulers tend to keep these pretty stable for a decent while. The ability to recruit generals is always handy, and they can then hire mecenaries as a last resort if things get really tight.

Any non-military settlement is singularly focussed on making me money, so I go for the highest level government possible. I keep garrisons to a minimum (to save costs), and defences are just enough to hold off attackers until help can come from my "protector" cities.

[Jaywalker-Jack]

Except that many people, including the EB team, consider that cheating.

Good thing I don't.

[General Appo]

Oh come on! It is cheating. If you accept it and continue with it, then I respect that, but to lie to yourself and everyone else leads nowhere.

[Ymarsakar]

I use the add_money cheat to give factions I want to fight more money, so they can get rid of factions I don't like, like Epeiros.

Also, it takes some time, and much money, to build all 10 levels of native and regional MICs.

In the end, I want to setup the empires so that their best troops can fight my best troops. It is easier to come up with an army you like when the regions where they can be recruited are closer.

As for Gov1-4, for baktria Level 1 government is the best in terms of benefits. +2 trade bonus and +1 experience. Combine that with max war temple and gymnasium, and you start to recruit units starting out at +3. Gov3 and 4 have the same experience bonuses, but some nasty negatives to go with it.

Every faction's governments are a little bit different. One plan doesn't fit all of them.

I tend to use gov3, though, when I want to build some morale buildings to keep my conquered provinces in line, but I also want to build level 4 regional barracks and level 3 native barracks for faction troops. It is easier that way since you can do both, without having to waste 2+ turns dismantling and micromanaging.

[Apgad]

If theres some interesting regional units I'll build an L3 or L4 and build up the regional MIC, THEN upgrade to best gov available.
So you can have your cake and eat it.

I like cake.

[Jaywalker-Jack]

Oh come on! It is cheating. If you accept it and continue with it, then I respect that, but to lie to yourself and everyone else leads nowhere.

Nah. The government system definitely makes the game more interesting, but not adhering to it religiously, I wouldnt call that cheating. For people who think you have to stick rigidly to the game in it's original form, just remember that youre playing a mod.