Making money

[Mulceber]

Mercenaries are expensive when you hire them, but their upkeep isn't higher then that of normal units.

@vladiator
If you are able to get some spare money due to this tips you should build mines in Spain and the alps (maybe illyria?) especially in provinces with 2 or 3 mines. They givean enormous boost to your economy.

That really hasn't been my experience - I've found that, typically, mercenary upkeep is more expensive - which makes sense: these guys are demanding a pretty penny for their expert services. -M

[vartan]

That really hasn't been my experience - I've found that, typically, mercenary upkeep is more expensive - which makes sense: these guys are demanding a pretty penny for their expert services. -M

Only when you hire them. Upkeep of equivalent units are calculated in the same manner as non-mercenary units. Only the hire fee is higher because of the merc tax, or the merc fee, whatever you wish to call it.

[Madoushi]

I find the bigger a city gets, the less money it brings in (???). No matter how well economically developed, cities with over 10,000 people always earn negative amounts of money, often times with my capital city earning negative several thousand mnai a turn, regardless of Public Order, law, ports, roads. I'm not sure if it is because the cities are directly paying for the upkeep of any troops they've raised or what.

[vladiator]

Madoushi -- I think that's the explanation I read somewhere. The city still makes money to you, but because cities pay for the upkeep of the troops in proportion with its size, the income is shown as negative.


BTW, I have used the tips given to me here and the economy of my empire has greatly improved. I went through all my settlements and disbanded unnecessary units. Doing this in some cities demanded a similtaneous lowering of the taxes, but often the net outcome was positive (i.e. the saving from disbanding a settlement's units would more than cover the lower income from taxes).

I had quite a few money from enslaving Alexandria and Memphis and I used them to build better roads, farms, ports, schools, etc. Now every settlement is building something.

The income I receive from each turn is now about 25,000 - 35,000 mnei!