Ideal Capital Placement

[Grinning Grenadier]

I have a question in regards to placement of capitals. I know that ideally you want to place your capital in the middle of your empire to counteract the effects of corruption. My question is for ideal capital placement should the state of the new city matter? For example in my current campaign my English empire consists of all of England (Scotland and Ireland), France, most of the HRE east until Prague and the Iberian starting to cross into North Africa. I haven't noticed a money pinch yet but thought now might be a good time to move the capital.

I think either Dijon or even Marseilles makes sense but neither of those cities is nearly as developed as London. London is fully tricked out with all the fixings and the possible host locations are just sort of bare bones large cities. Doesn't it make sense to have your capital be at its best or does the decrease in corrruption make up for the loss in revenue with a lower tired city making only a quarter what your current capital pulls in?

In the end if you're making decent money should you even move your capital? Is there a way to preview what a move in capital will do for your financially without pulling the trigger on the change?

[bɑne]

One could argue that its better to have your capital in the middle of your wealthiest regions then in the middle of your empire but it all depends. Personally I dont move capitals much unless I've taken over a more developed area then my own.

[infernocanuck]

Remember: Capital distance not only has to do with corruption and losing money, but law and order as well. Creating a more centralized capital also helps out with population happiness (which means you can tax them more) as well as not losing as much revenue due to corrupt fingers in your coffers.

Also, changing your capital also effects the distance of your far away merchants, having the potential in seriously diminishing the income you get from them. Sometimes it makes sense not to move your capital if you are making a ton of money on far away silks or gold.

The city of your your capital region in may get a small trade boost, but it's not very significant. The developmental stage of the town has no incredible impact. Instead, however, look at the regions directly around your potential new capital location. If it is a bunch of cities, great (they will greatly benefit from the increased stability and decreased corruption, the larger the city, the better) , but if 50% of the regions are castles, the capital's new location won't really have as much of an impact.

Since there are so many factors on income, I just do a quick little trick to "preview" a capital move. I save the game before moving the capital. I then look at my treasury screen and memorize or write down the "expected profits" value at the bottom of the treasury menu. Then I go to the city I want to make my new capital, click on the "make capital button", and look at your treasury screen again. Many values will have changed: trade income, merchant income, corruption, etc. However, I just look at my expected profits value again, and compare it to what it was before I relocated my capital. If it is larger, then the new capital is better then the old, if it is smaller, however, I load up my save game and start looking for a new place.

Hope this helps!

[NewUser]

I think Paris is a great Capital, it's very centralized and all the surrounding areas could be controlled.

[JiangZiya]

Paris or Lyons would work best for you imho. Lyons is coastal in SS.

[Impale]

I'd go for Paris personally.

Think, Irl there's plenty of countries who have a capital city that is smaller than other cities.

Sydney and Canberra
Edinburgh and Glasgow?
Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia?


I might be wrong, I'm just trying to make a point.

[Mithrantir]

Maybe it's only me but when i am playing a faction, i don't move the capital unless there is a good reason (that is another faction taking my capital).
Historically i doubt that any English would be happy to see his king declaring Paris as the capital of the English empire. Same goes for almost all nations.

[Caesar Clivus]

Maybe it's only me but when i am playing a faction, i don't move the capital unless there is a good reason (that is another faction taking my capital).

I'm the same. I don't think I have ever moved my capital in any campaign ever

[toluas]

Historically speaking, moving capitals just makes sense for cultures/factions where the residence of the king (or whatever he's called) defines the center of the empire. Mongols, for example.

But it is worth mentioning that the Holy Roman Empire had no capital city for most of the Middle Ages.

[NewUser]

I migrated England to dominate the Basilea ton Romanion and set Constantinople as my capital. It is definitely the best city, because it has a lot of unique buildings, and you will get highways.