Using other culture's buildings

[Cheomesh]

So I've avoided ripping down buildings in places I capture because I am under the impression they still "work", except a few things like barracks. Say I capture Carthago (A formerly Numidian city in my game), and I keep the temples and administrative buildings -- do they still function and give me the bonuses they state?

Also, is there a way to "activate" their barracks? I was about to rip them down in Carthago, but decided to hold off and see.

M.

[Carados]

Cultural buildings give a culture penalty. So things like temples, odeons, (execution squares?) etc. These should be destroyed at some point and replaced with your own (or upgraded into your own if you can do that). They still work, it's just the penalty usually means you want to get rid of them quickly.

You can't activate other factions barracks, though. Might as well destroy them. This was something to stop people/computers from steamrolling everyone by simply retraining their troops after conquering a settlement and then marching on another.

[Cheomesh]

This includes Greek temples? (they look like the Roman ones)

M.

[Carados]

Yep (technially the romans look like the greek ones ).

A good way to check is to hover over the buildings with your cursor. You can see what culture the building belongs to. Some of them, like ports etc. don't really do much regardless of what culture they are part of. But foreign culture ones are pretty nasty.

Note, there are a limited number of cultures, much less than factions. Therefore, if you happen to be macedon and you conquer a seleucid settlement. You'll find that you suffer no culture penalty. The reason being they both belong to the greek culture.

A break down of cultures:

Roman:
Romans

Barbarian:
Iberians
Gauls
Sarmatians
Germans
Galatians
Dacians
Illyrians
Britons

Eastern:
Pontus
Armenia
Parthia

Greek:
Epirus
Seleucids
Macedon
Greeks
Bactria

Eqyptian:
Ptollies

Carthaginian:
Carthage
Numidia


I do believe a 7th culture can be added to the game, but I'm not aware of it being present in ExRM.

[Sorceri]

I'm wondering does the computer destroy buildings in cities that it captures? If not then it hardly seems fair for me to do it when I capture theirs?

[Carados]

I'm wondering does the computer destroy buildings in cities that it captures? If not then it hardly seems fair for me to do it when I capture theirs?

The computer doesn't, no. I personally don't tend to do it, prefering to build over existing one, but sometimes persistent pests do need exterminating proper...

[Cheomesh]

I've discovered that ripping them down also causes unrest; I went on a major deletion campaign and some of my less well manage cities rioted directly after, each time.

M.

[Carados]

Well, yeah, you've just conquered a city and destroyed all their religious buildings! They aren't going to stand for that You need to do it slowly and intergrate your own culture over time. Take too long though and the culture penalty will take its toll.

It mostly comes into play with the largest temples, and the minor temples. You can't upgrade them with your own gods, so when you have some measure of control over a settlement, knocking one or two of them down and building your own should help.

[Cheomesh]

Awesome. This also counts with buildings I have as well, like the Odeon right?

Also, secret police HQ's don't have a culture associated with them; keep or toss?

M.

[Carados]

They don't??
I always assumed them to have some cultural impact, but I'm not actually sure.
It's only the one building, so I'd keep it just in case. If you want, you could always save your game, destroy it, then observe what happens for a few years.

You can upgrade a greek Odeon into a Lyceum (or whatever it's called). You can't upgrade a Greek Lyceum though, because only they have access to Theatres.

[Ramiro]

I usually do not destroy existing building in the towns i conquer, but i ALWAYS, as a rule exterminate te current population, even long conquered cities that revolt. My best general always has "The Butcher" by his name.

[Quinn Inuit]

I don't usually tear down, either, since the AI can't do it.

I'm surprised the secret police center doesn't have a culture associated with it. Could you double-check that?

[Cheomesh]

I will do next time I get a spy into a Numidian city.

I've discovered a potential bad habit; siege a poorly defended city, take it, slaughter, raze all the buildings, leave it for the crows.

M.

[Quinn Inuit]

Yep, that's a good way to reduce an opponent without having to conquer and hold an area. It's a lot safer with the new revolt CTD fix (in 3.5), too. I think.

[Fridericus Rex]

Playing as Roman/HH it is difficult to maintain order in the conquered Italian cities, even after extermination with 2000 people, when the Greek-related buildings (temples, etc.) were removed at take-over.
It's less cumbersome to face them out at later point.