Negative income from cities?

[Puerkl8r]

Ok so I have been playing through the total war games in backwards order, started with empire > medieval > now rome. So some of the mechanics going backwards seemed a bit harsh from empire to medieval and now to rome. The biggest thing that i dont understand in rome total war is that several of my cities have a negative income, I don't understand this at all as it never happened in empire or medieval ever.

What i want to know is why those cities have a negative income and how i turn it posotive.

[NotYetRegistered]

That's mostly because of your upkeep.

[Raglan]

this is because the outgoings on things like armies gets added up to a total, then split amoung your cities dependant on population.

This means that some cities end up supporting the legions more than others. It doesn't mean that your cities aren't making any money, and in general is unimportant. It will more or less just happen as the cities grow. Try to just make sure that your total income is higher, rather than in individual cities

To sate your curioisty try disbanding a unit in a city and watch how that cities income changes as the size of it grows slightly.

[Lucarius]

your armies cost too much money.
i had this too in the beginning but just capture more settelments and you will be fine

[Puerkl8r]

Alright thanks.

[|Sith|Galvanized Iron]

Negative income is also income Think of it as a hole in your purse and be satisfied

[Lucarius]

the big cities always pay for your units and food for the people.
how bigger the city - the more food they need.
the more "loses" you make. (this is really normal)

[Kiwiphoenix]

Mm. You'll note that it's always the big cities that have negative incomes, while the smaller towns tend to have surplusses.

[Brusilov]

Mm. You'll note that it's always the big cities that have negative incomes, while the smaller towns tend to have surplusses.

Your armies upkeep is proportionally divided amongst your settlements. So, your largest settlement will carry more of the upkeep burdon than a smaller settlement or one that has just been taken and most of the population slaughtered.

How to boost income - trade, income tax etc. Build roads and upgrade them. Build markets and upgrade them. Build ports and upgrade them. Get as many trade agreements as you can - even with factions you may be about to go to war with.

If you want to boost sea trade by 20% (or was it 25%) simply take Rhodes. This alone will boost your economy and probably wreck the economy of the former holders.

[Plant]

Open up the "Settlement details" button. look at "income". There are two layers to look at.

Each city has an income. That would be the top layer. Run your mouse along it to see what is giving you the profit, be it trade, taxes, farms or mines.

Each city also has a totally useless army upkeep loss. That would be the bottom layer. It is totally useless. It is useless. Useless. Useless. Ignore it.

If you want to find out what is losing you money, goto the Faction Overview and take a look at Financial details and look at army upkeep.

The "losses" aren't real losses. Cities cannot lose money, but unit upkeep loses money.