Building economic foundation for a super-power faction?

[Somerandomdude2]

Ok, simply put: how do you establish your economy?

Keeping in mind the (true) quote from the game: "Three things are needed for war: money, money... and more money" (or something like that, you get the idea: money=important).

So we want a super abundance of it for paying enormous armies.


I just aim to first conquer the area around whichever sea I'm nearest (or is nearest the area I plan to expand into). If the settlement has a port that connects to one of mine; I want it. This is because multiple alliances aren't easy to maintain and I don't want my trade dying on me everytime I go to war; besides, it's the only way that guarantees that good sea trade facilities get built.
This + a navy bigger than anyone else's (from what I can tell, it only has to be big enough that other factions can't quickly train a comparable navy) for diplomatic purposes, or defensive purposes... or both.

I haven't yet managed to have comparable success with land trade, or any other method.

[painter]

You don't really need a big navy to defend your ports. I have an extensive coastal borders, at war with a few faction with large navies and yet I have a practically non-existent navy, that are more suited to ferrying agents and units around than defending my coasts. They have yet to blockade a single port of mine. My navy was attacked by Egypt once while en route to an Egyptian held Jerusalem with a crusading army however.

Your bigger priority should be to use free upkeep garrisons and to streamline your armies to what you need. Using town militias instead of spearmen militias may save you thousands of florins over many turns, particularly if the town doesn't have at least the Town Guard structure. Be willing to invest in expensive mines if they have a big return on investment (anything more than 200 florins per turn for the first mining facility and more than 350 florins per turn for the upgrade).

In my case, my army upkeep consumes about a third of my total income.

[k_Apollo]

I often cheat navy battles. That auto-resolver thingy is a laugh anyway.
Normal battles, I do myself :p

[Medkirtys]

I usually have none navy, when they attack, you can create 6-8 ships in one turn from multiple ports, also when going to Jerusalem, strong fleet is a must, i have yet to encounter a time when there's no Egyptian or Milanese fleets around

[k_Apollo]

^true

Fleets are expensive. But if I have the money (read: if I'm turtling) then I like to build an armada or two .
Otherwise I always disband my fleets (except for the flagship of an admiral with some see-battle-stars :p)

[Somerandomdude2]

If you have a lot sea-trade and don't control the sea (in the local area) then you are begging your neighbours to go to war with you. If the AI sees ports with a lot of trade going on that it thinks it can blockade; it's going to war.

Don't get me wrong: there's nothing wrong with war in the game, but it's usually far more costly to fight many of them at once.

[painter]

It doesn't do that for me. As England, I currently control the entirety of Western Europe with the exception of Portugal at Lisbon and the northern African regions all the way to Adana in the Middle East. Up to turn 72, not one naval blockade despite my enemies having much larger fleets moving about near my ports.

As for cost, I find it is cheaper to be at war than to pay tons of florins that my neighbours did not earn. At over 24,000 florins per ceasefire and having three of them is not cheap. If it weren't for the fact that I want to have neighbours, it would be more cost effective for me to let loose my stacks of gold chevron longbowmen and mailed knights.

[MJDreamWalker13]

It doesn't do that for me. As England, I currently control the entirety of Western Europe with the exception of Portugal at Lisbon and the northern African regions all the way to Adana in the Middle East. Up to turn 72, not one naval blockade despite my enemies having much larger fleets moving about near my ports.

However, if you're one of those not blitzking your neighbours make sure to invest some money in a fleet, because the AI will create ships and will blockade your ports. Especially playing as Sicily, Byzantines, Egypt, England or Denmark without a fleet is like waiting for an accident to happen.

[Leaf-Fan-Forever]

Trade with everyone, build up all the economic buildings, keep Garrisons to the minumum, raise taxes where possible, end wars quickly.

[Ishan]

Ok, simply put: how do you establish your economy?

Download this economy guide.

[FootSoldier]

Trade gets me the most money. When I look at my trade details screen most of the trade my cities get is from other cities I own. This is because as player I upgrade ports, markets, and wharves quicker than my neighbours. It's a virtuous circle - upgrading at one town increases the import taxes at my other ports.

@painter - I'm wondering how our games styles produce such different results. Usually the other faction is paying me for a ceasefire. In my Danish campaign Milan paid 2000 plus 1500 for 10 turns for a ceasefire - and that after reducing them to 3 territories by taking Milan and Genoa.

[painter]

I had destroyed Scotland and the ceasefires were because I approached them. I'm thinking both factors penalises me when negotiating.