I'm broke first turn...

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

I am playing as the Kingdom of Jerusalem and find myself broke in the first turn. I don't understand why...

Help please?

[guyverlance]

me too as ERE. weird, i start at -50000, which is absurd since (me thinks) ERE starts as a rich empire

[nein]

expand quickly into rebel regions when playing as the koj, you will soon be wealthy after some sacking. The best way is to force the AI to sally by using a small force of cavalry, lure the enemy cavalry to the edge of the map and destroy it. Then charge, withdraw, charge the infantry until it routs. Always make sure that your cavalry significantly outnumbers the enemy cavalry

The romans start with a 50k deficit, however they can break ou tof debt in a few turns. Take and perhaps sack the nearby rebels... once you are making money build merchant wharfs

[Harith]

me too as ERE. weird, i start at -50000, which is absurd since (me thinks) ERE starts as a rich empire

not in the 13th century. ur prolly one if the weakest empires.

[mAIOR]

Yes but in the 12th century when the mod starts that's not really the case. Their economy should be flourishing at this period. That is unless I'm forgetting something hum...


Cheers...



Cheers...

[Averroes19]

I have to be honest and vent my frustration with the economy in this game. How is it possible that the expenditures are so much and the profits so little? I do not get this? After 3-4 turns I am broke. How am I supposed to play this game when I make no money?

[Lysimachos]

Yes but in the 12th century when the mod starts that's not really the case. Their economy should be flourishing at this period. That is unless I'm forgetting something hum...

Under Manuel Komnenos the Empire pursued a very active and financially demanding external policy, including an invasion of Italy. In consequence, it is economically flourishing, but indebted. In the game you start with a huge debt, but it's not that hard to get out of it and after achieving that you have it easier than most other realms. Personally, I think that is a very accurate representation of the historical situation.

[wudang_clown]

Under Manuel Komnenos the Empire pursued a very active and financially demanding external policy, including an invasion of Italy. In consequence, it is economically flourishing, but indebted. In the game you start with a huge debt, but it's not that hard to get out of it and after achieving that you have it easier than most other realms. Personally, I think that is a very accurate representation of the historical situation.

That's nice to read at least one positibe comment on the Roman starting position.

Although I admit that it's a bit ad hoc solution. In the first place, Romans shouldn't get that many regions (relatively to other factions). Their position, as AI faction, soon becomes absolutely hegemonic, which wasn't true, especially after Myriocephalon and, eventually, fall of Constantinople.

We'll change that in 2.4 (though it's been changed a bit in 2.3.2 already, which will be released this week ).

[Lysimachos]

That's nice to read at least one positibe comment on the Roman starting position.

Although I admit that it's a bit ad hoc solution. In the first place, Romans shouldn't get that many regions (relatively to other factions). Their position, as AI faction, soon becomes absolutely hegemonic, which wasn't true, especially after Myriocephalon and, eventually, fall of Constantinople.

We'll change that in 2.4 (though it's been changed a bit in 2.3.2 already, which will be released this week ).

It's good to hear that the patch is coming soon. It is true there are balancing issues (though personally I'm more bothered by the KoJ becoming an unstoppable force), but I can appreciate the approach of handicapping the ERE without taking its actual strength. I'm confident you already have ideas on how to deal with it.

[DirtyACE]

It's called a challenge. You are forced to take action right from the beginning. Either expand, capture some rebel settlements which will improve your money situation and will enable you to collect more taxes per turn. Or you can disband your most expensive units that take up a lot of upkeep, however, I would really recommend going this route as it may leave you exposed should someone decide to attack you. The best thing to do is to start expanding as soon as possible, and of course (when you do have some money) improve you economic infrastructure.

[Ichon]

Almost all factions even if you start with decent treasury will go into red within 5 turns. I recommend using your starting cash to build the best cheap economic buildings and recruit some units to expand. If you then go and capture 2-3 regions within 20 turns your treasury should be growing again and more buildings able to be built.

Some factions can get away with disbanding starting armies and turtle for a bit but really the best strategy is to at least use half your initial armies in expansion and merge the remnants to keep experience and disband the remaining. You will grow your treasury much quicker that way.

[Averroes19]

Alright guys, now BC makes more sense.
I originally approached the game believing it to be similar to SS 6.4 (with BftB 2.0 sub-mod). But having read the advice posted here, I am now in turn 10 on a H/VH Abbasid Campaign besieging a second rebel settlement. Have over 4000 in cash reserves. I just wanted to congratulate the BC team for the amazing job they did. The units and animations look fantastic. I am in so love with this game. Makes me somewhat proud to have Middle Eastern origins.

[medhma]

Alright guys, now BC makes more sense.
I originally approached the game believing it to be similar to SS 6.4 (with BftB 2.0 sub-mod). But having read the advice posted here, I am now in turn 10 on a H/VH Abbasid Campaign besieging a second rebel settlement. Have over 4000 in cash reserves.

Well, you probably need to change your strategy, my friend. When playing with Abbasid you're supposed to be the richest faction, with Baghdad producing almost 20 000 in turn, 7 000 at Basra and 4 000 at Samara, you could imagine how rich you can get. So my advice is to focus on economy and growing your settlement, Abbasid have a very safe starting position, so make some alliance, use your starting heavy cavalry to quickly expand and then disband most of your army and let the money rain.

[Averroes19]

Well, you probably need to change your strategy, my friend. When playing with Abbasid you're supposed to be the richest faction, with Baghdad producing almost 20 000 in turn, 7 000 at Basra and 4 000 at Samara, you could imagine how rich you can get. So my advice is to focus on economy and growing your settlement, Abbasid have a very safe starting position, so make some alliance, use your starting heavy cavalry to quickly expand and then disband most of your army and let the money rain.

And how exactly is this supposed to happen? It is hard as it is to make 5-6000 a turn. I see no way of doing things. But I do appreciate your advice.

[Harith]

And how exactly is this supposed to happen? It is hard as it is to make 5-6000 a turn. I see no way of doing things. But I do appreciate your advice.

2 words for baghdad, markets and roads. Of course farms are helpful as well.

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

Thanks for the replies
Although I am not a fan of the economy in this mod... I think I can learn to live with it

[mr.playa]

the ayyobi faction economy is a real pain in the as* if you go south to expand and loot the koj will take advantege and dw and going north while having peace with the southern kingdom
it will only send my eco into red with the first 2 turns


any advice would be appreciated ")

[nein]

destroy the makurians, usually the koj will leave you be. Sack enemy settlements they will usually give alot of cash

[Iguanaonastick]

Sacking cities tends to be a bad idea long-term in this mod. It lowers your reputation and therefore makes it impossible to get alliances or even trade-rights and will make everybody hate and attack you.

If you never sack cities you can maintain stable alliances and that can be a pretty big benefit in this mod. (Though if you get the chance to really get a ton of money through sacking one very important city it can be worth it too. Your rep can take one or two sacks if you compensate with a lot of peaceful occupations.)

Plus, not sacking means not killing any population so your cities will grow faster and provide more tax-income. Of course that's a two-edged sword as it also makes them more likely to rebel. That usually isn't a problem for the rebel cities near your starting position, though.

I do find that most factions in the current version of BC have a challenging start. Even the Romans struggle against the Turks. You have a very nice income and will outpace them in the long run, but in the short run they have three very powerful stacks full of elite cavalry and you have that great glaring debt-figure. In my last Roman campaign I only survived because I managed to beat two and a half Turkish stacks with my only Roman army.

[nein]

alliances can be gained via trading a settlement even with bad rep. The ayyubids don't need to worry about alliances anyway, they just need to quickly wipe out makuria and then focus on the koj.