Rebuild or upgrade?

[Kanov]

Hi guys,

So I just hit off the Polybian reforms and have been wondering:

-I have my barracks up to the next to last level. Upgrading them will take 15 turns!
-If I destroy them and start over, it is going to probably last the same amount of time though, but probably gonna have access to the hastati-principe-triarii sooner.
-What if I upgrade them to the last level? what happens to the Marian reforms? do I have to destroy them and start over?

Thanks.

[Ownager]

DONT DESTROY THEM. If you destroy your barracks, you will have to start over with their construction. You should be able to have lots of different cities with atleast Hastati recruitment available by now. Make Segesta a troop maker, upgrade it so that it can form a decent army in itself. It is very expensive to upgrade the barracks again.

[Kanov]

But what about if I reach the last level before Marian? How I get the new units then? is there an other recruitment process for marians?

[Boriak]

Even if you already built the top tier Native Barracks in a city, you can build the highest tier again when the reforms happen in order to refresh your unit roster. It sounds cheaper to simply destory the barracks and start building from scratch but in the long run you will spend more time and money to get back to where you were. Plus, the Post Marian Cohorts are Level 3 troops, meaning you have to build three separate buildings to get them if you start from scratch.

The thing you should consider is that even if you built the top tier Native Barracks in all your Italian cities, Marian reforms will give you permission to recruit Marian cohorts in cities outside Italy as well. And since by now most of your battles will happen far from Italy, you can postpone re-building the Native Barracks in Italy. Just build them where you couldn't build them so far and you will be able to start recruiting legionaries where you actually need them, closer to your active fronts.

[Ownager]

Like I said, If you are at the Polybian era, Segesta and I think Patavium should be enough for northern legions, and Rhegion for Carthage. Keep upgrading Rome and Capua, and upgrading Arretium and Arminium wouldn't be bad. When you have a good core recruitment system, then you can fight battles almost anywhere. I actually recommend returning to Italy every 4 years or so to rebuild a decimated legion. Beats recruiting mercenaries, in cost and effectiveness.

[Boriak]

Or you simply cheat.

Use console command add_money 15000 if you're low on cash, put the barracks in the construction queue, then put in the console command process_cq NameofTown.

[Ownager]

Ouch. I hate cheating, but sometimes, auto_win is necessary. Like when I've had it with freaking rebel stacks....

[Kanov]

I appreciate all the responses guys, but I feel I haven't quite comprehended this simple doubt:

-If I reach marian reforms but I have all my MIC's upgraded to the last tier (ie there's no other MIC available to build), do I have to destroy them and start over IF I want to recruit a marian unit in that settlement which has the MIC all leveled up? say in Rome itself for example, which by the time Marian reforms happens I expect it to be almost full upgraded.

Please forgive my stone head.

[Boriak]

No, you don't have to destroy the barracks. If you've already built the highest level, you should have the option of building the highest level barracks again once the reforms are triggered.

[Kanov]

Hey man thanks for the answer! I should have figured something like that must happen since starting all over again is no fun.

[ooji]

Unlike Polybian Reform, you don't have to upgrade your barracks for Marian reform. When Marian reform hits, it automatically replaces your barracks with Marian barracks matching the same level. I'm guessing Boriak and Ownager have older versions of EB or never got to Marian reform. So for example, if you had level 4 Polybian or Camillian barracks by the time Marian reform hits, that barracks will be damaged 100% and you won't be able to repair it. Instead, it gives you level 4 barracks fit to recruit Marian units. So for your question, do not destroy your barracks and build from the beginning. It is expensive and wasteful. In fact, if you have high level barracks within your towns by the time Marian reform hits, you will be able to destroy those 100% damaged buildings for a handsome salvage value.

[Boriak]

My bad. Still great news as I'm about to reach Marian reforms myself.