Need help with income as Spain

[carburo]

I'm five years into my first game as Spain. My cash reserves have been at zero for several months, and I can't find a way of putting some money in the bank. I have a small army, no depots, and I'm not exporting cash.

BTW, the economy window shows a + income, but I'm still at zero cash every turn. I have decreased the feudalism level, upgraded a little, and have the original 50 colonies.

In another issue, my southern Italy protectorates levy a ridiculously high number of troops. In five years they have raised around 15 divisions each.

[Budgie]

Carburo: Spain is a rich country. Something has to be eating up your cash.

- too much Development
- too high maintenance costs for army units
- too much expense on new army/naval units
- too many depots
- unfavorable trade deals

Look closely where you are spending your money - study expense report.


Protectorate troops come on the board, set by default for you to feed them and maintain them.

Use the military advisor screen to change them to forage and anything else you don't need at full strength.

To 1/2 expenses, get your calvary and artillery and army headquarters into cities.

(Diplomats also cost 20 per turn when not in a city.) <-- I think?


- if protectorate troops are not needed - move them into one of your armies and disband them.

Conquer Rome and Venice, do some bank development in those two areas and you should not have cash problems unless your army(s) sizes are huge.

Portugal and Egypt are also prime targets for Spain.

[carburo]

Thanks for the replay Budgie.

Problem is I already checked most of what you say. My army is small: the two original armies and a new Corps -all three are full stacks, 23 units in total- plus several more divisions and the city garrisons. I have disbanded most of the Neapolitan units, which have crappy morale anyways, and have only built one Artillery and two Light Infantry.

I already conquered Portugal, the Papacy and Veneto. I’ve been in 0 cash for almost a year; I can’t afford depots or developments, so that’s not the problem either. And I’m not exporting money; on the contrary, I’m selling iron, horses and textiles to France. My tax rate is at 15.

When I check the economy window I see a positive projected income every turn, but for some reason when the next turn starts I’m still without a penny.