Development and putting armies in the field

[EUBanana]

ORIGINAL: talon54

Factories also give you more labor but I am not sure how much.

50% extra per level apparently.

I never seem to get stunning response out of improving factories. Probably better to raise population and have em working.

[Mynok]

Factories don't help me much in the labor category either. They do improve goods production ok though.

[Ralegh]

I just finished playing Russia and am playing Austria at the moment.

In both countries, I had the following priorities: - these are IN ORDER:
(1) build or locate 2 x barracks level 5 for producing corps when I can (and maybe guards - I wish!) - 100% effort on development
(2) build or locate 2 x factories level 5 for producing artillery whenever I can (not the same provinces as (1)) - 100% effort on development
(3) if a province specialises in food, build up farms to level 5 (priority for those making wine) - 25% effort on development
(4) develop up to culture 3 and barracks 3 in every province - the low levels are cheap... - 25% effort on development
(5) if the province specialises in labour, build up factories - 25% effort on development

This is quite different to what I was doing elsewhere - I view banks as essentially worthless to these countries, and didn't bother trying lots of other things.

Why the culture and barracks thing? - I wanted military upgrades to make my existing forces more capable. As both countries, I was getting an upgrade EVERY season, which by 1808 makes a huge difference. And culture is worth glory.

Banks just aren't a very good deal - a 10% increase on not much from many provinces, for far too much initial outlay. Maybe in a 10 or 15 year game, but most of my games are completely over in 3 or at most 4 years.

But I need money, I hear you say.
A) I decided to sell my trade goods for cash (I let the trade adviser do that, and manually initiate other trades).
B) I like to have a few merchants out. If we are friends with Britain we can normally manage that.
C) I drop my feudal level as much as I can whenever I can (monitoring the national morale loss carefully), which makes by economy stronger, including in cash production.
D) I rarely if ever pay for supply (I need reinforcements to raise the morale of my starting forces to make them better).
E) Occasionally I manage a treaty where the other side gives me cash.

Please note: if you have 80 or 100 textiles, SPEND THEM. It is more effective than letting them accumulate, because textiles get a special penalty when they accumulate over 100. Even if the main barracks is queued up 5 units deep, at least you are keeping more of your textile production, not losing it. [I really want this textiles stuff overhauled - I think it sux.]

[jchastain]

ORIGINAL: Ralegh
[I really want this textiles stuff overhauled - I think it sux.]

I too have some issues with textiles but am curious - how do you propose they change? I don't remember having seen your proposal on this topic.

[Ralegh]

Leaving aside the whole waste thing, (which I do think is a bit overdone)

a) I would reduce the current 100% tax on textiles over 100 to make it 50% on over 100, 75% on over 200, and 100% on over 300. That way they could accumulate a bit during peacetime.
b) I would give tangible benefit to the player from the 'excess' textiles being taken away: a bit of building developments faster, a bit of extra national morale, perhaps a bit of enhanced ability to create cash - there should be an incentive to create more, not just the product vanishing.

[jchastain]

ORIGINAL: Ralegh

a) I would reduce the current 100% tax on textiles over 100 to make it 50% on over 100, 75% on over 200, and 100% on over 300. That way they could accumulate a bit during peacetime.

I don't have strong feelings on this one. While I understand your point, I also can see an argument that stockpiling excess textiles is essentially the same as maintaining significant rteserve military units that do not have to be supported since textiles are often the gating factor for many of the most desirable units. So, I can go either way on this one.

b) I would give tangible benefit to the player from the 'excess' textiles being taken away: a bit of building developments faster, a bit of extra national morale, perhaps a bit of enhanced ability to create cash - there should be an incentive to create more, not just the product vanishing.

This is where I really agree. I think this will become even more of an issue if they reduce waste produced by trade. While I generally support that change as trade right now is somewhat weak and it would promote significantly more, it would also have the impact of making textile producing countries have the most difficulty building inventories as their natively produced good would waste at 90% versus only 50% for nations who buy or trade for their textiles. Literally we might see a situation where the cobbler's child has no shoes. At a minimum, I believe Textiles should waste at a rate no higher than other goods - meaning waste on units 10 - 30 should be reduced to 50%. And trade should waste at 50% for all (net) items received - not just those above the first 10.