Always running out of food !!

[richb50]

I tried various factions but it seems I'm constantly running out of food. Even with one army of 20. When I have two armies it's costing me like 3000 plus a turn in food. How do I generate enough food to survive.

[rolfvonsmirker]

Trade...

[PERICLES1789]

I have to manage two armies and I get by by trading. But it's true that it's not easy. If experienced players have other solutions, I'm interested.

[Karl]

Originally posted by richb50:

I tried various factions but it seems I'm constantly running out of food. Even with one army of 20. When I have two armies it's costing me like 3000 plus a turn in food. How do I generate enough food to survive.

Odd, I have so much food income that I can't even possibly get rid of it. Are you building your economy correctly or did you just get regions that don't produce food at all?

Make sure to actually build up your food income buildings, as well as bronze if you intend to field more elite armies later.

[Ragnarjan]

Food buildings are the most common so you must have plenty of other resources to trade?

[Defmonkey]

There are lots of ways to increase food and income. Army upkeep can also be reduced significantly.

[JimmyTheSnake]

1) What turn are on you?
2) Which faction leader?

Generally, I focus exclusively on food (buildings, technologies, general titles), and on reduced upkeep. The "secret" I've found is using the -20% upkeep outpost and keeping it on your armies nearly all the time unless you're invading. Even then, it lasts for 4 turns. Also, in the early game, you don't need elite units to win battles. Try to keep your army stock of low food upkeep units, and try to minimize the # of armies. This is necessary in early game.

[Defmonkey]

I'm basically running reserve stacks for free with all the bonuses. Currently using Bay and city of Gubla / byblos to keep things super cheap. So below is an example for Bay, different leaders will have different approaches so below is an example.

Two temples (Thoth & Asherah) in Gubla / byblos giving 25% upkeep reduction, 2x Irrigation networks in the small towns giving a further 20% upkeep reduction, the generals themselves if utilizing presence stat can give 10-20% upkeep reduction and use general titles or ancillary items, Royal decrees (Research) giving another 10-15% reduction depending on tier, trading outpost giving 20% upkeep reduction every 4 turns..... forts giving 50% upkeep reduction for 10 units stored....

Then there are all the food buffs, build all the food buildings where possible. Bay has good economic buildings too, Regional fare gives 35% resource bonus, Two temples (Thoth & Asherah) in Gubla / byblos giving 25% resource bonus, Not-Bays smugglers building give good resource bonuses that get even better if civilization gets worse. Chief scribes headquarters can be stacked for 10% bonuses in adjacent provinces. Also don't forget all the benefits from royal decrees (Bay can go up the research tree twice as fast as other characters as one of his special abilities)... and...there's also the completed provincial bonuses commandments as well. another 20% for food if you need it in exchange for wood.

Then there is trade. Use barter with trade partners for resources you need. Typically i do not use this for food. Usually bronze or stone, but can be done for anything you need, just make sure you get the best deals by trading things that are beneficial to you both for maximum gains.

Lastly, don't leave your armies standing around doing nothing. Either go on the warpath and make resources from fighting / raiding or in peace time locate them where you get all your army upkeep reductions.

[Wade]

It's a Food Shortage Simulator just like Troy.


Good luck with sales!

[TYSON]

Same problem for me.

[Lor]

You need to trade with your neighbours. I don't know if the food situation gets more manageable later on when you take more territory though, I never got that far. I was always struggling for food as well.

[x260bm]

It is just like every Total War since Rome 2, you have to make specialized settlements. If you are having food problems, make entire regions dedicated to food production. Building military buildings everywhere and keeping everything the AI built doesn’t work.

[Hexagoros]

With the right mix of buffs, buildings, and traits, you can reduce the upkeep until it's basically free.

[Cidmoney]

Barter with other factions for resources you have a lot of.

Build all the food buildings in each settlement you capture.

Accept the negative monthly gains during war. After each battle you will receive food as part of each victory. You get get even more food if you choose that option after each win.

Garrison units in forts for half upkeep.

I believe another outpost gives upkeep reductions as well.

One of the general's skill lines reduces upkeep.

Lots of ways to mitigate the food issues you just need to be creative.

[|Sith|Galvanized Iron Raptor]

Originally posted by richb50:

I tried various factions but it seems I'm constantly running out of food. Even with one army of 20. When I have two armies it's costing me like 3000 plus a turn in food. How do I generate enough food to survive.

Build some smuggler coves

[Inquerion]

Originally posted by Naylor:

You need to trade with your neighbours. I don't know if the food situation gets more manageable later on when you take more territory though, I never got that far. I was always struggling for food as well.

It get's worse since Civilization level keeps decreasing due to Sea Peoples invasions.

If you are playing in Egypt, it's worth to focus on conquering settlements along the Nile. They have lot's of food. Western deserts have some nice resources like Bronze, but are kind of weak in early game and very hard to defend against the respawning hordes.

Btw. Does anyone know if "Libu Invaders" stacks in western Egypt are endless? Or they will stop and certain date? It feels like they respawn every time you destroy one of their stacks. At least in games like Attila TW it was possible to kill all hordes and even Attila's faction could be destroyed (you had to defeat him in battle 3 times or "kill" him through assassins 3 times).