How the @#$%! the rebel sentiment work?!

[yturk39]

I don't get it.

I can have a city with 40% rebel sentiment, then I send an Elder Statesman to the Town Hall to crank up the volume, and the sentiment gets LOWER!

WHY?!

Is citizen automation a necessary part of this game? Am I not letting them be free enough? Is my micro-managing was my citizens do hurting more than it helps? Is rebel sentiment affected by the relative size of the King's Expeditionary Force and my own military?

I have guns stashed away, and horses a-plenty. I just don't think it's particularly wise to advertise this to the King by turning citizens into soldiers / dragoons unnecessarily.

 

[ChanceDanger]

Population growth is the counter weight to bell production, so what most likely happened is that you didn't give the elder statesman enough time to earn his keep. In another few turns you should see your rebel sentiment restored and improving and an increased rate. The king does not take size of your forces into account when you recruit soldiers (although at this point they can still be doing something useful instead of standing around, so might as well just have guns on reserve and soldiers working or ideally, learning in a schoolhouse to become veteran soldiers).

Micro management can hurt if you're not paying attention or you don't have the right objectives with your cities. Playing with the emphasize buttons can usually get you what you want once you know how they work, but of course it involves understanding what the Governor values and adjusting based on your experience.

Edit: Rebel sentiment in individual cities also go down for additions to your total global population (i.e. it'll go down when you hire soldiers even though you aren't making them work in the cities)