** Boafide corruption solution **

[LangstonB]

I haven't been playing the game long but I have to say that the corruption 'problem' is not that big a deal. So it is not realistic. I don't think that taking 25 years to cross a mountain on horse back is either but I still play! The real issue is how to deal with it. Well here is one of many solutions. (The best is the despot rush! But this is for those who don't like a bunch of size one cities)

Build lots o' cities. Simple isn't it. Each city gives you 1 shield, 1 commerce guaranteed! Now irrigate the s*** out of every 2 food square in sight! Then the micromanaging headache commences. Set each city so that the fewest workers are needed for growth while the remainder are tax collectors! That right. Tax collectors are not subject to corruption.. I know what you are thinking -- That is HUGE departure from realism. I know! IF you build cities as close together as possible, lets say a 6x6 area..

9 cities = 27 extra food
25 irragated squares = 25 extra food
52 extra food = 26 tax collectors
26 tax collectors = 26 extra gold

its not much but its corruption deferred. Unfortunately it is not a shield producers, but -- money buys everything!

 

[ajohn505]

I was under the impression that tax collectors simply added to your trade, which is still subject to corruption. I'm probably wrong. Any one else have any ideas?

 

[LangstonB]

It may be that they are but you still get a minimum of one gold per. Try it on a city with 1 and 1 and look at your income per turn. make one Tax collector and you income will increase by one.. BTW I have only played monarch and harder so that may affect the nums
Be Well

 

[spork]

LangstonB's strategy is exactly what I use. I basically have the "crap" cities either working on "wealth" or on settlers. The latter in turn create more crap cities. If you have the space you can quickly generate a network of taxation colonies that support a total of 300+ taxmen. That should cover all of your maintenance costs and still leave you free to crank up your science research.