) Nice to see other people are confused about the unit maintenance as well.
Also thank you very much for the people who have done some math and testing. Now I've got at least some idea what to take into account when releasing my diplomacy in force.
In Civ IV I usually had a very weak army until someone gave me trouble and from there on I'd have a strong army to the end of the game.
In Civ V the unit maintenance seems to take the strategy more to the lines of "I can't keep an army if I really, really don't need it". War is expensive and armies are cut down after the war only to be built up again when need arises. Calculating what the approriate size for peace time "defense force" is very hard. (that is a constant debate in real politics at least in my country. For some reason no one asks the price of military when the huge tank army from next door gathers along the borders
At first I thought the maintenance cost was rediculously high in Civ V, but now I'm leaning towards acceptance. I find myself making calulations such as
"in 5 turns my gpt is going to be around -25, I've only 320 gold. I estimate my attack to last for 14 turns give or take 2 turns. It seems have sell some resources to that cheeky Catherine to make sure I don't go bankrupt mid-war.".
It is actually refreshing to start learning a new way to handle military aspects of the game.
The maintenance cost should be more transparent though.
Turn 1 Turn 100 Turn 200 Turn 300
Units Expenses Units Expenses Units Expenses Units Expenses
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0
2 1 2 2 2 4 2 6
3 1 3 2 3 4 3 6
4 2 4 5 4 9 4 14
5 2 5 5 5 9 5 14
6 3 6 8 6 14 6 22
7 3 7 8 7 14 7 22
8 4 8 11 8 19 8 30
9 4 9 11 9 19 9 30
10 5 10 13 10 24 10 38
11 5 11 13 11 24 11 38
12 6 12 16 12 30 12 47
13 6 13 16 13 30 13 47
14 7 14 19 14 35 14 55
15 7 15 19 15 35 15 55
16 8 16 22 16 41 16 64
17 8 17 22 17 41 17 64
18 9 18 25 18 46 18 73
19 9 19 25 19 46 19 73
20 10 20 28 20 52 20 82
21 10 21 28 21 52 21 82
22 11 22 31 22 57 22 91
23 11 23 31 23 57 23 91
24 12 24 34 24 63 24 100
25 12 25 34 25 63 25 100
26 13 26 37 26 68 26 109
27 13 27 37 27 68 27 109
28 14 28 40 28 74 28 118
29 14 29 40 29 74 29 118
30 15 30 43 30 79 30 127
Difficulty: 4 - Prince (Normal)
Speed: Standard
Did not alter the divisor value though, in fact, no XML was modified for this test.
I used the tuner to eliminate the ai civs and barbarians so I could take turns without being attacked. Then I added units one at a time recording the total expenses each time. After adding 30 units, I deleted them all, took 100 turns, and repeated the process.
Code:Turn 1 Turn 100 Turn 200 Turn 300 Units Expenses Units Expenses Units Expenses Units Expenses 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 2 1 2 2 2 4 2 6 3 1 3 2 3 4 3 6 4 2 4 5 4 9 4 14 5 2 5 5 5 9 5 14 6 3 6 8 6 14 6 22 7 3 7 8 7 14 7 22 8 4 8 11 8 19 8 30 9 4 9 11 9 19 9 30 10 5 10 13 10 24 10 38 11 5 11 13 11 24 11 38 12 6 12 16 12 30 12 47 13 6 13 16 13 30 13 47 14 7 14 19 14 35 14 55 15 7 15 19 15 35 15 55 16 8 16 22 16 41 16 64 17 8 17 22 17 41 17 64 18 9 18 25 18 46 18 73 19 9 19 25 19 46 19 73 20 10 20 28 20 52 20 82 21 10 21 28 21 52 21 82 22 11 22 31 22 57 22 91 23 11 23 31 23 57 23 91 24 12 24 34 24 63 24 100 25 12 25 34 25 63 25 100 26 13 26 37 26 68 26 109 27 13 27 37 27 68 27 109 28 14 28 40 28 74 28 118 29 14 29 40 29 74 29 188 30 15 30 43 30 79 30 127
The expenses were the same whether I added workers, warriors, or death robots. Additionally I reloaded after hitting turn 300 and added one unit, then took 300 turns. The unit did not gain any expense cost over time and adding additional units followed the same pattern, so older units (tech wise or time wise) seems to make no difference in expense cost.
I don't have the math skills to reach any other conclusions from the data, but hopefully someone else can.
