erez87: Yes, cities that are more prosperous will find that, when I adjust population figures every few turns, they will get more of an increase (subject to a few other considerations).
Greek states didn't lose 1000 men in battle every year. If they had, they would indeed have been eliminated. In the entire Peloponnesian War, there were maybe three or four such full-scale engagements involving states' whole armies, and they tended to result in the loser being forced to capitulate (which is what happened to Argos in updates 1 and 2 of this NES). Greek pitched battles were notoriously bloody, and that was partly why, in practice, they couldn't happen all that often, and why many generals often tended not to risk them unless they had decisive superiority or were desperate. There are also instances of cities very nearly being wiped out in a particularly violent battle: look up the Battle of Idomene, for example. If you look at the present situation, there are several cities completely, and realistically, emaciated by the war - Ambracia, Amphipolis and Cumae are all in such circumstances, and Plataea, for example, is completely destroyed, and if you look through Greek history, it's full of cities being wiped out, such as Sybaris, or Megara Hyblaea, or Leontini, or what very nearly happened to Mitylene. Sieges, raids, and attempts to make the enemy's allies, subjects, or slaves revolt are much safer means of warfare.
That doesn't apply in quite the same way to fighting Italian natives, though, because although they're formidable and numerous, they're not very good at taking well-defended cities, they don't fight as hoplites, and you've got cavalry on both sides - although, nevertheless, fight too many pitched battles with the Lucanians and either you, they, or both of you will be in a very precarious position.
Greek states didn't lose 1000 men in battle every year. If they had, they would indeed have been eliminated. In the entire Peloponnesian War, there were maybe three or four such full-scale engagements involving states' whole armies, and they tended to result in the loser being forced to capitulate (which is what happened to Argos in updates 1 and 2 of this NES). Greek pitched battles were notoriously bloody, and that was partly why, in practice, they couldn't happen all that often, and why many generals often tended not to risk them unless they had decisive superiority or were desperate. There are also instances of cities very nearly being wiped out in a particularly violent battle: look up the Battle of Idomene, for example. If you look at the present situation, there are several cities completely, and realistically, emaciated by the war - Ambracia, Amphipolis and Cumae are all in such circumstances, and Plataea, for example, is completely destroyed, and if you look through Greek history, it's full of cities being wiped out, such as Sybaris, or Megara Hyblaea, or Leontini, or what very nearly happened to Mitylene. Sieges, raids, and attempts to make the enemy's allies, subjects, or slaves revolt are much safer means of warfare.
That doesn't apply in quite the same way to fighting Italian natives, though, because although they're formidable and numerous, they're not very good at taking well-defended cities, they don't fight as hoplites, and you've got cavalry on both sides - although, nevertheless, fight too many pitched battles with the Lucanians and either you, they, or both of you will be in a very precarious position.
