Unit Maintenance
- Thread starter uRabbit
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Roghar
Warlord
Probably because it isn't constant, unit maintenance increases over time. If you mouseover your income at top of screen, you see total unit maintenance. All units have identical maintenance at any point in time
Uniform Sierra
Warlord
- Joined
- Oct 24, 2010
- Messages
- 139
Why does unit maintenance increase over time? Does anybody have specifics on these statistics? I would like to know because I invest a lot of production and money into military units. I rarely go to war since I'm such a big military power 24/7. I only get like 100 to 200 GPT per turn later in game though (around turn 200-250).
I think it increases over time because your income should also be increasing overtime, thus the two should balance out. However I personally don't like this system. For one it seems to me like this isn't a gradual increase, but instead it increases in incriments. Which could lead to a sudden drop of 40 GPt when unit maintainence suddenly increases. I really liked the civ3 system, but that relied on having government types which are gone.
(If you are interested) In Civ 3 each city provided an allowance of military units at no cost based on Government type and city size. For example Communism, if I remeber correctly, provided 6 units for each of the 3 sizes ( 1-5, 6-11, 12+ I think where the population sizes, town, city, metroplolis) so each city under communism allowed you to have 6 units at no cost. Having 4 cities would mean you could have 24 units at no cost, and after that each unit cost X amount of gold, aslo determined by government type. So if you had 30 units and 4 cities under communism, and unit upkeep was 1 gold per unit after 24, you would pay 6 gold per turn as your unit maintainence.
(If you are interested) In Civ 3 each city provided an allowance of military units at no cost based on Government type and city size. For example Communism, if I remeber correctly, provided 6 units for each of the 3 sizes ( 1-5, 6-11, 12+ I think where the population sizes, town, city, metroplolis) so each city under communism allowed you to have 6 units at no cost. Having 4 cities would mean you could have 24 units at no cost, and after that each unit cost X amount of gold, aslo determined by government type. So if you had 30 units and 4 cities under communism, and unit upkeep was 1 gold per unit after 24, you would pay 6 gold per turn as your unit maintainence.
Roghar
Warlord
It's definitely the case, have never tracked exactly when it changes though. It is easy to test - at early game delete a unit and see how it affects your unit, and do so at later point at test. From my experience the maintenance cost per unit is 1gp at the start, going up to about 6 or 7 eventually
I think it's because income increases much more quickly than army size through the game. Your cities grow, trading posts improve trade routes keep growing, you add markets and banks and stock exchanges. However your army doesn't grow in quanitity all that much, for the most part it just improves in quality. If maintenance costs weren't inflated, army upkeep would become trivial.
I think it's because income increases much more quickly than army size through the game. Your cities grow, trading posts improve trade routes keep growing, you add markets and banks and stock exchanges. However your army doesn't grow in quanitity all that much, for the most part it just improves in quality. If maintenance costs weren't inflated, army upkeep would become trivial.
Strategist83
King
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2005
- Messages
- 625
Somebody posted a chart over unit cost based on unit amount and game progression (the two factors deciding upkeep cost) a while back. Try searching around. The numbers may be outdated, though.
The reason why upkeep cost increases is this is the game's way of balancing (read: forcing) you to stay at more or less a constant [low] number of units throughout the game. Basically, it's one of the things to keep big empires in check and not gain too big an advantage over tiny, 'tall' empires.
And yes, all of the information in this thread is correct.
The reason why upkeep cost increases is this is the game's way of balancing (read: forcing) you to stay at more or less a constant [low] number of units throughout the game. Basically, it's one of the things to keep big empires in check and not gain too big an advantage over tiny, 'tall' empires.
And yes, all of the information in this thread is correct.
Polish
Warlord
Costs a lot more to maintain a unit of mech infantry, modern armor, or rocket artillery than a bunch of guys with stone axes. I think it makes a lot of sense for unit maintenance to increase over time.
It would be logical to change, when you get to a new aera, and as you say it raises to 6 or 7: That would also fit (Ancient, Classic, Medieval, Renaissance, Industrial, Modern, Future) if each aera raises this by 1.
It would be logical, because also your income from CS-allies raises then.
Could it be that way?
It would be logical, because also your income from CS-allies raises then.
Could it be that way?
Kerosene31
Prince
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2001
- Messages
- 409
Yes, you definitely need to get rid of any old units right away. Helps keep maintenance costs down. I don't mind the idea, but it seems overdone a bit. You leave one trireme around to explore and it costs a fortune to keep going over time.
KrikkitTwo
Immortal
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2004
- Messages
- 12,418
Check the Strategy Articles Forum, Number Chrunching Thread.
It has to do with # of units and game turn... nothing else. (type of unit doesn't matter)
It has to do with # of units and game turn... nothing else. (type of unit doesn't matter)
General Tso
Panzer General
I think it works well as is.
If you want to see more details about unit cost. Open the economic overview screen and hold the mouse pointer over the "Units" line. The help box will show the per unit cost and explain how it works. According to the text, the more units you have and the later in the game it currently is both increase the per unit cost.
If you want to see more details about unit cost. Open the economic overview screen and hold the mouse pointer over the "Units" line. The help box will show the per unit cost and explain how it works. According to the text, the more units you have and the later in the game it currently is both increase the per unit cost.
KrikkitTwo
Immortal
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2004
- Messages
- 12,418
A much better way of doing it would be to make unit cost like Building cost... ie Different units have different fixed costs.
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