Towns with hundreds of people in them shouldn't disappear in a puff of smoke if the Sovereign dies... unless maybe the entire population is summoned? 

So yeah, that's kind of a silly mechanic.

Pretty fucking stupid game mechanic.

I've not read a single game story that better illustrates why faction assets should be transformed/transferred and not simply removed when a sovereign dies. It's like a cherry on the fecal-matter sundae of how the dynasty system means nothing beyond a few free champion units.

he he, I prefer the Gen Sherman approach. Take all the small cities along the way to the capital, then take the capital, but there's always at least one more city for the enemy sovereign to retreat to. If you can kill him in his own territory, he just reappears in another of his cities somewhere. I want to be able to capture those really big AI cities because some of them are very useful. AI cities are usually bigger than most of my own cities. Occasionally I capture one of those big, fat AI cities that builds units in 1 Turn .. Have you guys noticed this yet? A level III horse archer that costs 400 crystal and 1600 bucks and takes 24 turns to build in my best city only takes one turn on this particular type of city. I haven't figured out why it only takes one turn on these cities since the manual provides no information on this topic. My conquest speed usually picks up dramatically after I get one of these guys ... usually I run out of crystal though.

Oh yeah! I love taken the AI's cities-- though I didn't take a close look as to why I was able to do this (I just assumed the AI put more effort into city planning than strategic/tactical doctrine). I just started maniacally cranking out the troops. I love the smell of dragon fire in the morning....

phylast57, was the enemy a empire and you a kingdom? if yes then it is a known issue where a player can add the kingdom unit buildings to a former empire city with the empire unit buildings and get a 100%boost to unit creation speed.

has been happening since the betas

harpo

Yeah, you're right, it was a scorched earth policy. That was one component of it anyway The other component was to take down the main strategic/industrial/infrastructural cities/towns along a well defined line following the railroads from Atlanta to Savannah. He didn't "divert" off plan for some other reason, never lost sight of the goal. I guess that's mainly the component I'm utilizing. 

Perhaps Sherman wasn't the best example since I'm typically not destroying enemy cities but "yerking" their strength & making slaves/converting the population (into my own). Maybe the Arabs and/or Ottomans are a better example of my strategy approach (650ish to 1550ish).  

The butcher Sherman is probably a fair enough example given the GC/Elemental engine's basic bias towards genocide. I'd be very pleased and impressed to see Elemental end up able to model leaders like both Sherman and Suleiman, especially if there's room in there for a Venetian Doge to thrive enough to end the game on his terms instead of waiting to see who comes out on top of a universal bloodbath.

AI building type as yet un-explained in the manual.[/quote]

what is really explained in the manual?

True, but with suleiman (or was it mehmet?) your family tree might artificially decrease for unknown reasons or via "accidents". I think it was mehmet who strangled his own baby brother while he was still in the crib because the baby would be a threat to his succession when he got older. Could you imagine strangling your own baby brother in his crib? Even the thought just makes me sick.

he, he, he. I don't think anything is explained in the manual.

If it's any help, it was an empire city, that much I remember. I can't remember though if I built a barracks in it or not before constructing troops. Even so, how does that reduce training time from 24 turns to 1? That's a helluva lot more than a 100% boost to construction speed.

I'm slightly more familiar with the kin-murdering tendencies of clans like the Borgias of Renaissance Italy, but my main interest in the dynasty side of the game is in seeing mechanics that make choosing between kin (offspring) and self (sovereigns) strategically interesting.

I agree 100%

This would deserve a thread with a clear title instead than this one

Okay, guys...  About the Production thing...

I dunno if it's like this for Kingdoms...  But any level 4+ Empire city can get the ability to produce units in one turn...  Quick aside, if I seem condescending...  Well, it's because I'm being just a little condescending, but only because I can't believe none of ya'all have figured this out.  Back to the point; If it -is- like this for Kingdom's, then it would be Level 5 Cities only, as that's the level required for their last Troop Training building.

War Council: 25% Production Speed Bonus.  (-25% Production Time if that's easier to read for ya'all.)

Garrison:  25% Production Speed Bonus.

Warrior Temple:  50% Production Speed Bonus.  (I -THINK- that's the correct building...  I'm not really sure...  I've kinda been away from Elemental from a while now...  Just bought GalCiv2 w/ Dark Avatar...)

Total Boost:  100%     Time Spent Building ANY Unit You Can Conceive Of: 1 Turn

Knowing the Empire Conquest Tree like the back of your hand because it's all they're good at:  Priceless

Before anyone says, "Yeah, but-" don't.  I know what some of you will say.  Those bonuses are additive, not multiplicative.  It really does get to exactly a 100% decrease in training time, at least for Empire's...

Like...  Seriously, how do you guys not know this?  Do ya'all actually try to win NON-Conquest Victories as Empire's?  For real?  Nothin' against ya if you do, and if you can actually make Spell of Mastery or Diplo work as an Empire, all the more power to ya...  But they're Empires...  To Quote Conan the Barbarian making an abridged Genghis Khan quote:

"To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentation of their women."  This, in my mind, is the only Philosophy an Empire needs.  Ever.

Edit:  And if you're only playing Kingdoms...  Well...  I can see that...  Because, you know, they're actually useful for more than just Conquest...  But still...

Edit Again: Oh, and btw...  War Council and Garrison only require a LEVEL ONE city.  How ridiculous is that?