Resources & Warehouse Cities

Resource City

First, install Lord of Ultima Tweaks:

http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/80532

I can't imagine ever playing this game without it. It helps with so many different aspects of the game and ensures efficiency in nearly every aspect of the game.

Then, when you've familiarized yourself with the added functionality, whenever you found a new city or just want to see if you could have made better economy building placement, click on the "L" green box in your city Build Queue to access layout functionality. Copy the Sharestring, it looks like this:

[ShareString.1.3];########################-.-----#-;--C:-#####------.-#-----:--###----::---#-;---:--,##-,,--:--.#--------,##------#######-----,##-----##UUUUU##-----##:--;##UUPUPUU##-;--##:---#UPUUUUUPU#----##---:#UUUPUPUUU#-.--#######UPUUTUUPU#######----#UUUPUPUUU#----##----#UPUUUUUPU#UUU-##---;##UUPUPUU##UPUU##:----##UUUUU##UUUUP##:-.---#######UURRUU##--..-----#---UR##RU##-..------#--PUR###R###-.-----:#---UUR#######--,---:#----UUR########################[/ShareString]

and paste it into the Loof placement calculator here:

http://2.latest.loof78.appspot.com/lou_city/calc

with the following parameters (just hit enter after the sharestring for a new line) to create a Wood, Stone, Iron resource city (see the WSI down there?):

use_slots=82
num_cottages=19
keep_extra_res_nodes=1
placement_schedule=WSI
clear_buildings=1

Then open the output link in a new window and flesh out the rest of your city in the Flash City Planner:

http://www.lou-fcp.co.uk/map.php?

I recommend at least two warehouses, 19 or 20 cottages, 4 marketplaces (if producing resources) go for max production/efficiency.

When you're satisfied with a layout in the Flash City Planner, click "copy URL" and switch back to Lord of Ultima and paste in the URL into the second tab of the "L" layout tool of LoU Tweaks and click "apply layout"

Build away! MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY!!!!

Warehouse City

Follow the standard of building up 20-30 cottages as well as supplemental resources to keep you building. Building a Warehouse/Hub City  is essential to maximize building and recruitment efficiency. A warehouse/hub can transfer and receive resources in large quantities, quickly! Hubs can also hold millions of resources at a time. This can come in handy when building Palaces (we will discuss later), purifying resources, and level advancements.

You will understand why you need a warehouse city for each cluster of 6-10 cities you have, later. But for a minimum of every 10 cities you want a dedicated HUB! This is for your benefit and protection.

I have two hubs that I am currently working on. The first is a hub on water with larger amounts of transport capabilities. I use this to send and receive resources across the sea/water spaces. So, with a larger shipping and receiving demand there is less need for storage space. Any oversupply is sent to the landlocked warehouse hub via carts from the market.

I also have a land locked version that supports itself with resource production. So if arrivals of resources take a while, I won't run out of them. 

If you notice there is less markets in this city. Once the resources arrive at this city, they are dispersed from it to other cities ass needed from my Trade Minister*.  In this city you will need large amounts of city guards and a MGT. In the event that you are attacked in this city. Also never ever disclose the location of this city to other players. Enemies can disrupt your ability to build and recruit if they find out where this city is located.

*Note Trade Ministers are not required for you to have,since they do cost Diamonds. I keep them so they can do the work I cannot do while taking care of real life (RL).

Up NEXT: Castles

City Layout: GOLD & FOOD

As I promised in my last post, I am posting city layouts. I have layout for food and gold since they have similar needs within the game. You will need a lot of both resources, and not have enough cities producing them. So, why not make the best layout for the most production of these resources.

Gold City You want to put your gold city on water because harbors actually give a better increase percentage on taxes from town homes. Your layout my be slightly different due to node placements.

I start all my cities by building 20-30 cottages first (after you have more than 2-3 cities this becomes easier). If you are building your first city, build up your resources first. Then a city like the gold or food city can be very easy.

Food City Layout A food city needs to have a Moonglow Tower (MGT), and markets. I use 3 because at 120,000hr production rate, you will need a lot of carts to transport the food to other cities. You will also need  the MGT to purify any resources if you are attacked by an opponent.

All cities need to have a MGT as a defensive measures anyways. If you fail to have a MGT and/or markets in your city. You will be opening up your city to be plundered many times. I will go over the different types of attacks at a later date (including plunder).

You can use these layouts if you like of you can open the City Flash Planner and tweak the layouts. I have several cities that produces 120,000 food per hour. As you progress in the game, you will use large amounts of food to feed your armies.

UP NEXT:
RESOURCE  LAYOUTS
and
RESOURCE HUBS

Leveling Up

To do what is called "leveling up;" you will need to advance in titles. All players begin as "sirs." During the tutorial you will be awarded the title of "Knight" and eventually as a "Baron." The first 2 title advancements, you get awarded access to artifacts. From the 3rd title advancement and on you get to begin producing barons. I capitalized the title "Baron," to differentiate from barons, the troop type. When you reach the level of "Baron 1" from that point on, each level you gain gives you the ability to recruit a baron. 

The baron allows you to create new cities. Here is how to start earning barons.

You will need to have a Moonglow Tower (MGT) advanced to level 10 to purify your resources.

You will purify X amount of resources to do "Research" (Green Button at top center). 

You will need to produce X amount of gold as part of the research.

You will need a Trinsic Temple (TT) advanced to level 10 to recruit your baron.

A baron cost resources to recruit. 50,000 iron and 100,000 gold. Don't worry about cost, you should be able to produce that much by the time you get to level 10 MGT and TT.

Once you have your baron, you can launch a settlement caravan, when you have enough resources to start a city. Cost: 100,000 wood and stone each, 25,000 iron and food each. 

You will need either 2 Markets, with a total of 250 carts, or a Harbor with 25 merchant ships. This is to transport your goods for the new city along with the baron.

Sounds harder than it actually is. By your 6th or 7th city, you should begin to be able to create a city a week. About the 20th city you should have the capabilities to create a city a day. And anything above 40 cities, you should be able to create a city when you want to or need to. 

Sounds like a lot, but consider the average Alliance that has won the game. Their alliance members averaged about 200 cities each (alliance has up to 99 members).