Author's Description:
Sparta Progressive-Plebus
The second Olympian city,this one,together with its two colonies,are the best Zeus cities I've been built(naturally;)).They combined with speed,efficiency and good city design(they are quite appealling to your eyes as well).
About the parent city:
The whole city is designed towards a trading and distributing center,all industries are also placed there,except those related with copper,I throw them onto the island to limit the path of Hephaestus,this is very important for the city's finance,before the massive elite housing block can provide enough taxes.A small mistake in calculating the number of common houses makes it impossible for me to wall in the city completely: I can't afford labour for several additional towers(I used the 37 house block posted in SenetEr's "favourate housing block thread",I should use the 40 houses one),otherwise the city would be more good looking:quite ironically,walls,gates and towers are the most appealing elements in Zeus cities.
The whole advendure is not so difficult as it thouhgt to be,the only challenging episode is the first one,when I have to import a lot of expensive bronze to make sculptures and armors.I think I've accepted 4 rescue funds from allies,but still often running of out credit(i.e.can't build or buy anything).
The save was made a month after victory.I choose to conquer all other rivals before dealing with Athens,so the last episode took about a year and a half,otherwise it could be done in a few months.The whole adventure used 19 years(could be improved by a few years,15-16 years maybe possible if fully optimized)
About colonies:
The two colonies are quite difficult(expensive),both require a large starting fund(I think I lost 25K+ drachmas in both cities before I can take the money back,you can lower the expense by building slowly,but that was not my style).
I choose Taras first(I was a fan of Dionysus:D),and I find I've built a very elegant city there.
Knowing there will be tidal waves on the islands(thanks to those "spoiling" forum threads),I decided to build everything on the mainland,including sheep.This require some precise space planning(especially when I want a Fortress of Ares in the city,though it is not neccessary),and I've done it very successfully.The highlight of whole scencary is the two large statue of Ares(one form the sanctury) overlooking the whole city.
I stayed there a year longer than neccessary because I want to take the benefit of Corinth's assult on Athens,which would cut their defense shields down to 2 (from 5).Lack of the real estate makes it impossible to apply the standard "Plebus formation" for the wine industires.This may be the only regret.
The save was made when I dispatching the troops to conquer Odessos,so there will be a few months towards thge end.
As I've read in the forum that Ithaca is one of the most difficult episodes ,I decided to try it as well.
The main challenge(according to my plan) is to fit all houses and facilities onto the large island and several smaller ones next to it,again,lack of usable space cost me a lot of time in planning.I've think of placing the Ares' sanctury and the stadium on the large island,but give it up simply because lacking of 1 extra tile wide of space(which will block the traffic or shinke the size of housing block and lower the trade income from industires).
The save was made a year before Cyclops shows in the city,and I already have Delos conquered.There was really nothing to do before that(I've sent out a raiding force to Thermopylae,but they would not come back with drachmas in time).
I'm quite satisfied with these two tiny and elegant cities,especially Taras.
Plebus
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