Iron Imbalance

[DeletedUser3107]

It seems that with the recent patches and updates that the iron market in my world has completely collapsed. I know that iron has always been a scarce resource, but not I've never seen the need for iron this bad before. Not only that, but barbarian villages are less likely to upgrade iron mines. Here are reports of farms against random barbarians (i.e. I haven't scouted these barbs and seen that the iron mines are lower and just attacked them), see the trend?

Now, some may simply call this 'bad luck', but this is the case for every single barbarian I farm, bar 3-4. Please re-balance the iron aspect of the game, which can be achieved easily through some of these suggestions:
-Decrease iron costs for nobles from 50,000 to 45,000
-Decrease iron cost for coins from 25,000 to 23,000
-Decrease iron cost for iron mines considerably
-Decrease iron cost of Heavy Cavalry to 550
-Decrease iron cost of the rally point considerably
-Increase the probability for barbarians to level up iron mines
-Increase the possibility of the Master of Loot to level up iron mines over others
-Instead of giving quantities of all resources in the resource deposit, give quantities of one resource and introduce an exchange system where you can exchange one resource type in your inventory, to another with an exchange fee of between 25%-50% of the original resource quantity.

I've had low to no iron for the last few weeks and I've tailored most of my vills to reduce my iron consumption by as much as possible but nothing has done the trick. I don't know if this is just an issue with my gameplay, so if others have found the same issue please share your thoughts. My iron consumption aside, the fact that barbarians are less likely to build iron mines should definitely be addressed.

 

[DeletedUser]

Grrl just beginning in game, but on world 16 beginning barbarians seem equally likely to level up iron vs. other resources. In beginning game, wood and clay are most scarce resource, but once barracks level past 5 iron becomes most scarce. Can't comment beyond first few days of game though.

 

[DeletedUser3107]

Yeah, that's usually the case. But after around week 2 or 3 the resources change from needing clay and wood to iron with the need for it slowly increasing as the world age increases.

 

[DeletedUser1594]

The one positive thing about an unbalance is donating resources for the tribe, but yes iron deficiencies do seem to be worse

 

[DeletedUser2193]

Could it be that there was a active barb shaper in the area? I dont know if barb shaping actually works. never tested that out myself.

 

[DeletedUser2084]

Same goes for MoL boosting barbs. I managed to get wood/clay to 30 whilst iron was still on 22 lol. It even kept upgrading the wood/clay from 29 -> 30 constantly (this was fixed with the most recent patch though).
It could most likely be the function that randomly chooses to level the fields favouring wood/clay over iron and this function is applied throughout any type of field boosting on barbs (barb leveling itself and MoL boosting).

 

[Hawk.eye]

i don't feel like a change in required resources for troops is necessary. just use boosters. a slight increase in Hall of Order discount on infantry and cavalry is also welcome.

P.S : that suggestion about Resource deposit is a smart one.

 

[DeletedUser3107]

Could it be that there was a active barb shaper in the area? I dont know if barb shaping actually works. never tested that out myself.

I'm the only barb shaper in the province, but it has mixed results. I catted down everything except for the resources, warehouse and farm (as I was unsure whether farm space was a requirement for barbs to level up buildings). If you're on EN15 have a look at (526|420) as it's the most successful villa that I shaped.

Same goes for MoL boosting barbs. I managed to get wood/clay to 30 whilst iron was still on 22 lol. It even kept upgrading the wood/clay from 29 -> 30 constantly (this was fixed with the most recent patch though).
It could most likely be the function that randomly chooses to level the fields favouring wood/clay over iron and this function is applied throughout any type of field boosting on barbs (barb leveling itself and MoL boosting).

I do believe MoL is completely random as I've had largely random results. I used 42 MoL's yesterday and upgraded 6 resource levels: 1x clay, 2x iron & 3x wood. I can send the reports to you if you want?

i don't feel like a change in required resources for troops is necessary. just use boosters. a slight increase in Hall of Order discount on infantry and cavalry is also welcome.

P.S : that suggestion about Resource deposit is a smart one.

Fair enough, although I do feel as though the iron cost for the iron mine should be reduced. Thanks, I'll post it in 'Suggestions'!

 

[DeletedUser2185]

The normal chances of resource upgrade in a barb are equal 33% for all resources have a chance to be upgraded. Now usually in a beginner world the first month or so clay and wood are the most scarce since those are used by all builds, troops and upgrades. Now players can shape barbs like several of you have mentioned, and many people use their MoL which could alter the way barbs upgrade. Now, I have not myself had problems with iron, but will keep and eye out and if I notice anything out the usual; I will report it.

 

[DeletedUser2635]

The normal chances of resource upgrade in a barb are equal 33% for all resources have a chance to be upgraded. Now usually in a beginner world the first month or so clay and wood are the most scarce since those are used by all builds, troops and upgrades. Now players can shape barbs like several of you have mentioned, and many people use their MoL which could alter the way barbs upgrade. Now, I have not myself had problems with iron, but will keep and eye out and if I notice anything out the usual; I will report it.

Maybe you just focus too much on spears?
I also like this suggestion as it is a very common occurrence (iron deficit).

 

[DeletedUser2185]

I do make a lot of spears and Axe yes. But you are correct there is a lack of iron early game. I will take this feedback and test it some more and then let the devs know.

 

[DeletedUser2635]

I do make a lot of spears and Axe yes. But you are correct there is a lack of iron early game. I will take this feedback and test it some more and then let the devs know.

You mean mid-late game, not early game lol

 

[DeletedUser3505]

This still very much seems to be the case on en23, serious shortage of iron in the barbs

 

[Hawk.eye]

if only we could change the wood booster quests give early game to iron boost that would do a lot of help to early game.

 

[DeletedUser4323]

I've found the resource deposit in the early game tends to favor clay and wood over iron as well. We definitely need more iron.

 

[Boang-Bob]

I think the "problem" arises because your NEEDS CHANGE as you progress through the game.
Early on while Building Villages from Start Up you need far more Wood than anything else, so Wood seems to be SCARCE.
Later, when you start Arming for War, and Fighting Battles, you just CAN'T get enough iron, so Iron seems to be SCARCE.
Towards End game you are Nobling like Crazy, and it's CLAY that you need in Huge Quantities for Minting Thousands of Coins, so Clay now seems to be SCARCE.
You'll probably find that altering the Resource Balance to improve the situation at one stage of the game, will just make things MUCH WORSE at other stages.

 

[DeletedUser]

I've noticed this too. Even using Master of Loot on barbs near me on one world where barbs are 2-3k in points. The MoL always seems to upgrade the Iron because it's lower than the other resource levels. Scouting local barbs usually shows wood and clay res structures at least a few levels higher than iron.

 

[DeletedUser3505]

I think the "problem" arises because your NEEDS CHANGE as you progress through the game.
Early on while Building Villages from Start Up you need far more Wood than anything else, so Wood seems to be SCARCE.
Later, when you start Arming for War, and Fighting Battles, you just CAN'T get enough iron, so Iron seems to be SCARCE.
Towards End game you are Nobling like Crazy, and it's CLAY that you need in Huge Quantities for Minting Thousands of Coins, so Clay now seems to be SCARCE.
You'll probably find that altering the Resource Balance to improve the situation at one stage of the game, will just make things MUCH WORSE at other stages.

Tell me more about how my needs make every barb level the resource buildings following this pattern, fascinating stuff:

 

[DeletedUser4323]

When I first start up I need a lot of iron. That could be from focusing on building an adequate number of troops, however. I spend more time training troops than I do upgrading buildings.

 

[DeletedUser3107]

Yeah, this is still a big issue. Started a new world and just need iron, way too much clay. Everyone on the market has too much clay, the prizes for quests award more clay than any other resource, even though nobody needs it.

I know it seems like a needless rant but there's no real reason why it should be so unbalanced in the early game, there's easy fixes for it. Change one or two prizes from awarding clay to iron or wood.