Armies and Gold - are mutually exclusive. If you sit and recruit recruit
recruit, your gold
goes down down down. The people who win the armies, are they not the
players who
have armies in the field, armies on their way to the field, armies at home
preparing to go
into the field, etc. Meanwhile, they may even be capturing pop centers on
the way.....
I know it's terrible, I couldn't manage top place on cash in Game 15
because I had large fighting armies on the front lines and a huge character
bill from being so active against the enemy(despite having my best
characters assassinated), my lack of cash is probably due to the pop
centers I gave away to my allies, even though I captured a large number
from the enemy.
In the end I only managed 4 out of 5 VC's (I only managed 9
challenges/assassinations) so I finished the game on 2350 points - 2nd
place on cash.
Did I sit back to accumulate those points? or did they accumulate though
active particiapation? Just ask my allies and opponents from that game.
Just one minor hint though, how many Easterling players manage to take the
Noldo Capital (Mithlond West) by direct military assault after burning much
of northern Arthedain vs active players in the mid game?
The point is that it is very easy to rack up points though the natural act
of participating against your enemies. Increase pop points by taking pops
from the enemy, gold by stealing it from the enemy, character points? well
those offensive actions tend to be worth 1-10 skill points wheras passive
ones are mostly 1-5. Army points? Army morale seems to have a big effect on
this, and nothing racks up those army morales like crushing your enemies
under your feet.
Nick.