Any ruler who wants to go down in history 📚 should get acquainted with the “Ruler’s Manual” series! Why – you ask? Well, in the following entries we tell you about how to make your Polis wealthy, safe, and as prosperous as possible. And believe us, it’s not as easy as it may seem!
Everything you need to know about resources
Okay, let’s get to the point, shall we? Today’s topic is of crucial importance to the well-being and even the very foundation of your city.
Raw resources – as we are going to talk about them – are not only the building blocks of your Polis, but also food for its inhabitants, crafting materials for its artisans, tradable goods for its merchants, and much, much more! Before you start collecting them, however, you must first get to know them… 🔍
Edible resources
Without them, your Polis would be a ghost town. Constant access to food is something that every ruler must take care of 🍗 Edible resources include those coming from your farms, such as Olives, Grapes, and Wheat, which after proper preparation can find their place on the tables of your loyal citizens. However, this is not their only use! Example? Sure! Olives can be turned into medicines, perfumes, and bakery ingredients, Grapes are the basis of wine production, and Wheat, apart from the bread and tiganites bakery, is used in the brewery, stable, or goat and cattle farms. Quite useful, aren’t they?
Other resources in this category are materials of animal origin. These include Poseidon’s gift in the form of fish and milk that can be later processed into tasty, coveted cheese 🥛 This is a good moment to mention, that the varied diet (and that means providing yourself with several different sources of raw edible resources) makes your subjects happier and more cooperative – keep that in mind while planning your production network! 🤔
Building resources
When your subjects’ bellies are full, you can take care of giving them a roof over their heads. To do this, you will need… (surprise, surprise) raw resources! Among the most important of them, we can name Wood and Stone. 🌳 On the one hand, you will need a lot of them – and we mean – a lot. On the other, they are quite easy to collect and process. All around your city, you will find lush green forests as well as stone fields full of materials just waiting to gather them. To do that, you will need the Quarry, Woodcutter’s house ⛏️ and a bunch of strong workers!
With access to these building materials, your builders will be able to start their work. Ensure you have sufficient supply of Wood, Stone, and (later on) Marble, because they can be used in the production of many, many other goods. When the axes and pickaxes finally go into motion, your city will have everything it needs to grow and flourish! 🏛️
Mineral resources
It’s time for a bit more sophisticated materials that can be used to make luxury goods such as jewelry, weapons, tools, and many others In order to get them, you’ll have to dig them out of the ground! Clay, Tin, Copper, Silver, and Gold are valuable resources that can be used in dozens of different ways… A wise ruler will see them as a valuable commodity for trade or a way to please the richer part of city dwellers. We believe you will find several other uses for them as well!
Without raw mineral resources, your Polis will not reach a higher level of development and will remain just a small, provincial city. And this is not our goal, is it? Be sure, to carefully browse your territory and find suitable places to build your mines and other gathering stations Sometimes different kinds of resources emerge from the ground, and you can always read it as a sign, that there is something valuable down there! These could be silver, copper, tin, or even gold deposits, and clay or marble fields. Try to get your hands on them as early as possible because they always come in handy at some point in your reign – and as we know, it’s better to be prepared than sorry!
In the following parts of the series, we will return to you with descriptions of many other important mechanics and tips that will help you become the greatest ruler of all time! As always – stay tuned.