Irrigated Farming (crops)

Levels at a glance

	Level	Cost	Build time	Minimum settlement	Upgrades to		Level	Cost	Build time	Minimum settlement	Upgrades to
	Irrigation Ditches (Crops)	1,500	4	town	Basin Irrigation (Crops)		Basin Irrigation (Crops)	3,000	5	large town	Canal Network (Crops)
	Canal Network (Crops)	5,000	7	city	Irrigation Aqueducts (Crops)		Irrigation Aqueducts (Crops)	7,500	9	large city	Irrigated Great Estates (Crops)
	Irrigated Great Estates (Crops)	10,000	11	huge city	—

Costs in denarii, build time in turns.

Irrigation Ditches (Crops)

Simple ditches irrigate farmland, enabling basic cultivation

Civilization begins with irrigation, and irrigation begins with a ditch. With these channels directing precious water from nearby rivers or lakes to our fields, we are advancing beyond mere subsistence. With food to spare we may attract more people to the region. The maintenance of these waterworks should not be neglected and will cost some tax revenue.

Note: Some levels may have both positive and negative growth modifiers due to modding limitations. All effects apply, so +3 growth and -0.5 growth means +2.5 total growth.

Strategy

Irrigated farming is one of the best farming options in terms of growth potential and income. Every level slightly increases maintenance costs (tax penalty). Its farming bonus (+1 = +80 income on average & +0.5 growth) is increased if the region has grain resource, and sulphur has the same effect on tiers 3-5. Irrigated farming offers a trade bonus for cash crops (fruits, olives, grapes, papyrus, cotton, flax, dates), increased at tier 5. At tiers 4-5, the slave trade hub resource enables a tax bonus.

Availability

Irrigated farming is available only in regions with water sources (river, lake, springs, oasis). Not available in sub-arctic, alpine, oceanic, temperate and continental climates. Also not available in forest and wetlands terrain.

Limited to:

Tier 5: river valley, floodplains, grassland

Tier 4: mountain valley, plateau

Tier 3: hills

Tier 2: steppe, desert, small islands/rocky coast

Tier 1: mountains, karst terrain

Requirements: all of these must hold before this level can be built.

• Government Building (Dependency, Indirect Rule, Direct Rule or Homeland)
• Only one farm building allowed
• The region's terrain is not Forest or Wetlands
• The region's climate is not Sub artic, Alpine, Oceanic, Temperate or Continental
• The region's water source is River, Springs, Lake or Oasis

What it does

• +2 farming level
• -1 taxable income

Basin Irrigation (Crops)

Using basins to flood and fertilize fields boosts crop yields

As water is plentiful in this region, our farmers have begun to construct embankments around fields nearest to rivers to create basins that can be strategically flooded. Certain crops like wheat, barley and pulses thrive when they get their feet wet. The water streaming into these basins also deposits river silt, fertilizing the fields. While these basins produce food crops in bulk, higher lying fields are used for other crops. The embankments are vulnerable to erosion and need constant maintenance.

Note: Some levels may have both positive and negative growth modifiers due to modding limitations. All effects apply, so +3 growth and -0.5 growth means +2.5 total growth.

Strategy

Irrigated farming is one of the best farming options in terms of growth potential and income. Every level slightly increases maintenance costs (tax penalty). Its farming bonus (+1 = +80 income on average & +0.5 growth) is increased if the region has grain resource, and sulphur has the same effect on tiers 3-5. Irrigated farming offers a trade bonus for cash crops (fruits, olives, grapes, papyrus, cotton, flax, dates), increased at tier 5. At tiers 4-5, the slave trade hub resource enables a tax bonus.

Availability

Irrigated farming is available only in regions with water sources (river, lake, springs, oasis). Not available in sub-arctic, alpine, oceanic, temperate and continental climates. Also not available in forest and wetlands terrain.

Limited to:

Tier 5: river valley, floodplains, grassland

Tier 4: mountain valley, plateau

Tier 3: hills

Tier 2: steppe, desert, small islands/rocky coast

Tier 1: mountains, karst terrain

Requirements: all of these must hold before this level can be built.

• Government Building (Dependency, Indirect Rule, Direct Rule or Homeland)
• Only one farm building allowed
• The region's terrain is not Forest, Wetlands, Mountains or Karst terrain
• The region's climate is not Sub artic, Alpine, Oceanic, Temperate or Continental
• The region's water source is River, Springs, Lake or Oasis

What it does

• -2 taxable income

Canal Network (Crops)

A large canal network enables large-scale agriculture

The state has decreed that new irrigation works be put into place in this region. With this support, a network of canals has been built beyond anything the farmers could have managed on their own. Not any one person understands the full workings of the great network of dikes, sluices, and embankments. Our waterworks have evolved from a humble ditch into a symbol of the power of the state. And also much like the state, it has grown very expensive to maintain.

Note: Some levels may have both positive and negative growth modifiers due to modding limitations. All effects apply, so +3 growth and -0.5 growth means +2.5 total growth.

Strategy

Irrigated farming is one of the best farming options in terms of growth potential and income. Every level slightly increases maintenance costs (tax penalty). Its farming bonus (+1 = +80 income on average & +0.5 growth) is increased if the region has grain resource, and sulphur has the same effect on tiers 3-5. Irrigated farming offers a trade bonus for cash crops (fruits, olives, grapes, papyrus, cotton, flax, dates), increased at tier 5. At tiers 4-5, the slave trade hub resource enables a tax bonus.

Availability

Irrigated farming is available only in regions with water sources (river, lake, springs, oasis). Not available in sub-arctic, alpine, oceanic, temperate and continental climates. Also not available in forest and wetlands terrain.

Limited to:

Tier 5: river valley, floodplains, grassland

Tier 4: mountain valley, plateau

Tier 3: hills

Tier 2: steppe, desert, small islands/rocky coast

Tier 1: mountains, karst terrain

Requirements: all of these must hold before this level can be built.

• Government Building (Dependency, Indirect Rule, Direct Rule or Homeland)
• Only one farm building allowed
• The region's terrain is not Forest, Wetlands, Mountains, Karst terrain, Steppe, Desert or Small islands and rocky coast
• The region's climate is not Sub artic, Alpine, Oceanic, Temperate or Continental
• The region's water source is River, Springs, Lake or Oasis

What it does

• -3 taxable income

Irrigation Aqueducts (Crops)

Irrigation aqueducts support burgeoning estates

Though our waterworks were already extensive, good land remained underutilised just beyond the reach of canal, sluice and waterwheel. To properly exploit this outlying land, advanced engineering was required. Aqueducts were raised to tap into even more sources of freshwater and bring it where it was lacking. The fields are increasingly worked by slaves who also maintain the vast structures watering the land.

Note: Some levels may have both positive and negative growth modifiers due to modding limitations. All effects apply, so +3 growth and -0.5 growth means +2.5 total growth.

Strategy

Irrigated farming is one of the best farming options in terms of growth potential and income. Every level slightly increases maintenance costs (tax penalty). Its farming bonus (+1 = +80 income on average & +0.5 growth) is increased if the region has grain resource, and sulphur has the same effect on tiers 3-5. Irrigated farming offers a trade bonus for cash crops (fruits, olives, grapes, papyrus, cotton, flax, dates), increased at tier 5. At tiers 4-5, the slave trade hub resource enables a tax bonus.

Availability

Irrigated farming is available only in regions with water sources (river, lake, springs, oasis). Not available in sub-arctic, alpine, oceanic, temperate and continental climates. Also not available in forest and wetlands terrain.

Limited to:

Tier 5: river valley, floodplains, grassland

Tier 4: mountain valley, plateau

Tier 3: hills

Tier 2: steppe, desert, small islands/rocky coast

Tier 1: mountains, karst terrain

Requirements: all of these must hold before this level can be built.

• Government Building (Dependency, Indirect Rule, Direct Rule or Homeland)
• Only one farm building allowed
• The region's terrain is not Forest, Wetlands, Mountains, Karst terrain, Steppe, Desert, Small islands and rocky coast or Hills
• The region's climate is not Sub artic, Alpine, Oceanic, Temperate or Continental
• The region's water source is River, Springs, Lake or Oasis
• You play a Roman, Iranian, Egyptian, Western Hellenistic, Eastern Hellenistic, Indian, Phoenician, Anatolian (other than Paphlagonia) or Greek (other than Greek City States) faction, or Paeonia, Bithynia, Cabyle, Odrysian Kingdom, Kush, Nigirians, Armenia, Armenia Minor, Colchians, Iberians, Sophene, Commagene, Carmo, Asta, Arse or Chorasmia

What it does

• -4 taxable income

Irrigated Great Estates (Crops)

Vast, slave-worked estates that are highly productive but cause social unrest

Over time these lands have needed much investment to make them truly profitable, and so those who can invest the most have come to acquire the land. Here on their great Latifundia, our elites see their wealth increase, thanks to thousands of slaves labouring well-watered fields stretching to the horizon. The overseers have become experts in disciplining slaves and maintaining the irrigation works built over generations. The dispossessed farmers have had no choice but to seek employment in the cities.

Note: Some levels may have both positive and negative growth modifiers due to modding limitations. All effects apply, so +3 growth and -0.5 growth means +2.5 total growth.

Strategy

Irrigated farming is one of the best farming options in terms of growth potential and income, though potential is limited for factions unable to build great estates. Every level slightly increases maintenance costs (tax penalty). Its farming bonus (+1 = +80 income on average & +0.5 growth) is increased if the region has grain resource, and sulphur has the same effect on tiers 3-5. Irrigated farming offers a trade bonus for cash crops (fruits, olives, grapes, papyrus, cotton, flax, dates), increased at tier 5. At tiers 4-5, the slave trade hub resource enables a tax bonus.

Availability

Irrigated farming is available only in regions with water sources (river, lake, springs, oasis). Not available in sub-arctic, alpine, oceanic, temperate and continental climates. Also not available in forest and wetlands terrain.

Limited to:

Tier 5: river valley, floodplains, grassland

Tier 4: mountain valley, plateau

Tier 3: hills

Tier 2: steppe, desert, small islands/rocky coast

Tier 1: mountains, karst terrain

Requirements: all of these must hold before this level can be built.

• Government Building (Dependency, Indirect Rule, Direct Rule or Homeland)
• Only one farm building allowed
• The region's terrain is not Forest, Wetlands, Mountains, Karst terrain, Steppe, Desert, Small islands and rocky coast, Hills, Mountain valley or Plateau
• The region's climate is not Sub artic, Alpine, Oceanic, Temperate or Continental
• The region's water source is River, Springs, Lake or Oasis
• You play a Roman, Iranian, Egyptian, Western Hellenistic, Eastern Hellenistic, Indian, Phoenician, Anatolian (other than Paphlagonia) or Greek (other than Greek City States) faction, or Paeonia, Bithynia, Cabyle, Odrysian Kingdom, Kush, Nigirians, Armenia, Armenia Minor, Colchians, Iberians, Sophene, Commagene, Carmo, Asta, Arse or Chorasmia

What it does

• -1 population growth
• -2 public order (happiness)

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