Farming vs Fishing Guide

By Cherub Krud

Fishing and farming economies offer their own unique perks and flaws. A developed farming economy is comprised of 2 to 4 mills, and 50 to 200 villagers. The farming economy is tougher to stop because, when aided by a few military units, the villagers can defend the fields and the economy. However, the villagers require a food upkeep, which can take a large toll on what they produce by harvesting. A largely farming economy takes up a large space in housing as well, vast amounts of villagers are employed to harvest and they must take the time to build homes as well. Yet the farming economy is comprised of villagers, and those villagers can be easily tasked to chop wood build structures or mine minerals. A developed fishing economy can contain anywhere from 15 to 75 boats all acquiring food at a fast rate. The fishing boats are rather pricey though, with an increasing cost, but this cost can be eliminated by research. The fishing economy is also weak because large enemy ships can simply ram each fishing ship with ease. However, the fishing economy requires no upkeep and each vessel dumps a value of 1000 food into your stockpiles with each return to the shipyard.

Farming

The farming economy is an early game necessity because docks and fishing ships are too pricey to build early. A mill provides quick food with about 30 villagers harvesting there. However, a farming economy must be built up to include over 75 villagers in order to provide enough food for unit training, research, and upkeep.

Food produced per minute by farming with the Manufacture Agriculture Sundry (farming efficiency +100%), Cultivate New Cultures of Wheat (+20% harvest), Carry out Fields’ Meliodration, and the Improve Grain-Crops Treatment (harvesting +140%) upgrades.

40 Villagers provides13668 food
70 Villagers provides19464 food
100 Villagers provides23009 food
150 Villagers provides30675 food
200 Villagers provides36792 food

Forty villagers produce 13668 units of food per minute with their expenses included. However, this is hardly enough villagers to support a large economy as well as an army. Seventy villagers produce more, which can be used for research, but a strong economy requires at least 100 villagers harvesting food. More academy research can increase harvesting and efficiency of your fields which will further and quicken food harvesting,

Fishing

A fishing economy provides large amounts of food very quickly. But the boats come at an increasing price, getting higher with each boat built. Fishing ships need a large space of ocean to do their work, but the food they provide more than eliminates this. Researching new bait and tackle brings the fishing economy’s efficiency up by 100% providing more food faster.

Food produced by fishing with no food upkeep costs

25 boats provides27841 food
40 boats provides35756 food
60 boats provides43650 food

Fish and Farming

A fish and farming mix can bring huge benefits to an economy. With an effective mix, you can reap huge benefits.

Food produced by fishing and farming with the same farming bonuses as shown above

30 villagers, 3 boats provides14149 food
30 villagers, 5 boats provides15575 food
30 villagers, 10 boats provides22535 food
30 villagers, 15 boats provides26189 food
30 villagers, 20 boats provides29041 food
30 villagers, 25 boats provides34245 food
30 villagers, 30 boats provides39929 food

This farming/fishing mix provides much more food than farming or fishing alone. 30 villagers and 3 boats provides more than 40 villagers alone does. A mix of 30 villagers and 15 boats is a good mix for an early economy, this provides enough for an early army and enough to keep on building and researching.

Food produced by fishing and farming with the same farming bonuses as shown above

50 villagers, 3 boats provides16390 food
50 villagers, 5 boats provides18271 food
50 villagers, 7 boats provides22500 food
50 villagers, 10 boats provides28139 food
50 villagers, 15 boats provides34250 food
50 villagers, 20 boats provides38653 food
50 villagers, 25 boats provides41898 food
50 villagers, 30 boats provides46525 food

Having 50 villagers accompanied with 15 boats provides a large amount of food per minute, enough to provide for a large army and the switch to the 18th century.

Food produced by fishing and farming with the same farming bonuses as shown above

100 villagers, 5 boats provides28992 food
100 villagers, 10 boats provides38242 food
100 villagers, 15 boats provides44090 food
100 villagers, 20 boats provides49001 food
100 villagers, 25 boats provides54878 food
100 villagers, 30 boats provides57044 food
100 villagers, 50 boats provides73360 food
100 villagers, 75 boats provides83629 food

In late game situations, 100 villagers and 30 boats provides more than enough food to support armies, and late game researching. An effective mix of both farming and fishing gives a strong and stable economy that only a heavy land and sea strike can decommission.