The combat in the game is simple but effective. It's not a bad system, per se, it's just frustrating at times. Because of the fact that you can only build near your established buildings, it's often the case that you have to stretch out your town to get in a position to reach the very resources you need to build your town up in the first place. The nature of the areas-of-effect encourages growth (by spreading resources around the map) but also demands close-in urbanization (by requiring you to cluster your houses around facilities). In fact, the development of the city is often the biggest hindrance to the city. The fact that you can only build a short distance away from your current settlement prevents you from pre-planning where you'll need entertainment buildings or temples before you start building houses - and the effects of not having entertainment are immediate once those houses are plopped down, as the many riots my cities went through can attest to.
The problem with these areas-of-effect is that it's remarkably easy, given their shape, for buildings to get stuck with partial coverage. Therefore, based on upkeep and the expanding size of your city, you have to maintain a balance between population and facilities. A brickmaker produces 20 bricks, while the average house uses up one unit of bricks. Some buildings produce global resources that are added to an overall stockpile that are then used by other buildings. A food storehouse will only feed people within its area of effect, and so on. For example, if you put down an apartment complex, the inhabitants of that apartment will only staff a building within the circle. In short, each building has a circle around it showing the buildings that it will influence. Unlike Caesar, which relied on a road-based infrastructure (everyone has to walk on roads, things travel to and from buildings), Grand Ages uses areas of effect. Providing citizens with food, entertainment, and religious fulfillment are as important as keeping your resources in order. Grand Ages is a game where you build an ancient Roman city and must keep it operational and successful against adversities and invaders. Rise from the humble role of a simple mayor governing a small settlement and rule over all of Europe.A Roman city-building sim in the vein of such classics as the Caesar series, Grand Ages: Rome has an intriguing premise and workable gameplay, but falls short in other areas. Lead your people and advance through the decades by utilising construction, research, expansion and conquest in an area extending from Scandinavia and North Africa to Portugal, the Caucasus and the Middle East.
Grand Ages: Medieval is a real-time strategy game from Gaming Minds. Found new cities, progress your nation with inventive technology and protect your trade routes against barbarian attacks until you are powerful enough to begin your conquest over Europe and forge a bold new empire. Explore a vast world, gather resources, encounter other societies and use your trading expertise to expand and make your fortune. As the head of one of these small settlements, it falls upon you to lead your people towards greatness.
New frontiers are explored, settlements founded and vast trading routes established.
At the beginning of the High Middle Ages, development in Europe has seen an unprecedented level of progress and a rapidly growing population spreads across the length and breadth of the continent.