Darielle
Chef, Scroll-Keeper, and Buddy Fan Club Member
Your AW tile footprint is the same as mine (8%) but your city has 30% more expansions than mine. Please realize that, as you add battle AWs to your city you are increasing your battle costs while increasing your battle strength - probably a neutral strategy; one keeps pace with the other. But you are adding AW levels that will further increase your catering costs without amplifying your resources. It is quite possible that the course upon which you are now embarking will require you to move from 50-50 to 40-60 or more. You might be pushing yourself to be more battle intensive by making catering still more expensive. So why not sell most of your nonmilitary AW and move to battle without the added costs?
Alternatively...
I have never experienced the style of resource management that you have pursued, so my understanding is limited. But, as an alternative to developing battle strength, tune up the resource AWs. If I were to try it for myself I might sell the PoP and acquire ETC, BTG, possibly CL(GBS).
There is a strategy that makes harvesting resources from the wholesaler really cheap and cost effective but it requires keeping a 700% culture bonus which requires an LGN and 200-300 neighborly visits per day.
If you are able to maintain a 50-50 strategy that works for you, please let us know.
As mentioned in the OP, I have been a half/half kind of player but now I am leaning towards fighting. The half/half approach is not really sustainable in Chapter 17, given the costs ... I'm sorry if I didn't make myself clear in the opening post. But yes, it's a given that I can no longer sustain half/half. That's why I need the advice on building the military side.
Thanks for the thoughts on the AW wonders and their effects. That is something very much to consider and you offer a great deal of food for thought.
Yes, we are very different. As far as I'm concerned, the PoP is one of the most valuable wonders I have. With it, I can do with four workshops what others might need a dozen to accomplish. There's never a day when I don't get tons of goods from the wholesaler just with the excess supplies I acquire thanks to the PoP. The PoP is probably the reason I was able to cater for as long as I have. It works well with my higher level BTG to make the wholesaler affordable.
EDIT: Ooops ... didn't realize you meant Pyramid of Purification. I thought you were talking about Prosperity Towers. My bad! But I would never get rid of the PoP ... love love love getting sentient goods with my tons of orc nests. Yes, it really does depend on how people play ... without a ton of orc nests, the PoP is less important. And if you're not into sentients yet, that makes a difference too. Believe me, in Chapter 16 that was a lifesaver. That chapter requires more orcs than any other, I believe, so why not get sentients while building a ton of orc nests.
As far as Crystal Lighthouse goes, I had it once. It was my least favorite wonder and I sold it as not being worth the footprint. So yes, different strokes for different folks! But I will consider the addition of the ETC you mention. Thanks.