Roads (15)

Learn about Imperial Roads in Rise of the Samurai for Total War: Rome II. Boost army movement, town growth, and replenishment, but consider the cost.

Hey there! So, you're looking at building some roads in the Rise of the Samurai campaign for Total War: Rome II? Let's talk about the Imperial Roads chain.

These are a pretty neat infrastructure upgrade. Think of them as the ultimate road network, complete with watchtowers. They're designed to really speed up your armies and agents moving around the map. Plus, they give a nice boost to your province's economy and help your units recover faster when they're near the front lines. The guard stations are a nice touch too, making it harder for enemy agents to sneak around unnoticed.

To get started with Imperial Roads, you'll need to have already built the Post Road and Stations. It'll set you back 3840 gold and take 6 turns to construct.

Here's what you get:

• +15 per turn to town growth from infrastructure in the province.
• +10% to the replenishment rate in the province.
• Movement speed is increased by 60% on imperial roads.

Now, let's break down what that really means. Imperial Roads add an extra +5 per turn to town growth, +5% to replenishment, and +10% movement rate on top of what the Post Road and Stations already give you. That extra 10% movement speed might not sound like a lot, but combined with the Post Road bonus, it's usually enough for most armies and agents to zip across even the biggest provinces in just a turn or two. It's pretty handy!

However, that town growth bonus is a bit of a tough sell. If we're looking at the default tax rate of 30%, these roads will take about 78 turns to pay for themselves. That's longer than pretty much any other building in the game, so it's not the best economic investment.

Where they really shine is that 5% increase to replenishment. If you've got a province that's close to where the action is, building these roads can be super useful for keeping your armies topped up and ready for battle. So, while they might not be the best for making money, they're definitely worth considering for military reasons, especially in key strategic locations. Just keep an eye on that cost versus the benefit for your specific situation!