Wealth

Resource Overview

History

Wealth
Basic Resource
Available in	Ancient Age
Found in	Land Water (Fish) Rare Resources
Gathering units	Caravan Fishermen Merchant Citizen (Egyptians and Inca only) Ungarrisoned Barracks units (Americans only)
Gathering buildings	Market Farm (Egyptians only) Mine (Inca only) City (Romans only)
Enhancement building	Temple Pyramids Colossus Taj Mahal

Wealth is one of the six basic resources in Rise of Nations. It is a primary resource used in the production of units, buildings, and technology upgrades.

Wealth is gathered by building Markets and establishing trade routes with Caravans between friendly cities. Some rare resources also add to Wealth production when they have a Merchant harvesting the resource. Researching the Taxation technology line at the Temple allows a nation to gather Wealth based on the size of its territory and it also increases income from rare resources and Fishermen.

Wealth is used throughout the whole game to produce units, research technology, and build structures. The main use for Wealth is in the construction of units and technology upgrades. Wealth tends to replace Food as a staple resource in the late-game, as advanced units and technology require Wealth in place of Food to create.

Gathering Wealth

Trade routes, established and maintained by Caravans, are the primary method of Wealth generation.

• Markets. Each Market increases the gather rate of Wealth by +10. Building the Porcelain Tower increases the income of all Markets by +300%. When completing or razing a Market a small bonus of 30 Wealth is granted.

• Caravans. Caravans generate income by plying trade routes between two cities, which generates a steady source of Wealth once established, making it the primary method of procuring the resource on most circumstances. This income is based on the distance between the two cities, and only one trade route per nation is allowed between two given cities. Caravans are created at a Market, and shortly after creation begin the process of establishing the most lucrative trade route available. Every increase Commerce Research level increases the Caravan limit, and Commerce 3 (Trade) allows trade routes to cities of friendly and allied nations instead of just your own.

• Taxation. Taxation allows you to generate Wealth based on the size of your nation's territory. It also increases income from rare resources (see below) and Fishermen. It needs to be researched at a Temple. When completing or razing a Temple a small bonus of 30 Wealth is granted.

• Plunder. Destroying an enemy Market, Temple, Senate, and University grants 30 Wealth, destroyed enemy Caravans and Supply Wagons grant 50 Wealth, and destroyed enemy Patriots grant 100 Wealth. Enemy Cities grant, among other resources, Wealth when captured, Capitals granting 500. Some enemy Wonders also grant Wealth when destroyed, in proportion to the age they become available: The Colosseum grants 350, the Porcelain Tower 500, Versailles 750, the Statue of Liberty and Taj Mahal 1000, and the Space Program 2000.

Rare resources

Wealth is also produced by a number of rare resources, which can be gathered by sending a Merchant from the Market to the resource location:

• Amber: +10
• Diamonds: +20
• Dye: +10
• Fish: +10
• Gems: +10
• Peacocks: +10
• Silk: +10
• Silver: +10
• Sulphur: +15
• Tobacco: +10

The gather rate of rare resources in friendly (i.e. own and allied) territory can be increased by researching the Taxation line at the Temple (+20%, +50%, +100%, +200%) and by building the Porcelain Tower (+200%).

Nation powers

• The Aztec Power of Sacrifice: Gain 15 bonus resources plunder per age when your Barracks, Stable, and Dock units slay an enemy, up to a maximum of 60 resources, which may include Wealth. Also Plunder given by enemies when destroying enemy buildings is doubled, and can be quadrupled if done within a Despot's radius.
• The British Power of Empire: Commerce Limit for all basic resources is increased by 25%. Taxation upgrades are 50% cheaper, and territory-based Taxation grants double the income.
• The Egyptian Power of the Nile: Farms generate +2 Wealth in addition to Food.
• The Inca Power of Gold: Mines generate Wealth in addition to Metal, and their Commerce Limit for Wealth is increased by 33%.
• The Nubian Power of Trade: Caravan Limit is increased by +1. Merchants, Caravans, and Markets are 10% cheaper and have an additional 50% hit points. They begin with a Market, and can always sell/buy resources with a +20/-20 price bonus, and rare resources (including those that produce Wealth; see above) are gathered 50% faster.
• The Persian Power of Ceremony: Taxation upgrades are granted instantly at no cost, as long as a Temple is built and the prerequisites are met. Caravans are always at their maximum number allowed, being created automatically and for free.
• The Roman Power of Caesar: Cities produce an extra +10 Wealth.
• The Russian Power of the Motherland: Plunder from Russian buildings goes to the Russians, not the enemy who plundered them (Except for Cities).

Wonders

• The Colossus increases the base Wealth gather rate by 30% and the Commerce Limit for Wealth by +50.
• The Pyramids raise the Commerce Limit for Wealth by +50.
• The Taj Mahal increases the base Wealth gather rate by 100% and the Commerce Limit for Wealth by +300.