(I think this is the correct place to put this)



I've played quite a few times through and I really like glassteel for weapons and armor since it usually has the highest attack and defense with an initiative bonus. By the time I get to era 3 though unless I completed a quest that gives level 3 glassteel armor and weapons I use palladian for the weapons and glassteel for the armor still since palladian provides good attack but it also doesn't provide any other benefit (and I never use iron weapons or armor unless I have to). As brokes lords I once used level 3 glassteel for weapon half the armor and level 2 dust armor for the other half since it increases the unit's health.



Since all my units use glassteel for weapons and armor (the majority of the time) I end up having to spend 12+ glassteel per unit, which really hurts my glassteel supply and unit production. I know I can buy it from the market but that still doesn't last very long.



Also I haven't really experienced/used much of the other strategic resources I didn't mention.



Here is my questions:

1. the title question (to start with): What is the best strategic resource for weapons and armor? and why? (easy to get, best attack and/or defense and/or bonuses, etc?)

2. Would you advise using a combination of resources so that the unit resource cost is lower than 12+ of one resource per unit? if so which ones?

3. Is there any way to increase resource production (besides using vaulter's affinity or governors or Silic minor faction's ability)?

4. Would you advise assimilating the Silics to get more resources? I read in another topic most people should use minor factions to get a different unit class then offered to them for the faction they're playing as.

5. I've thought of using titanium for weapons and armor if I have little or no glassteel, but titanium has a lower attack and defense than iron although it does have a critical bonus, is that worth it?

6. What accessories do you typically give to units and heroes?

7. When playing as vaulter's what resource do you make their affinity? and is that different from what you normally use for units weapons and armor since it's used for their special buildings?



(I might add more questions as I think of them)

in general at the beginning of the game, you and most everyone else starts with iron, and its all you need until you hit era 2, I skip Tier 1 Glassteel and Titanium weapons and armor tech, because i dont have enough of those resources in the 1st era to do much with them. In Era 2 definitely get tier 2 weapons and Armor, by then you should have enough. Glassteel is superior it offers higher damage and an initiative bonus. Titanium gives a smaller defense and damage bonus than glassteel, but it adds a critical damage bonus that can allow for them to give higher damage than glassteel can do. But i should note that you dont always get the Critical damage, its a gamble that can pay off. Glassteel is better because of initiative bonus, but if all you got is titanium then use it, if you got both metal use both. depending on the unit typically I give my units a glassteel weapon and body armor with titanium helmet and boots. If the unit im equipping is a special support unit(Dust Bishop) or a minor village tank(like harmonites) Ill give them all Glassteel so they can "go first" in combat and get their damage in or cast their effect first



Era 3 metal Adamant and Palladian are tricky, Adamant Weapons give a defense bonus and their armor has a high defense rating, Palladian Weapons have a high damage rating and Palladian armor gives a damage bonus. right now i just dont bother with them, but i do research Adamant and Palladian filigree they add some nifty bonuses



Era 4 opens up Dust Weapons and Armor, which give health bonuses

Hyperium Weapons and armor are like a supercharged Titanium

Mithrite weapons and armor are like super charged versions of Glassteel



as for your questions:

1. see above

2. nope use what you got, you dont have to upgrade everything at once you can do it in steps, add armor, then helmet and boots

3. Silics are the best, but their is a special quest that will give an advanced resource extractor for strategic metals, but its a much rarer that the quest that gives you double on the luxury rWould you advise assimilating the Silicsesources, Ive only gotten it once during the 4.5 build and haven't seen it since.

4. It depends on the faction im playing, but if i have Silics in my starting region or next door i try to make peace with them ASAP the sooner you get them the better,

5. explained above

6. depends on faction, its a little gamey but if you extra accessory slot and the quest that unlocks tier 3 filigree you can equip your heroes with all three lvls of glassteel tomes for mad Dust or all three titanium gives massive science bonuses in cities, I might give glassteel rings to my unitsfor added speed, Dust filigree necklace gives a life leech ability, the palladian necklace gives regeneration, but its like only 2 life per combat phase and only if they attack

7. which ever one i have the most of.

@JErosion thank you very much. I never research weapons or armor until era 2 either and I kinda got from what you said that mixing weapon and armor resource types is better than all of the same material.



EDIT: After playing through the game again as Vaulters I had a combination of tier 2 glassteel weapon and shield with a combination of glassteel, adamant, and titanium armor. Glassteel for the initiative bonus, adamant for defense, and titanium for the critical bonus. It worked very well and didn't use a ton of any one resource. In era 3, tier 2 glassteel weapons still had the highest attack than any other weapon though (but I also didn't have access to palladian in that particular game).



(btw how do I change the prefix of the original post from "unanswered" to "answered")