Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic city growth, production and resource sites
Support armies without starving the next city or spell of income.
Edition covered
The standalone 2003 Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic game. Pictures show Shadow Magic, including its scenario selection and Shadow World. The original Age of Wonders, The Wizards Throne and later sequels have different rules and rosters.
Separate city production from gold
A city has production capacity as well as income. Gold pays for purchases and upkeep, while production determines how quickly a queued unit or building finishes.
| Source | Main contribution | Planning use |
|---|---|---|
| City | Gold, production and recruitment | Develop a protected core |
| Gold mine | Recurring gold income | Fund units and structures |
| Mana node | Magical income | Support spells and summons |
| Housing production | Population growth | Develop a small settlement |
| Merchandise production | Extra gold | Use spare production for income |
Capture economic sites with escorts
Mines and magical nodes expand the economy beyond cities. Clearing a guarded site can be valuable, but compare the expected income with the troops lost taking it.
| Structure | Prerequisite | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Barracks | Village-sized settlement | Basic trained units |
| War Hall | Barracks | Next tier of troops |
| Champions Guild | War Hall | Higher-tier racial troops |
| Builders Hall | Village-sized settlement | Production and engineering units |
| Siege Workshop | Builders Hall | Siege production |
| Masters Guild | Siege Workshop | Advanced engineering support |
Use housing and merchandise deliberately
Housing favors population growth and Merchandise favors income when the city is not building something else. These are active production choices rather than permanent free bonuses.
Read race and terrain together
City race influences available units and special buildings, while surrounding terrain affects development. A conquered city can contribute a useful roster without being identical to your starting city.
City race influences available units and special buildings, while surrounding terrain affects development. A conquered city can contribute a useful roster without being identical to your starting city.
References
| Reference | Website |
|---|---|
| Publisher game and edition listing | store.steampowered.com |
| Original publisher manual appendix | www.scribd.com |
| Shadow Magic strategy reference | gamefaqs.gamespot.com |