How to make money as High Elves
High Elves's fastest-paying building in Total War: Warhammer III is the Gold Mining Pit (Gold Mining, level 1): 1,000 gold for +300 gold a turn, its cost back in 3.3 turns once built. The most gold from one building slot is the Mint at +600 a turn (6,000 gold to build the chain that far, back in 10 turns). 14 High Elves building levels make flat income, patch 9.0.4.
Fastest payback
Turns of income to earn the building's cost back (each chain's fastest level).
- 1
Gold Mining PitGold Mining 1 · 1,000 gold → +300 a turn · Region with the resource3.3turns - 2
Elven FairgroundIndustry 3 · 2,000 gold → +300 a turn · Any settlement6.7turns - 3
HarbourPort 2 · 4,000 gold → +300 a turn · Port settlement13.3turns - 4
AmphitheatreEntertainment 5 · 5,000 gold → +240 a turn · Any settlement20.8turns
Most gold per building slot
Income of each chain's top level; the line shows that level's own cost.
- 1MintGold Mining 3 · 3,000 gold → +600 a turn · Region with the resource+600a turn
- 2SeaportPort 3 · 8,000 gold → +500 a turn · Port settlement+500a turn
- 3Elven FairgroundIndustry 3 · 2,000 gold → +300 a turn · Any settlement+300a turn
- 4AmphitheatreEntertainment 5 · 5,000 gold → +240 a turn · Any settlement+240a turn
COMPUTEDIncome = the level's flat gold per turn (the game's “Income generated” effects on the building itself, table building_effects_junction) minus its upkeep (building_levels.upkeep_cost). Payback = cost (create_cost) ÷ income. Upgrade payback = the level's cost ÷ the income it adds over the level below. “Gold back by turn” = build turns (create_time) + payback, counted from the order. Chain total = every level's cost up to this one, and its payback = that total ÷ income. Patch 9.0.4.
ASSUMPTIONS
- Base values: technologies, lord skills, commandments, campaign difficulty and faction effects that change income or building costs are not counted.
- Percentage boosts (“+4% income from all buildings in the province”, “+20% (local region)”) are not in the payback: they depend on the buildings they boost. They are listed below with the income those buildings need to make.
- Conditional income (“When Control is 75 or more”, “When enemy Lord is present”…) is not counted; listed below in the game's words.
- Resource buildings need a region with that resource; ports need a port settlement. A slot can hold one building, so late in a campaign gold per slot matters more than payback.
Every High Elves building that makes gold (14)
| # | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gold Mining Pit | Gold Mining | 1 | 1,000 | 2 | 300 | 3.30 | — | 5.30 | Region with the resource |
| 2 | Gold Mine | Gold Mining | 2 | 2,000 | 3 | 450 | 4.40 | 13.30 | 7.40 | Region with the resource |
| 3 | Mint | Gold Mining | 3 | 3,000 | 4 | 600 | 5 | 20 | 9 | Region with the resource |
| 4 | Elven Fairground | Industry | 3 | 2,000 | 3 | 300 | 6.70 | 20 | 9.70 | Any settlement |
| 5 | Elven Artisan | Industry | 2 | 1,500 | 2 | 200 | 7.50 | 15 | 9.50 | Any settlement |
| 6 | Elven Craftsman | Industry | 1 | 1,000 | 1 | 100 | 10 | — | 11 | Any settlement |
| 7 | Harbour | Port | 2 | 4,000 | 4 | 300 | 13.30 | 20 | 17.30 | Port settlement |
| 8 | Seaport | Port | 3 | 8,000 | 6 | 500 | 16 | 40 | 22 | Port settlement |
| 9 | Docks | Port | 1 | 2,000 | 2 | 100 | 20 | — | 22 | Port settlement |
| 10 | Promenade | Entertainment | 3 | 2,500 | 3 | 120 | 20.80 | 83.30 | 23.80 | Any settlement |
| 11 | Amphitheatre | Entertainment | 5 | 5,000 | 5 | 240 | 20.80 | 83.30 | 25.80 | Any settlement |
| 12 | Colonnade | Entertainment | 2 | 2,000 | 2 | 90 | 22.20 | 66.70 | 24.20 | Any settlement |
| 13 | Theatre | Entertainment | 4 | 4,000 | 4 | 180 | 22.20 | 66.70 | 26.20 | Any settlement |
| 14 | Plaza | Entertainment | 1 | 1,500 | 1 | 60 | 25 | — | 26 | Any settlement |
Main building levels
Settlement upgrades make gold too, but they also cost growth (population surplus) and open building slots, so payback alone undersells them. Province capitals and minor settlements are separate chains.
Conditional income
- Elven Craftsman (Industry 1): +50 a turn — When Control is 75 or more
- Elven Artisan (Industry 2): +100 a turn — When Control is 75 or more
- Elven Fairground (Industry 3): +150 a turn — When Control is 75 or more
- Plaza (Entertainment 1): +30 a turn — When Control is 75 or more
- Colonnade (Entertainment 2): +45 a turn — When Control is 75 or more
- Promenade (Entertainment 3): +60 a turn — When Control is 75 or more
- Theatre (Entertainment 4): +90 a turn — When Control is 75 or more
- Amphitheatre (Entertainment 5): +120 a turn — When Control is 75 or more
Every level's full effects: High Elves buildings.