One of the most crucial elements to winning the game is building an economy that can fund your research and unit production. Building up your Industry is key, but which ones to focus on might not be as obvious.
The immediate reaction is to build up your urban centers, with the logic being that you are increasing an already large number 6,000 vs 1,500 base production). The part that you also need consider is the percentage increase that is being applied. I'll explain, with the assumption that it's a core province and is maxed at 100% morale in all cases, receiving maximum return. For simplicity, I will omit money from the equation as well, focusing strictly on resources.
To build level one industry, you need 3,200 resources (1,200 oil, 900 metal, 1,100 rare). In return, you'll receive 10% (600/day) in urban provinces and 35% (525/day) in other provinces. That means it will take 5.33 days to get back 3,200 in urban, 6.10 in others. Advantage urban.
But when you go to level 2, it begins to shift. This time, a total of 4,250 resources are required (1,600 oil, 1,200 metal, 1,450 rare). This time you'll gain another 15% in your urban province (an additional 900/day), while your other provinces will improve an additional 65% (925/day). Add those together, and you are getting a net return of 1,500 resources per day in either case. At level 3, the total increase in urban centers is 2,700 resources, just 90% of the additional 3,000 you'd get at your other provinces.
Obviously urban province can then go to levels 4 and 5, giving you a grand total of 6,000 more every day (for an additional 17,700 resources), so those absolutely should get attention. But for early game investment, when resources are limited, every little bit helps.
As you expand, the same principle applies to captured territories. The raw amount won't seem very impressive (a maxed out captured urban province pays out just 3,000 resources daily, non-urban just 1,125), but your actual return on investment is best long-term with non-urban provinces at level three.
The immediate reaction is to build up your urban centers, with the logic being that you are increasing an already large number 6,000 vs 1,500 base production). The part that you also need consider is the percentage increase that is being applied. I'll explain, with the assumption that it's a core province and is maxed at 100% morale in all cases, receiving maximum return. For simplicity, I will omit money from the equation as well, focusing strictly on resources.
To build level one industry, you need 3,200 resources (1,200 oil, 900 metal, 1,100 rare). In return, you'll receive 10% (600/day) in urban provinces and 35% (525/day) in other provinces. That means it will take 5.33 days to get back 3,200 in urban, 6.10 in others. Advantage urban.
But when you go to level 2, it begins to shift. This time, a total of 4,250 resources are required (1,600 oil, 1,200 metal, 1,450 rare). This time you'll gain another 15% in your urban province (an additional 900/day), while your other provinces will improve an additional 65% (925/day). Add those together, and you are getting a net return of 1,500 resources per day in either case. At level 3, the total increase in urban centers is 2,700 resources, just 90% of the additional 3,000 you'd get at your other provinces.
Obviously urban province can then go to levels 4 and 5, giving you a grand total of 6,000 more every day (for an additional 17,700 resources), so those absolutely should get attention. But for early game investment, when resources are limited, every little bit helps.
As you expand, the same principle applies to captured territories. The raw amount won't seem very impressive (a maxed out captured urban province pays out just 3,000 resources daily, non-urban just 1,125), but your actual return on investment is best long-term with non-urban provinces at level three.
