Simply put, more gold grinders = more sustainability. Larger clans = larger footprint to work from and easier logistics.
That, obviously, is true (except for the
logistics part - managing large clan is more difficult and more time consuming than a small one).
You have touched a very interesting subject. Our almighty chadz, with all his dislike for grinders, created two fantastic games for grinders - cRPG (level up, level up!) and Strategus (more troops, more gold, more eq, more fiefs!). The grinding side of cRPG was limited already. Now the time has come for Strategus.
As I understand it, the point of all most recent changes is to limit ability of the large clans to use whatever such clans can work out and grow until they reach natural opponent, which is devastating for small clans and freelancers. To increase the power of such small clans and freelancers. Thus - enabling raid capabilities by dramatic change of wages for troop is field and in location (btw - it hits freelancers more than clans,a as the latter have the place to hide the troops).
Removal of the cash from the system limits the ability to
maintain troops and
equip troops. For everyone. What will have to happen now is cutting down grinding side of the game. That can be done by sort of softcapping amounts of troops and gold. That can be achieved by creating sinks for money (wages and eq costs) and tickets (battles!) and by
progressive increase of the costs of holding, moving, equipping etc. vast amounts of tickets and gold. That is why chadz is a "pow lover".
As I see it, the removal of the cash from the system is a shortcut, a temporary solution. If we were to start fresh after wipe out, the current map would look entirely different with new set of rules... with more clans present, I guess.
The new idea (see OP) aims in limiting ability to
move large amounts of troops. I also agree that Plazek's idea is better for getting that done. However, by splitting the moving troops armies are more vulnerable for attack and require greater co-ordination - and that means opportunity for small clans and freelancers, as well as and some job for players... in theory. In practice - more micromanagement by clan leaders and... nolife'ing (lol)!
The longer I think about it - balancing this thing is a bitch. There is a loooong way to introduce sensible economy (like producing, buying and selling stuff) to Strategus if we think about stuff like this.
PS. Idea for another sink for the gold: maintenance, or repair costs of the equipment held by the army, works similar way as the regular wages for troops, but is directly related to property, not troops.
ooops...
