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KrahlKrahl January 24 Permalink Edit
Early on, the Training Ground serves only one major function--getting those level 1 and 2 troops you have left up to the highest level you can make them. The cost of upgrading those troops is equal to the difference between making those troops at those levels. For instance, if it costs 100 iron to make a level 1 troop but 400 iron to make a level 6 troop, each one that is upgraded will cost you the difference--300 iron. When making troops at the same time as upgrading others, this gets pricey, and farming your neighbors for resources isn't just recommended, it's required.
Until you have a decent resource system worked out, there is no need to advance your Training Ground beyond level 5. It adds a hefty amount of population that continues to grow as the Training Grounds do and that only hurts your food production. The increase in population is not important. It merely makes you look bigger, but is meaningless.
Later on, the Training Ground can become an invaluable tool for fast troop production. You can use it in conjunction with the barracks to rapidly produce a large army. The trick is to build all level 1 or 2 troops in the barracks and send them for training at the same time. level 1 troops will spit out quickly, even faster if your forge and stable are at high levels. Once the troops are produced, send them to the Training Grounds to be upgraded to the highest level attainable. When the two work together like this, your army will grow rapidly. This would be the ideal time to have a high level Training Ground as higher levels mean faster operation. The drawback to the plan is that you will accomplish nothing else for the entire day because you must farm the entire time or else you will run out of resources and all operations will cease. The faster your production, the more likely it is that you will run dry.
If during a war you find yourself short on troops, this method is your greatest means to recovery. Generally, it is best to simply produce the highest level troops to begin with, but desperate times call for desperate measures. To get back in the fight quickly, high level Training Grounds, stable, forge and a great farming system, are the keys to survival.
