Using Upkeep Reduction to Run a Positive Food City

When setting up your city what you build for your resources is something that needs to be considered.  There are two types of set ups that are general recommended for your resources.  The first is a 0 food income city where you specialized in one of the other type of resources.  I explain this type in another blog post.  The other that is using upkeep reduction gear and items to run a positive food city.  

With it addition of upkeep reduction equipment (list included below) you can now field a large army and still have positive food income.  Without these items there is not a way to field the types of army needed to compete and have a positive food income.  

Once you can craft an item that has upkeep reduction you can look to start setting up one of these cities.  An example of one of the items is the Firelords Helm that offers a Upkeep Reduction of 75% and Food Production of 300%.  (This is the helm I currently have)  I also currently only have 1 level 21 Farm and almost 4 million Troops (mostly T4).  When I  activate a 50% upkeep reduction boost I am able to get my food in the positive.  

My City Stats for Food production:

2059% Food Production; 5,181,600/hour
City Capacity is 27,125,000

• The number of farms I have are 12 level 19 and 8 Level 20 and 2 level 21 (working to get these to all level 21)  
• I have the Hell Vent Helm that offers 62% reduction, so I have to run 50% upkeep reduction.
• I also run 25% Food Production increase.
• I have my hero Food Productions and Resource Production maxed with skill points.  
• For gear I currently have all Gold:
• Rabbit Armor with level 4 Luck Gem (151% food production)
• 2 Icarus Wings with 1 level 2 Luck Gem (250% & 252%)
• Boulder Boots with a level 2 Luck Gem (102%)
• Sickle with Level 4 Luck Gem (156%)
• 1 Chalice with Level 2 Luck Gem (127%) (working on another Icarus wing)
• Hell Vent Helm (62% upkeep reduction)
• VIP level 11+38,400
• Research Bonus +211,200

Please note there are other items especially in Magistrate Set Gear that offer better boosts.  This is what I can currently craft.  As I get better gear I will update.  

Once you decided this is the route you want to go you will want to set your city up with farms (with one of each other resource for city upgrade purposes).

Tip:

If you have done so, be sure to take this time to build 10 of each resource building, just to level one, so that you can get the quests for them. After you build 10 of one just destroy all but one and move on with your actual city building. 

The hardest thing with this set up will be to craft the equipment that has the upkeep reduction. Most of these items are part sets and require hard to find items.  Many of the hard to find items are found in packs that you purchase, so if you are not planning on spending a lot of money on the game I would recommend going with the 0 food income city I referenced above.  

Also, many players may need to start with the 0 food income city and then covert to a positive when they get or know they will be getting a item that provides the upkeep reduction.  

List of Equipment that offers Upkeep Reduction:

Executioners Headsack
Blacksmith Goggles
Slayers Charge
Shoguns Elite Kabuto
Hermes Winged Flight
Kunoichis Deceit
Savagers Discovery
Generals Helm
Firelords Helm
Prospectors Helf
Magister Headress
Phoenix Beak Helm
Hell Vent Helm
Helm of Fire
Flame Crested Warhelm
Nikes Wreath