Iron works

A useful multiplier for iron production, but only when you already have enough mines through which the bonus is actually reflected.

Quick overview

Max level	10
Size	6×9
Priority	Later on

The Ironworks itself does not extract anything - it is a passive booster that increases the production of all your iron mines in the castle. It works as a multiplier: the more iron mines you have, the greater the bonus from the Ironworks in absolute numbers. You will always need iron for soldiers, tools, and buildings, so the ability to boost production without having to add another mining building is useful. Just keep in mind that without mines, from which the bonus is calculated, the Ironworks is useless.

When to build it

Build it when you already have more iron mines in the castle and you start running into a shortage. As one of the first buildings, it doesn't make sense - as long as you have one or two mines, the bonus is tiny. Once iron starts to hinder troop recruitment or construction, it's time. If you are not focusing on iron and are rather going for wood or taking resources from other sources, feel free to postpone it for later.

Is it worth upgrading?

Upgrading is worthwhile in proportion to how many iron mines you have and what levels they are - the bonus is distributed through them. Gradually push the Ironworks up as your iron production increases, not jumping ahead. It takes up 6×9 tiles, which is quite a lot of space, so plan where you will place it in the castle. Save the last few levels up to the maximum of 10 for the phase when your castle is otherwise finished and you are fine-tuning production to the maximum.

Pro player tipConsider the Ironworks and iron mines as one package - always ask yourself if the next level of the Ironworks will give you more iron, or if you would rather build another mine. Given its size of 6×9, it's worth thinking ahead about the placement, as such space is harder to find than it seems. The Ironworks pays off fully only in the phase when you have a lot of mines and want to squeeze the maximum out of the castle without adding more mining buildings.

Common mistakeThe most common mistake is to build the Ironworks early as a stockpile and then wonder why nothing has changed - the percentage from small production is almost zero. Another classic is to push it to a high level while only having a few iron mines in the castle. The bonus is calculated from the production of the mines, so without them, you are investing into nothing and your money and time will not be returned.

Related buildings

Cargo ship

Marketplace

Auxiliaries' headquarters

Dwelling

Construction crane

Palace

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