Your economy updates every tick. What you gain is rounded down; what you pay (gold or materials for building, exploring, training, upgrades, generals, mercenaries and rites) is rounded up, so ten small orders never cost less than one big one. Modifiers from your race and personality on the same stat add together, then multiply the base amount (for example +5% and +10% give ×1.15).
Income
Gold each tick = peasants × 2 × your income modifier (banks raise it), plus what your banks make. Your state then takes its tax (2% unless your leader changes it) for the state treasury. Then your troops take their wages.
Food
Food grown each tick = what your farms grow (times building efficiency) plus 2 for each barren acre, times your food production modifier.
Food eaten each tick = people × 0.25 × your food consumption modifier. People means peasants plus every troop: at home, away, or in training. Races with no_food eat nothing.
If food runs out, it stays at zero and your house starves each tick until it recovers: you lose 1% of your peasants, 3% of your soldiers, 2% of your specialists and thieves (with their upgrades) and 1% of your elites at home, and no new peasants are born. Your news tells you each tick.
Population
Your land holds the living space of every building (see Buildings; homes hold the most), plus 15 people per barren acre and 15 per acre under construction, times your population modifier.
Troops take up that room too. Peasants, troops at home, away and in training (thieves included), medics and adepts all count. Scientists, generals and academics don't. Adepts come out of your peasants and keep their room, so drawing them frees none. If people outnumber the room, peasants leave at once.
- Below that, peasants grow by 3% a tick (at least 1), up to the limit.
- Above it, for example after losing land, peasants leave until you are back at the limit.