How to maximize coal production

[Vernis]

Well, at level 31 I just completed my first big upgrade to support a level 2 steel weapon smith. It's really deceptive because you think all you need to do is get the buildings balanced, but then you have to factor in the added cost of rebuilding mines, which means you need a much bigger supply of tools, which means you need more coal for tool production (more bronze) so you have to add that to what you need for just the new steel alone. I'll post the steel thing elsewhere.

For coal, I currently generate just over 4k coal every 12 hours and that just barely covers my need: 2 steel weaponsmith, 2 bronze weaponsmith, 4 tool makers and the iron and bronze smelting needed for all that. I don't make Iron weapons any more, and gold is still too expensive to get into yet.

Here's what I have (recyclers are the same output as cokers)

10 cokers total (2 lvl 3, 2 lvl 2)
5 recyclers (1 lvl 3, 1 lvl 2)
3 coal mines (all lvl 1)

I experimented with more coal mines and leveling them up to have less cokers, but the drain on tools was too high for me. Rebuilding iron mines is a big drain on tools already for me. Also, spured by the Christmas thing, I just switched over two cokers to recyclers which freed up a TON of building licenses, so right now I'm good. I know I could up my coal mine usage, but I'm saving that coal mining capacity for when I start other coal projects like maybe gold coin production.

[jcleaver]

I have 6 level 3 mines, 10 level 4 cokers, and 3 level 4 recyclers. Now, i do not run the mines at all unless i get in a pinch. Normally i produce 28K per day, and it keeps me stocked. When the gold chain is running, stock will drop a bit; but it recovers quickly enough. I do not run any iron smelters, steel smelters, iron swordsmiths, or steel swordsmiths at all.

It does require a lot of foresters and pice cutters; but since I don't use a lot of pinewood planks anymore, I don't have very many sawmills.

[WellFedHobo]

Get reyclers, 1 is available now for this xmas event.

[Anax_Basileus]

I have the 6 coal mines upgraded to level 2 each time (I also occasionally buff them) + five level 4 coking plants and one level 3 as well as a level 3 recycler.

My total coal production all buffed is 15022 / 12 hrs

Unforunately I use 12k coal per 12 hours while my gold chain is running. Not sure what it is without.

If you have the extra tools it is always good to upgrade the mines, but I wouldn't go past level 2.

If you still have a coal shortage, like others have suggested, build more coking plants.

If you need more pinewood logs, just build more cutters and upgrade them. I have to occasionally buff my cutters to make sure I have enough logs to burn.

Suffice it to say, with mainly level 4 cutters, buffing them for a couple of hours with some sams once every day or two isn't so bad. I can easily manage to keep my warehouse near full capacity for both logs and coal.

Hope this is helpful.