Ok, with the current choices that are winning, we'll have the following stats before we make our action choices next turn - note I'm presuming the Hero is dead by next turn or that we'll at least have action control:
5[+4] Diplomacy
2[-1] Econ
4{5} Martial
8 Econ Expansion (assuming True City procs for the econ we're sending the MWs)
7 or 10 Art (too close to call currently)
7 Mysticism
Now we don't know at this time how many Library actions we've even taken (probably 3 according to
@Abby Normal 's calculation), much less how many more we'll need to complete it (4 to 6 is the total), and thus no idea how many actions the provinces will spend on Megaprojects next turn. But for simplicity I'm going to assume that they do 3 main megaproject support actions next turn. Without considering our own actions, that would leave us during the next midturn at:
5+4 (Bonuses paying out) = 9 Diplo
2 -1 (True City) - 2 (Library costs 2 total Econ, it doesn't seem from
@Abby Normal 's calculation that this has been factored in yet) +4 (baby boom) = 3 Econ. Most important thing to note here - if True City and Library costs come BEFORE baby boom, we go to negative econ for a bit. That's rather concerning, but not much we can do about it given the current vote.
4{5} Martial
8 -4 (baby boom) = 4 Econ Expansion
7 or 10 -3 = 4 or 7 Art
7-3 = 4 Mysticism.
Getting rather low on Econ, Econ slots, and Martial considering we're probably heading into a war with the Nomads. These therefore should be our main focus. We're too low on Econ to do ANY actions that cost Econ, in my opinion. Too much of a chance to dip into negative Econ if costs come before Baby boom. That rules out most actions that add Martial, but we have 3 Mysticism to spare before the lack of Mysticism changes anything the provinces do, so Secondary Carrion Eaters and/or Secondary Blackbirds are very possible.
So if the nomads are bearing down on us and we need to go all out on a war mission, my thought is we should do:
[Main] War Mission
[Secondary] More Carrion Eaters
[Secondary] More Blackbirds
If the nomads seem to be easily dealt with by the ST and we only need a secondary war mission, I would go for:
[Main] Black Soil
[Secondary] War Mission
[Secondary] More Carrion Eaters (which seem to be better in a nomad war on the plains than Blackbirds)
If no War Mission at all is needed, the nomads are attacking far away or are procrastinating mightily, instead:
[Main] Black Soil
[Secondary] More Carrion Eaters
[Secondary] More Blackbirds
Why Black Soil in these last two options? Well Forests and Boats cost Econ in the short term, and I'm not voting for things that cost Econ. To generate Econ then, we're limited to Black Soil, New Settlements, and Expand Econ.
The problem with Expand Econ is that we're also going to be getting low on Econ slots, and Expanding Econ here could potentially end our Baby boom now or in the near future.
The problem with New Settlements is that it takes time for their Econ to pay out, we could use Econ quicker than that to avoid a temporary negative Econ, and finally the New Settlement locations could be hit by nomads (Blackriver and Eastern Hills), so that seems like a bad idea.
Black Soil, as a main, costs no Econ and provides an immediate +1 Econ, at no cost in Econ slots. I am in fact quite hopeful that it will increase our Econ slots - we honestly have no idea if it does, the last time we took it was when we were doing the Sacred Forest megaproject, ie well before we had Econ slot information. But narratively it would make sense to me that more black soil would lead to more marginal farming areas being able to farm more.
