Iron tool manufactory

[Iceglow]

I know this sounds probably a bit iffy to some people but how about the option of using Iron to make tools. 1 iron ingot = 5 tools or similar. This would allow higher level players who don't necessarily have as much use for recruits (though a meat shield is always useful I suppose) to produce the massively high level of tools required at a faster albeit more expensive rate.

Another useful trait of this is lower level players (pre level 30) would probably find the ability to sell Bronze Swords to the higher ups a good way of earning the gold coin they need to build their own towns up.

[Tierarzt]

Recruits are needed at all levels, which makes copper a valuable resource
Tools can also be made with excess wood and stone

[MadZooks]

How about if the toolmaker was configurable? With pinewood and copper it behaves as normal. If you set it to use either or both of hardwood and iron, it makes more tools. If you use exotic wood and titanium, you get even more tools.

You could generalize this to the weapons shops as well. The bowmaker would make longbows if you fed it hardwood.

The new ability would come as an upgrade to the building. Once upgraded, a swordmaker could make either bronze swords or iron swords. Upgrade again and it can make bronze, iron, or steel. And so on.

[MrBranch]

Then how to go back once upgraded? For some battles you want bowmen as cannon fodder.

[MadZooks]

There would be another set of buttons in the building interface. If your bowyer was currently making longbows and you needed bows, you would open up the building interface and push the "bow" button. The building would start consuming pinewood instead of hardwood and would make bows instead of longbows. If the devs are feeling nice you get back the materials for the longbow that was in the works. If they're feeling *really* nice the changeover happens after the current longbow completes. If the devs don't want it to be free the changeover can cost, say, the number of tools that went into the building or upgrade for that level.