1. Theocracy; -20% Military costs
This ONLY reduces private market prices and does nothing for your military upkeep costs.

2. Military technology; Military Costs: 90.0% of Normal
This one, which also affects "Military Costs" reduces both military upkeep costs AND private market prices.

3. Tyranny; 10% military upkeep costs
This I assume reduces military upkeep costs. Nothing strange here

4. Military Bases, as I understand the formula works in separate ways to reduce the military upkeep(up to about 30% land coverage) and to reduce the private market prices(no cap) with different formulas. The way it works may be difficult to understand but the help info both on the wiki and on the building screen says clearly that MBs reduce upkeep costs AND purchase costs.

The one that stands out here is the Theocracy govt bonus, which I think everyone assumes has the same effect as Military technology, as they have the same nomenclature.

Suggestion:
1. Change the theocracy bonus wording.
OR
2. Change the theocracy bonus function to -15% but make it work on military upkeep costs as well as private market prices. This change would make theos worse at destocking but improve their midgame. Perhaps it would make the turn taking TMBR viable on some servers.

This clearly didn't recieve the attention it needed.

Gerdler dont' need to change it if you read deeper into the theo bonus they have double expenses which include military costs.

so you get cheaper units on your private but you pay 2x as much in expense.

I didn't understand anything you just said m8. :)

I personally thought it would lessen your mil.cost, but i think he might be right.

Honestly, your best bet is laf for a few sets. Learn from them, either by them teacher or by you reading/trying (express, etc)- but once you learn please do join a small alliance and then help them learn/grow.

I played since 98 or 99. Quit during swirve, then came back three weeks ago. The problem is the nomenclature, not my game. :)

So you need help with definitions?
Laf.
Need help with, im sorry what else?
Laf.

One set. Maybe two. Then help the lesser man. Take laf, and share.

Less edison, more westinghouse.

I don't need help with definitions, I need the game to be changed so the definition matches the function. LaF can't do that, I think, Evolution might be have been able to do that, though. :P

I think you do.

To answer your original question:
Your failure.

Nomenclature is the same as the past 17 years.

Oh, 18 years ago? Then, again, your failure, not definitions of game failure.

I am not so sure that this was always the case. Either way what makes "military costs" different from "military costs"? Because their function is very different.

If i was a new player how would I realize which works in what way? Maybe my failure too but the function doesn't match the nomenclature.

you win.

because its called unit expenses not costs, if you goto advisor their costs are under "expense" so leaving cost only one option the cost to buy,

as theo has double the expenses it is not a viable government type for heavy war builds, also leaving resellers un able to play turns and having to carefully calculate their sell prices so they don't waste money running turns pulling goods from market and putting at a lower price constantly.

theo = crap tech, crap expenses and high population to feed.

If that is true the wiki on governments and several other places are wrong. Either way I tested this in FFA. When I switch from Mon to Theo I don't get any change in expenses. Neither doubles nor drops by 20%, but remains the same.

And also it clearly states "military costs" both on Military tech and the government page on the wiki. I pasted this information, didn't make it up. "Military costs", with the exact same spelling, means two different things. Replicated properly from Earth 2025 I'm sure but still faulty wording. Am I just supposed to accept this? It clearly was not intentional and if it confuses me it will confuse 100.00% of new players.

http://www.earthempires.com/primary/help/in/govt

Theocracy -20% Private Market Military Costs
+40% Construction Speed
-35% Maximum Technology
+50% Maximum Population
Double GDI Expenses

only double on GDI but from what I remember back in swirve days it was actual expenses

but as you read it says "Private Market"

http://wiki.earthempires.com/index.php/Theocracy


Theocracy
Theocracies enjoy lower military costs, increased building rates and more money from tax revenues, but the lack of maximum allowed technology can make them somewhat vulnerable.

Bonuses
-20% Military costs
+40 construction speed
+50% max. population


Penalties
-35% max. technology
Double GDI expenses

Ok, so the issue is only on the wiki then... and the wiki also has +75% oil production for Fascists.

yeah the wiki was filled in by volunteers back when EE was just revamping from earth2025 alot of stuff there is off.