Hi, I have assumed that the environmental fertility stat is the “multiplier” applied for fertility enhancing actions. So clover on a 100% environmental fertility field = 3% fertility gain, on a envitmronmental fertility 50% field = 1.5% fertility gain. Is this more or less how it works?
If so, isn’t the environmental fertility of the land far more important in the long run than the “point in time” fertility? I.e a field location with 100% environmental and 50% observed fertility is better than a 100% observed fertility field with only 50% environmental factor?
So does the environmental fertility change over time or is it a fixed thing, with only the “current” fertility changing as a reflection of the percentage of potential total fertility?
Basically is the potential/environmental fertility a locked value? Our villagers then work to extract the maximum benefit from the hand they’ve been dealt.
So, in a normal rotation, if you have Flax and Wheat in there you’d almost have to have everything else Clover and you’d still barely break even.
Without Outside Help, like Compost or tweaking the soil with sand or clay, you have to be very careful what you try to grow if you also want to upgrade fertility. This is why I’ve largely abandoned all Grains except Buckwheat and my food crops are largely Buckwheat, Beans, and Turnips with at least 2 plantings of Clover on the same field. The result is a slow but steady increase in fertility instead of static or declining fields.
Of course, all the numbers are right there in the layout of crops, but I didn’t bother to look at them closely until after I had several consecutive agricultural field failures in games. Learn by Trial and Error, and Error, and Error . . .