As stated in other posts-I really do not play Xerxes on the frequency that some people here play. I don't understand or know if the bank re-sets, I don't know if there is a certain time to play Xerxes....whatever!! Who really knows?
When I do play Xerxes, i make sure of two cardinal rules:
1.) Resources are maxed in the city-yes, even if it means putting up a protection bubble to protect my city
2.) Light troops first, followed by a small array of heavy troops.
The whole point of using light troops is to win back higher troops (cavalry, phalanx)
Does it take me "forever" to clear a position this way? Yes-absolutely!
But I am not blowing my army out and using high value troops and then screaming that Xerxes is not working.
Yes, the algorithm has changed somewhat according to people who play Xerxes on a regular basis-and again I state, I do not play Xerxes the way some people do-I lost my whole army when I started this game-and vowed never to do that again!!
last week, one of my guys used his whole army on Xerxes and received 14K in Agema's. Fantastic! Now he has 14K of Agema's-and NO ARMY! Needless to say we cautioned him to stop and re-build-but he kept on going!
Even I have to admit, that something is not working correctly-but before I try and guess Plarium's banking system, or sit for hours at end looking at 23 different spreadsheets from those who say "I know how to play Xerxes" ..blah...blah...
I will make sure my city resources are maxed out, and use "ONLY Light" troops to win cavalry and phalanx's.
Until someone contacts me with a method of playing Xerxes, I will continue to build troops and play very cautiously.
The time and hard work in building an army after two years will not be lost to an unknown algorithm/method, hearsay, wild innuendo, and conjectures, which, judging by this thread and accompanying screenshots and statements made-seems to support an "evident truth".
Respect to all
Mick