The Forge crafts generals' equipment; stronger gear needs higher Forge level plus Materials and Scrolls. Buildable at Keep 7; cannot reach Lv26+ unless the Watchtower is also leveled. Civilization Equipment is crafted at the Wonder (needs Keep 33), not the Forge. For automation: Craft CANNOT be selected during a Forge upgrade; Equipment Upgrade unlocks at Lv30; Duty Officer at Lv28 (increases Craft speed; ideal Hugh O'Donnell, then Ono no Imoko). Equipment-tier milestones: Lv5 Purple; Lv9 Orange; Lv13 Gold Champion's (4-piece set adds a gathering bonus -- valuable for gatherers); Lv17 Gold General's; Lv21 Gold King's (King's Ring gives cost-effective double-item drop -- key for hammer/gold/medal farming); Lv27 Red Dragon + duty-officer equipment; Lv30 Red Ares/Imperial; Lv33 Red Achaemenidae/Parthian (Achaemenidae key for subordinate-city-mayor debuffs at k33+). Crafting speed is raised via Academy Blacksmith research, Agile Crown monarch gear and a duty officer. For a bot's economy, prioritize the Champion's (gathering) and King's (double-drop) gold sets which directly boost resource, hammer, gold and medal yields.
Original research source: Evony Guide Wiki