Hi all,

The more I think I understand about Civ IV the more I realize I don't. ;) I just have a couple questions about starting out in a new game. I do know that Civ IV is very open in its straegy (which is a very good thing) especially at Noble where I'm starting to learn about this game. However I'm looking for a little advice on producing workers/settlers. I've been playing on Noble, Normal speed, America with Roosevelt.

Mainly...when in terms of population should I start producing my first worker and forgo the extra growth for those 10 turns (or however long it is)?

I also have a similar question about settlers. In general when should I look to make a settler and begin expanding, assuming the next place I want to build is not contested by a near by civ that might want it? I would think I would chop or whip the settler to avoid long stagnation of my city growth.

Thanks for any help and all advice, I understand how to play the game in terms of building, researching etc, I'm just working to learn the "why" and "when" of my decision making processes.

To minimize wasted time, I try to make my first settlers after I have grown to size 3 or 4 and have improved all my bonus food resources. For example, if I have two fish and a wheat, I'll first make two fishing boats, a worker, and improve that wheat before making a settler. Often, I won't have made more than one or two settlers by 2000BC, but my capital city will be big enough to make them faster afterwards.

Normally, my default is worker-warrior-warrior-settler (with variation depending on the terrain and techs I'm starting with). So basically, I get a worker and settler out by the time my city has BARELY got 2 population.

But since you are starting with Roosevelt, I would start with a workboat if you have seafood to work, which will grow you to size 2, before you need to produce workers and settlers.

You want to immediatly build a worker and get bronze working asap. After building your first worker, improve the best tile you can, and build a second worker, chopping forests down to speed it up. After this, if you have a food resource, grow the city and try to build the first settler from forest chops, or until you reach size 2 or 3, depending on how many special resources you have to work.

In your next city, immediatly build a new worker, and move one of your capitol city workers to the new city, then use a chop out strategy again to grow your captiol and get another worker in your capitol as well. Once you grow your capitol to its max size, begin producing your third settler.

At least this is my general strategy, I'm sure some people have other ideas.

thank you all very much, I'll try out each tip as the initial set-up allows.

I usually prefer to build either a Warrior or Scout (depending on whether I start with Hunting or not) while the city grows to size 2. I don't know if the math makes sense, but it feels like the Worker comes along faster with 2 citizens rather than just one, and having an additional unit to explore is often vital to revealing more possible city sites and key resources (and replacing one another when they get eaten/killed :().

I usually don't wait long before producing the first settler, as I want to claim a military resource (copper, horses, or iron) in time to deal with barbarians. Sometimes I manage to get the capital to size 3 before producing the Settler, sometimes not. I usually like to produce 2 Warriors, one to garrison the capital, the other to escort the Settler and garrison the 2nd city, before producing the Settler. But sometimes time is of the essence.

Thus, my initial builds tend to be Warrior-Worker-Warrior-Warrior-Settler.

I always go for Warrior-Settler-Archer-Worker myself. Far too often if I build a Worker first it ends up sitting around with nothing to do while I'm researching the techs it needs, especially on Marathon. So waiting for awhile before I build one ensures that it won't be at a loss for things to improve. And that gives me time to get Archery so I'll be ready for the Barbs. Unless I start with Mysticism, that's the first thing I go for.

Start with a worker for sure. If you're going to be a warmonger also maybe build a scout? To try and look for important resouces prehaps? Like iron, horse, or in early ages...elephant. All in all, build a worker first.

Worker > Warrior > Warrior > Settler > Worker ( You can switch the last 2 )

The first worker goes without saying, etc, etc

The Warrior > Warrior is to allow you city to grow to size 4.

Settler or worker can be switched - I prefer chopping to get the settler or worker, so you can expand. ( The 2nd warrior sitting in your capital goes with your settler, to protect him )

You want to immediatly build a worker and get bronze working asap. After building your first worker, improve the best tile you can, and build a second worker, chopping forests down to speed it up. After this, if you have a food resource, grow the city and try to build the first settler from forest chops, or until you reach size 2 or 3, depending on how many special resources you have to work.

In your next city, immediatly build a new worker, and move one of your capitol city workers to the new city, then use a chop out strategy again to grow your captiol and get another worker in your capitol as well. Once you grow your capitol to its max size, begin producing your third settler.

At least this is my general strategy, I'm sure some people have other ideas.

Some civs don't start with mining - This can screw over some people playing with them

it really depends on the neighbors and size of your continent. If you feel land is tight, and quick moving party will get the best spots, prioritise workers. if the land is wide enough that you know the AI won't be building in your path, prioritise developing your capitol first. After you develop your capitol to max size, you can sprout settlers more quickly.

also, wait until you have the techs to work your tiles before building your first worker. for example, if you have cows and pig and there's 39 turns to animal handling, there's no point in building a worker in 24 turns. wait for 15 turns (and maybe in that while your capitol will grow too) and start building your worker so that you'll have the tech to work your tiles when it's finished.

Some have already stated it but well...

As first build in capitol I usually aims for a worker IF the worker will have anything to do after he's finished. Prioritise research to be able to improve any foodresource you may have in the bfc when the worker is ready. If you start with fishing and has seafood in the bfc, always start with workboat. If you don't have seafood/fishing and don't have anything for a worker to do after it's produced, build a warrior/scout while waiting for research to catch up.

The first settler, well I usually whip or chop that one to get it quickly enough. Comes usually as 4th or 5th build in the city (after two workers and one-two warriors).

In the next couple of cities, the first build will always be a worker, followed by a monument or any other culture producing building unless I have other means to get culture.

In the past I was of the impression that waiting for a city to reach popsize 2 before building a worker would be the most effective, but lately I've realised it isn't so, it's more important to get the tiles improved early which will speed up growth later.

Depends on the starting location and what I am going to do about barbs.

I usually tech to bronze first, but there are games when I do something else, (founding a religion, discovering fishing, etc). If I am going for bronze, and then I churn out warriors until I reach pop 3. By that point I have bronze and have started researching my second tech. My second tech is very dependent on discovering bronze nearby. If it is near me, then I can deal with barbs. If I don't have bronze then I may face a potential barb problem in which case I may be forced to tech to one of the following:

Great Wall (usually guaranteed with a chop)
Archers
Gamble = Chariots (may not have horses)
Gamble = Iron (may not have iron)

So I am at pop 3 and have warriors exploring before I start my first worker, but I whip / chop as follows.

The first worker is half built and then I whip it = city drops to pop 2.
The second worker is a 100% chop
The settler is build, chop and whip = city drops to pop 1.

I bring back my exploring warriors, (those that were not lion / bear snack), in time to escort my settler.

My two workers will now either chop the Great Wall or link up a military resource, so that I can deal with barbs.

I know it sounds nuts waiting to grow to pop 3, but I usually play continents, and I need really good city locations, so I have to explore. Waiting to grow to pop 3 isn't as bad as it sounds though, because it allows you to rapidly whip / chop two workers and a settler very quickly.

Regards - Mr P

Most of the time I'm making a worker first while I'm bee-lining toward BW, then I can chop my settler that I usually build next.

Most of the time I'm making a worker first while I'm bee-lining toward BW, then I can chop my settler that I usually build next.

Bronze Working is certainly the critical early tech. :goodjob:

Depends on the starting location and what I am going to do about barbs.
The Best advice yet-^

It's all about adapting to your surroundings and figuring out the best option for that particular area. If you know you have ragging barbs, then get those workers out quick so you can chop a Great Wall by the time it's available. But, if you do not have forests to chop, then you'll need to get a pile of warriors going to defend the oncoming onslaught.

There's so many starting situations, that it's best to use your gut instinct and use what you can to your best advantage.

Most of the time I'm making a worker first while I'm bee-lining toward BW, then I can chop my settler that I usually build next.

How about, if you don't have any forests ?

^
Isnt there a minimum number of forests that'll spawn as a starting location condition?

If the civ starts with mining, then worker first as BW is researched. If not, then scout/warrior while mining researches, and usually the scout/warrior will pop with more than enough turns to get the worker before BW. Chop a 2nd worker while wheel/resource tech researches, hook up resources, build warrior, and chop stonehenge.

Whip a settler or chop if there's still forest available, tech towards priesthood and try and oracle slingshot CoL (research writing after priesthood). Sometimes i'll pick a 2nd city with an abundance of forests just to chop the oracle. Prophet from stonehenge sets up holy confucian city, and play on from there. I'm also a believer in worker-first builds for the early few cities.

I use this rather generally, playing on prince, epic, huge.

I start Worker - Scout - Warrior - Warrior - Warrior - Worker - Settler - Settler - Worker - Worker.

This gets me three cities, a worker and warrior for each and a roving worker to help out all over the place or hook up necessary resources that are not in any of the cities BFC's.

During the time the first worker is being built I research stuff for him to do.

If I start coastal with a fishy resource, I sometimes add a Workboat to the mix.

The key in my plan is to grow to size 4 before that first Settler is started. And two workers chopping it out helps speed up the process, in the time I may have lost growing to size 4.