Optimal first build in capital?

U

Ulysses31

Chieftain
Joined
Jan 29, 2010
Messages
2
Hi, long-time lurker in need of some advice here...

Apologies if this has been covered a hundred times already, but I can't seem to find a definitive answer: when not next to a seafood resource, is it better to build a warrior or a worker first in your capital? I used to think that building a worker while your city was still size 1 was a mistake, and would build warriors 'till the pop grew, but from reading various threads here I see that many better players than I start with a worker straight off the bat. I always thought that the worker would be built quicker if I let the city grow first - more food/hammers to build it with - but am I grossly mistaken?

TIA
 
worker first is nearly always best (and even when it isnt best its not that bad). Even when theres a say a clam and an irrigated corn worker first is better than a work boat. Workers are only built with excess food (above what your citizens eat) and normal hammers - in the early game with no improved tiles spending time to grow into a tile that will only provide 1-2 effective hammers is not worth it at all.
 
I always thought that the worker would be built quicker if I let the city grow first...
Click to expand...

LOL!! No. You either wait 15 turns for your worker to complete, or you wait over half that time just to grow to pop of 2, and then you start your worker starting from 0 hammers. How do you expect the wait tactic to catch up to the guy who has an 8-turn head start there?
 
Worker first is better. The city will grow faster after your worker develops the food tiles.

--
Roman
 
Wow, quick and completely unanimous responses, that's great, thanks. I've been playing this game in one form or another for nearly twenty years now and I'm still making newbie mistakes it would seem.
 
thats why they invented the forums :) id imagine that a great many players here owe whatever skill they have in no small part to these boards - i know this applies to me at least
 
The only time when warrior to 2 is better economically is when you have an unimprovable 3 food resource, and you won't have worker techs for awhile.
 
obsolete said:
LOL!! No. You either wait 15 turns for your worker to complete, or you wait over half that time just to grow to pop of 2, and then you start your worker starting from 0 hammers. How do you expect the wait tactic to catch up to the guy who has an 8-turn head start there?
Click to expand...

It is not that big difference. If you grow size 2 and slave worker then it is 17 turn worker compared to 15, but you have a half complete warrior and you are into slavery as well.

But there are other situations where growing first might be better. One example is being expansive, starting with mining but not having 4 hammers from start.

In this case straight worker is 15 turns, but growing and slaving you get worker in 14 turns including switch to slavery!
 
How do you get bronze working in 12 turns?
 
Well that was one LUCKY goodie-hut :p
 
vicawoo said:
How do you get bronze working in 12 turns?
Click to expand...

Depends on difficulty I suppose your traits and your land, but you can get it in 12 turns under certain conditions, being financial, having oasis is one of them, planting on 2 commerce or 3 commerce another....or playing on noble where most multiplayer is played anyway.
 
I'll remember this next time I'm a financial expansive civ that starts with mining.
 
I am looking forward to your strategy article on this tactic for sure. I've noticed my game isn't optimal as of late. I still wait a few turns before I end up popping bronzeworking. :goodjob:
 
And just look at the screenshot closely: you see what the capital is building? This really proves just how superior going worker first actually is. :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

P
[BTS] Where to go from this boxed in position
Replies
12
Views
1K
Gumbolt
Gumbolt
CGQ
[BTS] How the heck do I approach this start? Coastal but no fishing start (Shaka Immortal Game)
Replies
9
Views
2K
Henrik75
H
T
Whether to build monuments.
2
Replies
36
Views
3K
coanda
C
S
[BTS] Work-Boat-first start? [Monarch][BUFFY]
2
Replies
31
Views
3K
sampsa
sampsa
NightOnEarth
[BTS] My new project - not a shadow game
2 3
Replies
51
Views
4K
NightOnEarth
NightOnEarth
Top Bottom