Courthouse

How does it function exactly? I find the civilopedia's definition vague...?

Workers can work more squares but how does it work?

Before the Courthouse is built, workers can only work the squares immediately adjacent to the city. After, they can also work squares adjacent to those squares (more or less). To put it graphically:
(C = City, X = can be worked, 0=cannot be worked)

Before Courthouse

After Courthouse

The 21 squares that can be worked after a courthouse is built is commonly known as the Big Fat Cross (BFC).

Ok yeah that makes sense. I'm assuming this is more useful then if your cities are more spread-out?

jigglylizard said:

Ok yeah that makes sense. I'm assuming this is more useful then if your cities are more spread-out?

Click to expand...

Yes - however it's pretty rare, even with closely spaced cities, for a city to be adjacent to another city on all four sides. (And I typically space my cities CxxC so my culture fills in quickly.) For costal cities, the courthouse gives you a big boost in trade (especially with a Harbor). Border towns can use squares adjacent to enemy cities if your culture is strong enough.

Magna Carta also makes courthouses generate culture.

Personally, I don't built courthouses until my cities are at least size 8. The exception is if there is a food or production terrain bonus which the city absolutely needs.

City placement is worthy of an article on its own.

"Optimum" city placement would have four squares between cities, and arranged so that every square could be worked, with no overlap, and no gaps. In practice, of course, that is impossible, because of mountains, bays, etc. that interfere. Besides, in order to use all the squares around a city, you need to be size 20+. It makes more sense to position them a bit closer, as you will be able to use more of the squares, sooner.

I usually space my cities at roughly CxxxC, with a square or two of variance as dictated by terrain and resources. I am more likely to shorten it to CxxC than to lengthen it to CxxxxxC, since that much extension can also be covered by two cities: CxxCxxC.

I'm also assuming on how expansionistic the civ is. A civ that has 15+ cities might space them closer than one that has 5-6.
This is really good to know though !

I would say that more cities is much better unless you can reach modern era with a lot of gold/production or you are using indians. More cities = easier to build (only 20 hammers and 1 population), and can produce much more. Corthouse is 40-80 hammers (unless you settle a great builder) and that's too much to take advantage of it early in the game. I prefer to build like 20 cities in the game and remember, if you get bonuses like irrigation or literacy it's MUCH better to have more cities. 20 cities plus irrigation = 20 more population and 20 science with literacy. And if you get railroads, at least 2 production per city that is really strong

That makes sense Morte. I agree.

I think I'll just throw them into any cities that are looking to get a specific resource or that get really large.

I had been including them in my standard build in some of my games until now.

Padma said:

Before the Courthouse is built, workers can only work the squares immediately adjacent to the city. After, they can also work squares adjacent to those squares (more or less). To put it graphically:
(C = City, X = can be worked, 0=cannot be worked)

Before Courthouse

Code:

00000
0XXX0
0XCX0
0XXX0
00000

After Courthouse

Code:

0XXX0
XXXXX
XXCXX
XXXXX
0XXX0

The 21 squares that can be worked after a courthouse is built is commonly known as the Big Fat Cross (BFC).

Click to expand...

What am I missing? I thought courthouses were for -50% maint.

Thx
jonpfl

EDIT - Whoops, wrong version. Sorry

i like to build the magna carta or use the civ that has courhdouses produce culture (i forget offhand which one that is) and ue them as adjuncts for a culture nvictory. that said i think i've gotten one cultwin in like four tries so take it with a grain of salt.


does anyone know exactly what the culture bonus of a courthouse is? is it a percentage o a set amount of points?

highway234 said:

does anyone know exactly what the culture bonus of a courthouse is? is it a percentage o a set amount of points?

Click to expand...

1 culture point per population.