Do you specialize sities?

i think with all those new great people its better to build the National Epic and all the guilds not in the capital but in some other river/lake city. In the capital its better to prioritise food and only run scientist specialists it seems. Bigger the capital, more the domestic trade network income, and more the base science to be multiplied by National Colledge. Building wonders in the capital isnt very good idea too (unless theres nothing else worth to build there) as it would require to move citizens from farms to mines and the capital will grow slower. Also, capital doesnt receive railroad production bonus... So its better to make some other city a production center..

Some specialization is necessary. I tend to have only writer's guild in the capital (because the second city may not be mature enough to use it when it becomes available) and if the capital is not coastal, a separate coastal city near luxuries for sea trading. However, beyond these differences, I tend to have only one type of city: "as big as possible, all science buildings, high production".

Only played a handful of BNW games so far but I've found myself specializing more than in G+K.

As the OP suggests, if aiming for a cultural win a viable option is to be build NE and one or more of the guilds in a high food city, leaving the capital to focus on infrastructure, units, wonders, etc.

The introduction of trade routes means I've found myself setting up another city focusing mainly on gold, either a coastal city (as the previous poster mentioned) or one close to friendly civs for overland routes.

Also, don't underestimate domestic trade routes, these can be used to give a substantial boost (food or production) to a specialised city that might not have much, I've used this tactic to quickly build a GP farm in a low-production / high-food location. Or to support a city with heavy production focus that would otherwise starve.

Yes I do, almost always. Writers guild I always leave in capitol for the reason Vaino Stated. In BNW my 2nd and 3rd cities seem to come much later than G&K. Wonder why? lol.

I always have my 3rd city be my military city. And once it gets going, it does nothing but pump units. I rarely will build more than 4 cities.

Also an important note for BNW: a tall empire, at least for me, is either
* 3-5 cities I found myself OR
* 3-5 cities I found myself... plus Venice

Always prepare to annex on sight!

thanks for sharing!.. the trade city is an interesting idea. there should be many different resources and trading posts all around, so bots would send their caravans there

StrideColossus said:

don't underestimate domestic trade routes, these can be used to give a substantial boost (food or production) to a specialised city that might not have much, I've used this tactic to quickly build a GP farm in a low-production / high-food location.

Click to expand...

A general question on domestic food trade routes; I've noticed that whenever I'd rush +4 food to a city through a trade route, I would have to keep renewing the trade route or else the city would starve. In other words, after such-and-such turns (however many it is), if I decided to change the trade route and remove that +4 food the city would starve.

If this is the case, I feel that food routes are pointless if the city will just eventually starve because it doesn't have its own food supply once the trade route expires?

I find domestic production routes much better. 3 production routes to your capital can make the difference in completing a wonder.

Can someone confirm my doubts on the food routes?

just build some farms in the target city so it could feed itself after the food route is expired.