Where to build my city?

Ulo

Chieftain
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Jan 7, 2014
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Hey Civ Fanatics

Wanted some advice from some better/more experienced Civ players. Just started a new game as the Byzantines and wanted to know where would be an overall better place to found my capital.

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=213780464

The main benefit, as far as I can see, about leaving it where it already is that it's on a river tile. Whereas if I move it North-West so it is adjacent to the mountain I will be able to get an observatory and I will have access to the close by gems and be able to work the fish and other pearl tile which, leaving the city where it is, I will not be able to. But then if I do move it I will lose out on a garden, water mill, hydro plant and the trade bonus for being on a river. Would really appreciate some constructive advice and thanks in advance.
 
You have the river, and you're on a hill, the mountain isn't close enough for an Observatory, but the Byzantines aren't a Science Civ anyway and it's within 2 tiles so that's enough for the Mountain Wonders. I'm not a big fan of moving your Settler, but I think that's the best spot anyway.

Unless I've missed something? Which one of the better players will probably point out
 
Hmmm, that's a tricky one, you could stay there for the river bonuses, or move to the mountain for the observatory and the extra pearls. Personally, I would go mountain, as there isn't a major lack of production tiles around that area, and it'll obliterate that jungle for you, saving some time for your workers.
 
There's no question in my mind... move NW. Gems/pearls/fish/observatory vs cotton/river. And, moving off the river isn't all bad, it gives you another river tile to plant a farm/hill or another mine.

Your 2nd or 3rd city can go down to the W of the stone, to get the Cotton and another Pearls, plus whatever's offscreen. This city will fill the space between Constantinople and that other CS anyway.

Even if you left constantinople where it's at, with the intention of doing another city to the NW of the mountain range next to the Banana (which would get the Gems), you'll still lose the 2nd Pearls and fish. hard to tell what's offscreen to the south to tell if you'd still want to put that city W of the stone, so can't tell if the cotton is an issue or not. If there are goodies down there that aren't gotten by the spot to the W of the stone, then leaving Constantinople where it's at (on the river) may be a good idea, so that you get the Cotton while allowing you to reposition that southern city to get whatever's down there. But, it needs to be better than Pearls/Fish to be worthwhile.
 
Thanks for the advice, I'm going to move the city next to the mountain.
 
If I had all of the information available to me I would have settled one to the North and gone for "tears of the gods" early on. Especially since Byzantines are a religious focused.

That being said, I normally settle my first City in the first 1-3 turns and would have chosen the river over the mountain. I find having a production focused capital is more beneficial than a science focused capital (the science tends to be pretty generous even without the observatory.) Either my second or third city I like to be more science focused.

It is a tough decision, no doubt.
 
It's a bit of an evil starting location, however, in that all obvious choices have significant downsides. Moving north will definitely be a boon if you manage to get Tears belief, because you have three pearls and a gem. However, as this will take you off river, getting Hanging Gardens will be a top priority for you, because loosing out on a garden in your capital is very bad with a cultural civ. Also notice that settling on the coast next to the mountain will leave you with NO tiles that give you more than 2 basic yields in first and only one such tile in second ring (the stone), which means that your start will be VERY slow until you get a worker started.

There's also a good settling spot right southeast of the barb camp, but that will be blocked if you settle north of your current location, so that's a drawback of choosing that one. However, moving up to this location from start will cost you too much time, so that will be better for a second city, but that will not be possible if you settle next to the mountain. A third alternative start settling site on the south bank of your river is just not very attractive, although you will get access to the banana and a LOT of jungle which can earn you a LOT of culture and science if you manage to live long enough without falling too much behind and get the jungle belief, but jungle starts are some of the hardest to pull off because you are completely starved on production.
 
My favorite type of start: Mountain, coastal, river, pick two. :(

I'm not sure how much of the scouting information you had when you chose to settle, but knowing what you do now I would settle next to the mountain on the coast.

Here's how you'd make up on losing out of the river benefits:
Hanging Gardens (to replace garden)
Water mill is only 2 :c5food: 1 :c5production:, but by moving you're able to work two more pearls tiles, so it's not a huge deal
Hydro plant (It's really only 6 extra :c5production:, which really isn't critical in the late game compared to the massive science boost you will have for half the game thanks to an observatory
You will lose out on the trade boost, but if you get Tears of the Gods, the extra +8 :c5faith: for the entire game will make up for it. I say +8 because I don't think you would get that pantheon with only one Pearls.
 
This location is fine, pearls and cotton are in city radius so you will work them anyway. I always prefer rivers start, for extra production and food from the water mill.
 
I would put another city right next to the mountain in between the bananas, cotton and the hill. Then because that city can get an observatory I would focus on getting a high population for that city to help with science.
 
I'd go with building 2 cities, and make the second one adjacent to the mountain. And apologies for the silly question, but what exactly is the benefit of river cities post BNW? Just the water mill?
 
ick! If this isn't deity, where the AIs extra settlers make wandering not so rewarding, I suggest you move south out of the jungle, taking care not to run into barbs, until you find a decent spot; it matters not if you settle on turn 12 as long as the spot is better than you have currently. Pearls are the worst lux to spawn with indeed.
 
I'd go with building 2 cities, and make the second one adjacent to the mountain. And apologies for the silly question, but what exactly is the benefit of river cities post BNW? Just the water mill?

I believe you get extra gold from land trade routes and river farms are better because of civil service as well. Also late game there are buildings which require a river,
 
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