Is there any consensus as to when (or if) it is better to construct these over mines or farms? (Excluding special cases like the Iroquois) They don't seem to have much going for them, aside from faster build times.
Obviously, one appeal is that chopping down forests provides a production boost, but this becomes fairly negligible later on. If I am attempting to pursue growth I have considered building these instead of mines to still get some food, but a 1 food 2 production tile is still fairly unattractive. One could also argue that purely building either farms and mines allows for efficient specialization, permitting a city to focus better on production or growth as needed.
What are some of the pros of lumbermills?
Obviously, one appeal is that chopping down forests provides a production boost, but this becomes fairly negligible later on. If I am attempting to pursue growth I have considered building these instead of mines to still get some food, but a 1 food 2 production tile is still fairly unattractive. One could also argue that purely building either farms and mines allows for efficient specialization, permitting a city to focus better on production or growth as needed.
What are some of the pros of lumbermills?