First two cities

[johnnychemo]

I have a question about some early game city placement strategy. I've heard its preferable to settle in place in most cases, but I was wondering what situations would lead you to delay that first city.

Once you have that city, how long do yougenerally wait for that second city, and what do you look for its placement?

I've only gotten a handful of games under my belt, mostly domination victories at lvl 3 (warlord I think, right?) They've gone well, so im going to start a new game on Prince and was looking to go for a culturalvictory, which I haven't done yet. Thanks for you help!

 

[strijder20]

For cultural victory, try to get 4-6 cities.

I usually get my second city out once I get Liberty.

When you go Culture, however, you might want to choose Tradition. You could also choose Liberty and the settler policy, and then go tradition though.

 

[joncnunn]

6 cities (that you found) are too many for Cultural; Science victory is faster in that case. I recommend looking at the map before making a decision on which victory type to go after. Unless your selected OCC, you'll likely want all of liberty first regardless of which victory you decide upon.

The answers to OP questions are extremely map dependent. (I look at the map to decide weather or not to found in place or move it a tile or two; if I'm not seeing a good location on turn 1 at all, then time for another map)

My second city is always Liberty policy induced. I prefer getting the worker first in order to have more of the map explored to make a better decision. Also I often get extra people from ruins and need one of the luxuries hooked up first. (I play on a higher difficulty level)

 

[johnnychemo]

I think you hit the root of my question, sorry I didn't explain it clearer in my op. What types of things do you look for in the map to influence your decision making regarding city placement and victory type? Since going for a cultural win will necessarily limit the number of cities I found, what do you look for to give you the best city locations?

 

[MasterMishi]

2f 1h tiles, hills, river, lux you want in radius or 1 hex away, food tiles in general.
buy the food tiles asap if you must to grow to size 3 asap

 

[joncnunn]

I think you hit the root of my question, sorry I didn't explain it clearer in my op. What types of things do you look for in the map to influence your decision making regarding city placement and victory type? Since going for a cultural win will necessarily limit the number of cities I found, what do you look for to give you the best city locations?

River locations tend to be best.

But mostly its a matter of finding the placement that takes in all the resources with the fewest number of cities. (again; all victory types)

But its often the case that no city placement will allow taking in all the good tiles and then you choose which are better.

Basically when I arrive at only 2 or 3 cities worth founding at all, I head to cultural victory.

If I arrive at 5 or more cities worth founding, then I head towards science victory.

4 cities can be either, if there's a nearby cultural city state that would tilt it slightly towards cultural while a maritime city state would tilt it slightly towards science.

But when going for cultural victory, building Stonehedge & the Oracle are more important that building the cities quickly. (And its not so much that you can't win culturally if you miss those wonders as it is that the cultural victory would then take longer than science)

Either way, you'll want HS to speed up your victory. (Use GE to rush PT if going science or else the happiness wonder requiring Education if going cultural.)

 

[Tiber4321]

@strijder and OP Everything Joncnunn says is correct, 6 cities is way too many for cultural, in fact you can win high level games with 3 cities. Also, I strongly suggest opening both Tradition and Freedom at the same time and fill in the SPs in the order that maximizes your CPT as early as possible. For example, you don't want legalism until it gives you 3-4 high level cultural buildings (ideally opera houses). If you do it too early, you will be getting temples and maybe even monuments. This is one of the most powerful SPs in the game, so maximize it. So jumping into Tradition too early is a mistake. Finish Piety before opening Tradition and Freedom. This really pays off. With the extra happiness you will be flipping golden ages sooner and more often.

 

[hairyman]

I have a question about some early game city placement strategy. I've heard its preferable to settle in place in most cases, but I was wondering what situations would lead you to delay that first city.

I might shuffle my settler on to a hill for better defence, or I might move them towards the coast if I'm one or two hexes away, so that I can build the coastal units/buildings and take advantage of sea tiles. I rarerly, if ever, delay settling on the first turn to chase bonus tiles.

Once you have that city, how long do you generally wait for that second city, and what do you look for its placement?

Like most people I play Liberty first a lot, and take the free settler as soon as I can. I will always look to settle the second city on or by a happiness luxury, unless I have a neighbour I urgently need to block off (or agitate )

I've only gotten a handful of games under my belt, mostly domination victories at lvl 3 (warlord I think, right?) They've gone well, so im going to start a new game on Prince and was looking to go for a cultural victory, which I haven't done yet. Thanks for you help!

One little tip for culture... when my civ is up and running and I'm in the mid-game chasing a culture win I generally think if I'm hitting a new SP every ten turns or so then I'm on track.

(For reference, I play successfully at Emperor at present, trying to move up to Immortal).

 

[DevilHell]

6 cities is not Cultural, at least not for me
For cultural I find 4 cities enough

Now answering to the question, what to take in count in the moment of settling:

High Production, that's what's important to me

Policies would be Liberty, Liberty Settler, Libery Worker and the fourt policy should be Piety, but if you haven't got it yet then go Liberty Golden Age
Full Piety ASAP and start Freedom, Full Freedom and then Tradition, Legalism for Museums is better than Opera Houses.. IMHO

 

[johnnychemo]

Lots of good stuff, thanks to all!