how far should I trust automation?

[Horserush]

I can't be certain but I think automated workers will attempt to go by the city focus. So if captured a bunch of cities and they are all still set to gold focus, your workers will prioritize trading posts.

Don't quote me on that though, I haven't tested it to be sure.

 

[uh_ohes]

I always play with automated workers simply because I'm lazy.

In order for you to efficiently use them, you have to switch city focus. For example, if you choose default, they won't really be that effective (I have no idea why but in my experience they haven't been). So if you want farms built up quick, switch to food focus, if you want mines, switch to production etc and they take care of them very well. Although, towards the end, they do leave some tiles, which you might have to work it yourself.

I also agree on scouts and warriors, they always seem to end up in suicidal runs. Caravels work great when automated (sometimes they get unlucky).

Automation is great if you're a lazy player and you don't care about micro managing every single thing.

 

[civnoob13]

I always play with automated workers simply because I'm lazy.

In order for you to efficiently use them, you have to switch city focus. For example, if you choose default, they won't really be that effective (I have no idea why but in my experience they haven't been). So if you want farms built up quick, switch to food focus, if you want mines, switch to production etc and they take care of them very well. Although, towards the end, they do leave some tiles, which you might have to work it yourself.

I also agree on scouts and warriors, they always seem to end up in suicidal runs. Caravels work great when automated (sometimes they get unlucky).

Automation is great if you're a lazy player and you don't care about micro managing every single thing.

To be honest I really don't see the point in playing a game like civ if you automate your workers. Civ is all about the strategy and leaving the AI to do such a fundamental thing seems boring and incredibly unsatisfying to me.

 

[BranjoHello]

Never automate units.
Cities mostly make good decisions, manage them personaly when you're persuing a wonder or need new units fast.

 

[starrywisdom]

To be honest I really don't see the point in playing a game like civ if you automate your workers. Civ is all about the strategy and leaving the AI to do such a fundamental thing seems boring and incredibly unsatisfying to me.

Civ isn't just a strategy game, it's a GRAND strategy game - so it should be fairly simple to see why someone wouldn't want to micro-manage their specialists, workers, etc. A good playing can easily automate anything that can be automated and still win on the higher difficulties, so it's really not such a 'fundamental' thing.

 

[apocalypse105]

Never automate workers they are uselless and sometings just build rouds to every city state and bankrupt you

 

[That nerdy kid]

automation of units works ok for low city numbers and for cities that aren't connected by harbor. however, they go crazy sometimes. i automate if i am just playing for fun, or if im almost done domination (with like 6 civs or more) because having to tell 20+ workers what to do is annoying and is really time consuming.