Automating workers

[CarthageFTW]

When I first started Civ I automated completely, and never had did it manually, even when I needed an improvement despreatly. I just figured that the computer was smart enought to figure it out for me and that what I though must not have been the right idea. Now, though as a veteran Civ III player, I NEVER automate workers. And when I say NEVER I mean NEVER. I use a laptop and developed a technique to moving workers around effecitly ( i use both hands on the mouse with workers ) and NEVER have made a mistake of automating because I always double check the button I'm pushing. I don't think I can say enough how much I NEVER automate....NEVER.

 

[Argetnyx]

its not THAT bad, is it?

 

[Dezzilisk]

its not THAT bad, is it?

Not really for lower level players, it just makes it immensely difficult for you on higher difficulty levels, If im playing below emperor I automate because I dont need the advantage supplied by placing my own improvements,

Automated workers are just about the most poor AI in CivIII, and thats saying a lot.

 

[utelektr]

I do, 'cuz I'm a lazy *****.

 

[ronanp]

i do when I have cleared my landmass of other civs and have tons of slave workers

 

[Argetnyx]

Not really for lower level players, it just makes it immensely difficult for you on higher difficulty levels, If im playing below emperor I automate because I dont need the advantage supplied by placing my own improvements,

Automated workers are just about the most poor AI in CivIII, and thats saying a lot.

usually at the begining, i make many, many workers, i get large enough and too many workers, so i automate them, but when i want a job done, i un-automate them and tell them to do what i want. i also un-automate them in the modern era when they just sit around doing nothing.

 

[CarthageFTW]

its not THAT bad, is it?

yes....it is

 

[Argetnyx]

they just do what the nearest city needs

 

[Dezzilisk]

they just do what the nearest city needs

Thats automate nearest city, Normally they run all over the map doing really stupid things like standing in front of enemy units or running through mountains to get to a 1 sheild city.

They also put improvements in daft places, lowering the production power or your city or making them produce surplus food which could be made into sheilds with mines.

 

[Argetnyx]

if you watch it in the early game, it only improves tiles that the city is using.

 

[Dezzilisk]

if you watch it in the early game, it only improves tiles that the city is using.

That is if you are using a governor to take care of production etc in your city, which IIRC shouldnt be done either.

The point is, if you want to do better in your games, dont automate your workers.

 

[Sashie VII]

Automating workers is not what I do. I like having control over what and where of the improvements from the 1st turn.

Although I recall some time in the past when I was playing Monarch where I have a lot of pollution popping up on my continent. I just automate on clear pollution and they'll go to the squares themselves. But they finish immediately, so next turn I get control back. I don't do this anymore, though.

 

[Theodora]

I tried automating for just pollution, and every turn, they'd clean up all the pollution... and I could never get the right amount of workers to clean it all up

I don't automate for pollution. But by the time pollution becomes an issue, I've got practically all the improvements built that I could want, and all tiles railroaded. This leaves many workers with nothing to do but stand around, lean on their shovels, pick their noses, and chew tobacco. So I park them all in a huge stack somewhere in the center of my territory. As soon as pollution hits, I move them all en masse to the spot and get it cleaned up on the same turn. By this time in the game, I have accumulated enough workers to clean up pollution in any number of cities on the same turn when it strikes (especially for Industrious civs). Then I just park them again until needed.

The only thing I automate for is building a specific road from point A to point B.

 

[darski]

I don't automate for pollution. But by the time pollution becomes an issue, I've got practically all the improvements built that I could want, and all tiles railroaded. This leaves many workers with nothing to do but stand around, lean on their shovels, pick their noses, and chew tobacco. So I park them all in a huge stack somewhere in the center of my territory. As soon as pollution hits, I move them all en masse to the spot and get it cleaned up on the same turn. By this time in the game, I have accumulated enough workers to clean up pollution in any number of cities on the same turn when it strikes (especially for Industrious civs). Then I just park them again until needed.

The only thing I automate for is building a specific road from point A to point B.

I do pretty much this same tactic with my workers as wel. When rail comes and I want a complete ring of RR for fast travel, I really like that "RR to..." button for stacks of workers.

One thing that does drive me crazy is putting workers on "clean pollution" but there is only pollution every other turn or so and you have to re-assign them all over again.

 

[Taras Bulba]

well, when you play on huge continental maps, and you're pretty much constantly at war with the AI conquering territory at a rather quick pace, it often gets difficult to keep the terrain up to par with your core territory. and putting rails on every single tile, along with improving every tile becomes VERY difficult.

as much as I'd love to be done with it quickly, it just wouldn't happen the way I play. And by the time pollution comes, I've conquered all but half of the other main continent (which most of my workers haven't even touched yet)

 

[ecuwins]

I just automate on clear pollution and they'll go to the squares themselves. But they finish immediately, so next turn I get control back. I don't do this anymore, though.

This is the only case where I would automate workers. This comes very late and usually only when playing as an Industrious civ.

 

[Theodora]

One thing that does drive me crazy is putting workers on "clean pollution" but there is only pollution every other turn or so and you have to re-assign them all over again.

That's why I don't automate for pollution cleanup. It's actually less trouble for me to do it all manually!

 

[drakonius]

Hi.Is's me Drakonius I am back after almost two years of not making myself heard-I am rather singleminded and i have been induststriously working on my big CIV3 project.Well anyway I always automate my workers at the beginning of the game and only take control if I have special work to be done-I am normally too busy fighting wars to micromanage my workers.Later I have always taken far too many slaves to manage-I mainly fight wars for the taking of slaves to build and to develope my nation.The AI never fails me.The AI controlled workers are great for building roads and rails to knit together and to defend my growing empire.