Best number of cities

[Starrynite120]

What do you feel is the optimal number of cities to have? I'm curious how many other people tend to make. I probably end the game with around 8 for a typical game.

 

[legalizefreedom]

75 or so on a normal map, but you could get by with 50 if you have an older computer.

 

[LethalLeigh]

75???? ... 50????

I play Marathon games and at "most" I maybe might have 25, and that is only after I CAP the Capitals of the other Civs.

Maybe if I count the AI cities and none are raised then I might get over 50 in total, But 75 damn your AI most be different to mine because the AI's I play with seem to love to kill Stations and burn Cities to the ground.

As to the OP's question. It depends on the length of your game. At Marathon speed, I find a dozen is a good number. Then I look at the AI's cities and see which of those are in a good locations and I start CAP'ing new cities instead of settling new one's.

At lower speeds you would not need or may not want as many.

 

[Ryika]

For quick, peaceful victories probably 5-6, maybe 7 if most of them are water-based (because you have more health to play with early on when you settle these cities).

 

[legalizefreedom]

75???? ... 50????

I play Marathon games and at "most" I maybe might have 25, and that is only after I CAP the Capitals of the other Civs.

Maybe if I count the AI cities and none are raised then I might get over 50 in total, But 75 damn your AI most be different to mine because the AI's I play with seem to love to kill Stations and burn Cities to the ground.

What can I say? I build empires that stand the test of time.