Best starting strategy?

[DarkSchneider]

It used to be fairly straitforward, build or steal an early worker, research bronze-working and chop out workers, archers and settlers. Now I'm not so sure.

Which of these is the best starting strategy? Or is it another one?

1) Build Warrior/Scout, grow city to around size 3
2) Build worker, build farm on food tile
3) Build a worker, chop like before
4) Build settler, settle in best spot near starting location.

Shoot, I meant to make this a poll, oh well

 

[oyzar]

Worker first is almost always best for optimum early growth. If you are incans you can quecha rush someone though..

 

[madscientist]

Always worker first with the following exceptions

1) You start with fishing and have access to a seafood tile, then a workboat.
2) You no relavent worker techs and your first tech is not an immediate useful worker tech. Example, you are Boudica without jumbos, deer or beaver and you are teching an early religion.

 

[VoiceOfUnreason]

Always worker first with the following exceptions...

3) You are immediately teching Bronze Working, and have the appropriate tiles to start warrior first (capping city growth exactly at size two, etc).

 

[DarkSchneider]

Ok then, after the first worker, do you do a warrior/scout/archer, or go for a settler?

 

[madscientist]

Ok then, after the first worker, do you do a warrior/scout/archer, or go for a settler?

I build the settler after the capital has grown to the happy cap unless I am really lacking in food resources.

 

[madscientist]

3) You are immediately teching Bronze Working, and have the appropriate tiles to start warrior first (capping city growth exactly at size two, etc).

Agreed!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Porphyrius]

Depends on the map situation:

(1)If you have sea food(s) and start with fishing make wboats for the first 2 clam/crabs or the first 3 fishes before all else. Make rich land a priority over anything other than hooked sea food.

(2)If you have Quetchas and do not presume isolation just build quetchas and snatch workers/cities.
In the same logic if you have any of the rest of the resourceless UU tech to it making warrors/scouts to explore unless theres gold/gems/silver/furs in your BFC that could speed the techs up.Then just snatch worker / cities like above.

(3)Otherwise if your worker will have sth to do (other than roads) including techs researched in the meantime just build him.
Almost always try to choose city locations that give extra hammers in the city tile regardless if they are plain hills or a weak resource like stone/marble/ivory more so if you can capitalize on the expansive trait.

In other words workers are fine at size 1. Settlers however really to follow after workers as most tiles initially are at best 3+ max. And they are expensive, so waiting until you approach 10 +surplus for them is better.
I wouldnt wait to grow to happy cap to build a settler. If the next workable tile will give just +3+(unimproved or mostly commerce i'd hurry the settler. For settler #2 (i.e. city #3) i'd really wait for a strategic resource though.

Chopping is nice and you may have to resort to it to improve your second tile. However chopping needs the rather expensive BW and i cant imagine the map setup where it would come before improving 2-3 tiles first. Better left for size say 3 with those tiles improved to finish up the first settler.

 

[xanadux]

Has anyone tried settler first with a 3 Hammer tile with the Imperialistic trait? This would give 6 production/turn towards the settler.

 

[futurehermit]

Has anyone tried settler first with a 3 Hammer tile with the Imperialistic trait? This would give 6 production/turn towards the settler.

the problem is then you're working two cities with undeveloped tiles

 

[MGee]

1. If I have seafood + fishing --> I go for a fishing boat and grab that resource. IMHO it'll boost your early growth like hell. Otherwise worker with teching the appropiate techs for working nearby tiles.
2. After that - maybe I'm wrong, but - I'm tryin' to get Stonehenge/Great Wall/Pyramids (depends on many things). They boost GP points and gives some serious culture early on. Works fine especially with Ethiopian Stele.
3. If my capital grows to pop 3, I go for a settler along with barrack + escort unit (warrior/archer)

I might be n00b, but it works fine for me.

 

[Gliese 581]

I usually build a worker first even if I'm going to quechua rush, but there's of course no need to build settlers then.
Like others said, the worker needs to have something to do, otherwise it's better to grow a pop first.

 

[Kennigit]

In my limited BtS games so far, usually something like worker (chop)-warrior-warrior (grow to size 2)-worker-settler or sometimes settler before 2nd worker (depends on forests to chop).

 

[futurehermit]

In my games I am having the most success growing my capital to happy cap and then chopping out workers (lots) and settlers. Settle toward the AI to allow for lots of backfilling. Once the land runs out tech to a military advantage and then wipe out one opponent. At that point decide whether I will go domination or space.