Building on a one-tile island

[HughFran]

Hi all,

Recently I have been playing a game where land masses are sparse and there are lots of tiny islands (which I enjoy playing on). Sometimes the islands are only one tile (with potential of one or two land tiles on another island which is close to borders) but the water around the island has lots of resources such as fish, crabs, etc. In my current game, due to constraints of nearby Civs and City States, the only place available for my fourth and final city was on one of these tiles (the game actually recommended I build there). The pros was that there were plenty of resources such as fish and crabs and gems (on a tile from an island that was two tiles away) but the cons are that production is a little slower until you get lighthouse, etc.

I was wondering what everybody's opinions are of building a city on an island that only has a single tile - would you consider it or do you avoid at all costs? What are the advantages and disadvantages of this?

 

[Frank327]

If you're going the tradition route and need 4 big cities then I say don't do it. Your big cities will need a lot of workable tiles to be useful in the mid-late game. Of course with lots of fish this is somewhat less of a problem because you can have a lot of specialists.

If you're going the liberty route and it's one of many cities then settling on a one-tile island such as this one is perfectly fine. You can just grow it to the local happiness cap and it's gonna be a useful city that will probably contribute great persons and a luxury resource to your realm.

 

[stormtrooper412]

Such cities are good for until they hit 10-15 or so pop and then they won't really grow much

 

[FrostK]

If you play peacefully 3rd and 4th city is a must, so settle. On one tile island? ok. You do not need to rush that city thow - better do it when you have available trade route and workshop. Put trade route for hammers from start: lighthouse-work boat(s)-granary-market-workshop-library-university, etc.

If you gonna war - dont settle horsehockeylike cities.

 

[dasaard200]

One tile islands are a problem, without resources you're pretty near dead; building upkeep will eat your lunch . With resources, and barbs far enough away, you MAY have time to build an archer, and on the turn it appears, delete the Warrior for cash; and then either build buildings, triremes and workboats (IF they survive), OR build scouts-for-cash to tide you over . YEA, Lighthouse will boost food as borders grow, and if you can sneak in a settler to a larger island past the barbs; GOOD ON YA !!! Barracks give a free promotion, which you need to stay alive . Remember that upkeep goes UP, when hitting a new Age .

Once you can build a navy AND keep it afloat (despite the manpower caps), exploration becomes possible . Later, Composite bows and Galleasses, and a few more cities fairly close together, produce an area that you CAN keep barb free; and trade is now an option .

 

[reddishrecue]

Building on a one tile island can be tempting to do particularly if youre Indonesia but it shouldnt be done because 1 tile cities are really not really good. Cities with better positions will grow a lot quicker. Even making a granary with cargo ships wouldnt make sense because you would have to buy it just to get cargo ship routes working. The best you could do is send it cargo ships and make citizens to build buildings, but even then that would be a waste. 1 tile island cities are best gifted to AI.

 

[Red Menace]

actually i disagree, i built a one tile island city with lots of fish and it was amazing. i would show you but i dont know how to post steam screenshots

 

[joncnunn]

Going the Tradition path, it would probably just be a money-pit. Sure it grows, but you have to cash rush several buildings there just to prevent National Wonders from being slowed down, which under the tradition approach are a lot more powerful than a 4th city on an ultra low hammer production city.

It's actually most suited for letting the AI found the city there and later conquering but leaving it as a permanent puppet.

 

[dasaard200]

Most of the time, getting stuck on a 1 tile island, even with 2 crab, 2 whales, 2 pearls, and 12 fish in the 3 ring city limits; STINKS IN VACCUUM !!!

I would re-roll, even IF the game COULD find a worse spot to wind up .

 

[Red Menace]

well i figured it out and here are my sreenshots, 1 tile cities are worth with proper investment.

Spoiler :

Spoiler :

Spoiler :

policies note no tradition

Spoiler :

my Cap, lots of fish not a 1tile island city but still the power.

 

[reddishrecue]

One tile cities with 4-5 sea resources are an exception of course. Lighthouses and seaports can increase sea resource tile resources.

 

[Red Menace]

One tile cities with 4-5 sea resources are an exception of course. Lighthouses and seaports can increase sea resource tile resources.

but this is the situation the OP mentioned, i was merely proving to previous posters just how good these cities can become.

Sometimes the islands are only one tile (with potential of one or two land tiles on another island which is close to borders) but the water around the island has lots of resources such as fish, crabs, etc.

 

[joncnunn]

One tile islands next to other islands / main land are an exception to the avoid one tile island rule. Most people assume when someone is talking about a one tile island that there's no other landmass near it.

 

[Red Menace]

One tile islands next to other islands / main land are an exception to the avoid one tile island rule. Most people assume when someone is talking about a one tile island that there's no other landmass near it.

True, but the OP did say that there was other islands involved aswell, and for most of the game i didn't have those other land tiles thanks to an especially incompetent Governor.

 

[reddishrecue]

If theres another land mass then its not really a 1 tile island because all the other land tiles contribute to the 1 tile island's land mass, but i guess yes then, that other land masses in the 1 tile city radius could also be an exception.

 

[kirbdog]

I would say that the tipping point would be:

1 - A luxury resource (which you don't have) that can be developed because of the city
2 - At least one hill or other high production tile that can be developed (other than sea resources)
3 - Like you said, several good sea tiles and at least a couple land tiles in the workable radius

At that point, you're looking at a logical expansion.

But if it's just a single land tile, with a couple grassland and some fish but no new luxes, I'd pass. "Money sink" is right.

The pros was that there were plenty of resources such as fish and crabs and gems (on a tile from an island that was two tiles away)

Yeah, I'd develop that city.

If you gonna war - dont settle horsehockeylike cities.

Another good thing to consider.

PS -- As a general rule, I would say 'no' to rerolling maps, unless maybe you're playing 'competitively' (where you can assume others are also rerolling maps). It's cheating, which is to say that it's robbing you of enjoying the variety of different starts that the game can offer and the challenge of overcoming the unique problems presented with varying strategies. A strategy that relies on good luck is no strategy.

 

[Acken]

Wider games with medium sized cities can go along pretty well with cities with only a few of great tiles like sea ressources.

In a city of 15 with slots you don't need a lot of workable tiles

 

[thereter]

I settled a one tile island simply so I can make another internal food trade route to my capital. But I can't make any internal trade routes. Am I doing something wrong?

 

[Acken]

You need a cargo and a granary at the origin city.

And you need Brave New World obviously.

 

[thereter]

Is there a limit to how many internal routes that can go to a single city?