Capital: Hammers vs. Cottages

[FlyinJohnnyL]

The title of the thread might be a little misleading because the last thing I wanna do is start a debate. Really, I just need some stratregic advice. I've kind of gotten into a rut of doing the same thing early in most games where I don't execute an early rush.

I grow the capital to the happy cap, and then pump out workers and settlers. Obviously, if it's food rich I'll whip some, but I just keep pumping out settlers and workers though...so my dilemma is that I don't get around to working cottages in the capital until into the ADs usually. I'm just working food and mines. How do some of you manage to REX so much AND grow the cottages in your capital? Is it as simple as transitioning "the pump" to city #2 or 3?

 

[futurehermit]

I usually transition the pump to another city once hereditary rule becomes available, then transition to working cottages fulltime (assuming bureaucracy capital). The exception is if I have floodplains cottages, which are good to work early usually.

 

[KaytieKat]

Hi

Okies since you dont want debate about whether hammer cap itol is better and instead more like advice on how to grow cottages in cap

Maybe something like:

A) dont work the MAX mines you can just sacrifice the hammers and work cottages while still pumping settlers and workers and other units just realize it gonna be a little slower.

B) set up pumps in other cities and let cap build wealth or science or something while growing cottages

or c) a combo of a and b--let cap still pump units but slower while it works more cottages than mines and then set up a cpl of other cities to pump units too to make up the diff.

or D) make a "cottage growing city" very close so it overlapping your cap and have THAT city grow cottages while cap works mine and then when you tech CS or get bigger happer cap or whenver you rdy for cap to use cottages more than hammers then you can have cap work them and hopefully they will be full grown villages and towns by then too

I think in end it really means if you insist on growing cottages you need to just MAKE yourself work em and keep em worked and accept fewer hammers in cap or any cottage city for awhile until you able to grow it big enough to work both.


Kaytie

 

[TheMeInTeam]

How do some of you manage to REX so much AND grow the cottages in your capital? Is it as simple as transitioning "the pump" to city #2 or 3?

Yes. Work improved specials in the new cities and they can create workers and settlers, too. Or if they're better commerce sites, cottage them instead.

 

[Crusher1]

Imo a true economy doesn't even start taking place until after COL and CHs have been whipped. I don't see anything wrong with having a bad tech rate and poor cottage empire until 1AD. In some games I only have 50 - 60 bpt at 1AD but have over 700 at 1000 AD.

But yes, you can simply transition city duties. Lately I haven't been working the cottages I have built in full force until much past 400 BC. I typically have 1 dedicated unit pump, 1 dedicated settler pump, 1 dedicated worker pump, and 1 dedicated commerce/cottage city. Other cities work cottages, run scientist and build research/wealth. I always emphasize max growth and whip whip whip. The REX usually isn't finished until 1 AD, and then, after infrastructure is in place lots of growth and cottages . Earlier cities get all the above done sooner and start the process quicker.

 

[Iranon]

I like to start with production capitals (wonders and settler/worker pumps). Later on, I am fond of moving the capital to a central cottage city if still small enough to make Bureaucracy worthwhile because of the way bonuses stack:

Assuming we have a +200% bonus to both gold and hammers in our Capital from National wonders before Bureaucracy and we're running on 100% gold, the final multipliers would be

+250% for the output of a hammer tile
+350% for the output of a commerce tile

 

[Volapyk]

My favorite start is the mix of hammer and gold, a lot of river side, with some food available and 4-5 hills or so. That way you have enough production for an early production city, able to spit out a wonder or two and some units, and with enough cottages to switch to commerce when you don't need production.

 

[TabascoBob]

I typically have 1 dedicated unit pump, 1 dedicated settler pump, 1 dedicated worker pump, and 1 dedicated commerce/cottage city. Other cities work cottages, run scientist and build research/wealth. Earlier cities get all the above done sooner and start the process quicker.

You have separate worker and settler pumps? I aspire to city specialization but never thought of this...

I'm also a recent convert to building wealth/research in certain cities. What a boost that can be! Sure beats spending 23 turns building a colosseum or some unpromoted pikemen.

 

[Fluxx]

But yes, you can simply transition city duties. Lately I haven't been working the cottages I have built in full force until much past 400 BC. I typically have 1 dedicated unit pump, 1 dedicated settler pump, 1 dedicated worker pump, and 1 dedicated commerce/cottage city. Other cities work cottages, run scientist and build research/wealth. I always emphasize max growth and whip whip whip. The REX usually isn't finished until 1 AD, and then, after infrastructure is in place lots of growth and cottages . Earlier cities get all the above done sooner and start the process quicker.

^^

This.

Or, it depends on your capital's starting position really. Do you got 7+ hills in your capital surroundings, you basically do not have much of a choice to turn this into your main production/wonder city.
You got massive flood-plains, river tiles, food sources in your city you can make it a GP center or commerce center.

I always try to have like 1-2 producing cities rest commerce. or Better I have 3-4 commerce cities for every production city.

Sometimes you can not prevent the fact that some cities are hybrids because of resources.