choices, choices! workers or settlers?

[curmudgeon42]

in the early game, do you prefer to build workers or settlers? i've been playing the French, and they start with one worker. i find that I build a couple warriors, then another worker, adn then a settler...

what do others do?

 

[Sman]

Early on the game u should build 2 warriors first, then a worker and then the 3rd warrrior to explor.. while he is exploring you make a settler and then your workers can just enchance your city... now a good stratedgy is that if u find civ in the first 15 turns and they are probably building there first city.. just get the warrrior that u sent exploring to attack that city and he is a good chance of winning. Then make a peace treaty with that civ and even though u r in peace with them, they will be doomed for ever because they would be behind in tech and millitery. I love doing that, I did that to the aztecs and they are the weakest civ, I can take em over just like that but I will leave alone until I need a recource or when he makes me mad...LOL.. god i love this game.

 

[LKendter]

Settlers - You want to get to the good city spots ASAP. You want to start building your culture ratings quickly. Both require towns. During the BC era I tend to have very few workers. Unless I find a civ to early In that case, I can get a lot workers. Since that civ doesn't have contact with anyone else yet, nobody knows of you misdeads.

 

[Malys Faisent]

As the French I generally go:

Warrior
Warrior
Warrior (if my first 2 haven't found the edges of the landmass yet)
Defensive unit (hopefully tech from a goody hut)
Settler
Defensive unit
Settler
Defensive Unit
Settler
Temple
else as needed

As French you are industrious so your worker is twice as good as anyone elses...you can easily mine a square or two and make roads to where you are founding new cities without losing a pop point early to make another worker...on the right terrain (grasslands with a cattle nearby) You can build all of the stuff above without your city getting above size 3...mine/road the cattle, mine a grassland with a shield and start making roads to where good city sites are as found by your warriors. Once each city gets its temple (rush building as needed) I have them make a worker...I find that one worker/city is all you'll ever need as an industrious nation...in fact it can be overkill (though you can rejoin them...or move them to the frontier to help rushbuild under Despotism)