City specialization and setup

[auremaker120]

I've recently picked up Vox Populi and after getting absolutely smashed my first few games, I feel like I'm starting to make some progress. However, I could still use some help regarding a strategy I was trying out. Basically, I founded 5 different cities and dedicated each one to the production of certain great people and resources. Washington handles a variety of great people (I took advice from the forums and cycled specialists to get them faster), New York is my economic powerhouse (only merchant specialists, towns, and a cargo ships), Boston is my cultural center (houses the Smithsonian, majority of my great works, nothing but cultural specialists), and so on for science and production. For cultural policies, I took Tradition/Artistry/Rationalism.

Is this a viable way to play, or am I screwing myself? Population growth is a huge problem that I'm trying to tackle, and the secondary cities don't produce GP as often as I'd like even with gardens and such. I also seem to be falling behind by the Industrial Era. I've decided to pursue a cultural victory through tourism, but I'm not sure how to get there now.

To expand on that, what exactly should my secondary cities be focused on? Do I still grab all of the basic buildings like libraries and markets, or do I need to tailor them all towards a single victory condition (like culture)? I've read that culture and production are more important then science and growth, but I'm not sure how you can accomplish that without significant growth and tech advancement.

Could anyone offer some advice? Thanks

 

[CrazyG]

When you see that culture and production are more important that science or growth, it doesn't mean science or growth is bad. Generally, when given a choice, take production or culture first, then get the science. For example, I will usually build an Arena before a Library.

As tradition, your capital is your cultural center. Not building Smithsonian there was a mistake. Your capital should try to build all buildings or at least most buildings, and most of the wonders too. I think you can still win using Boston, but you have made it harder.

Your other cites don't usually have one job. Sometimes they are focused, such as focusing production to help with military, but everywhere should have basic science, culture, production and gold buildings. At this point if you have cities without libraries or universities, those need to get built very quickly. You shouldn't fall behind in science as Rationalism.

I sometimes end up working scientists everywhere, because towards the end of the game science does become really important. When we say its less important early game, its not that science is bad. It just means that the same era production buildings tend to be stronger (more total yields).

Also, scout more, try to meet some city states. At this point, you can see if an AI will sell you the world map, but you still need to send a unit to meet those city states.

 

[chicorbeef]

I can't help but feel that this may have been a better Progress + Goddess of the Hunt start rather than Tradition. Just look at how many Camps you can get! You could've founded cities in those remote Tundra regions and watch them grow powerful.

 

[Minh Le]

I think the most important resource is time/turn. So I micro my cities to reach my next goal in the shortest amount of turns.

 

[tu_79]

I think the most important resource is time/turn. So I micro my cities to reach my next goal in the shortest amount of turns.

So true.

By the way, the especialization of my cities depends on how many cities I control and what their resources are. If one city has plenty of food but little production, that's a city for working specialists. If the city has lots of production, it's the military factory, or the naval factory if it is coastal. Playing wide, I purchase diplomats in the cities that are near city state clusters. Science usually goes to the capital. But after the specialization buildings are built, they follow up with infrastructure to avoid unhappiness issues.

 

[auremaker120]

Thanks for the advice everyone! I tried to refocus my efforts towards tourism and culture for the remainder of the game and even though Brazil declared war in the last three turns (he remembered very well my conquer of one of his early cities), I managed to pull off a cultural victory. First victory in Vox Populi feels good! It was only Prince difficulty but hey, that's a start.

Here are some pics of my end-game.

 

[Galbias]

Thanks for the advice everyone! I tried to refocus my efforts towards tourism and culture for the remainder of the game and even though Brazil declared war in the last three turns (he remembered very well my conquer of one of his early cities), I managed to pull off a cultural victory. First victory in Vox Populi feels good! It was only Prince difficulty but hey, that's a start.

Going by Salvador's city location it looks like he probably deserved it lol

Out of curiosity, why the Citadel near the coast of Washington, and why are the Fish there improved? It doesn't look like they're in workable range.