City specialization

[jafink]

I have been playing civ 4 on noble and i find myself confused about how to effectively specialize cities. Here are a few questions i have.

1. At the beggining of the game when i have 3 or 4 cities i will ususally build a barracks in all of them so that they can produce their own military units. I this a waste of my early production?

2. I find that often i have trouble figuring out where to place a great people generating city. Should i put it where there are alot of shields, and build many wonders, or should i maximize food and have many specialists?

3. In the mid - late game i find myself building almost every building in every city. Can you suggest any certain buldings that should only be built in specialized cities, and any that should be built in all cities?

Any replys would be greatly appreciated.

 

[DementedAvenger]

Rivers or commerce resources - research city. Build libraries and such here - you can build a barracks if you want later on, because the city will continue to do its job passively - generating beakers.

Hills and production resources (horses or iron e.g.). Build heroic epic, forge, factory, and a barracks and pump units out all game long.

Lots of food - Either farm everything to make a GP factory (best for philosophical civs), or spam cottages to make a research city.

 

[jafink]

Thanks for the quick reply.