City Specialization

[arcticnightwolf]

In many threads here is mentioned city specializing, but I can hardly imagine it practically.
I'll describe my city management:
I'm trying to build city near flood plains, near river, in places where are 2+ land resources, in places where i have 3+ water resources in BFC or at strategic places. Then I build farms near river, and cottages/mines in rest of places.
In EVERY city I build Obelisk/Monument, Elder Council, Courthouse, Market, Temple, Library, Forge. In border cities also Walls, Theater. In more productive cities Training Yard, Archery Range.
After that I build units and buildings like Tax Office and other economic buildings.
My specializing starts and ends with building national wonders in suitable places (( Bazaar of Mamon in most money-producing city; Academy in most science-producing city )), world wonders I build mostly in most hammer-productive city...
Any guide for total llama how to specialize cities in FfH ?? As far as I understanded - I don't understand why I shouldn't build Tax Office everywhere - it gives +25% money...

 

[Bill Bisco]

I wouldn't build a monument in a city unless that city was a border one and fighting the culture war was a necessity. Else, I would just spread religion to it, and be done (or in Kilmorph's case, create a work from unit for culture and then be done). I wouldn't build a forge in a city unless it was a production city; +25% hammers from 5 or 6 isn't that much. I wouldn't build a temple in a city if it wasn't a production city unless I really needed the happiness bonus or whatever (exception temple of Kilmorph).

I only build a library in a city if that city has plenty of commerce or if I want to build the Great Library.

I often end up building Elder councils in most cities since they're cheap and give a good bonus, and Markets and Courthouses cause I usually end up strapped for cash. I wouldn't build a tax office in a city unless that city was generating 8 gold or more.

City specialization in FFH often ends up just being a mindset. You set some cities to be unit cities, aka, they produce only units (and courthouses or markets if really necessary), and some cities are made just for research and gold production (since the two pretty much go hand in hand).

 

[Doug Piranha]

What he said, plus:

In border cities also Walls, Theater. In more productive cities Training Yard, Archery Range.

It probably means I'm playing at too low a difficulty level, but I never build walls or theaters (a stack of offensive units is much better at solving cultural issues than buildings are). And I would never build both a training yard and an archery range in the same city, if that's what you mean. One city builds melee units, another builds archery units, another builds catapults, another builds recon, another builds horse units, another builds mages. Constructing lots of extra buildings in your unit-producing cities means you aren't producing units, which is the role of those cities. Other cities in your empire can specialize in commerce and provide the support for all those units, and the research to make them better. But you better have a lot of unit-cranking cities.

Playing civ (and FfH) well is all about efficiency. The secret to better play almost always revolves around making better use of the resources you have.

 

[Monkeyfinger]

And I would never build both a training yard and an archery range in the same city, if that's what you mean. One city builds melee units, another builds archery units, another builds catapults, another builds recon, another builds horse units, another builds mages.

This is the right approach unless you're an ingenious leader. Ingenious leaders should pile all the training buildings into one city, have other cities spam warriors and scouts, and send the warriors and scouts to the city with all the training buildings for upgrading.

 

[FireBlaze]

This is the right approach unless you're an ingenious leader. Ingenious leaders should pile all the training buildings into one city, have other cities spam warriors and scouts, and send the warriors and scouts to the city with all the training buildings for upgrading.

That actually sounds like a decent idea for a ridiculously rich Khazad.

 

[Kenjister]

Now I'm inspired to try out a Khazad game... I've never actually played around with the Ingenuity trait before.

I don't get how some people can only build certain units in certain cities, maybe it's my cautious playing style, but I need those buildings just in case my priorities change really fast such as when Tasunke pulls a blitz from across the continent. I couldn't imagine how horribly it would hurt if his horsemen took only my Melee focused city in the first wave.

 

[xalien]

Military city - found the AV and build a shrine, then add heroic epic, forge, improve the land for hammers and churn out units with free stigmata. Later on you can add Tower of Eyes for a sentry promotion too.

GPP city - build your 2nd city in a food-rich region and found some religion(s) there (extra GPP and specialist slots) and improve the land for food. Then build all specialist enabling buildings and as many wonders as you can afford (use slavery or undecouncil to speed up production).

 

[Corwyn]

I don't get how some people can only build certain units in certain cities, maybe it's my cautious playing style, but I need those buildings just in case my priorities change really fast such as when Tasunke pulls a blitz from across the continent. I couldn't imagine how horribly it would hurt if his horsemen took only my Melee focused city in the first wave.

Agreed. I tend to build an Archery Range in my cities (when I can afford to) just in case I need to suddenly go defensive.

But perhaps this is me being overly cautious as well -- so far it's been very convenient to have Archery Ranges in many of my cities, though I can't say that it's been strictly needed. Ironically, even at Emperor (just started playing at this level) I've found that I haven't needed city walls, and I haven't been building them... I guess I prefer to build Archers/Longbowmen instead of walls. They're a bit more versatile -- I've occasionally even attacked with Longbowmen from my city, to stop a weak unit from pillaging for example