Confused about choping. (and windmills)

[Aldarad]

Simply put: if you cut down all the forests how do you get hammers later? I feel better leaving some trees for lumbermills later. Am I just plain wrong?? Do you put up waternills and workshops or...how do you get the hammers afterwards when the forests are gone ???

Also Windmills vs Mines, is anyone better?

 

[Elrohir]

Chopping is good, because it gives you a quick gift of a large amounts of production. But don't become dependant upon it, or your game will be crippled. After all the forests are gone, you get production from resources; terrain like hills and plains; and improvements like watermills, workshops, and most of all, mines.

Chopping is great, but if you become addicted it will negatively affect your gameplay.

As for Windmills v. Mines, it depends upon the situation. Do you have enough food to support the mine? How much production does the city already have? Is the city going to be one of your major production centers, or is it going to be a commerce or GP city, or a mix? It really depends upon the situation; there is no absolute best answer. Generally the AI builds many windmills, I build more mines myself. But I am very focused on production as opposed to commerce, at least in the early and mid game.

 

[ConstantineV]

I think it is a good idea to leave about four forests or so in your "fat cross". My reasoning for this strategy is threefold:

1) Every forest in your "fat cross" increases your health by 0.5 points. If you want your city to grow large, you may face disease among your citizens, especially in the early game before you research construction. Jungles, of course, decrease your health, so it is probably a good idea to chop these first.

2) Lumbermills, of course. How can you build lumbermills when all your forests are gone?

3) Defence. If a war is anticipated, you can fortify defensive units in your forests (especially forested hills). Enemies attacking you may be diverted to attack these units first and may not even reach your city if your units are strong enough.

In conclusion - while chopping can be useful - it's a good idea in the long run to leave some forests.

 

[Zombie69]

It's usually a good idea to chop everything as soon as possible (or as soon as you get mathematics if you don't like wasting 10 hammers).

1) Health is usually a very minor issue, if at all. Happiness usually stops your growth before health does, and even if unhealthiness comes before unhappiness, it can be mostly ignored because the impact is minimal.

2. Lumbermills are crappy improvements and come too late to have any impact. Chop and build cottages instead, which are much superior.

3. Defence. You don't want enemies traveling or fortifying in forests in your own territory, and as for you, you'll get better defensive bonuses inside your city than standing in forests anyway.

For all your hammer needs, slavery will always be there, like a faithful companion. For more info on this, follow the link in my sig.

P.S. Wrong forum, this is not an article. I suspect a mod will move this thread as soon as one sees it.

 

[Lord Chambers]

Soon after lumbermills become availiable, and even sooner after they might become actually worthwhile with railroad you should be cashrushing for your production, so a cottage still remains the best improvement for flat land. The only time it's not is when you don't have enough food to work the tile.

 

[Aldarad]

Thanks for the different views. I tried chopping with Gandhi and found my own answer: use the surplus-food to feed lots of priests with Ankor Wat. Worked nice for a cultural win but I guess I could try any win.

Again thank for the advices!