Cutting down forests

[bob rulz]

I have a few questions about this strategy that I always hear regarding forests.

Why do I always hear that you should pretty much immediately cut down any forests in your city radius? This sounds like such a waste of worker time. It gives you a one-time shield bonus for something that probably isn't going to be extremely important; why not save those shields for something that really matters later in the game? With the forests you have 2 shields, and more than likely you have enough food in the city radius to sustain a city early in the game, so clearing them for the grasslands makes no sense unless it really needs it.

I'd really like to know why I always hear this strategy mentioned. Cutting down a few of them is good, but why all of them? It makes no sense to me.

 

[Aabraxan]

In C3C, a chop only takes 4 turns, and you then add 10 shields to the project. In the mid-late game, a 10 shield bonus isn't that big of a deal, but if it shaves, say 8 turns off that granary early on that can be huge. That said, I sort of like having that 2-shield tile in my city radius early on, so I don't usually chop unless I'm building something really big (like a granary).

 

[ecuwins]

Forest chops are more beneficial early on in the game when your cities are small and do not produce many sheilds. When a city is producing 3 sheilds per turn +10 shields is nice. When a city is producing 20 sheilds per turn +10 is still ok but its effect is diminished. It is important to time the chop as not to waste sheilds. Do not chop to get a warrior or a worker -- this is crazy. When you have less than 3 cities a chop should be going towards a granary, barracks, or a settler.

Edit: Sorry for the X-post. I think?

 

[bob rulz]

Obviously chopping just for a warrior or worker is crazy. Now, it makes sense for granaries. But there's so often when I hear "you should use them as fast as possible." To me, most of the time, the effect of the 2 shields outways the effect of getting 1 specific thing faster. You can only use it once; once you chop it down to get 1 thing, you can't ever use those shields again, unless you replant it. Then chopping it down for the shields is useless because that doesn't work twice anymore.

 

[ecuwins]

In that case Bob I guess it is a gamble. The forest square could reveal a BG once mined is far superior to a forest square. Maybe you chopped over a plain which you could mine and it be equal to a forest square. Yes all of this costs worker turns but sometimes sheilds now is the priority.

 

[bob rulz]

In that case Bob I guess it is a gamble. The forest square could reveal a BG once mined is far superior to a forest square. Maybe you chopped over a plain which you could mine and it be equal to a forest square. Yes all of this costs worker turns but sometimes sheilds now is the priority.

I agree, sometimes it is.

Mainly I'm just wondering why I hear the "always chop as fast as possible" strategy, or at least to the extent that it's useful; just do it as fast as possible. I guess not everyone finds this useful, because nobody's told me this yet, but I still hear it quite often.

 

[RFHolloway]

The point is the food. Probably in the early game you won't want to work more than 1 forrest. The difference between 3 extra food and 2 extra food is significant. I will keep a forrest around, so that I can get the extra shields on growth, but the rest (particularly those on grassland 1 in 3 chance for a BG) are fair game for chopping. One other exception is forrests on tundra. because you can't irrigate tundra the forrest is the best thing to have on it, so I wouldn't chop tundra forrests.

 

[MAS]

Why do I always hear that you should pretty much immediately cut down any forests in your city radius?

I don't know why you always hear that, I'm not the one giving such advice.
I usually advise the improve the easy to improve tiles (grass, plains) first.

 

[Othniel]

Do not chop to get a warrior or a worker -- this is crazy.

Just to play a little devil's advocate, this is not always crazy...

One good MM tip is to try to not road forests if you plan on chopping them at some point. For non-industrious, roading a forest and then chopping takes 6 + 4 = 10 turns. Chopping first and then roading takes 4 + 3 = 7 turns. You save 3 worker turns in each instance. One exception I can see to this is roading a forest tile near a major city that will be worked on occasion--that way you can gain extra commerce.

This is probable not what anyone had in mind, but say you're trying to road around corrupted cities in a heavily forested area. You should chop first, those shields should go somewhere, and an extra worker or warrior can almost always be helpful. Just try to time the chop when there will only be 1 shield in the box, and you get almost zero wasted shields on your shiny new worker or warrior. Enjoy!

 

[ALA Gator]

I usually don't chop the forests down until I need the shields to hurry something (rare) or when my city has expanded to the point that it needs this tile to continue growth. I usually try to improve the easy tiles first like MAS said.

 

[iambenben]

i cut down forests if there are too many of them in the radius, usually to put a few tiles of irrigation

 

[ALA Gator]

Just to play a little devil's advocate, this is not always crazy...

One good MM tip is to try to not road forests if you plan on chopping them at some point. For non-industrious, roading a forest and then chopping takes 6 + 4 = 10 turns. Chopping first and then roading takes 4 + 3 = 7 turns. You save 3 worker turns in each instance. One exception I can see to this is roading a forest tile near a major city that will be worked on occasion--that way you can gain extra commerce.

This is probable not what anyone had in mind, but say you're trying to road around corrupted cities in a heavily forested area. You should chop first, those shields should go somewhere, and an extra worker or warrior can almost always be helpful. Just try to time the chop when there will only be 1 shield in the box, and you get almost zero wasted shields on your shiny new worker or warrior. Enjoy!

I'll bet the same is true for jungle... I had never thought. THANKS

 

[AutomatedTeller]

I use forest chops a fair amount early, mainly to rush either granaries (for growth) or barracks (for defense). I sometimes use them for harbors (for trade) or for libraries.

 

[Ansar]

I cut down forests for granaries mainly, but sometimes if I have extra forests just lying around, I'll chop em' off for a University or Library.

If I'm Agricultural, I prefer to keep them, since they work perfectly with the extra food bonus in the capital.

 

[TruePurple]

I'll sometimes road a forst, helps you time your chop to gain maximum shield sometimes. I might road a jungle if I need the resource or the path. Adds more turns over all but it takes a long time to clear a jungle.