Farms

[Tephros]

I must admit I don't have the same affinity for farming as the AI does. When I see flood plains, I think cottages in the early game or work shops once I employ state property and watermills (esp. with electricity). The only exceptions I make are obviously where grain resources are and in the city where I have my national epic, where I may put a lot of farms to maximize great person points. I suppose my strategy in this respect might make sense due to the fact that I almost always play with a financial leader on a huge/large world. When your empire is sprawled out the state property civic becomes more beneficial than free market, especially with the food bonus to watermills and workshops. And of course if you have great person enhancing wonders/civics, it may then make sense to build more farms.

Do you find yourself replacing a lot of the farms that the AI builds in cities you capture? If not, why? If so, with what? The main purpose I see to building farms on 5 flood plains is to maximize great people, but 5 cottages that become towns seem to be more beneficial than 2.5 additional great people in most cities (it would be 5 after biology, but still). I usually don't even try to create great people in more than the 2 or 3 cities where I produce wonders. Otherwise, I use great people to slow down a big city's growth in avoiding angry citizens. What do you do in terms of farming and how does it help with your overall strategies?

 

[Zalson]

Hmmm... this is definitely a question of city specialization.

I will typically farm every plains tile I get... in addition, I'm not adverse to farming floodplains, if the city in question is a production city. Even on my science cities, I will do this. Why?

Let's consider the following situation. Say you have four floodplains. Two floodplains, being farmed, will net you 8 food at the start, 10 at biology. By working these two farms, you can get your population up to snuff in this city, able to work the other, cottaged floodplains and grassland. I realize that that wasn't the most concise example, but it works.

In addition, in the early game, a scientist specialist is much more valuable for a hardcore science city, especially if you have representation and the pyramids. It gets you not only the GS for the Academy, but also nets you 3 beakers, which is better than a cottaged floodplain, unless you're running 100% science and are financial.

Of course, the cottage works better over time.

I've realized, as I've played, that having more people as soon as possible is much better than being slower getting up there. And besides, you can always cottage over the floodplain in question when you reach your pop goal.

So, to answer your question about my strategy with farms is that I will frequently leave them up, especially later in the game. In fact, I will occassionally farm over underdeveloped cottages with farms. But usually not on rivers. Unless I have to, to get my waters flowing.