Okay, here's my two cents. During the opening phase of the game (single player, Deity mode), my general order of builds are for my initial twelve or so cities are:
1) Settler to found new city
2) Settler to make roads/irrigate/mine for existing city
3) Food caravans to help build initial wonders: Colossus, Hanging Gardens, Michaelangelo's Chapel, (and Great Library, if necessary)
4) Trade caravans to establish trade routes between city and the Colossus
5) Aquaduct, (Harbor if required to boost population past 8}
6) More Trade caravans to establish trade routes between city and the Colossus
7) Market Place, Bank (Colosseum if needed)
8} Library, University (except in the Science City/Colossus City, which together with the Aquaduct are rush built before other city improvements)
Judging from other posts in this forum, my selection is somewhat unusual for three principal reasons: no defenders, no temples, and trade caravans before city improvements.
On the first point: I do build some military units, but they are generally built only to prevent civil disorder while I am in Monarchy. These are usually warriors, since warriors are as good as armor when it comes to maintaining civil order. Otherwise, during the opening game I rely on diplomats (and bribery) for defense against Barbarians and other civilizations, supplemented with some mercenaries discovered among lesser tribes. Should barbarians make an appearance near one of my cities, I switch production from a caravan to a diplomat. In most games, even with Barbarians raging, this has proved adequate for defensive purposes in the early game -- but in some games this strategy has backfired and I've had to pay the price. (Yes, I have lost some games; but that can happen when you gamble early!)
On the second point: I honestly cannot remember the last time I've built a temple. And it's been so long that I had to stop and remember why I haven't built a temple in ages. In retrospect, it comes down to the high priority I place on building my first three wonders (Colossus, Hanging Gardens, and Michaelangelo's Chapel), and establishing trade routes between my cities and the city with the Colossus. Its also a question of math. A warrior to maintain civil order cost ten shields; and they will not be needed in all of my initial eight to twelve cities. On the other hand, a food caravan costs only ten shields more than a temple; with eight to twelve cities, this is 400 to 600 shields that can be applied to my wonders, and together these three wonders will have an effect superior than a temple in every city in my civilization.
On the third point: I've reached the point where I consider trade routes between my cities and the Colossus as city improvements. Once I've built Michaelangelo's Chapel, the Hanging Gardens, and the Colossus, these trade routes combined with a Repubican government and periodic 80% luxury tax rates allow me to boost the populations of these cities up to 12, hence the reason my first city improvement tends to be an aquaduct (or harbor). Furthermore, trade routes do not incur the expenses of city improvements, as well as generating arrows that can be converted into either income or scientific research; and finally, they add immediate value to those city improvements when I do build them.
[Hmmm. I've just discovered that the number eight followed by a close parantheses equals a
[This message has been edited by Andu Indorin (edited March 09, 2001).]
[This message has been edited by Andu Indorin (edited March 09, 2001).]
