game start: founding cities

[rafisher]

I've read in many threads that you should not found cities too quickly at the start as it hurts your economy. But I find that if I don't quickly place a city, the AI civs take up all the surrounding lands. I normally play for Space victory and don't like to start wars. Is it possible to win with only 3 cities and hemmed in by other civs?

Also, many other threads recommend building Oxford U for science. But then, I'd need a minimum of 6 cities with all of them building libraries/universities (and other recommended wonders also require a minimum of 6 of a prerequisite. This seems to break another rule about, say production city shouldn't build X, commerce city shouldn't build Y, etc).

(Playing Noble, American leaders)

 

[mice]

You're right about needing 6 cities to build Oxford but there is a better reason to build 6 cities. With 3 or 4 you will be overwhelmed by the AI every time.

You need to be working resources,cottages, mines more than the AI. You can't do that with just a few cities.

A good rule of thumb is 3-4 cities before CoL and currency. After that, go to about 10 or so. This will mean war and taking the good cities off the AU. It's necessary. After that you can build if you want to.

 

[TheCorsican]

10 cities are not compulsory (I mean on a standart map), you can win with only six cities : I did it on Monarch level (space race and cultural win), but in this case you need some accurate diplomatic skills, and you should micromanage your cities.

 

[rabidveggie]

You definitely need at least six. When I started out I only had 2-3 cities by the end of the game and I would wonder why I lost. For space race especially many parts require 5 components and making them all at once or a few at a time and still making defenders is a powerful friend.

 

[Greeneyedzombie]

I've won OCC on prince, so you should be able to win with only 2 or 3 cities.
In the beginning your empire won't support more than 6 cities. After curruncy and COL you can support more.
A guideline for the nr of cities you should have, (by no means a hard rule) would be, to have 3 to 5 cities at 0 AD, 10 to 15 cities at 1500 AD. This should give a good starting position for any kind of victory at noble or prince dificulty.

 

[svv]

One thing to keep in mind is that, at least at the beginning, the strategy for a space race victory is basically the same as the strategy for a domination victory. You need a good sized empire, with lots of cities generating science and ready to build spaceship parts when the time comes.

So, the best thing to do when the AI settles cities near you is let them - let them build the settlers and maybe even a granary or forge or two, while you build your axes and catapults. Then you take the cities. After that you can make nice with them if you want. Then, you'll be in the position of having the cities AND (most of) the armies you used to take them. This will put you in a much better position to avoid (unwanted) wars in the future.

 

[futurehermit]

15+ cities is a good rule of thumb for winning space race. Not necessary, but comfortably and early I would say it's a good rule of thumb. You want to be done warring/expanding at or before 1500AD, so 15+ by 1500AD I would say. Then you want to slap in CE civics, make sure everything is cottaged up, watch diplomacy, and go for it.

Expanding via the conquest of a close neighbour early and then again early renaissance or in medieval is a good way to go.