Help required: the art (and science) of whipping

[oldsaxon]

Whipping. I've got the basics: found cities near food resources, improve them, and build granaries and lighthouses. Where do I go from there, though?

When's the best time in the build? Should I be whipping when there are 40 hammers left, or 1, or... when? What effect do forges and OR have?
Where should my food bar be? 1 turn from growth? 1 turn afterwards?
What should my pop be? The most I can get away with? Should I whip the moment the city becomes unhappy?
Finally, how does overflow work, and what should I do to exploit it?

I play on Epic, at Noble (against friends), or Prince (alone). If you need any more info, just pipe up and I'll supply it.

 

[Gooblah]

I dunno.
Optimal whipping occurs when the city is 1 turn from growth and the unit is 1 utrn from completion. Thus, 2 units can be built in 1 turn due to the massive overflow.
Whipping is effective against unhappiness and unhealthiness.
Whipping can be used anytime, as long as there's enough population (the required hammers to whip and the max pop whippable can be seen when you roll over the whip button on the city screen.

 

[oldsaxon]

So... if I'm trying to build 2 units in 1 turn, does the 2nd unit need to have been started already? And how do I work out what the overflow will be (so I don't waste any of it)?

 

[KMadCandy]

you'll probably find this article helpful.

 

[oldsaxon]

Thank you, KMad, you can consider me helped