How important do you think number of cities is in early game?

[Walter R]

(G&K)
In the current game (England, King, Arch, Huge, Standard) I spawned on an island that is great for one large city but not for two (in terms of luxes etc., but you could easily fit another two). After early scouting I decided to concentrate on London for a while, get the NC built etc. and settle another city once I was able to explore a bit further away, having found another island. Second settler is now en route to another as-yet unoccupied island that looks better than "home", but it's (I think) about T70. Oh and I recently met France, no-one else yet. Demo says I'm low in most areas but good in Science (bobbing about between 1st and 2nd, was 7th before NC built).

Sorry that was a lot of background but I can't just post saved game.

My question derives from typically having 2/3 cities at this stage - what are your thoughts? Would you have founded other cities on home island anyway? I realise that I'll not have a trade route until I can build harbours for instance.

BTW I play offline at home but access the Forum from work!

 

[joncnunn]

Well, I would recommend editing your post and striking that BTW line; someone at your company may recognize your handle (combined with your location) and not like the above admission.

Turn 70: Hum, NC already built, 2 cities already founded and a settler already on its way to the third city is in great shape.

 

[CrispyCritter]

It depends entirely on your style of play and the particulars of your starting location(s). I've played a good number of G&K immortal games where I just stuck with my single city (need river, mountain, two luxuries, food).

As long as you're growth oriented, the number of cities doesn't matter (if you can grow your small number of cities appropriately).

Archipeligo is always a different game - you never know who's connected by shallow water, and that matters a lot.

 

[Walter R]

Well, I would recommend editing your post and striking that BTW line; someone at your company may recognize your handle (combined with your location) and not like the above admission.:

Good point!

I meant settler for 2nd city en route - and he won't get there for a few turns. But in general, as I usually have 2/3 cities by now (but not the NC yet) I didn't have a feel for whether this game was going pear-shaped or just different from my 'norm'. London seems to be spitting stuff out and the policies are rolling in so maybe it's actually not bad. I'm only playing Archipelago because my map generator has been a bit weird lately, whereby "small continents" have been anything but!

 

[budweiser]

I think its good to stay at 2 or 3 until you get most of your nationals built at which point you should expand. This is right around the start of industrial.

 

[Galgus]

Personally, I tend to sit at around 4-6 cities in the end game.

I get a second city when I feel my capital no longer needs gold purchases to supplement its production, and the third and fourth when the Empire has most things built in the first two and is generating excess wealth.

After four cities, funds go to buying out city states for high excessive happiness and more Golden Ages on top of whatever they give.

I play Prince Marathon on Huge maps, because I like the game pace and dislike cheating AI.

 

[MerchantCo]

It's great for acquiring new technologies.