How to control workers?

[Perugia]

True, if you continue with the same workers, as you illustrate. What I suggest is to eliminate as many 'steps' as you can. Once one worker has stepped and roaded jungle (10 worker turns), many more workers can move in to clear, without having to step.

I agree with Peepers that eliminating steps increases efficiency. I also agree with Mathias that it can in some cases take LONGER to complete the job but I would argue that it is still more efficient. The downside of this is that it takes exactly one turn less than twice as long to complete the road.

For best efficiency you can actually halve the number of worker turns "wasted" as steps by only stepping with slaves. It costs just 0.5 of a worker turn to step a slave. For example on a desert it takes one non-industrious worker 1 worker-turn to step and 3 worker-turns to build the road which is complete after 4 worker turns and 4 game turns. But a slave only takes 1/2 a worker turn to step so completes the job in just 3.5 worker turns but it does take 7 actual turns.

Of course this still only works for tiles where you can afford to wait before completing the road but it is 13% more efficient. This is most efficient for the 1mp tiles desert/plain/grass.