How to ICS in BNW, and is it worth it?

[DiscoZerg]

Assume standard map size. Each extra city generates 3 unhappiness plus 1 for its extra pop.

-1 unhappiness per city for Meritocracy
-1 unhappiness per city for Shrine religion belief (i almost see it as essential to go religion when ICS just because of this).

That leaves 1 extra unhappiness per city, which is kind of negated if u consider the fact that a 1 pop city works 2 tiles.

Negatives for ICS:
- Delayed/expensive (or skip?) National College
- possible diplomacy hits for expanding too fast.
- not enough space or happiness to go farther than 5 or 6 cities in the early game, thus making Tradition look more appealing.

Bonuses for ICS:
- you can work better tiles per city, increasing overall productivity per pop
- get more bonuses for certain basic buildings. For example Mayan shrine +2 faith +2 science works better the more cities you have to build them in.
- you can build more basic happiness buildings (colosseum/circus) if you have more cities, thus having more total pop in your empire than if you went taller.

Am I missing something? What do you guys think?

 

[MaximusK]

My problem is I play small/standard maps for turn times. It is hard to find even the room to ics beyond 6 cities (this will mean a couple won't even have lux)

 

[Arachnofiend]

The main benefit of ICS in Gods & Kings was better gold production. That is obviously no longer the case, especially since too much expansion will piss off your neighbors and then you'll lose even the tall method of obtaining gold.

 

[Magma_Dragoon]

vanilla trade routes to capitol still make gold

 

[Minor Annoyance]

Does it really affect gold that much? Having gold on river and ocean tiles spread out gold on many tiles so you had to work several of them and low population cities can't work too many.

The three guilds don't require buildings so ICS shouldn't have trouble building them. I don't know it their cost goes up with cities though.

I don't know for sure if the rules favor ICS any more or less if you're not considering an individual civs traits as well.

One thing that's really changed is France. Before it was great for ICS but not its bonus is all about the capital so it's gone the opposite way.

 

[kb27787]

Skipping national college? WHAT IS THIS MADNESSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?????? unless you take the +2science pantheon in vanilla... (late game it just becomes irrelevant)

 

[Magma_Dragoon]

There is no late game for ics, you conquer the world before the industrial era