How to increase production without hills early on

[falcon7xx]

This is my 3rd game so far on G&K and I cannot seem to get good production early on. I am always settling a city near rivers for good food growth, but have a hard time with productions, which kills me because I can never get any other wonders besides stone hedge built early.


any tips?

 

[Adjuvant]

Don't always use your capitol as your production city. If it has alot of food, it makes a better science/great people producer. Make your second and third cities near productivity plots with enough food to keep them growing steadily.

 

[rastak]

You might also build a shrine early despite the long build time and get some production based religous bonuses. A bit later you can always rush buy some production enhancing buildings with cash.

 

[Barghaest]

Yeah, religion is the main way to boost productivity if necessary. Depending on surrounding terrain if you really need hammers bad to get that first settler out to find a better spot you can chop some forests. Taking Liberty for the free settler is a better alternative since forest with boost productivity more in the long run if unchopped.

 

[KillingMeSoftly]

Tradition is amazing for Production. The food boosters allow you to work forests and hills much easier while still growing quickly. Lumber Mills come earlier now than they once did, so I recommend not chopping any forests if your capital is very production light -- even if the forest is on a river.

 

[Civologist]

You could always make it a money city and just buy things

 

[Knut_Are_M]

starts without any production are very poor. you might want to consider moveing your starting settler.
Food does not speed up settler production at all anymore. This means you get way behind if you do not have production tiles nearby.
try to strike a balance of production and food in all your cities.

 

[peddroelm]

Animal husbandry (if you have hidden horses)

Liberty (Republic) +1 hammer in all cities (very strong when you try to spam shrines early)

Some pantheon options give early hammers ...

 

[JamesCivFan]

First of all, consider not settling in place, if you see a hill nearby (1-2 tiles away), if you go and settle there on turn 2, you actually gain a turn towards your first build. For example: A city built on a grassland tile, will need 7 turns for a scout. Now, a city built on a hill, will need 5 turns for the same scout. That means that even if you settle there on turn 2, you will have your scout out on turn 6. Of course, it will also help with your next build, and so on.

Another thing to keep in mind, is to see if you have any deer or stone nearby. Those can provide an extra production when you research the perquisite techs for a camp or quarry respectively. As other people have suggested, you could always research animal husbandry to see if you have any horses nearby, which provide +1 Hammer when you build a pasture, and another +1 hammer, when you get to Horseback Riding, and build a stable in your city.

 

[bcaiko]

Religion can indeed be helpful with production, as others have noted. A follower belief give you +1% production for each follower in the city.

 

[Xger]

First of all, consider not settling in place, if you see a hill nearby (1-2 tiles away), if you go and settle there on turn 2, you actually gain a turn towards your first build. For example: A city built on a grassland tile, will need 7 turns for a scout. Now, a city built on a hill, will need 5 turns for the same scout. That means that even if you settle there on turn 2, you will have your scout out on turn 6. Of course, it will also help with your next build, and so on.

Another thing to keep in mind, is to see if you have any deer or stone nearby. Those can provide an extra production when you research the perquisite techs for a camp or quarry respectively. As other people have suggested, you could always research animal husbandry to see if you have any horses nearby, which provide +1 Hammer when you build a pasture, and another +1 hammer, when you get to Horseback Riding, and build a stable in your city.

Windmill still can't be built in a city on a hill right? Don't forgot that long term consideration.

 

[DabigQuack]

Windmill still can't be built in a city on a hill right? Don't forgot that long term consideration.

windmill is on flat ground ONLY, the windmill is your reward for having 1 less hammer on the citys main tile for 3000 years

 

[falcon7xx]

Religion can indeed be helpful with production, as others have noted. A follower belief give you +1% production for each follower in the city.

1% though is nothing for production purposes especially that it only goes up to 15% for that belief.

 

[headcase]

Well if there are few hills then we can't recommend % boosters since they only boost what's already there.

Like Adjuvant said, try to get more productive land for your future cities while focusing on population for the science benefits on your capital if it is in flat land. Whatever trees there are, it's probably better to keep them for future lumber mills than to chop them if they're in short supply.

 

[compwiz1202]

I like hills for the city because you will always get at least 2 food on your city hex, so you start with 2f 2p and any gold from silver or gold or an adjacent river. I love starting on a silver/gold hill by a river

And then there's always the extra defense from hills.

 

[Monthar]

If all else fails, layoff a few citizens. After all those unemployed folks do provide 1 hammer each.