Influence me

[PSG]

I found out the joy of being 4 cities over the cap. I was losing around 500 influence a turn so I had to throw everything into increasing my cap. There is no way I am going to give the Mongols back their cities!!!!!

 

[DrCron]

I play to survive on civilisation continent level, maybe that’s the difference. If you lag behind, you die. I am still balancing out early luxes in this formula. The advantage of continents is you always have an option for an early rush to that continent with Biremes

You can always try 6 factions total in a large map. Even with continents there's a good chance no early wars are needed. I got my first HK difficulty win that way. Though I have to admit it's taking me several starts to adapt, now I moved it to the "recommended" 8 factions for the same map size.

 

[Taefin]

So I played my first game getting a second city before founding/attaching a second outpost. That saved 60 influence sure makes it faster, but maybe it’s just this particular game, but I felt it held back my first city too much. I ended up capturing a 3rd city not long after using scouts, and also took Hittites > Huns so no EQ to build, so I cannot really asses the net effect very well in comparison to past games, but my production in these cities seems lower than where I’d expect to be otherwise.

Just comparing what I’d do with 1 city with 3 territories vs 2 cities with 2 territories each, some thoughts:

- The 1 larger city would have double the production immediately. Which would be identical to having two 1-territory cities at first. If you start focusing on makers quarters, the time to build districts usually stays even or gets quicker. So point to 1 city.

- Then with this boosted production, you add a third territory at about the time you get the horse and copper infrastructure, and building both (200 prod each I think) is pretty quick. It would probably take twice as long to build this is just the first of the 2 smaller cities. Now MQ and FQ return acceptable yields.

- Now if you want to add a pop for more science, you can build a FQ in 2-3 turns. At this point, I’d probably just be getting the second territory attached to each of the 2 cities, so probably much of the effect of the extra few districts my large city has picked up.

- And here’s where usually the option of getting another city or two from IP or war comes in. And building two of my own cities really holds back the chance to benefit from this.

Im my current game, I had to raze the second city I got off the AI, and haven’t captured either of the IP I’ve encountered.

One nice thing about the two city approached is since districts aren’t as imperative, as you will grow through having 9 more influence per turn, you can focus more on building units. This helped me field 3 gigir and 6-7 infantry pretty quickly (the captured city helped too).

So I’m undecided, but missing getting ahead of the district cost curve earlier.

 

[Victoria]

I do not want to go below 91% stab, especially early but attaching 2 the capital is possible but I would prefer the districts and the cost of attacking the second vs same nice salt I struggle with a bit.
1 attach is double, 2 attaches is not triple because you are comparing it to 2 not 1

 

[fortydayweekend]

I do not want to go below 91% stab, especially early but attaching 2 the capital is possible but I would prefer the districts and the cost of attacking the second vs same nice salt I struggle with a bit.
1 attach is double, 2 attaches is not triple because you are comparing it to 2 not 1

It comes down to the territories themselves at that point I think. A 13F 13I river is more of a priority than desert.

The salt you can add with influence which is another trade off

 

[Victoria]

The salt you can add with influence which is another trade off

Thats what I mean, attaching second territories is influence and not cheap. A salt I can trade may mean 1 enemy, not 2.

 

[fortydayweekend]

Thats what I mean, attaching second territories is influence and not cheap. A salt I can trade may mean 1 enemy, not 2.

Ah right, got it now

This game really resists letting you come up with a general best opening strategy, it's all dependent on terrain, and luxuries, and mammoths, and neighbours, and culture availability etc etc

 

[Taefin]

So second city came on line a little faster than I expected, war reparations helped get some infrastructure.

For early conquest I think 1 city is the way to go, because after the 140 for adding/merging the third region, the next buy is adding another region to the first city you capture by which time you’ve probably saved enough up influence.

For a peaceful start, or for eyeing a classical push, I think you’ve convinced me that starting with two happy cities, I’m guessing focused on pop growth, is the fastest way to get (city cap +1) x 3+ region cities ready to pivot into a strong EQ.

 

[Victoria]

I’m guessing focused on pop growth,

Thats the next question. There is a lot of science infrastructure based on per pop so a high pop is a long term must. Things are civ dependant.

 

[PSG]

I do not want to go below 91% stab, especially early but attaching 2 the capital is possible but I would prefer the districts and the cost of attacking the second vs same nice salt I struggle with a bit.
1 attach is double, 2 attaches is not triple because you are comparing it to 2 not 1

My hair is on fire help help.....That's me running around with 35% stability and still building makers markets...