Infrequently Asked Questions

[jonottawa]

I just played my first full game of FFH and I loved it. I have a couple of questions, though:

1. Is it intentional that certain Civs can't research fishing or anything sea-related on the tech tree? How are they supposed to play an archipelago? When I play certain civs, the marine branch of the tech tree isn't redded out, but when I click on fishing, it doesn't give me a number of turns and just disappears (instead of showing the amount completed bar) when I return to the main screen. I don't think it's a prerequisite problem, because you can usually click any tech on the tree and it'll figure out the shortest path there.

2. Is it intentional that if you're using agriculture civic and you farm a grassland that the -1 hammer doesn't apply to that tile? In other words, as long as you only farm grasslands or flood plains, you don't lose any hammers from using agriculture civic, right? (I guess it's intended to encourage you to farm grasslands and cottage plains, instead of vice versa.) If that's a bug/exploit, I won't do it, but if it's intended to work that way, great!

Any responses and/or pointers to where this information is available would be greatly appreciated, thanks.

 

[wilboman]

Who are you playing as?

 

[Rod]

hello,

1)you can always research fishing with every civilization, but the problem is that FFH is not beelining automatically, but you have to choose fishing manually after you researched the required pre tech - just check in the civilopedia which one you needed (i forgot right now).
I always play archipelago and I always research fishing very fast with every civ ...

2) How do you want to apply a hammer malus to a field that produces no hammers ? I do not understand want you want. If I remember it right then grassland with farm produces not even a single hammer, so why should it loose hammers ??

 

[carn]

2) How do you want to apply a hammer malus to a field that produces no hammers ? I do not understand want you want. If I remember it right then grassland with farm produces not even a single hammer, so why should it loose hammers ??

He is probably irritated, that agricultural would give such a huge bonus, without negative effect.

With agricultural a farm on grass gives just +3(4) food. Considering that cottages give at best +5 commerce and no hammer, the old question, whether to farm or build cottages, seems to be obviously decided in FfH towards farms, if agricultuaral is an acceptable option.

 

[Sureshot]

ya, but you give up other good civics, like conquest or guardian of nature.

also, terrain like plains are better off with cottages while you farm grasslands, and you need fresh water sources to build farms. also, with elves, if you build a farm on a forest you lose the bonus production from the forest if its on grassland.

the whole thing makes cottages and farms a much more interesting decision, where as before it was cottages all the way.

 

[jonottawa]

Thanks for the quick and helpful replies.

I suspected that the fishing thing was a glitch, but wanted to be sure. The glitch happens for any race that doesn't have the seafaring trait (try clicking on fishing at the first turn, before researching exploration, and you'll (presumably) see what I'm talking about.) Glad it's just a glitch.

I do consider agriculture to be overpowered, but I haven't wanted to go into any strategy threads (to see if farming grasslands and cottaging plains is considered an exploit) because I want to play a dozen games or so on my own before I read 'spoilers' of what other people like to do (the FFH version of the CSS, or whatever.) More fun to muddle through on my own.

Thanks again.

 

[jonottawa]

Oh, to answer Rod's question about agriculture:

Yes, I think it would be a more balanced civic if a farmed grassland tile in a civ running Agriculture civic had a negative 1 hammer effect on total base production in the city (presumably with the stipulation that TOTAL city hammer production can't drop below zero.)

On the other hand, I do like that it encourages the player to use the best farmland (flood plains and grasslands) for ... FARMS! Usually in vanilla civ I tend to cottage flood plains and grasslands and farm plains.

 

[Maniac]

Another infrequently asked question:

Anyone an idea what would happen if barbarians could build settlers?

 

[wilboman]

I imagine they'd behave just like AI civs.

 

[loki1232]

Another infrequently asked question:

Anyone an idea what would happen if barbarians could build settlers?

That would be cool actually...

 

[Kael]

Another infrequently asked question:

Anyone an idea what would happen if barbarians could build settlers?

As in vanilla they are blocked from building settlers. The reason is that barbarians gain cities for free so we don't want the ai wasting resources trying to build his own, better he concentrate on military units and let the barbarian city spawn function take care of city building.

 

[Maniac]

Thanks for the reply. I'll test anyway what happens if the barbs can build settlers. Who knows it might cause them to found more cities even if the unowned tile requirement in HandicapInfos is no longer met, meaning barbs stay a threat longer.

 

[Chandrasekhar]

Thanks for the reply. I'll test anyway what happens if the barbs can build settlers. Who knows it might cause them to found more cities even if the unowned tile requirement in HandicapInfos is no longer met, meaning barbs stay a threat longer.

I think it would be more likely to just give the non-barb Civs a few more cities for free...

 

[Sarisin]

As in vanilla they are blocked from building settlers. The reason is that barbarians gain cities for free so we don't want the ai wasting resources trying to build his own, better he concentrate on military units and let the barbarian city spawn function take care of city building.

Yes, sometimes it is really a kick the way barb cities sprout up like weeds at the higher game settings.

For example, for some reason, the AI kept building on the SAME SITE just outside my borders. I have already destroyed 23 cities (and counting) on that site, yet every few turns after I destroy the barb city another pops up in the same location. At least it is interesting seeing the various barb city names taken from other civs.

Another interesting feature is how roads seem to magically appear giving the bars a convenient way to scoot around the map. Rarely have I seen any barb workers (there have been a few) building these roads, yet they show up quickly even after you go out and destroy them. I guess those ole barb are just super road-builders!

 

[phoulishwan]

Thanks for the reply. I'll test anyway what happens if the barbs can build settlers. Who knows it might cause them to found more cities even if the unowned tile requirement in HandicapInfos is no longer met, meaning barbs stay a threat longer.

Settler/worker grabs with no diplomacy hit, from forest stealthed hunters, camping the barbarian trails! Sweet!

 

[Maniac]

Ok so perhaps not such a good idea after all.

 

[H.GrenadeFrenzy]

I hate barb cities ...I often let them build to level 2 or so before I take them just so .....well nevermind I just feel a little sadistic about the weed like cities that impose on my borders so often.

 

[cvlowe]

If they are on a good spot, I'll wait a few turns till they go to size 2- free city! If not its a few experience points taking them out!

 

[H.GrenadeFrenzy]

If they are on a good spot, I'll wait a few turns till they go to size 2- free city! If not its a few experience points taking them out!

Me too....or go back with a Confessor are "Revive" the ruins into a city

 

[cvlowe]

Me too....or go back with a Confessor are "Revive" the ruins into a city

I have never been able to get that spell to work. Kinda forgot to ask about it at the time though!