Leveraging a GP Farm

[yanner39]

Can anyone give some pointers or perhaps point to another thread on how best to use the GPP Farm?

In my current game, I was lucky enough to have a city site with 3 food resources and flood plains. I decided to use it as my GP Farm. Now I haven't use GPP farms that often so I don't know if I was working it properly.

1. Is 3 food resources enough for a GP Farm?

2. How the heck do you get enough production to build the buildings you need to free up specialists spots? I know there is the whip and I had little trees around the area so chopping was very limited.

3. Caste system - I could use the caste system, but then I can't whip the basic infrastructure in my cities post-Codes of Law, which comes relatively early.

4. I am trying to leverage the GP farm too early in the game? In my currently game, I went from Slavery to Emancipation because I needed slavery to whip new buildings in new cities (Courthouse, Library, Granary,) I wanted to build a University in the GP Farm to free up another specialist spot, but I have switched to Emancipation so with very little production in the GP Farm city, infrastructure was taking for ever.

Any tips would be great.

 

[EustaceMonk]

1. 3 food resources is good, but do you also have river access? If so, farm a lot of it! You could also put a few workshops on the grasslands to get an up on production, but don't sacrifice the food!

2. You don't get much production in these cities in my experience. I usually end up whipping the heck out of the people there to build what few buildings I need. I mostly stay in Caste System once I get it, however, so having buildings for the specialists isn't too big of a deal for me (although the bonuses are nice). I have the same problem with production in most of my commerce cities as well (market will take over 300 turns on marathon!).

3. Whip what you need, then switch to Caste System. Even though I get CoL, I won't switch right away, especially if my empire is large and I really need the courthouses.

4. Usually I set up a GP fairly early (Production city first, Commerce next, and then GP farm). I try to settle my GP farm near rivers with lots of food and forests. Then I can chop the forests to get my first library there and start running scientists. I guess I don't fully understand the rest of your concern on 4. Was it a UN vote that forced the change? If not, just switch back and forth as needed (to an extent, unless you're spiritual).

 

[lymond]

I will try to answer to the best of my ability but others will be even more helpful

1. Is 3 food resources enough for a GP Farm?

Well, it certainly is a good start. Corn, wheat, pigs, fish. I always drool when I see a high seafood spot. Look for grasslands and river tiles to build more farms to work more specialists. Often I run scientist though in my cap or secondary city once libraries are in and it's viable - until a better GP Farm spot is located or conquered

2. How the heck do you get enough production to build the buildings you need to free up specialists spots? I know there is the whip and I had little trees around the area so chopping was very limited.

Well, you do and you don't really. The city mainly focuses on specialists but you can whip out buildings as needed, chop forests, and later Universal Suffrage to buy buildings at will. Early on you can have some mines set up to increase production - you probably don't have alot of specialist spots at that point anyway. Later forges and religious building will add some engineers/priests for a little more production if you want to mix your GP pool up.

3. Caste system - I could use the caste system, but then I can't whip the basic infrastructure in my cities post-Codes of Law, which comes relatively early.

Caste System in my view is a strategic ploy. Unless you are pushing for a cultural victory (lotsa artists) or just want to run tons of scientists,I don't use it until other workshop bonuses are in. Also, if you are not Philisophical then a specialist based economy is probably not advisable - not that you won't run caste at all. Also, if you are spiritual or in a golden age, you can change in and out of Caste/Slavery during that time. Anyway, Caste is not a bad civic at the right time or conditions but you don't always need to go bonkers on specialists in lieu of other important things. Hybrid economies are great IMO. Oh - one more thing - if you build the mids you can run Universal Suffrage early to buy stuff - just note that Representation is awesome with lost of specialists.

4. I am trying to leverage the GP farm too early in the game? In my currently game, I went from Slavery to Emancipation because I needed slavery to whip new buildings in new cities (Courthouse, Library, Granary,) I wanted to build a University in the GP Farm to free up another specialist spot, but I have switched to Emancipation so with very little production in the GP Farm city, infrastructure was taking for ever.

Honestly, I'm a little confused here. You appear to mention early game but are discussing Emancipation. Emancipation usually comes pretty late and I don't run it unless I have to - not that it's bad per se. I just don't get the time here. I don't think you can start running GPs too early and sometimes it takes a while to truly develop a GP farm. Sometimes your GP farm is your cap if the resource turn out that way. Folks will move their cap in that way. It's more about having a strategy and picking your spots. I'd say get those 2 Scientist churning as soon as you can to pop out some GPs for academies and bulbing. A full blown GP farm can come a little later

hope this helps

 

[Fabio GP addict]

1. Is 3 food resources enough for a GP Farm?

The optimal is high food concentrated in few tiles. With grass farms pre-biology you need 2 tiles per each specialist (and still growing with the city 2 ). Each food resource is welcome of course, especially if you don't have so many grassland tiles. The more, the better

2. How the heck do you get enough production to build the buildings you need to free up specialists spots? I know there is the whip and I had little trees around the area so chopping was very limited.

You should at least have some production tiles, mined hills or workshops. Try to get at least 10/12 and whip early (while you build farms) to free up specialist slots.

3. Caste system - I could use the caste system, but then I can't whip the basic infrastructure in my cities post-Codes of Law, which comes relatively early.

If you want to run Scientists/Merchants/Artists, with Caste System you don't need spec-buildings, they're unlimited. Otherwise switch civic after you whip.

4. I am trying to leverage the GP farm too early in the game? In my currently game, I went from Slavery to Emancipation because I needed slavery to whip new buildings in new cities (Courthouse, Library, Granary,) I wanted to build a University in the GP Farm to free up another specialist spot, but I have switched to Emancipation so with very little production in the GP Farm city, infrastructure was taking for ever.

Surely the GP farm can be postponed a little, and becomes really effective only after irrigation. But to have a real GP farm you need Caste System or you never have enough slots.