Originally posted by Dralix
It's a balancing act, though. Yes, production is important, but the higher the population, the more tiles can be worked, so the higher the production.
But, in general, I mine grasslands. As stated already, in despotism, mining is the only option that makes sense. You would lose the irrigation bonus anyway. Later in the game, it tends to be more situational. Some grasslands will get irrigated because I need the food, or need to draw water to plains or desert.
Nail on the head! (or something like that he drunkenly mutters ...). Mine grass irrigate plains during despotism ALWAYS. After despotism, it depends. I often keep mines until a city gets aquaducts, then covert some to irrigation, later at the 12 limit, convert back to mines (at least some of the grass tiles). Don't be afraid to change the improvements ... even back and forth ... this is why mass worker formations are a Good Thing (also, methinks, Industrious civs).
In a similar vein, it can sometimes be good (not always though) to build forest just so you can clear it for 10 shields, then irrigate or mine, or even rebuild the forest to get 2 shield/turn from then on. Again mass workers who can clearcut the forest quickly is important, as the longer it takes, the more food production is lost ... IF that is important, it might not be. (and BTW, I DIDN"T grow/clear forests as an exploit before it was patched, might have done so but basically it never occured to me to do because it seems to "un-natural" ... forests don't grow back like that fast in RL. Once through in the 10 shield grab is enough.) Balance each big food producing tile with either mined plains or a forest build, to max shield production. Some big food producers will support several of those higher shield production tiles. Since a mined grassland produces 2 food for the citizen working the tile, its balanced, but your not getting ahead in pop growth for the city, depending of course on what else is happening in that city food wise. AND, most important, your "global" situation ... are you desperate to boost pop because your under global stress from competatiors? OR is growth pop wise of less concern right now?
I usually mine cows, but I cannot USUALLY bring myself to mine wheat esp. (NEVER!) wheat on floodplains. (Wait! mining floodplains is worthless, don't do it, no good). Personally, I didn't do the big despot rush for general city improvement production, I just like to build lots of workers and esp. settlers. I usually raze captured cities so I send lots of settlers with the army, both to rebuild the razed cities and also to fill in the gaps where the conquered civ hadn't done a good job of city location setting. And LOTS of workers!
ANYWAY don't feel that you shouldn't change improvemnts. THere is a time and place for things, and sometimes you'll want to max pop growth in SOME cities, other times or places, no, stick with shields. "Times change". SO change the improvements to fit your current requirements. Overall I lean slightly to shield production as higher priotry, but as Dralix said more pop ALSO increases shields because you are working more tiles. Its a balancing act! To do this successufly (changing improvements) you will need to use lots of workers. This is not usually a problem after a few conquests, but be careful early to not build to many of your own because it lessens output for other needs. Balancing act!! BTW, I DO NOT mean rebuilding improvements MANY times, usually an average tile will have the improvement change perhaps twice or maybe 3 times max, over the course of a game. More often may mean your leaping from stratey to strategy and it is wise to stick with a plan rather then vacilating.
Civ on.
ES
