New Idea: Build Docks

[ChrTh]

How about a new Worker action: Build Docks (uses up Worker as Build Colony does; falling within Cultural Boundaries does not eliminate)
Requirements: Coastal Square within City Radius (probably should be Tiles-Workable radius, not Cultural Radius, so within 2 squares).
Allows: Increases trade in Dock Tile (if worked) by 1 in Despotism, by 2 in other Governments. Increases food in Dock Tile (if worked) by 1. By building Dock in Coastal Square, gives City ability to build ships (Galleys through Aircraft Carriers) if Dock connected to City by Road. Ships require an additional 3 turns (automatic, regardless of how fast the ship is built due to shields) to complete if connected by roads, an additional 1 turn if connected by Railroad (additional turns signify costs of moving labor/materials to docks for building). Ships built start in Dock square, obviously.
Docks do not function as Harbors in either the Trading or increased Food in non-Dock squares sense (not enough traffic is generated in the docks).
Enemy boats can "destroy improvements" on Docks.
Obviously, you'd move the Worker next to the Tile you want to build the Dock on (since Workers can't walk on water), use the Build Docks command, and click on the neighboring square.

What do y'all think?

EDIT: Wonders, improvements, etc., that require bordering water are still inaccessible. The only real gain is the ability to build ships.

 

[damunzy]

What if you have an area with more than one piece of water next to it?

 

[ChrTh]

Originally posted by PaleHorse76
What if you have an area with more than one piece of water next to it?

You could conceivably build multiple docks, but the only effect would be improved tile generation.

If you mean when building, a Grid would pop up like Bombardment, and then you'd select the Tile.

 

[D9phoenix]

I would actually like that action slightly modded. Make it so it doesn't improve the city at all.. all it does is provide a docking point for invasion fleets. So you can load and unload units with no movement costs. And since it is a tile improvement culture won't affect it but it still would cost a worker.

This would have acouple uses, one for wartime so you can set up short transport chains that don't require founding cities where you don't want them, and during peacetime it would act as a shorter move point.

Give the ability of "make dock" to the worker once magnetism/navigation is developed. And as i said above have it use up the worker just like the "build colony" function. What do you guys think ?

 

[roadwarrior]

You should also be able to heal naval units sitting at docks. It can be a pain dragging them to coastal cities, especially if one is very far away for whatever reason.

 

[D9phoenix]

That would make sense roadwarrior. I wonder if Airbases in the next patch will heal air units ? if they do then docks should be able to as well.