News: COTM40 Pre-Game Discussion

[Aabraxan]

I sometimes wish there was an "execute" button. Sometimes when they citizenry gets their dander up I'd like to kill a few to show the others what a good idea shutting up and getting back to work is. Oh well.

Have you played SMAC? It's got nerve-stapling. Not quite what you're looking for, but it's close!

 

[Ansar]

Have you played SMAC? It's got nerve-stapling. Not quite what you're looking for, but it's close!

I loved that feature.

 

[AlanH]

Starving them usually does the trick

 

[denyd]

I just load them on curraghs and send them on an ocean cruise in search of goody huts on remote islands

 

[Più Freddo]

I never really considered the loss of commerce when I "waste" 1 or 2 citizens. I would think that loss would be negligible considering those citizens get replaced in several turns anyway.

No, they don't. The population growth would have happened anyway for even more commerce and game points.

When you start losing commerce is when there are no more tiles with road, bonus and/or river for a new citizen to work or when you reach the population limit, usually six. But training Workers or Settlers is a better way to prune population than whipping expensive (in upkeep) troops or improvements.

 

[Più Freddo]

I sometimes wish there was an "execute" button. Sometimes when they citizenry gets their dander up I'd like to kill a few to show the others what a good idea shutting up and getting back to work is.

I think the way this real-world mechnism is modelled in Civilization is the Military Police. This model also takes into account, that you can only go so far along this route.

In captured foreign cities where unhappiness is rife, put all non-resisting citizens to be specialists (unsually Tax Collectors) and train Settlers. The combination of starvation and Settler training soon brings population low enough, and the Settler is useful even though it may have foreign nationality. That's only one new foreign citizen for two in the originating city, and its the first citizen, who is more likely not to be unhappy thanks to several game mechanisms.

 

[Red Horse]

Sometimes when they citizenry gets their dander up I'd like to kill a few to show the others what a good idea shutting up and getting back to work is. Oh well.

I like your thinking.

 

[Red Horse]

No, they don't. The population growth would have happened anyway for even more commerce and game points.

When you start losing commerce is when there are no more tiles with road, bonus and/or river for a new citizen to work or when you reach the population limit, usually six. But training Workers or Settlers is a better way to prune population than whipping expensive (in upkeep) troops or improvements.

Thanks for your reply PF.
My thinking on the whip is twofold. It trims population. This gives more support for smaller towns/cities in feudalism, thus helping commerce. It also turns potential clowns into something productive. Secondly, the builds I rush are barracks, temples (culture & ) and libraries (culture & research). Getting these builds quicker, rather than waiting the 20+ turns offers further benefit. The expense of the library (1 gpt) vs. the benefit of 50% research is, I believe, worthwhile.
I agree training workers and settlers is an excellent way to curtail pop growth.
I never play for score, only to win so that is an area that I will look at now that I am playing the “game of the month”.

 

[Paul#42]

My thinking on the whip is twofold. It trims population. This gives more support for smaller towns/cities in feudalism, thus helping commerce. It also turns potential clowns into something productive.

Whipping unhappiness will be the main reason why you need clowns...
I use the whip only if I have extreme food surplus and shield poorness, in Feudal 100k attempts and of course - in early urgency cases.
But the letter rarely occur before I form an advanced government...

 

[Red Horse]

Whipping unhappiness will be the main reason why you need clowns...

I don't think it is the main reason, usually when I poll the unhappy citizens overcrowding is the main reason for unhappiness.

I've found as long as overcrowding can be kept in check the city won't shut down.