Pangaea
Rock N Roller
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2010
- Messages
- 6,390
Slavery is your friend. Whip like you've never whipped before 
No, seriously, particularly in the early game when you have a low happiness cap, whipping away population on useful things (like settlers and workers and granaries) is a good thing. Regrow on something else, and whip again when needed. It's pretty common.
Another thing, if you are already a brutal slave master, is to hire a few scientists in a library. That way you not only limit growth, but get a Great Scientist, that can be used to instantly research a technology (but don't do it with cheap crap) or to build an Academy in your capital. Good in itself with the right setup (essentially many cottages), and very strong once you get Civil Service and can run Beaurocracy.
Hope this helped a little. I don't know how experienced you are
Didn't really answer your question, but then I don't like to base happiness on Hereditary Rule, particularly if I need a pile of units in a city to keep it happy. Every unit costs money.

No, seriously, particularly in the early game when you have a low happiness cap, whipping away population on useful things (like settlers and workers and granaries) is a good thing. Regrow on something else, and whip again when needed. It's pretty common.
Another thing, if you are already a brutal slave master, is to hire a few scientists in a library. That way you not only limit growth, but get a Great Scientist, that can be used to instantly research a technology (but don't do it with cheap crap) or to build an Academy in your capital. Good in itself with the right setup (essentially many cottages), and very strong once you get Civil Service and can run Beaurocracy.
Hope this helped a little. I don't know how experienced you are

Didn't really answer your question, but then I don't like to base happiness on Hereditary Rule, particularly if I need a pile of units in a city to keep it happy. Every unit costs money.