Railroads: What are they good for?

Killer A's

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What are railroads good for, besides zero movement rate? Is there any increased trade or shields?
 
Since I never like following links over to Poly.....

They provide a 50% bonus to shields and trade for squares that 'naturally' produce two or more of the resource.

A forest 'naturally' produces two shields, so a railroad would kick it up to three. A spice (special resource square) naturally makes 4 trade (?) so a railorad would kick it up to six.

Along those lines.....

The extra trade bonus given because you are at a republic or democracy does not count towards this bonus. Trade added because of raods doe snot count towards this either. Mines do count towards the bonus (a mined hill, for example).

Put a railroad on a gold (special resource) and watch the trade you get from that!
 
Why the hell would u not consider building railroads? Even if it was only increased movement... On your own land it means instant reinforcement for any of your cities. One of your cities lose a few units one turn? No problem, pull one unit from each of it's neghbors and it can have near infinite amounts.

Also means you can fill a few transports in one city in a few turns (by using most of your cities to churn em out).
 
They also make your cities vulnerable to attack, be careful about plastering the landscape with them like the AI does. IMHO it is better to connect your cities and have a few key links that should be protected by fortified units. However, be careful of units from other civs particularly allies you will camp on your RR and make it useless.
 
Note that other civs can't use each other's rail/road network in Civ3 like they used to (unless they've got a right of passage agreement); building "extra" railroads doesn't make it any easier for invaders to get around but it may make it easier for you to reinforce your cities.
 
Whoops - sorry - wrong version! In Civ II extra railroads are indeed an invititation to rapid bypass and invasision. However, I find that I as the player used to do this much more than the AI would; the computer usually focuses on border cities.
 
Thanks everyone. I needed that information cause like the AI I built RR everywhere. I thought I was being excessive and now I know that's true.
 
Also they are useful if you need to get rid of pollution because you can just move an engineer along the railroad. I only cover the land with rairoads on small islands where I have an engineer doing nothing and no competitive enemies.
 
One more benefit. Field units connected to a city with a barracks by rail will heal faster than those connected only by a road.
 
Originally posted by oryx
One more benefit. Field units connected to a city with a barracks by rail will heal faster than those connected only by a road.

I never knew that although a unit that is on a railroad may as well be sent into the city.
 
Yes. Its one of their major faults because it makes it impossible or very hard to defend any of your attacks once you gain access to the rail network. Spies can just go round them or tanks and howitzers through them... :D
 
:crazyeyes Came in late on this one and it has all been said;instant movement and reinforcement,increased resources:goodjob: LIKE RAILWAYS ARE JUST COOL!!!!!:cool: :cool: :cool:
 
There is another very important benefit.Cities connected by road and/or rail get a bonus to trade routes.They have to be connected on the "right" squares though.Not just any square.There is an exact pattern the game recognizes but its kinda complicated depending on the land shape.A fairly reliable way to find the optimum route is to have a unit "go to" between the cities.Road and rail those sqaures ASAP.
This applies to cities connected to yours or to foreigns.Build that RR to Babylon and start the camel train.
 
Well, I don't do that as I do as the 'crazy' AI does: cover my continent wit railroads. It is handy when the damn AI positions it's units between by cities, especially if it puts one on the only line between two major pouulation centres on my continent (ie both sides of a heap of mountains)
 
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