refining my first few turns

[kmad]

Given, I have built my capital (Trondheim) and it's adjacent to a grassland with a shield. Naturally I move my worker over to the grassland with the shield and start mining.
Also assume that adjacent to that sheild is another, similar square. Would I build roads on the one I mined already, or go start mining the other square?

 

[MTheil3508]

I would say start building the road. You will need a few turns for your city to grow before it will get start working another tile.

 

[Grey Fox]

Count the turns it will take the city to grow and need that tile, make your decision based on that... also, consider what growth that tile gives you and plan your 3rd tile or possible your 2nd city's first tile.

In the beginning I consider the mines and irrigation more important then roads.

I often make 1 or 2 improvements, and then road to my 2nd city location, which most optimally is 2 tiles away from the capital.
This, because I want to build the city the turn the Settler is ready, and because they can SHARE improved tiles. And a somewhat dense placement is much more effective then a wide spread one. It's the key to beat the higher difficulties.

 

[Aggie]

Here's a great article for you in the War Academy of this site

 

[Park Ranger]

IF I am on a river or using some bonus resource that brings in extra commerce and

IF I decide to go high tech rate and

IF I want to research a low cost tech (Pottery, eg) right away,

Then I will put in a road first.

Else I focus on getting extra shields and, if possible, extra food.

With industrious trait I put roads in every tile I improve since my worker can easily keep up with growth of first 2-3 cities.

Sorry if that reads like BASIC programming I'm not sugesting I'm an automaton about it...

 

[sabo]

Originally posted by Grey Fox
Count the turns it will take the city to grow and need that tile, make your decision based on that... also, consider what growth that tile gives you and plan your 3rd tile or possible your 2nd city's first tile.

exactly! don't waste the workers time by improving tiles that you can't use anyway because you don't have a big enough POP, unless there is something you want or need (i.e. mining a mountain of gold, etc) my style is to irrigate all plains and flood plains and mine all grassland whether they have shields or not, I do that first then I plop a road on top (science, commerce, and movement)

I never automate workers until late industrial or modern age and when I do, I do Shift A so they do'nt destroy what I've already done. If I need to change a tile from irrigation to a mine I'll do it manually. I know this seems like a hassle and your games take longer but its' a 'must' for higher difficulty levels, besides it's much more rewarding this way and you are in more control...

 

[Chieftess]

I asked this way back in the Strategy & Tips forum (which is where it should be). There's also tips there too on your first moves.

 

[jorge_roberto]

I always build roads first.

My priority is to connect all cities.

Then mine grassland and irrigate plains.

 

[Globetrotter]

I usually try to get the mines first.
Every extra shield in the first few turns is more than welcome

 

[DaveMcW]

Build the mine, then the road. It's not worth delaying the trade and movement bonus for 3 extra shields by doing mine, move, mine, road, move, road.

If you had plains wheat like the GOTM13 start, I might consider irrigating without roads to get the bonus food faster.

 

[Globetrotter]

Agreed
What i meant is just mine before building the road, then while on the same tile, road it

 

[anarres]

Hmm. I tend to agree that the mine/irrigation should be done first in most cases.

One BIG exception is when I can use that square to move other units along, like other workers, settlers going to a new city location, things like that. There is nothingworse than having a settler take one turn extra because you mined instead of roaded. Also, sometimes you know that the extra shield will not help the currnt production item finish any quicker, in which case I road first, or do another tile completely.

Just remember, every rule you have is a hinderance. In fact, don't have rules at all about what to do and when. Reassess everything every turn if you can. By everything I mean everything. Just ask ERIKK, in our MP games I can take 30 mins a move, and I often spend 10 minutes trying where exactly to send a settler...

 

[Grey Fox]

Originally posted by sabo10
my style is to irrigate all plains and flood plains and mine all grassland whether they have shields or not, I do that first then I plop a road on top (science, commerce, and movement)

This is very similar to my style (and most peoples I guess...)
Although what is important is your and even more importantly the city that need the tile's Preference. If the city need food to be able to use a mountain, I might irrigate a Grassland if I'm not in Despotism. If the city already are getting a lot of food from, let's say Floodplains, I will probably MINE the nearby desert and plains.

I also have a preference when it comes to BONUS Resources. I most often irrigate Wheat AND Cow tiles. Even in Despotism (because you get 1 extra food even then, as Despotism only means that if a tile has more then 2 Food it gets minus 1 food.)

An irrigated Cow and a mined Bonus tile next to your capital, means that the capital can build a settler constantly in 10 turns without needing anything inbetween.

I never automate workers until late industrial or modern age and when I do, I do Shift A so they do'nt destroy what I've already done. If I need to change a tile from irrigation to a mine I'll do it manually. I know this seems like a hassle and your games take longer but its' a 'must' for higher difficulty levels, besides it's much more rewarding this way and you are in more control...

Hear, hear!....
Although I almost never automate anymore, if I do I press Shift-P. Which means automatically clear Pollution, and when they are done with that I usually turn them to manual use (if that doesn't happen automatically... don't remember.)

 

[TheNiceOne]

The two previous posts (by anarres and Grey Fox) sums up quite well how I play too. I generally do the mining/irrigation before the road in a square, but considers the possible movement bonus of outgoing settlers etc as anarres wrote.

When it comes to the choise between irrigation/mine I'm with Grey Fox all the way. I will of course always try to have at least two surplus food in a city early on, but having 3 or 4 surpuls is a great boost to the city growth, especially if the city has enough production as well.

I do not have any rule about irrigation plains/desert and mining grassland though, the rule is simply to have balanced food/production for a city. If the city has a few flood plains (maybe even with weath) I will normally mine everything else around, including plains/desert, as I have little use for a city that grows much faster than it can build settlers or anything else.

 

[kb2tvl]

If you have a food bonus then I always work that first. These tiles can be irrigated. I generally road first but mining would probably be better. Road are useful from the point of defense though or if you build a second work then he can move on that tile.