Riverside or mountainside?

[Ceterius]

All other tiles being equal, would you rather found a city next to a river or a mountain?

Let's assume this is your second city in the Ancient Era.

Observatory vs. Water mill/Garden/Hydro Plant

 

[GfxJG]

All other tiles being equal, would you rather found a city next to a river or a mountain?

Let's assume this is your second city in the Ancient Era.

Observatory vs. Water mill/Garden/Hydro Plant

Riverside mountain XD

 

[Gehennas]

All other tiles being equal, would you rather found a city next to a river or a mountain?

Let's assume this is your second city in the Ancient Era.

Observatory vs. Water mill/Garden/Hydro Plant

If I plan on going tall, riverside cities are preferrable. If I go wide, I just don't care about terrain.

 

[Roghar]

River, unless playing Inca. earlier bonuses >>> later bonuses

 

[Johan de Witt]

All other tiles being equal, would you rather found a city next to a river or a mountain?

Let's assume this is your second city in the Ancient Era.

Observatory vs. Water mill/Garden/Hydro Plant

Depends... Right now, I am playing a game with Korea going for a Science victory. I managed to settle both my Capital and my third city next to a mountain (capital also next to a river) and those two observatories are really going to help me.

Usually, I try to get next to a river.

 

[MasterMishi]

river

 

[joncnunn]

River, by a long shot.

All other tiles being equal, would you rather found a city next to a river or a mountain?

Let's assume this is your second city in the Ancient Era.

Observatory vs. Water mill/Garden/Hydro Plant

 

[snarzberry]

As nice as the observatory is, I'll generally not move away from a river to pick up a mountain.

 

[KrikkitTwo]

Well there is a difference between Next to a river v. On a river.
Next to a river is very good (more food with Civil Service and gold)

On a river is only the Watermill/Garden/Hydroplant v. Observatory

Observatory makes for a good science city

Watermill makes for a good production city.
(Garden is too little of effect, Hydroplant is too late game)

So if there is a lot of food available/going tall=Observatory for the science
If there is a good amount of production=Watermill for the productivity boost.

So nearby a river = always good
next to mountain > next to river sometimes

(There's also macchu Piccu for a 'close' mountain.)

 

[RealHuhn]

When you plan to go tall, then next to the mountain without a doubt.
+50% science is a huge boost. Garden and water mill aren't that great.

 

[joncnunn]

Water Mill: +2 food & +1 hammer. STACKS with Granary, and the Tradition policies that increase food when going tall along with all other food increasing structures.

When not interested in that city growing; the food portion is one more person working a 0f 2h tile early or a specalist on top of the normal hammer provided.

Gardens: Depends upon weather or not the city is running specalists. Generally the first few cities running specialists should have Gardens to speed up the great people. Even the weakest GP allows a GA.

When you plan to go tall, then next to the mountain without a doubt.
+50% science is a huge boost. Garden and water mill aren't that great.

 

[mabalogna]

River always. For me, Gold will always trump a measly 50% science boost in one city.

 

[Martin Alvito]

Observatories in the capital are great due to stacking on the NC, GL and potentially the Babylon Academy. Otherwise, they're usually not worth the 200 these days until it's too late to matter.

 

[Mango Elephant]

Always river.

 

[Glassmage]

Always mountain.

 

[RonMar]

Additional considerations about mountains.
1) They can't be worked (tho good for Machu Picchu). -- a minus
2) They can be a helpful supplement for defending a city, limiting access for attacking units. -- a plus.

 

[Mango Elephant]

Also, a river means that quite a few of your other tiles will be beside a river, and therefor will give more gold.

 

[Artingel78]

This depends on civilization and your playing style.
If you want Science victory choose mountain if you playing diplomatic or domination choose riverside.
But i will choose Mountain because of Machu Pichu and better defense.

 

[TheMeInTeam]

River wins so easily. In addition to having the potential for a lot of food -----> productivity growth, you get passive gold from tiles worked and the ability to grow the city larger; this somewhat compensates no observatory since you don't have to sink the heavy hammers.

 

[chazzycat]

Pretty much river hands down. The extra food gives you more population, boosting science. The extra gold can also boost science via RAs.

So if you trade off a mountain for a river, you can get back what you lost (i.e. more science).

But if you trade off a river for a mountain, you are losing food and gold that the mountain cannot help recoup.