Kev
Hired Goon
Forgive my question if it is assumed to be common knowledge, but I have a question regarding citizens and how they affect your final score. I realize that a happy citizen is worth 2 points, a content citizen is worth 1 point, and an angry citizen is worth nothing. My question deals with the "overrun" citizens if you will - the ones that appear as entertainers (or science or tax guys) when all of your tiles are being worked already. How are they scored? The way I'm thinking, it could make a big difference as to how I play the very latest part of a game for score. Here's why:
1. If overruns count as points - perhaps as a content citizen.
If this is the case, consider this scenario: You have 3 or 4 cities nearby, but not overlapping each other. They have reached their maximum size in that all surrounding land is farmland and with all the food used they will not grow. Would it not be possible, during the final 10 or so turns, to build a new city right in the middle of these cities. In theory, all of the tiles would be white and unusable as they are in use by the neighbors, but it would be possible to go to those larger cities and "open up" say 4 or 5 tiles per city. Granted, there would be a food shortage in those cities, but with the Pyramids it would take several years before any population would be lost (or they could use food caravans). In the mean time, your new city would be able to grow very quickly with all of the land around it developed. Quick buy a supermarket, an aqueduct, a sewer system, a harbor if needed along with whatever happiness items you need and this could add a large batch of happy people quickly for a nice score boost. Even quicker once its growing along with "we love the president days".
2. The "overrun" citizens do not give you any points.
If this is the case, then why would I spend SO much time making farmland and irrigating away trees to max my city sizes. If I'm going for points it should be irrigate until enough citizens are created to work every available square and then move on to make a new city or work the land around a city that does not have a worker for every square. I know that the "overruns" can help with happiness or with science and taxes in an effort to boost the "future tech" point total, but I think we'd all agree that population is the key factor in scoring.
Also in this case, the strategy I mentioned above is particularly viable. Even if some of the "overruns" die from starvation it would not impact the score.
Just a few thoughts - I'd love to hear what the rest of you think.
1. If overruns count as points - perhaps as a content citizen.
If this is the case, consider this scenario: You have 3 or 4 cities nearby, but not overlapping each other. They have reached their maximum size in that all surrounding land is farmland and with all the food used they will not grow. Would it not be possible, during the final 10 or so turns, to build a new city right in the middle of these cities. In theory, all of the tiles would be white and unusable as they are in use by the neighbors, but it would be possible to go to those larger cities and "open up" say 4 or 5 tiles per city. Granted, there would be a food shortage in those cities, but with the Pyramids it would take several years before any population would be lost (or they could use food caravans). In the mean time, your new city would be able to grow very quickly with all of the land around it developed. Quick buy a supermarket, an aqueduct, a sewer system, a harbor if needed along with whatever happiness items you need and this could add a large batch of happy people quickly for a nice score boost. Even quicker once its growing along with "we love the president days".
2. The "overrun" citizens do not give you any points.
If this is the case, then why would I spend SO much time making farmland and irrigating away trees to max my city sizes. If I'm going for points it should be irrigate until enough citizens are created to work every available square and then move on to make a new city or work the land around a city that does not have a worker for every square. I know that the "overruns" can help with happiness or with science and taxes in an effort to boost the "future tech" point total, but I think we'd all agree that population is the key factor in scoring.
Also in this case, the strategy I mentioned above is particularly viable. Even if some of the "overruns" die from starvation it would not impact the score.
Just a few thoughts - I'd love to hear what the rest of you think.