Second Worst Starting Tech

[Izuul]

And the difference fishing makes on a coastal-start is pretty significant. Those turns you have to wait while researching fishing before you can start a WB slows you down quite a lot.

If you are lucky, your coastal start may have a land food source in which case you can still go worker first to connect it instead of the seafood.

Alternatively, you can put 6-7T into a worker while researching Fishing before switching to a WB. Or you may even want to build a warrior while teching Fishing to go worker steal.

There are ways to mitigate the lack of Fishing on a coastal start.

 

[killeryoshis]

Depends on the level you play. In lower levels fishing worse. In higher levels Mysticism is worse. However you are in the middle of the continent then even hunting might be better than fishing.

 

[Dewii]

Even in the middle of the continent Fishing shaves a few beakers off Pottery. And I think it allows you to connect trade routes over rivers within your cultural boundaries. (Sailing allows you to connect trade routes outside your cultural boundaries.)

 

[sampsa]

For me, blocking the engineering bulb is the biggest issue with fishing, otherwise I'd perhaps even slightly prefer starting with fishing than with mysticism.

Even in the middle of the continent Fishing shaves a few beakers off Pottery.

Certainly true.

And I think it allows you to connect trade routes over rivers within your cultural boundaries.

No, rivers connect your cities within culture even without fishing.