Settling Islands

[Ansar]

Usually during a game (not Archipelago), there are usually some islands out there. Do you settle these islands? Why or why not? Do they usually end up paying off (ex. they have a nice resource)?

Also, to better players, is it a waste of time trying to settle islands?

 

[Sweetchuck]

Usually during a game (not Archipelago), there are usually some islands out there. Do you settle these islands? Why or why not? Do they usually end up paying off (ex. they have a nice resource)?

Also, to better players, is it a waste of time trying to settle islands?

I settle them when I can, mostly because I'm anal about getting that spot of land first.

Pluses - easy to defend considering the AI needs to send ships there, limiting their number of units that they can hit you with. Could be strategic based on where the island is on the map.

Minuses - you still have to defend the island, tying up units just sitting there. Plus, a worker will max out the island with improvements and it's inefficient to have one sitting there considering the pop usually maxes out with the lack of working tiles available. Getting them back to mainland and productivity is sometimes a pain.

If there's a resource nearby (fish, whales), then that's a bonus. Gold, iron - double bonus.

You could wait for the AI to settle there first and improve the tiles. The AI usually won't consider the strategic importance of keeping extra units on remote places, and just send a boatload of units there and take it.

 

[Aceman101]

Other Pluses...

1. The Island may have a resource on it.

2. You will get more points because the more territory you have, the more points you get.

3. Just like every other city, you'll get some gold from the town. Usually 1-2 gold for unit costs.

4. This can be your navy rehealing spot. If the Island is far away you can heal damaged naval boats when they dock on the Island town. A harbour would make this even more effective.

5. You can make specialists like scientists for science. Or police officers etc. But if there are no irrigated tiles or fish or wales, then this would be useless.

6. If an enemy town is nearby you can use the Island and fill it up with bombers if you have no carriers nearby.

Other Negatives...

1. High amounts of corruption.

2. Unit costs. But usually 2 units will be enough to defend an Island town. Or you could rush an airport and wait untill you see an enemy ship then airlift troops. But there would be one problem, MARINES!!!

 

[Aceman101]

I settle them when I can, mostly because I'm anal about getting that spot of land first.

I settle them too .

Minuses - you still have to defend the island, tying up units just sitting there.

This is true. But you will usually get +1-2 gold from unit support. So if you had 2 good defending units the Island will be fairly safe and you won't get negative in gold. Just not positive either.

Plus, a worker will max out the island with improvements and it's inefficient to have one sitting there considering the pop usually maxes out with the lack of working tiles available. Getting them back to mainland and productivity is sometimes a pain.

Well when workers are finished improving all the tiles on the Island (If there are any) then you can send them back by ship or airlift if you had an airport.

But it gets annoying when the enemy bombards the tiles so you have to come back again with workers.

Gold, iron - double bonus.

With resources you need to build a harbout to connect them, so that will take a while. The gold will be corrupt, assuming the Island is a reasonable distance from the main Palace.

 

[Sweetchuck]

Exactly.

By strategic, I meant that you could base offensives from there - and yes, using the city to re-up your banged-up naval units.

But if there's an island way out in the middle of the ocean (like Hawaii), and it's not inconvenient - then, I'm settling it.

 

[darski]

When I discover a bit of an island. I let my nearest (pushiest) neighbours know there is land out there. They run like mad to get it and I get some breathing room.

 

[Aceman101]

You will get more points if you settle on it. And there might be a resource that comes up later on. Once there was a 1-tile Island with tundra on it. I was first to discover it, but I decided not to settle on it. I was really angry when I found there was oil on it and japan had it . And I didn't have any oil .

 

[Pyrrhos]

IMO:

* A one-tile island without any visible resource or fish is a gamble (on future resources) as you'll only - realistically - get to pop 2. Not much use.

* A two- to three-tile island is an option even without fish, whale or other visible resources as with harbour, commercial dock and offshore platform you can get to 30-15-40 raw production (two-tile, non-settled is BG + irrigated + RR, 13 tiles coast, 2 of 9 sea, democracy & IF my maths is correct ). A potential pop 15 city that produces quite a few beakers and, with courthouse + policestation, produces three shields and a small amount of commerce every turn is not to be frowned upon!

 

[Aceman101]

* A one-tile island without any visible resource or fish is a gamble (on future resources) as you'll only - realistically - get to pop 2. Not much use.

I'd stillsettle on a 1 tile Island. Better having more cities than less.

* A two- to three-tile island is an option even without fish, whale or other visible resources as with harbour, commercial dock and offshore platform you can get to 30-15-40 raw production

The problem is, corruption .

 

[Pyrrhos]

Well, if you really do need the shields, police stn, courthouse, nuclear plant, Factory & Mfg will boost you to some 12 shields per turn...

 

[Aceman101]

Yeah, and police officers will help too.

 

[Bartleby]

Well, if you don't settle it, I know someone who will.

 

[Bardak]

I think that harbor can help on feeding people. Every sea tile gets an extra pop unit.
I do not see the problem with corruption: the worst thing is that you earn nothing from that city (OK, except the unit cost, obviously... ).
But citizen can be turned into scientist, that's the value (nor policemans or engineers).

 

[MAS]

I sometimes settle islands, the ones relatively near my core, to prevent relatively far away civ from settling them.

As for other islands, my usual tactic is to beat up a civ till it only has 1 city left on the main land, then I sign peace in return for all of its island cities.

I'll finish the job with ease 20 turns later.... (though technically I don't even need to wait 20 turns for it)

 

[AznWarlord]

You could wait for the AI to settle there first and improve the tiles. The AI usually won't consider the strategic importance of keeping extra units on remote places, and just send a boatload of units there and take it.

Exactly what I do. I love taking advantage of AI. When I settle an Island, I just use it for something like tax or science.

 

[Aabraxan]

* A two- to three-tile island is an option even without fish, whale or other visible resources as with harbour, commercial dock and offshore platform you can get to 30-15-40 raw production (two-tile, non-settled is BG + irrigated + RR, 13 tiles coast, 2 of 9 sea, democracy & IF my maths is correct ). A potential pop 15 city that produces quite a few beakers and, with courthouse + policestation, produces three shields and a small amount of commerce every turn is not to be frowned upon!

Thhe problem is the length of time it takes to:

• build a harbor;
• build a commercial dock;
• build an offshore platform;
• create or ship workers;
• improve & railroad the tiles;
• build a police station; and
• build a courthouse.

only to have most or all of its shields and gold eaten by corruption and waste. Unless said island is very, very close to my core, that's too much work to make it worthwhile. I'd rather just make a tax collector or two and start collecting a few gold each turn, or make a couple of science guys and start generating beakers.

 

[Pyrrhos]

2 x galley = settler, spearman, 2 x workers

Temple / library costs 1 - 2 citizens each

Harbour, Police stn, courthouse etc are paid for in part by a galley/caravel/galleon/ transport scurrying back & forth with outmoded/non-profitably upgradable units, in part with gp.

It really doesn't take too long, just treat it as any other peripheral town!

 

[Aabraxan]

2 x galley = settler, spearman, 2 x workers

Temple / library costs 1 - 2 citizens each

Harbour, Police stn, courthouse etc are paid for in part by a galley/caravel/galleon/ transport scurrying back & forth with outmoded/non-profitably upgradable units, in part with gp.

Are you pop-rushing or cash-rushing? Or switching back and forth between governments?

As to disbanding the ships, mine are usually occupied moving troops somewhere for purposes other than disbanding, such as a war. And as to the units, either they're involved in conquering someone, or I can disband them for something more useful than a commercial dock, like other units, or a barracks.

It really doesn't take too long, just treat it as any other peripheral town!

I do. I make specialist farms out of all of them.

 

[Pyrrhos]

When I settle, I'm usually in despotism so I'd most likely pop rush the first few buildings. I do NOT disband the ships, I use them for transportation of the crap I'm cashing in on. By the time I can build police stn etc, I'm in democracy so I have to cash rush.

 

[WaterDragoon]

What is being missed here is; Corruption. Most likely 100% which means you get 1 shield and 1 gold the rest corrupted. Now unless everyone is modding the corruption the city is useless past pop 1. if you are able to get a food resource then you may be able to out way the lost commerce with tax or science guys. fine pop 3. thats it. buildings here are pointless excpt a harbor.

On a side note in my first conquest game i have learned that policmen are useless...... the take about 1 shield and one gold and make it not corrupted....they cost 2 gold..... pointless....