Some help on an archipeligo

[saleg37]

Ok I got a decent start on an archipeligo with Washington. However, I need some help on city placement. Basically I want to see some ideas on how to maximize production on a low production map script.





I want to be able to work the pig, and place a city 1 south of the Stone on the desert hill. I'd build on the unforested grass hill, but I want to be able to grab the forested hill to the west without too much overlap.

Any city I build to grab the eastern spice is going to have a lot of overlap. Is a city there worth it? Or should I forget about a city and just let it be an unworked resource? (Not completely against this idea, as I believe the overlap might cripple the city.)

Any suggestions?

 

[shivute]

I'd build on the desert hill next to the stone, on the forested hill to the West, and on the forested hill to the east next to the crab, don't worry about overlap too much as there are plenty of lovely coast and ocean squares.
The city to the west is going to need 2 workshops on the grassland. Lighthouses, harbours, the colossus the great lighthouse are going to be targets, as are ships for exploring and expansion to the NE (looks good or is it just a 1 square island?) and maybe to the SW (whats beyond that island?)

Your cities arent going to be huge due to the overlap but they would all be worth building, the city to the east is definitely worth it for the 2 spice tiles and the crab.

 

[saleg37]

I'd build on the desert hill next to the stone, on the forested hill to the West, and on the forested hill to the east next to the crab, don't worry about overlap too much as there are plenty of lovely coast and ocean squares.
The city to the west is going to need 2 workshops on the grassland. Lighthouses, harbours, the colossus the great lighthouse are going to be targets, as are ships for exploring and expansion to the NE (looks good or is it just a 1 square island?) and maybe to the SW (whats beyond that island?)

Your cities arent going to be huge due to the overlap but they would all be worth building, the city to the east is definitely worth it for the 2 spice tiles and the crab.

Would workshops come early enough to warrant building on what will wind up being the only production square until I get them? Metal Casting is awfully expensive early on. I have already prioritized sailing and am going to continue like that so I can get to other civs. NE looks small but not one square. Maybe two. To the south is a glacial island leading to ice caps. I'm pretty near the south pole. Thanks for the quick reply.

 

[cabert]

first, the position you gave to washington will make a poor use of the island
(maybe you just didn't know what the island looked like at this time)

second there is room for a high prod city, but not on the desert hill : if you build on the plains hill, you get access to the stone, the pig, the corn, the desert hill and the grassland hill.
You'll have room for 2 more cities (1 in the forest, chop it before you settle please), 1 in the west will be commerce), and then it's travelling time.

 

[saleg37]

first, the position you gave to washington will make a poor use of the island
(maybe you just didn't know what the island looked like at this time)

second there is room for a high prod city, but not on the desert hill : if you build on the plains hill, you get access to the stone, the pig, the corn, the desert hill and the grassland hill.
You'll have room for 2 more cities (1 in the forest, chop it before you settle please), 1 in the west will be commerce), and then it's travelling time.

Out of curiosity, where would you have put Washington?

You're right though, Washington could have been placed better. As soon as I settled I wished I hadn't. But I couldn't bring myself to cheat and restart.

The reason I put forth Desert hill is cause I didn't want to build on a potential 4 sheild spot. But it would net the pig. So...

I wouldn't dream of building before I chop. Not on such a small landmass especially. Setting up west as a commerce was what I was hoping to do. I just figured I might have to build something there and I wouldn't want to use to forested hill. More I think about it though.

Well, one good thing will come of this: I'll be better at placing cities.

 

[pigswill]

Having looked at the map I'd say forget the stone; settle due north of the pig on grassland. Built third city on coastal spices to nab crab and two hills.

 

[cabert]

Out of curiosity, where would you have put Washington?

i'd say on a plain tile.
settling on a food rich tile is always a mistake, all the more so when you only have so few tiles

 

[shivute]

I think you settled in the correct place. This is due to the fact that you want 4 cities on this island with as limited overlap as possible and you also didn't lose time in building your 1st city (as long as that is where your 1st settler started?). Build the other 3 as I stated earlier. I know about your concerns of building on the hill, but it is truly the best spot, this city should be a pure commerce city, whipping librarys etc and building settlers and workers until workshops become useful.
Your 5th city sounds like it will be built on the island to the NE, hopefully you will be able to reach other landmasses, if not you have 5 cities and probably should aim for the cultural win.
I understand what pigswill is saying about settling N of the pig. This has the potential for a serious production city which may be better than building 2 cities, however due to your probable lack of cities I would squeeze in the 2. 2 are better than 1 in this case.