Start Bias - Hills

[Justice1337]

While playing as Austria, I've noticed that a lot of my Legendary Starts are ungodly good sites near coast with multiple Quarries and Marble/Silver as luxes. I'm also isolated a fair bit of the time, even on the Continents map setting. I really like these starts because of the Religious Idols Pantheon, and because Quarries + Stone Works puts my Capital in a really good spot production-wise at around Turn 30-40 where I can build Wonders.

Anyone notice this with Austria/Inca, or is it just a few chancy starts on my part? What other quirky features seem associated with start biases? The "Hills" feature seems totally unrelated to these. And generally, how does Hills bias rate against the others?

 

[AW Arcaeca]

After delving into the code I can tell you this: Yes, Austria does indeed have a hills start bias in BNW - but not in G&K.

And inca almost certainly does, otherwise their UA and UI would be slightly better than pointless...
EDIT: Yep, they do too

 

[adwcta]

Hills start bias just means hills. But, only certain resources can spawn on hills... and legendary start guarantees you these resources. So, yay.

It's a meh start bias for Austria, but obviously great for Inca. Austria begs to go tall and work GP slots, and it actually adds an extra production building, so hammers are the last thing it needs... But hills aren't great for growth. Or gold. So... Ehh. It's not good or bad imo.

 

[Helmling]

Legendary guarantees which resources?

 

[adwcta]

Resources period. Only good lux resources are on hills.

 

[George Abitbol]

Copper, silver and gold are mostly located on hills (gold and silver being the best lux IMHO, due to the mint).

 

[OneRedBlock]

Copper, silver and gold are mostly located on hills (gold and silver being the best lux IMHO, due to the mint).

Psh. Get the Copper for Mint mod or whatever it's called.

 

[Justice1337]

Well still, "Hills" doesn't say very much to me because Hills are literally everywhere on the map. So are grassland and plains, but there are start biases for those as well. And just because those features are next to you does not mean that's where your luxuries have to be. Or does it?

Altogether though, yeah, Silver and Gold are the best imo due to the Mint and Religious Idols Pantheon. Not to mention the Mining tech is easy to get relative to Calendar/Trapping. Whether hills give low food or what, I don't think it really matters because it's not as if every tile around you will be Hills. A lot of the time you will be on Coast, by a River, near Wheat or some other good location for Farms. Luxuries that increase Food are mostly good, but certainly luxes that give +1 Gold to tile yield when improved are worse than Mining luxes.

 

[Doctor Doom]

Well still, "Hills" doesn't say very much to me because Hills are literally everywhere on the map. So are grassland and plains, but there are start biases for those as well. And just because those features are next to you does not mean that's where your luxuries have to be. Or does it?

Altogether though, yeah, Silver and Gold are the best imo due to the Mint and Religious Idols Pantheon. Not to mention the Mining tech is easy to get relative to Calendar/Trapping. Whether hills give low food or what, I don't think it really matters because it's not as if every tile around you will be Hills. A lot of the time you will be on Coast, by a River, near Wheat or some other good location for Farms. Luxuries that increase Food are mostly good, but certainly luxes that give +1 Gold to tile yield when improved are worse than Mining luxes.

Gold and silver are very powerful, but lets not forget about salt!

 

[Memoryjar]

Salt is the best.

 

[EnterGodMode]

Hills starting bias is great because :
1. You are more likely to have a nice mountain range
2. More likely to be alone with nice teritory
3. A LOT of production throughout the whole game
4. If you get mining resources, you will most probably get mining very early plus a worker to work them >>>> more hammers, faster gpt, special buildings, chops, nice wonder production.
5. In the Inca case, terase freaking farms everywhereeeee.