Starting strategies - the first rounds

[Frostyboy]

This has of course been discussed lots of time, but for the first rounds in the game - How do you start off?

When starting with several resources available around your first city - do you build a worker straight ahead, or is it more profitable to grow to a certain size? Since both food and hammers are used, you don't get that much more food into the worker since two are consumed for each size.

When do you normally produce your first settler as well?

Of course it's very dependent on several factors; but it seems logical to spend 12 rounds to produce a worker to develop your resources as early as possible.

Normally, if starting with hunting, I prefer to send out some scouts first, but if not (and especially with an Expansive leader) I could go for the worker at once.

Please share your thought and your calculations around this subject

 

[Navarre]

It's totally situational for me.

If I have resources, grasslands or floodplains AND the techs to exploit it asap, I build a worker first. If I don't have the techs, I'll build a scout or a warrior to explore and a worker when I'm close to discover the tech I need.

If I'm surrounded by forests, I build scouts and units until I'm close to have BW, then a worker. Or I spend some turns in building Stonehenge if I don't have anything more useful and lack the good starting techs : this way even if I don't finish it, I'll have the gold to stay at 100% research a little longer.

It depends on the traits of the leader too. If my leader is financial for example, I'll search pottery and build a worker even if he can't do anything, so he'll be ready to build cottages asap. If I'm industrious, I'll go for an early cheap wonder. If I'm imperialist, I'll try to expand and grab the good spots asap.

Once I have three cities up and running I focus on the Oracle, usually trying to get the CoL if I didn't build Stonehenge (otherwise I'll use the Great Prophet to lightbulb it) to sustain my expansion, or Metallurgy if I'm coastal to get the Colossus. Then I go for the Great Library, while still expanding, or building troops to invade a neighbour impairing my expansion.

 

[Frostyboy]

Good filling answer

Yes, it's seasonal; but you will normally be able to research trhe needed techs while you build the worker.

If at sea with access to fish/clams/crabs - do you build workboat before worker in order to grow? Workboats are more expensive in the way that they are used only once.

 

[Navarre]

Yes, I do. If I'm starting with two or three sea resources, I know I'm at a pole and I'll use the resources to grow and whip what I need to expand quickly before I'm cornered in the tundra. Boats don't stop your city to grow, so they're a no-brainer as far as I'm concerned. Sea resources give you a lot of food and some gold, so you can whip a lot and grow again fast. Using them will make whipping the workers and settlers easier, so building boats pay off IMO.

 

[AlessioCerci]

Assuming inland - always worker first, then warriors to size 3, then a settler.
On epic speed (thats what i always play on) a worker will take 5 turns less if the city is size 2 not size 1 (23-18) and considering it takes a lot more than 5 turns to grow the city, worker first is always more profitable.

 

[Frostyboy]

Comforting to hear. The starting rounds are so crucial to your development, that you can't afford to do any mistakes. You can do calculations and algebra on these things, but for a game, it's more fun to just use common sense.

Is is right that on huge maps, your starting spot has much more resources as well? I only play on tiny or small.

 

[Supr49er]

Assuming inland - always worker first, then warriors to size 3, then a settler.
On epic speed (thats what i always play on) a worker will take 5 turns less if the city is size 2 not size 1 (23-18) and considering it takes a lot more than 5 turns to grow the city, worker first is always more profitable.

Worker first, unless you don't have the wheel and land improvement techs/resources. (agriculture, mining, hunting).

Then I would build a warrior/scout to explore/find goody huts/locate rivals.

 

[Frostyboy]

I have actually started turning Goody huts off, just to focus more on my first city. That means no goody huts for the computer either - which always sends out lots of scouts.

 

[ese-aSH]

This has of course been discussed lots of time, but for the first rounds in the game - How do you start off?

When starting with several resources available around your first city - do you build a worker straight ahead, or is it more profitable to grow to a certain size? Since both food and hammers are used, you don't get that much more food into the worker since two are consumed for each size.

When do you normally produce your first settler as well?

Of course it's very dependent on several factors; but it seems logical to spend 12 rounds to produce a worker to develop your resources as early as possible.

Normally, if starting with hunting, I prefer to send out some scouts first, but if not (and especially with an Expansive leader) I could go for the worker at once.

Please share your thought and your calculations around this subject

many situations :

having misticism :
should I go for a religion ?
can I work a tile that brings me at least 1 beaker ?
- if yes, go for a religion working this tile.
- if no, consider I dont have mystiscism and assume this game is not starting well D)

not having mysticism :

my capitol is a costal one with lots of maritim ressources ?
having fishing : i build work boat
not having fishing : i consider all water tiles are lost as a start, concentrate on something else

my capital got some ressources whose related technology are knowed ?
I build a worker (before building it just make sure theres enough work so that it never stays iddle)

I have no exploitable resources or too many forest.
go for farming / BW, build a few warriors at the begining and then whip your settlers when city size >= 5


well.. this thread should be great if you just post some screenshots of starting location so that we can rely on examples

 

[Desert-Fox]

Depends.
Usually scouts/warriors, then worker(s), then settler. If on coast I'd build work boats, lighthouse and GLH If possible.