what buildings should be in every city

[R0gue]

This may have been covered.

I seem to build every building available in each city. This seems a nightmare and a strain on my gold. I would like some advise on what buildings are best in every city.

This is my list

Early - City Improvements

Library
Forge
Granary
Aquaduct
Courthouse

Later - City Improvements

University
Factory


Then I try to specialse the city depending on resources. (this is where I go drastically wrong) and bankrupt the civilization

 

[vranasm]

monument if you're not cre
granary

well that's it... nothing more comes to mind. everything else seems very situational and generally i dont build it in every city

 

[Caeserportugal]

This may have been covered.

I seem to build every building available in each city. This seems a nightmare and a strain on my gold. I would like some advise on what buildings are best in every city.

This is my list

Early - City Improvements

Library
Forge
Granary
Aquaduct
Courthouse

Later - City Improvements

University
Factory


Then I try to specialse the city depending on resources. (this is where I go drastically wrong) and bankrupt the civilization

I usually build acording to my specialization. My hammer cities usually only get Monument, Barracks, Granary and a Lighthouse if coastal. My commerce cities get Library early on. Later I add Forges usually in all my cities with Markets and Grocers in my cottage cities. In the late game Factorys and Plants are vital for a city.

Edit : Also don't forget Courthouses they are vital in every city far away from the capital since they cut maintenance away.

 

[lymond]

There have been thousands of posts on this subject before (little exaggeration ) and the intro articles cover it a bit. Try the search feature some time

Anywhoo, here is my take:


Library - no point in building Libraries in cities with very little commerce or commerce potential like your unit pumps. Exceptions maybe extra culture for the borders and Creative makes Libs so cheap it may be worth it to use as a whip overflow building.

University - see above. Key is picking those 6 cities to get them up asap for Oxford. After that, put them in any other high commerce cities or GP farms.

Forge - My rule on forge is at least 4 base hammers or more. It's really not worth it otherwise unless your are IND. Get these up in your production cities asap, of course.

Factory - Situational. Again, high prod cities or space parts cities

Granary - Most important building in the game and should be the first building in each city unless you need border pops.

Aquaduct - "Situational" can be applied to this one. I actually like the aqueduct a lot, but I think some would argue against it as a must build. However, I would say "situational" applies here. They are a tad expensive early, so I don't really build them unless I REALLY need them to grow. Happiness is generally more important early. You may not need them everywhere or at all if you have a lot of health resources and/or EXP.

Courthouse - Situational. My rule is at least 5 maintenance cost in the city. Generally, you don't need them in cities close to the cap. Only reason you might build them everywhere is if EPs are important to your strategy.

The bottom line is city specialization deals directly with when and where you build some of the buildings above with the exception of granary (always) and aqueduct/courthouse (need based).

Then I try to specialse the city depending on resources. (this is where I go drastically wrong) and bankrupt the civilization

Not sure if I quite follow your last statement. I think it's better to base your city specialization on the land as opposed to just resources (although technically resources make up part of said land and can factor into such decisions)

 

[pollock]

granary and barracks for me.
libary, courthouse and forge maybe
Theres exception to all of these. I think the order build them in matters alot more. If have alot of peace time goner build a good deal of buildings especially if under organised relegion. Nearly always time and building potential is of a premium so need decide on best order to get some key buildings.
Libarys earlier in commerce places. Lighthouses earlier in sea places. Barracks quicker in troop producing places. Courthouses quicker in high upkeep places.
I'd put the case that the granary is only no brainer but even with granary can have tundra cities to secure a resource like gold or iron that will only reach size 2/3 when a granary isnt worth it

 

[VoiceOfUnreason]

I seem to build every building available in each city. This seems a nightmare and a strain on my gold. I would like some advise on what buildings are best in every city.

Try none, and work your way up from there.

Library
Forge
Granary
Aquaduct
Courthouse

Too much.

Granary - I'll spot you this one, although if you aren't whipping heavily, an ancient era military pump really doesn't need one.

Library - Military cities don't need them at all. The 25% research boost isn't all that big a deal outside the capital - a 25% boost in the capital takes research from 5 turns to 4; a 25% boost in Slumvillia takes research from 30 turns to 29. You're mostly buying slots, so cities that aren't going to run science specialists don't really need one.

Forge. 120 hammers for a 25% boost. That means the city needs 480 more base hammers to pay before the forge starts to show a profit. If you're bringing in 20 hammers per turn, that's 24 turns - maybe reasonable. If you're pulling in 4 hammers per turn, it's a quarter of the game before it pays off. In that case what you're really buying is the happy, the engineering slot, or a slight change to the whipping math.

Courthouse - 120 hammers to save how much in maintenance?

Aquaduct - why, are you building the hanging gardens in every city?

University
Factory

Ugh. Aside from the oxford race, no - these are too expensive to be an always food.

 

[r_rolo1]

Signed under VoU post. OFC that there those situations where the only alternative to build something, even crappy, in your city is to build units and enter in a maintenance death spiral

 

[Jbourne]

Other than a grainary, courthouse and a lighthouse for coastal, all other buildings depends on what VC you are aiming for based on the Map type and required techs to achieve it.

Forges are good for any city that has 4 or more hammers and/or need happiness if you have gold/silver/gems. So a city that can work 1 mined hill is a candidate.

Barracks in high production cities if going for a warmonger VC. But may not need early if playing low levels and for 1-3rd AI conquests.

 

[Mikehendi]

I seem to build every building available in each city. This seems a nightmare and a strain on my gold
...
Then I try to specialse the city depending on resources. (this is where I go drastically wrong) and bankrupt the civilization

Buildings don't cost upkeep in CIV IV. But, if you keep going bankrupt, try building Wealth in some cities (requires currency tech)