What do you do with workers when you have nothing for workers to do?

[dennisg]

Build trade network. Especially if I have RailRoad...

 

[Redcoat Captain]

Wasnt there an option in Civ 3 to add dormant workers to a Cities Pop? That would be useful in Civ 4.

Anyways, when i have idle workers, i tend to group them into two's and place them between cities ready for Railroad, so that i can connect all cities as quickly as possible once i have discovered the tech. Make mobilizing and form of attack or defence a lot easier. With workers grouped into two's (and the right civis) they will build a railroad in 1 turn, allowing super speedy railroad networking.

If i really have nothing for them to do, i'll "sleep" the remaining workers somewhere safe until i need them. They quickly become important once you conquer a city or two, once peace is made get them there and improve the tiles.

 

[aday]

... I really don't like putting them on auto, because they'll start building forts ( to get a monarchy bonus )on my iron, copper, gold,silver mines, and cripple the production.

What is this Monarchy bonus you speak of...?

 

[ruff_hi]

I typically automate them (press A) so that they find improvements that I have overlooked (typically, calendar improvements outside BFC). When I want them back (fort for ship canal, railroad or some other project), locate 1, select it, hold down the Alt key and hit 'cancel orders' (or backspace), that returns all workers to your control.

I also have 'leave forests' and 'leave improvements' checked so those automated workers don't ruin my improvements.

 

[Unconquered Sun]

Pre-improve stuff you might need, stopping 1 turn from completion. That includes mines -> windmills; irrigations -> cottages or watermills, etc. Pre-chopping forests is especially useful.

 

[Rusty Edge]

What is this Monarchy bonus you speak of...?

Never mind, I must be thinking of a mod.

 

[jeffreyac]

I build them the 'batcave' - find a hill somewhere in the center of my empire where they all go, so I know where they are when needed...

Unless I have an island empire - then I tend to keep a few on each land mass for emergency purposes (espionage sabotage repair, random events, etc)

 

[Blaarg]

I'm constantly adjusting my cities, adding farms or cottages, later watermills, windmills and alchemy labs etc.

 

[mechaerik]

What is this Monarchy bonus you speak of...?

I was waiting for that question. He was speaking of the / yield bonus that HR gives for the mod HISTORY IN THE MAKING.

 

[bestbrian]

I grind them up into a fine powder and sell them to Mao as an aphrodesiac.