What do your slaves...er...workers do?

[CorpBoy]

I'm wondering if there are any quick and dirty tips for what to assign my workers to do during various governments and stages of the game.

The game I'm in now is the *first* game where absolutely none of my workers are automated. I'm using them to build mines and roads in every possible square within my cities radii. The only squares that get irrigated are those that can't be mined (i.e. flood plains).

So far, the tactic seems to be working. I have a distinct advantage in Empire size and Wonder production, which I consider two key elements to victory.

Any thoughts?

 

[Barker]

I look at each city that I am developing on a case by case basis. I analyze the surrounding terrain, and decide on what is needed. I will mine if produciton is requierd, and irrigate if growth is desired. I wll focus on the most beneficial tiles first, and then work towards the worst tiles. My strategies for govenments and eras are as follows:

Despotism: Ancient Age

Focus on growth as much as possible. If a city is on a river, I will irrigate flood plains and grassland wheat and have as little extra food left over as possible when at size 12. I will mine all other useable squares to maximize production.

All other Governments: Pre-Hospitals

I focus on having just enough food to maintain size 12 status in all cities. I will maximize my development in river areas for the extra trade, and bonus grass. Focus is on production output once size 12 is acheived.

All Other Governments: Post Hospital

Once I have researched hospitals, I will change my focus to growth again. At this point in the game, my development goals are very specific for the needs of each city. I always try to get all of my workable tiles in play, with priority placed on production output balanced with steady growth.

 

[BCLG100]

i normally manually control mr workers building mines unti factories then i change to automate which irrigates

 

[Mephisto]

shift a.

 

[JuicyCivNewbie]

I'd irrigate plains too personally, and not mine them. Stunts city growth too much.

 

[Wild Weasel]

Something I like to do with a Civ I'm ROP'd with is to suboptimise his improvements if my workers are hanging around doing nothing - mainly happens when I'm an industrious Civ. By suboptimising, I mean that for instance I send my workers to irrigate all the squares surrounding an obvious production centre. The recipient of this free labour is quite happy for it to happen - and see all his mines turned into paddy fields - as long as nothing is actually pillaged.

 

[BCLG100]

juicy civ newbie irrigation in depotism doesnt work thats why its better to mine

 

[Barker]

juicy civ newbie irrigation in depotism doesnt work thats why its better to mine

Wrong!

This is one of the most common misconceptions about the game. In Despotism, any square that produces 3 or more of any resource produces 1 LESS. Since plains only produce 1 food, irrigating it produces 2. Therefore, iriigating plains in Depotism is a GOOD idea.

 

[Beam]

The implementation in early versions was horrible but right now automated settlers do a decent job. If a city is 6 / 12 and it does not yet have an aquaduct / hospital these are excellent worker pumps.

Only in the beginning when settlers are needed do I really plan in detail which squares to irrigate and which to mine.

 

[Perfection]

Originally posted by Wild Weasel
Something I like to do with a Civ I'm ROP'd with is to suboptimise his improvements if my workers are hanging around doing nothing - mainly happens when I'm an industrious Civ. By suboptimising, I mean that for instance I send my workers to irrigate all the squares surrounding an obvious production centre. The recipient of this free labour is quite happy for it to happen - and see all his mines turned into paddy fields - as long as nothing is actually pillaged.

I like to get into their tundra area and cut down their forests

 

[bbaws]

Tip for getting those vital hospitals. All those unused squares can take aforest (well not even all the flat ones but all the plain and grass squares). Set your workers to the task well before hospitals are available. I usually end up with a huge stack of workers by my capital just as sanitation arrives. Chop all the forests in the unused squares then irrigate them. Then forest all the previously used squares and chop then irrigate them. You get the hospital within a few turns and have masses of food to grow with. Then move the stack of workers to the next city and repeat.

 

[Perfection]

Just pay for it and use your workers for better things. Or do what I do, Pack your cities so tight they don't neeed hospitals

 

[bbaws]

Not really a fan of crowding cities, I like them big enough to churn out vast armies. YUM

 

[Perfection]

No many little citties beat out a few big cities

I like to have to big cities and than fill up the continent with small towns. Switch to communism and conscript them all. I can get an instant army

 

[bbaws]

Well I do use ICS on captured land far away but I rareley if ever NEED to draft pop so communism hasn't been needed yet

 

[Perfection]

Well I only use communism if I go on a kill frenzy but most the time I use it to update my defenders, Its easier that way

 

[bbaws]

Different views of perfection

 

[Perfection]

Hey look at my post count, Now look at yours NEWBIE HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

j/k - I'm not really THAT mean

 

[bbaws]

Are all your posts that constructive?
As for newbie I've been playing since 94

 

[Perfection]

Oh i'm just pickin' on you, oh and normally my posts are much worse

but i digress

back to workers lol: funny pun hahaha)

if you have any idle workers and you have finished sub-optimizing your oppenents put them back in your city to make it bigger but always keep your foriegn workers for they require no matienence