What to do with useless AI cities?

[Uniqueuponhim]

Not completely useless, but damn close. Take a look at these two cities:

America Declared war on me a while back, attacked with a force of about 25 units, and was able to pillage all of the improvements surrounding one of my cities before I finally wiped their attack force out. I also took one of their cities further up north on the second turn of the war, so now I am able to sue for peace and get some techs out of it if I want to. Or, I could pillage these two cities first so I can eventually claim that iron when my borders expand. Since I don't really need the iron, however (units made with iron are obsolete) the only thing it would be useful for is trading away for more useful resources. Those two cities are only able to work the iron tile and that windmill tile, so they have very little production, and probably cost them a fortune in upkeep while making almost nothing back - so these cities are probably actually hurting the americans more than anything. So is it worth it to raze them, or are the americans worse off if I leave them alone?

I have one more question, regarding this war - that is, whether or not to take Washington. Here it is, in all its glory:

Now, here's the dillema: As you can see, Washington is only 72% American, and that is declining rapidly. Tikawanu has close to 10k culture plus 200 culture per turn. So, if I sign a peace treaty, I'll probably get Washington eventually anyway, just not for at least another 50 turns. If I wait, then all of its buildings will be intact, but if I take it over, most will be destroyed. Also, if I do take over Washington now, I won't be able to go much further before I become crippled with war weariness (I can't afford to raise the luxury meter without taking a serious hit to research.) So there's not really that big a benefit to taking it now.

Any advice?

 

[LawLessOne]

If you can destroy them utterly I say go for it! Raze all the cities you dont want and take them totally out. If your going to leave some of them around then sue for peace but start planning how to take them out at a latter time.

If their capitol switches over to you, they are going to be very unhappy and attack you anyways.

 

[DangerousMonkey]

Dude, just burn em.

 

[MrCynical]

Well I'd definitely burn the two cities down in the ice, since they'll never be able to pay back they're maintenance costs. Your culture will probably fill in most of the gap anyway.

If you can take Washington now then I would. Washington has reasonably strong culture and it will be a very long time before it flips if ever. With that large a garrison it may not even be possible to flip it. You'll be able to rebuild any lost buildings in less time than it will take to flip the city.

 

[Glinka]

And after you've razed them, you can destroy the ruins. That's useful, if you should want to build on the same location. In this case you almost certainly wouldn't, but it's handy when you destroy a level 1 barbarian city, and want to place a settler where the ruins are sitting.

 

[Napo981]

Burn, Baby, Burn!!

Nothing to get, maintenance to lose.

 

[Uniqueuponhim]

No, you don't understand. I'm not debating whether to raze or take them - taking them isn't even an option, since they are size 1. I'm debating whether to raze them, or just leave them alone, since they're only hurting america anyway.

 

[Glinka]

Good point. But if they can furnish an effective base to launch operations against you, that might outweigh any other disadvantages America gets, since cities provide substantial defensive bonsues. Assuming their war machine is sufficient to pose a threat, of course.

 

[shadow2k]

And after you've razed them, you can destroy the ruins. That's useful, if you should want to build on the same location. In this case you almost certainly wouldn't, but it's handy when you destroy a level 1 barbarian city, and want to place a settler where the ruins are sitting.

Huh? What does this do? Never heard of it.

 

[Merciless Magal]

they certainly hurt them more than help, so it would be nice for you to let em have em for now... the problem is it wont take long for those cities to flip your side, than its your loss... also there is the point they can use them to launch an attack (wich i dont think would work anyways, but its a point anyway)... i think its easier to just burn them down.

 

[Amourek]

You don't have to clear ruins to build over them. It's just a marker to show where the city was.

Man, the ice cities aren't even on the coast. Burn them to the ground.

 

[Artanis]

Ice cities: tough decision, but I'd actually say to leave 'em. It'll take time to get troops down there to take them out, and you're being offered techs for peace now. I'd take the techs and station a few Cavalry down there to torch 'em ten turns from now.

Washington: it isn't going to flip. It's been putting out culture the entire game, and even if you did get it to critical, the AI will simply dump a ton of troops there, preventing a flip. HOWEVER, Rifles are hard to take down with Cavalry, especially when the rifles outnumber you 4:3. Like the ice cities, I'd take the techs for peace now and build up your troops for a massive invasion in ten turns. If you're lucky, you might get a couple tile flips that will let you drive Cannons right up next to Washington before you invade, making it fall VERY quickly.

 

[Glinka]

You don't have to clear ruins to build over them. It's just a marker to show where the city was.

Are you sure about this? Because I tried and failed, until I discovered I could remove the ruins, first.

 

[TrailblazingScot]

Burn baby burn.


Two of the most pointless cities I've seen, ever, period.

 

[Cheeze]

Keep Portland. I live there.
But yeah, burn 'em. And take Washington over culturally, you probably could use a peace period to advance technologically and get some rails up before the next war.

 

[shadow2k]

Are you sure about this? Because I tried and failed, until I discovered I could remove the ruins, first.

I've honestly never tried, so I didn't know what you were talking about. Is there even an option to clear that debris?

I normally never raze a city if I want to build in that same spot. Waste of effort to me, I'd rather use the settler on something else. If it's size 1 or something, I'll just pass it up until it grows or expands borders.

 

[kb2tvl]

I would raze Houston but keep Portland. The AI will plop a city there if you do not hold the area.

 

[Katzmeister]

Unique, a Capitol flipping is rare and only happens when there is a small garrison there. My advise would be to conquer Washington for yourself if you need the resources, otherwise the three other cities of America are going to hurt your cities chances of survival with the lack of a proper city radius.

Now, if you have a Great Artist available, take Washington and raze the surrounding cities if you don't want them and create a Great Work in Washington to give you that need culture boost, this will silence dissent and expand quickly, making any cities that they'd hope to rebuild around Washington useless.

 

[Glinka]

I've honestly never tried, so I didn't know what you were talking about. Is there even an option to clear that debris?

Yes, you get a flame icon (as I recall) when a unit is over the space. I've never had it take more than one turn to raze the ruins. Then, I could build over them. The barbarians always find the recommended starting points for cities, which means they're close to resources.

 

[Draax]

City ruins is actually sort of a tile improvement. I may be wrong but I think it's something like +1 hammer. Someone feel free to double check for me. Ruins are definitely pillageable, and you destroy them if you build an improvement on top of them.

As to the questions, I'd take a good look at that iron. Is that the only source of Iron he has? If he does take those cities OUT. If he has more than one source of iron then I'd let those cities rot.

About Washington, that's a tough nut to crack. You'll die of old age before you get that city to flip, and that sure is a lot of riflemen. I'd flood him with cavalry and pillage him back to 4000BC. You'll get hurt but if you pillage his roads (can't stress that enough btw) you will grind him away. Washington just loves towns too so that's good money for you. After you finish pillaging, sue for peace. Then build a dozen cannon and wipe him out as he rebuilds.