When and where do you build government plazas?

[LMT]

I'm curious to hear people's opinion on Ancestral Hall. By the time I build government plaza there usually isn't that much land left to settle. (I usually play standard maps). Am I just building government plaza too late or is my experience common?

I think Ancestral Hall does come a little too late for me. I've lost track of how many times I mistakenly picked Audience Chamber (because I was being careless and they both start with the letter 'A') but didn't even notice until close to the end of the game.

 

[Victoria]

I think Ancestral Hall does come a little too late for me.

I’ll get 1-2 settlers out then build other things letting my capital grow a bit and the governors you get arealso worth growing the capital for.
Your capital gets +2 for each science and culture envoy so a perfect place for Pin. But you gotta grow it first. It’s an option, but typically Magnus/provision allows the cap to get to 7 pretty fast then slot pin. Without the government builds you do not have the governors.

 

[Disgustipated]

I often build gp in my capital because it's often the only city "free" to build it. Only bad thing is it counts towards your district limit. Building in the 2nd city is probably more ideal, but I often can't swing it. Reason why I don't often like it in the capital is because I like to keep Pingala there since its my highest pop city. I generally do try to build it early and run ancestral hall and use those 2 governor spots for Magnus and provision and then build all my settlers out of tbere. Lately on Emperor, I have been struggling to fill up city spots fast enough. Lately I've been conquering my neighbors to alleviate this problem. Problem is going on the offensive delays my government district even more.

The big question is how many settlers do you all build before pumping out ancestral hall settlers? I often build 2 for 3 cities total. But that depends on my area and situation.

 

[Datian]

I try to plan for a internal trade hub, with sankore university, magnus, and all the relevant districts - so not my capital, which will have pingala and lots of wonders with the apadana.

 

[acluewithout]

@Victoria Good point about capitals, envoys and Ping. I guess Autocracy is something to add into that equation as well.

 

[Victoria]

@Victoria Good point about capitals, envoys and Ping. I guess Autocracy is something to add into that equation as well.

Indeed, and is also about government buildings. Sadly though, it is struggling to be as good as 2 pop... butbher food chopping helps as well.

 

[Tabarnak]

75% capital, 25% other city. Why capital? Because it will be likely my best production city. This city will build prod. boost districts only as well. Then my internal routes can give a large amount of production over time.

I don't want a plaza in a city that still need a monument, worker or granary. Capital will likely have done these early.

 

[steveg700]

Good ol' Hungary. Find a river and build he plaza across from it. Even for them, though, Foreign Ministry is a tough sell.

Audience Chamber is a dud though,huh? It has a malus (-2 penalty) while other buildings don't have it. And the +1 housing/amenity ain't worth writing home about.

 

[Leucarum]

I'd been messing around with playing tall (suboptimal I know) after a few threads had come up on the topic. In that sort of game audience chamber makes more sense than the others. And -2 loyalty isn't the biggest malus ever. It's just that the bonus also... Isn't super-great.

 

[darkace77450]

I'd been messing around with playing tall (suboptimal I know) after a few threads had come up on the topic. In that sort of game audience chamber makes more sense than the others. And -2 loyalty isn't the biggest malus ever. It's just that the bonus also... Isn't super-great.

It really isn't. If you're playing tall, you're not going to have a ton of cities. But even if you do, the loyalty radiating from such highly populated more than makes up for a paltry -2 malus.

 

[NukeAJS]

It's important to note that you're going to be building the district itself mostly for the governor title. This will most likely be your 3rd governor titles although it's possible to get your 2nd from the district.

Futhermore, you can't put a building in the district until you've switched to a tier 1 government. This will be your fourth title so if you're banking on putting that building in the district to get your 4th title -- absolutely don't forget! I've gotten ahead of myself so many times to where I finish the district and then want to construct the building immediately but I can't because I never discovered political philosophy.

Lastly, the ancestral hall's settler bonus ONLY applies to the city that built it. Because of that, there can be certain situations where you want to get political philosophy ASAP, get the district and building completed in your capital, get Magnus to his "settlers don't consume a population point)" ability, and then turn on the +50% settlers card and pump out a settler every 2-3 turn in your capital. I sometimes use this method of "late-game" settling (really the end of the early game when you look at the bigger picture) when I got a holy site or two in my capital and/or second city. Stacking the +50% policy card with ancestral hall can help you play catch up with the other civs.

 

[iammaxhailme]

I almost always make a holy site my first district (I hate playing without a religion, it feels like I'm missing out on a lot) and I usually make my government plaza second or third, usually as soon as I can, and usually in the capital. I usually make ancestral hall as soon as I finish the district, as well, unless it looks like there isn't much land left in which case I"ll make audience chamber

 

[reddishrecue]

Reasons for a plaza:

1. When I need space for more great works. (Government plaza->natural history museum)
2. When its recommended by the game. (It eventually becomes useful.)