When to make a colony

[bobbyboy29]

Hi all,
I've just started an emperor game as joao and find myself on a landmass with 4 other civs, however there is quite a large set islands to my east which are only accessible by me if i choose to close borders, i think i could build 6-8 cities on these islands but am worried that it will cripple my tech rate. The option of creating a colony SEEMS like a good idea but i don't want to settle all that good land only to have an AI mismanage it, also i much rather to have complete control over my empire. What's the right plan? should i settle less cities on these islands, create a colony (if so how big?)? or is it better just to focus on my own landmass? Looking forward to your tips, thanks guys!

 

[AlienSexFilth]

I am always for when it comes to colonies and always try to spin as many as I can.
Colonies will always lead to : extra votes, happyness, better trade routes even under mercantilism (making it a very good civic combined with castles, you can dely economics up to the point you need corporations), you will get to tech two paths at the same time and controll resources. No enemy AI will get a chance to own that land is the most important thing. Focus on your landmass to expand against the AI while use the other landmasses to spin off colonies...

 

[Shurdus]

It would very much depend on the quality of the land and how much it will produce for you. As you are well aware of it is expensive to run many overseas cities. The big question is where you are in the tech tree. Can you reach the land by trireme? Joao has a UU which can sail the ocean pre-astronomy if I am not mistaken...

If you foresee your tech rate being crippled by managing the cities yourself I see a strong argument to get yourself a colony. If you can still be fine while managing the cities yourself then I would choose that option instead. Just send a worker to accompany the settler so you can work the new lands ASAP. Courthouses should get a priority IMO because you will want to cut maintenance down as far as you can.

Only if the quality of the land is wueationable or you find that the land adds little to your empire then I would create a colony.

 

[timmy827]

It depends a lot on the layout of the land too. 6-8 cities on the same island rack up big colonial maintenance, but it sounds like it's an island chain. If that is true and you can settle no more than 2-3 cities per island, the colonial expense will be minimal and you will be better off keeping them yourself.

As always, posting a save would raise the usefulness of advice given.

 

[noto2]

Colonies weren't designed very well by Firaxis. I'd say 9 times out of 10 you're better off keeping the cities for yourself. Joao is of course unique since he can settle tons of land pre astronomy and the cities won't be connected to trade routes, which hurts. I think the real problem with colonies is this: you could just settle a bunch of cities as quickly as possible (by saving up settlers, for example) and then immediately turn them into a colony. This would save you from paying maintenance and colonial expenses. However, the colony would start off with size 1 cities and no improvements. It would probably never build a helpful economy, not before the game ended anyway. Or, the other thing you could do is settle the cities and improve them. You could build infrastructure in them, whipping, rush buying, and improving the land to get them to be good cities. Then you'd make them a colony. The problem with that strategy, however, is once they're good cities why not just keep them yourself?
When settling land overseas you can use many ways to make the cities affordable sooner. Cottage spam them, research astronomy, build customs houses, etc. Running state property is an option too. I would only colonize in two situations:
1) the land is bad but there are resources I want
2) I just conquered a bunch of overseas cities from an enemy and don't really need/want to keep them.