Why build a worker first?

[patrickkrebs]

I've read all over the place around here that the first thing you guys build is a worker.

I usually get my population points up a little and work towards a warrior or a barracks until like 3 population, then I build my worker.

Why should I build a worker first?

What are some peoples first build strategies?

 

[Araqiel]

It depends very much on my start if I build a worker first. If there are things for him to do then building him first is very advantagous. For example if you start with agriculture and your capital has corn in the fat cross a worker first is a boon. By building a worker first you gain access to the massive food bonus such a tile provides 7 or more turns sooner (assuming you'll reach size 2 in 7 turns and then build a worker)

This can be a large boost to your capitals growth and future worker/settler production.

Another strategy is to research BW first and build a worker so you can start mining and chopping forest for more production.

 

[patrickkrebs]

It depends very much on my start if I build a worker first. If there are things for him to do then building him first is very advantagous. For example if you start with agriculture and your capital has corn in the fat cross a worker first is a boon. By building a worker first you gain access to the massive food bonus such a tile provides 7 or more turns sooner (assuming you'll reach size 2 in 7 turns and then build a worker)

This can be a large boost to your capitals growth and future worker/settler production.

Another strategy is to research BW first and build a worker so you can start mining and chopping forest for more production.

Even if I pump out a worker early he can rarely do what I need him to do until I research bronze working for chopping or research the one thing I dont have, animal husbandry/agriculture whatever - might as well build something in the mean time and up the population of my city and build the worker in 6 turns instead of 15 once I can use him.

 

[Araqiel]

But thats my point entirely. If you have ample resources that you can improve upon then it makes sense to build a worker, and research worker technologies first.

If you don't have such resources or are unwilling to change your initial research target then it makes sense to wait to build a worker. But rarely is it worth it to wait beyond growing your city to size two. After that point you'll fall behind quickly if you're not improving the land around your city.

 

[Nestorius]

If I got corn or wheat near my starting position, I'll research Agriculture and build a worker on my first turn.

If there is nothing to improve and I do not have mining, I'll build warriors until size two.

 

[malekithe]

might as well build something in the mean time and up the population of my city and build the worker in 6 turns instead of 15 once I can use him.

Just FYI, you would have to grow your population to at least 6-7 in order to build a worker in 6 turns without any improvements.

 

[drkodos]

Chop, Chop, Chop.


I almost always build a worker first. Only time I do not is if I start with fishing, have a coastal city and fish in the cross.

Aside from Settler, worker is the most important unit.

 

[malekithe]

Aside from Settler, worker is the most important unit.

Discounting your initial settler, I'd say workers are actually more important than subsequent settlers. You can easily win a game without ever building a single settler. It's not as easy without building a worker (though still possible).

 

[Jaca]

I've read all over the place around here that the first thing you guys build is a worker.

I usually get my population points up a little and work towards a warrior or a barracks until like 3 population, then I build my worker.

Why should I build a worker first?

What are some peoples first build strategies?

It seems the "pro's" beeline for Bronze Working. Before the 1.61 patch that was supposedly a no-brainer because of the gains coming from forest chopping. That means, in order to optimize early production, you need a worker first. After the 1.61 patch, forest chopping was nerfed a bit, as it gives you less hammers untill you researched 'Mathematics'! But even now starting with a worker while beelineing for Bronze Working is suggested often as still best, especially because you get the 'Slavery' civic. Krikkitone has suggested in the 'Ideas & Suggestion' forum to move 'Slavery' away from BW and move it to 'Animal Husbandry', so it would make the early start more interesting, with more choices for the initial strategy, which sounds like a good idea indeed.

I'm a Monarch player for a long time now, and it depends indeed, but I intend to value that early Scout. If I have 'Hunting' as starting technology, I start building one, if not, I start building a Worker, and research Hunting usually. Then I switch to Worker again, and research for BW. The Scout can bring in decent amount of cash early while popping goody huts and seems most usefull to me for a good early exploration of land and meeting neighbors early. If lucky in fighting animals, I can upgrade it to the 'Medic I' promotion which can later serve as cheap and fast medic.

Jaca

 

[futurehermit]

if you start with mining then you build a worker first. then you chop a second worker. then together you chop a settler. then you use one worker each to develop two cities. and away you go.

if you don't start with mining, then i think you're better off to develop to size two and then follow the same recipe as above.

it's a very efficient start.

 

[drkodos]

Discounting your initial settler, I'd say workers are actually more important than subsequent settlers. You can easily win a game without ever building a single settler. It's not as easy without building a worker (though still possible).

I agree. I rarely build more than one settler as I have found hijacking other built-up cities to yield greater efficacy to expansionist strategies.

BUT, that initial settler is still the singly most important unit in the game, IMO.

 

[theimmortal1]

Its fairly easy to win without making a single settler or worker

 

[Andrei_V]

Simple experiment. Start as Toku (Fishing + The Wheel) on small Great Plains, Normal Speed, Monarch. See starting position attached. Floodplains + Gold.

Goal: Build a Farm, a Gold Mine, and connect Gold to the city.

Research path (identical in both cases): Agriculture -> Mining -> Pottery -> Bronze Working -> Writing

Strat 1. Warrior, then switch to Worker as soon as size 2, then Granary.

Research: Agriculture (3720BC) -> Mining (3480BC) -> Pottery (3200BC) -> BW (2760BC) -> (1 turn Anarchy for Slavery) -> Writing

The city reaches size 2 in 3680BC. Worker is built in 3240BC, turn 19. Goal reached in 2560 BC, turn 36. Writing is half way through, city size 2 after Granary whipping, Warrior will be finished on the next turn.

Strat 2. Worker, then Warrior, then switch to Granary as soon as Pottery is researched.

Research: Agriculture (3720 BC) -> Mining (3480 BC) -> Pottery (3160 BC) -> BW (2800) -> (1 turn Anarchy for Slavery)

Worker is built in 3400BC, turn 15. Goal reached in 2760 BC, turn 31. City size 3, Granary is about to be whipped in a turn or two.

So, 5 turns difference. That is, 5 extra turns working a Gold mine. Even if there was no Gold, a cottage (or two, one instead of the farm) could have been built and worked 5 extra turns.

Note that Toku does not even start with Mining.

 

[drkodos]

So, 5 turns difference. That is, 5 extra turns working a Gold mine. Even if there was no Gold, a cottage (or two, one instead of the farm) could have been built and worked 5 extra turns.

Nice.


Turn advantage is what it is all about. It is one of the least talked about concepts, considering how crucial it is to winning at harder levels.

Even a 1 (one) turn advantage is significant, makes it worthwhile, and is the correct strategy.

 

[Tomb.]

Even a 1 (one) turn advantage is significant, makes it worthwhile, and is the correct strategy.

I totally agree, theres nothing more powerful than micromanagment.

 

[BadHorsie]

Even if I pump out a worker early he can rarely do what I need him to do until I research bronze working for chopping or research the one thing I dont have, animal husbandry/agriculture whatever - might as well build something in the mean time and up the population of my city and build the worker in 6 turns instead of 15 once I can use him.

Yes, there's no point building a worker first if you don't have the techs for him to start improving tiles. If that's the case, I normally work on something else until I discover the first tech which will allow him to work.

 

[JimT]

Just FYI, you would have to grow your population to at least 6-7 in order to build a worker in 6 turns without any improvements.

Unless you pop-rush or chop-rush. Which so many people do

 

[GIO888]

My first build is always a worker - unless I have fish as a coastal resource, then it's workboat - worker!

if you get jumped by anyone first 20 turns or so, that world was not meant to be!

 

[futurehermit]

when building a worker first, you should research something that will give him something to do. if all else fails, you can always research the wheel and get him to prebuild roads while researching other things. ideally though you'll have farmable land or minable hills and then you can just go for mining or agriculture first if you don't have these already. and if you do have mining then your first tech should be bronze.

 

[patrickkrebs]

Just FYI, you would have to grow your population to at least 6-7 in order to build a worker in 6 turns without any improvements.

This is definitely not true.