Workboats can explore

[br_casino]

Just a quick tip the is often overlooked. Some people think that they can not start exploring the coast until they have discovered sailing. You can creat workboats with fishing, which can explore the coast as well.

Workboats have movement of 2 (exactly the same as a Galley or Triremes). They can't attack and have 0 strength, but it shouldn't be attacked early on anyway. Also, workboats are a lot cheaper.

 

[Shawnosaurus]

Hells bells, I never thought of that.

Thank you for pointing out what should have been obvious if only I had a clue

 

[Neoclast]

I have had work boats just about circumnavigate the globe already. If only the land wrapped around the globe...

 

[Willowmound]

I once had a workboat explore the entire coast of the starting landmass on a Terra map. I had it sailing back and forth almost all game, because every time I had almost reached my own shores, some civ cancelled their open borders and all I could do was go back and try the other way. By the time I'd circumnavigated, the civs on the other side had cancelled, while the first civ had opened up again. And so it went. For ages.

 

[chessplayer]

amazing info thanks

 

[kristopherb]

I thought of that but ive never used the idea

 

[Technocactus]

I already do this, but I prefer to use it for short exploration with a specific target in mind. I prefer to use Galleys or Triremes for longer exploration with no idea to its destination, in case it comes across an enemy ship.

 

[Leifmk]

I have had work boats just about circumnavigate the globe already. If only the land wrapped around the globe...

I've done complete circumnavigation with workboats on Archipelago maps a couple of times. Sailing, who needs sailing? Got this old rowboat...

 

[Mehmed100]

That's a great idea! Workboats also cost less hammers.

 

[Ruler]

I'm always tempted to send a workboat to go out for exploring at the beginning but it's not something what I do every time I find it very useful because of trade routes and give you information about map.

 

[Panda]

Yup, it's a nice trick.

I'm surprises nobody has yet cried 'exploit'...

 

[chessplayer]

exploit exploit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Capt Buttkick]

On Archi, low sea maps you can circumnavigate the globe with a work boat more times than not.

 

[Zebra 9]

I did that in the tutorial!

 

[Warspite2]

Just a quick tip the is often overlooked. Some people think that they can not start exploring the coast until they have discovered sailing. You can creat workboats with fishing, which can explore the coast as well.

Workboats have movement of 2 (exactly the same as a Galley or Triremes). They can't attack and have 0 strength, but it shouldn't be attacked early on anyway. Also, workboats are a lot cheaper.

Certainly a good option. They can give you an early option of exploring and you may find some fish, crab or whatever and you can bring in some food.

 

[SwordofStriker]

Heh nice tip.

Coupled with map sharing this could lead to a dramatically faster circumnavigation of the globe.

 

[Danicela]

i do workboat exploring too

 

[Pogel]

Very useful on archipelago maps. Do some very early scouting with workboats and you can identify bottlenecks in the map. If you send out early settlers to found cities in these areas you can mark out large areas for later expansion (keeping borders closed).

 

[feldmarshall]

exactly what is the criteria of circumnavigate?

 

[jray]

I already do this, but I prefer to use it for short exploration with a specific target in mind. I prefer to use Galleys or Triremes for longer exploration with no idea to its destination, in case it comes across an enemy ship.

Well, the workboats will be pretty safe in Warlords 2.08 since Barbarian Galleys are broken. (It might be Warlords 2.00 also... it wasn't reported until 2.08 though). They can't appear out of the fog, and although the XML implies that Barbarian cities can still build them, I've never seen it happen.

Unless you're talking about enemy Civs... and yeah, they do build Triremes, especially that darn Ragnar.