Workers - Automate or no?

[Jack ONeill]

I've always automated my workers and was just wondering if that is hurting me at all, or if its better to micromanage.

 

[AlphaShard]

I micromanage them that way I can insure what goes on each tile. It may be time consuming but the result is worth it to
me.

 

[Maccacentric]

I manage terrain improvements, automate for trade network if I'm feeling lazy. The main problem with that is finding them after they finish putting roads all over your empire. And their tendency to decide they want roads on the border of a neighbour who is clearly getting ready to attack me.

 

[Cjreynol]

Well, certainly more attention to detail will help your game. BUT, this is CIV and everyone is free to play exactly how they want. So if you don't like all the micro, don't do it. Then again it may limit you from taking on some of the higher difficulties, at least with as much success as people who micro, but as long as you are having fun it's all good.

 

[Aeiouv]

I go back and forth. I micro the workers until all the tiles I want improved are improved then set them on automated. Make sure you set the option for automated workers to keep existing improvements on, otherwise they'll start changing improvements.

 

[Dumanios]

I micro em'.

 

[Camikaze]

I always micromanage them. I used to automate them a bit, but I found that they didn't prioritise quite how I'd like, and they worked over improvements that you had built for a particular purpose that were not quite the recommended improvement.

 

[StargazingDog]

I have only automated once, and they ended up building roads on every square! I find that it is just as easy to make them sleep, then wake them up when I need something built. This isn't like the previous Civ games where you wanted your land coated in improvements and you needed an army of workers. I usually end up with about 6 workers at the end of the game. I kill off extras captured in war.

 

[Aeiouv]

Are there any drawbacks from having roads on every tile?

 

[Mathalamus]

i automate them. then when i have railroads, i let them build it opn every time, then i delete them and never build another one.

 

[Camikaze]

Are there any drawbacks from having roads on every tile?

No, but if your workers are building roads in/to the middle of nowhere when they could be building something useful, then you are wasting them.

 

[God-Emperor]

On the other hand, if they have nothing useful to build and you have them stand around doing nothing when there are tiles without roads, then you are also wasting them.

Roads are good - they let you get to invaders faster, and they give the AI something to do to slow it down: pillaging your excess roads instead of the improvement a few of tiles away that you are actually working. Redundant routes are also good since they make it harder to isolate your cities from your trade network.

 

[TheMeInTeam]

Auto workers aren't that bad by the time they're done, but they waste a lot of turns. Only automate them if you're confident with your situation, have a ton of workers, etc.

 

[Bushface]

Auto workers aren't that bad by the time they're done, but they waste a lot of turns. Only automate them if you're confident with your situation, have a ton of workers, etc.

And even then it's best to set them to leave existing improvements alone. The AI has of course no option but to automate, which leads to silly things like one worker converting a farm to a cottage while in the same fat cross another is converting a cottage to a farm.

 

[Artful]

I micromanage them, would add that you need to make sure to have enough of them - I disagree with the previous poster who suggested you can get by with just 6! The usual ratio quoted is you need about 1.5 workers for each city, but I usually run lower than that. This applies certainly into the mid-game, but it is true that while you're waiting to get RR, the workers have nothing to do. But once you get RR, you'll be glad to have all you can to get the benefits. After you've built your RR network you can reduce the worker number, but still keep enough to fix pillaged or sabotaged improvements. I suggest to have at least enough to rebuild your oil well in 1 turn (and I keep plenty of extras).

 

[Verarde]

Personally, in III i controlled them in the early game, then automated, unless i need one to buid road to a new city or something. In IV, I decided to keep micromanaging them. it helps a lot more in iv then in iii, because iv gives you more worker options.

 

[TheMeInTeam]

And even then it's best to set them to leave existing improvements alone. The AI has of course no option but to automate, which leads to silly things like one worker converting a farm to a cottage while in the same fat cross another is converting a cottage to a farm.

Setting certain governor emphasis prevents this.

And BetterAI eliminated improvement cycling entirely.

 

[Zedders]

I like to have complete control over things, so I never automate them unless I use the "build trade network" option, which is useful.

I think it's essential to control them in order to move up levels.

 

[AlphaShard]

The computer never seems to chain farms to irrigate Corn/Rice/Wheat.

 

[Nilmerf]

Are there any drawbacks from having roads on every tile?

No, but if your workers are building roads in/to the middle of nowhere when they could be building something useful, then you are wasting them.

Yes there are drawbacks. I'll never put a road on a non-riverside plains or a tundra because I want a forest to grow there. I'll never automate workers for this reason, and with practice you can give them orders quick so it's less of a nuisance.