Workers keep destroying my forts! Help

[Gary4Civ]

Hi,

Title says it all. I am a newbie to Civ 5. Workers are generally on autopilot, and for now I don't want to micro manage them so I would like to keep it that way.

As soon as I finish a fort, I send the worker off to do something else somewhere, and another one (on auto) comes in and replaces it.

How do you keep forts from being replaced by workers with other improvements?

Thanks

 

[RedRover57]

The best advice - never use auto-improve for workers.

 

[Gary4Civ]

The best advice - never use auto-improve for workers.

I understand and respect that is the way more advanced players play.
As I said in my initial post, I would like to use auto-improve at this early point in my "career".

Are we saying that building forts is impossible with the use of workers on auto-improve? That the second I allow one worker to enter auto improve mode, I can expect that my forts will be destroyed?

If that is the (sad) case then so be it. Is this the case?

 

[nea*Nicu]

options -> automated workers don't replace improvements and automated workers don't remove features

 

[ense7en]

options -> automated workers don't replace improvements and automated workers don't remove features

^^

But regarding forts, does anyone ever use them or citadels other than when you have a mountain bottleneck area?

I very occasionally build forts if there's a certain area i can block off if i have an aggressive enemy nearby on the other side of the mountains.
Otherwise i see no point for the most part?

 

[Gary4Civ]

Edit - thank you for pointing out the option!

If I recall from playing Civ 4 before, does this mean that they will never upgrade an improvement to a more modern version when its available...?

 

[King of Prussia]

^^

But regarding forts, does anyone ever use them or citadels other than when you have a mountain bottleneck area?

I very occasionally build forts if there's a certain area i can block off if i have an aggressive enemy nearby on the other side of the mountains.
Otherwise i see no point for the most part?

Ya. I never build them seeing as most of the time my border ties can be worked by the city. and the fort gets destroyed if someone walk into it. imo its a waste of time to build I think Citadels are same where they get destroyed when an enemy steps in it. That could be wrong but imo they aren't worth it anyways.

 

[RedRover57]

The problem is that even with that option the automated workers will build a lot of useless roads that will drain your economy. Also, the AI often doesn't make a wise choice regarding the type of improvement if there is a choice. For example, the AI may build a trading post where you want a farm (or vice versa), or a mine where you want a farm (e.g., river hill), etc. It's better to get into the habit of directing the workers yourself, particularly if you ever want to play above Prince difficulty.

The same thing with automating scouts - that's the best way to lose them to barbarians.

 

[eris]

Edit - thank you for pointing out the option!

If I recall from playing Civ 4 before, does this mean that they will never upgrade an improvement to a more modern version when its available...?

My observation is that there is not really a set of replacement or modern upgrades to improvements. However, even with the option to not upgrade an improvement, unlike Civ4, automated workers will still develop new resources that pop up, like coal. It make take them longer than you like to get around to it.

In regards to the original question, if the improvement is inside your workable city radius I would advise against using a fort. Unless you have a very good strategic reason, I am on the side of the automated workers. They're right this time; don't build a fort there!

 

[Gary4Civ]

OK thanks all.

Guess I better learn how to decide what my workers should be doing pretty quick.

Sounds like the concusses is that forts are basically worthless - wonder why there in the game...? I was trying to use them to temporarily bolster defenses around a city that was being attacked.

 

[ense7en]

OK thanks all.

Guess I better learn how to decide what my workers should be doing pretty quick.

Sounds like the concusses is that forts are basically worthless - wonder why there in the game...? I was trying to use them to temporarily bolster defenses around a city that was being attacked.

They are fantastic if you are defending alongside mountains, or where the AI is forced to attack through a certain area (again, usually by mountains).
But those situations are so rare, unless you are playing a defensive game on a map like Highlands, for example.

As for workers, not long ago, i was a n00bie to this game (and still am compared to the veterans here), and i learned quite quickly that automated workers (or anything really) is a horrible idea.
It really isn't wise as they simply don't build what you need them to.

 

[Rex_Mundi]

I often build forts in puppet cities.

The city will often have a border with a hostile civ.
I often don't want the city to grow, so it won't use all tiles anyway.
The AI will almost never try to attack a fortified mele unit in a fort.
With zone of control two forts can guard 3 raged units effectively, and it allow my mobile units to strike first.

That being said, forts are a low priority still, unless my neighbour is really strong and aggressive.
I usually try to play peacefull and builder, I will take puppets, but I rarely declare war myself.

 

[TPQ]

Anybody can, of course, play the game anyway that they enjoy and if that includes automating workers, then that's all well and good, but you really don't need to be a "veteran" to manually command your workers and it really is the best way to to maximize your empire's productivity.

Even if you don't manually assign citizens, or pay much attention to build orders, or sign research agreements, or buy AIs into war with each other, or plan your tech order, or scout out the map much, or pay attention to "global politics", or target key wonders, or assign specialists, or manage great people production, or synergize your social policies to your overall strategy or do anything else other than plant cities, build units and enjoy the cool fighting animations, you really should try to avoid automating your workers wherever possible and control them manually instead. It benefits play at all levels imo.

Just saying .

 

[That nerdy kid]

never built a fort or a citadel in any game. (except for scenarios)

 

[davelisowski]

^good advice.

there are more useful things to do with your time.

if you aren't managing your workers, what are you doing every turn? there can't be much else to do besides click "next turn."

i mean, managing 3-4 workers is not a difficult thing. i would say that is one of the first essential skills to learn.

 

[mgbx4]

what are you doing every turn? there can't be much else to do besides click "next turn."

LOL I do on my Careless game, I usually play 2 at a time one where I care and one where I go rampage to other AIs

 

[binici]

Forts and Cits actually help if you are in a two war front. Mountains will make your decisions more easy if you can strategically place them in the right spots, otherwise, they will waste your 4-5 turns...

 

[The_Quasar]

Forts and Citadels can also be useful when there is a lot of water around, and can be used with naval power to protect your territory.

Often 2 or 3 are better than just one, especially if you're behind in tech.

They are well capable of taking a huge edge off an invasion, causing it to fail instead of succeed, BUT, it has to be weighed against building other improvements or units.

They are often very helpful when going for a cultural victory with very few cities, blocking weak spots can make a difference between success and failure, and is something to use Workers for when there is nothing else useful they can do while, perhaps, waiting for Aluminium or Uranium to fire.

However, you should get out of the habit of automating Workers (and Scouts)... after a while, you'll direct them automatically, so it's no longer a task. However, it will make a huge impact on your play (and the level you play at).