Macro or Micro?

[Arrian]

I manage everything manually. Even if the automation were great, I'd have trouble trusting it. I've been playing Civ long enough to assume that automation = accepting mismanagement.

Besides, I want to be in control. The only possible worker automation I could imagine using would be something like "ok, change nothing, just finish up the RRing, please, and stay three tiles back from any border."

-Arrian

[Artuero]

I manage most things. I have been giving the workers the command to automatically improve trade network after I have railroad and they have nothing else to do, and that works out pretty well. Though I find they do not even do that efficiently because I will see some loafing around in a city while others are still working on railroads.

I do let the governor decide which squares to work for the most part. I think this logic is very strong. If I tell the governor to do something it is usually either max food or no growth.

I recently tried automated scouting (with 18 civs on a standard continents map there wasn't going to be that much advantage to me). Worked okay it seems but often I would find my scout back in my own lands scouting for who knows what. It is possible he didn't have anything else to do because of closed borders and the like. I think the units (including workers) should tell you they're done.

Is there a way to get a popup when a city grows in size so that I can manage that a little more carefully?

[[to_xp]Gekko]

Originally posted by Artuero

Is there a way to get a popup when a city grows in size so that I can manage that a little more carefully?

I'd like that a lot too.

[Shaka II]

I micromanage most things, but let the workers automate after about eight cities, but with the option to not change any existing improvements. I feel that forests can be replaced by later game improvements, tech and civic advances, though I would like the option in the next patch to disable automated forest cutting.

I will pull several workers out of automation from time to time to do specific functions, like build oil wells, mine coal, railroad critical paths, repair work. My feeling is that the critical gains to be made is in the early game. If I haven't established a Civ with good momentum, then further micromanagement is probably not going to add that much. Diminishing returns. Where I get into micromanagement more is in the city manager, always checking on food, health and happy, gold and science, do I envision the city as a science center, a production center. I'll pull a few workers out of automation if it looks like some changes are required.

[Enigma_Nova]

The main reason you'd do that is because the AI is sucky at managing anything.
Always having a specialist instead of working one of the many food tiles ...