Early unhappiness

[Snotty]

How do you manage early unhappiness?

Are there other ways besides hereditary rule, multiple religions or lucky breaks with multiple resources?

I assume happiness and health control becomes increasingly pressing on higher difficulty levels

[Jaybe]

Managing early unhappiness:
Blake would say "whip 'em" (do it before they become unhappy), rushes production and reduces population. In case you didn't know, pop-rushing works substantially different than in Civ3, and is much more forgiving.

I normally just hit the "restrict population growth" button (lower right of the governor settings). Prevents population growth whether the governor is turned on or not. Don't forget to unset it when you have a higher happiness limit, though!

Of course, the best ways (as you stated) are to spread your state religion, build temples, obtain luxury resources. I play at Noble.

[DrSpike]

People using the governor makes me unhappy at any time.

Building settlers/workers, hooking up resources, whipping, using specialists are all ways to stop growth causing unhappiness before HR. I get that pretty early most games. Why they made it low upkeep is beyond me - a poor balance decision if I ever saw one.

[Datajack Franit]

If they are unhappy, they are wasting their energies. If they have energies to be wasted to begin with, you should whip them

[Nugog]

To quote Zoid:

Now whip it - into shape
Shape it up, get straight
Go forward, move ahead
Try to detect it - it's not too late
To whip it, whip it good

[ben04]

Either wipe or Heritary rule and a new archer.

[Datajack Franit]

whip a worker

what's so difficult?

[Snotty]

Im trying to find ways to advance without HR being one of the cornerstones of my civ - the games is all about options after all

I have trouble with whipping, I whip them then the city is simply unhappy at a lower pop cap for a while

[trev]

Find another luxury and build near it, best solution, other than that limit city size until more temples built or HR learnt

[Will9]

Build the Pyramids and switch to Representation.

[Cort Haus]

An alternative to the religion route, if Plantation resources are nearby then Beeline for Calendar, using a Library and a couple of Scientists to power the tech rate. Create Academy with Great Scientist, and if Philosophical there'll be a 2nd to add to the city as a super-specialist.

Then get Masonry & Construction if you want another 1 happy from the Colosseum, or Currency for a Marketplace to double up the Plantation happies. Depending on difficulty level, you might then be able to grab Code of Laws via the Currency route, for a late religion.

[Datajack Franit]

The religion route I usually get Judaism as first religion, then try to build the Oracle in order to get Christianism (actually it's more for having 2 religions to spread and preventing the opponents from having it)

[joncnunn]

The following are the standard list of early game happiness management when happiness resources aren't an option:

1. Don't grow at max rate after the city is a significant size but instead work more production oriented tiles and (with a Temple) form Priests.

2. A state religion chosen (preferabely one you founded) and present throughout your empire. (+1 happiness)

3. (With Pristhood) Temples for all religions present in your city. (+1 happiness per Temple)

4. (With Monarchy) : H.R. which gives you +1 happiness per military unit present, even obsolete warriors.

5. (With Bronze Working): Slavery which lets you whip the angry citizen.

[Urban Ranger]

The easiest way is to rearrange your production or make some specialists so the cities don't grow extra food.

[anhalibut]

[SIZE=1] I have trouble with whipping, I whip them then the city is simply unhappy at a lower pop cap for a while

You may know this already,but I've read elsewhere in this forum that the key to successful whipping is to make sure that whipping reduces the city's population by two or three (or more). Never whip when it reduces the population by only one.