Forest chops when producing wealth or research

[Dis]

Is it a waste? Or does it get added into the wealth or research values?

[JackRudd]

More importantly, why the expletive would you do it?

[Dis]

I was trying to mine my hills, in a desperate attempt that I could get coal to pop up. As I had no coal, and the AI wouldn't trade me any coal.

It was late in the game, and my cities with nothing to build were trying to maximize my research ability for a particularly tight space race.

Granted, coal that late in the game wouldn't have made a difference, but I just hate not having railroads. . it's silly for any nation to not have railroads in 2040. Remove the coal requirement. Once you have combustion and oil, you should be able to build diesal locomotives.

[ColdPhoenix]

I think that if you chop while researching then the hammers are stored until you start building something. I would imagine that they would start to reduce over time in the same way that a part-built unit/building will eventually do.

Haven't tested this but I've noticed that when I chop during research then the next build starts partially completed.

[Yaga]

Originally posted by Dis
Granted, coal that late in the game wouldn't have made a difference, but I just hate not having railroads. . it's silly for any nation to not have railroads in 2040. Remove the coal requirement. Once you have combustion and oil, you should be able to build diesal locomotives.

Good point -- Axemen are Copper or Iron, Modern Naval units Oil or Uranium (I think) -- makes sense that Railroads should be Iron and (Oil or Coal)

[CerberusIV]

Originally posted by Dis
Once you have combustion and oil, you should be able to build diesal locomotives.

The issue isn't about operating the railroads, it's about building them. The game has it right in that, AFAIK, you continue to get the movement benefit of railroads you have already built even if your source of coal stops (the trade is cancelled or your coal is on a border tile you lose to cultural expansion). No coal only means you can't build railroads.

There is no real problem operating railway locomotives fuelled by wood if you don't have coal or oil. After Fission or Plastics you could easily have electric locomotives getting power from overhead cables with the electricity generated from hydro or nuclear power plants.

What coal is essential for is to turn iron ore into steel on an industrial scale since that requires large amounts of coke (from coal) in blast furnaces. Without a lot of coal it simply isn't possible to make enough steel for the rails.

Where the game isn't realistic is modern warships. These are still mainly built of steel - lots of steel - but coal isn't a requirement to build them. Oil isn't strictly necessary to build a warship, just to operate one but in CivIV you can continue to operate battleships, etc. even if you lose your source of oil and they don't even suffer any movement penalty (think Imperial Japanese Navy in WW2 and the limitations lack of fuel imposed).

[Dis]

I mentioned this in another thread, but you shouldn't be able to build large cities without steel, as you couldn't construct skyscrapers.

I really don't think the designers had the steel in mind when making that requirement. Or maybe they did. . I say this because obviously they didn't think about the steel required to build and maintain ships.

[Blaupanzer]

Corrected on 28 Sep:
Answer to subject header: No chops do not add additional revenue if your city is set on commerce, culture, or research. Instead the additional hammers are stored for the next build.

[ColdPhoenix]

Originally posted by Blaupanzer
Answer to subject header: Yes chops add additional revenue if your city is set on commerce, culture, or research. Of course, it's a one-time thing.

I've just tested this and (in Warlords at least) the chop doesn't add additional revenue but stores the hammers for your next build.

[Blaupanzer]

Stand corrected! Edited the original message.