To Raze or not to Raze...

[cybrgamr]

I started a new game last night - continents, medium sized, settler level using the Spanish. I quickly founded the first 5 religions (Oracle for Theology helped). I built no military units outside of warriors and archers to protect my cities until I was ready to attack, then I focused many of my cities to producing units. I was able to found the last two religions around 0 BC, so I own all seven. I have my state religion set to Buddhism and all of my cities have adopted Buddhism, and I have the Spire built in the Buddhism home city.

I am currently at 1700AD (about 250 turns left to go) and I now own one of the two continents thanks to a succesful military campaign to remove the three countries on the continent with me (it is very easy when you have gunships and they are still defending with longbowmen).

As I was taking them over, I had the option to install a governor or destroy the cities. For all of them I chose to install a new governor, but as I did that I slowly went from a gold suprlus of +36 per turn to -100 per turn (because I captured over a dozen cities).

Does it make more sense to destroy them or to install the new government in them?

[couerdelion]

This is a question of financial management. Keep an eye on your expenses and see how much an impact Civic costs and City Maintenance are having. If this starts to get too high then new cities may be unprofitable for you (all least in terms of gold/science) because the income from that city might be offset by the costs of looking after it.

These costs include

a) Higher civic costs
b) Maintenance costs (distance from capital and number of cities) for new city
c) Increase in maintenance costs in all cities.

As a civ grows, the last becomes the largest cost for each new city so to keep a city you will have to be reasonably certain that it will be turning a surplus in a relatively short space of time.

As a general rule, if the city is in a good spot then keep it. Also if there are any wonders in the city, it should be kept. Otherwise, it may be worth razing.

This is more true in the early game where there are few means of controlling expenses. Once you have gold multipliers and courthouses the problem is reduced. After State Property, it’s usually profitable to keep everything.

[Tattila the Hun]

I think, what you really need to consider, is going up a difficulty level or two.

[cybrgamr]

Originally posted by Tattila the Hun
I think, what you really need to consider, is going up a difficulty level or two.

This is the first game I will play through to completion, so I started easy to get used to the interface and technologies. I certainly will play it a bit more difficult the next time...

[rah]

If you're worried about future diplomacy, you may not want to raze any holy cities. It has a tendency to piss other civs off.

[couerdelion]

Originally posted by Tattila the Hun
I think, what you really need to consider, is going up a difficulty level or two.

Oh please don't make me. I've just just gone back up one level. Any more and I just know that the AI will be nasty to me.

[Ming]

Originally posted by rah
If you're worried about future diplomacy, you may not want to raze any holy cities. It has a tendency to piss other civs off.

It shouldn't really be a problem for him since he seems to have gotten most of the religions

[Will9]

I have pillaging off since it always annoys me when I leave one crack in my defenfence and the AI sneaks through it and destroys one of my key cities.

[joncnunn]

I don't recomend raizing a holy city unless your very sure you can't hold onto the city. Those are big money makers.

I also normally don't recomend raizing great wonders that haven't expired yet unless your doughting you can defend it since they often provide a nice boost.

As to the rest, location, location, location. I do note that with Blake's mod, I'm much less inclined to raize cities than before because they'll now correctly positioned.

[greenday_234]

There are a few things you can do to combat your current problem,

1. switch to state property to decrease maintance costs
2. start building some courthouses, this will help a lot
3. get some workers into your new territory have them focus on building some cottages, this will help bring in some commerce
4. go around to all cities and (if it makes sense) put on some merchant specialists.
5. (if you have it enabled) try and get a permanent alliance, they can be a real cash cow
6. increase trade for gold per turn (when possible)

You're in a pretty deep hole, but with some time/effort, you could prolly get out of it.

Edit: if you have that many religions try and get some great phropets and build shrines if you haven't already. With that many cities and religions shrines alone could get you out of this problem