Farms versus towns

[Tanned]

Hello everyone

I am playing Warlods version 2.08. If I remember correctly this version of Warlods includes a modification that changes the way the AI handles terrain improvements. I believe I caught a glimpse of this in my last game.

Towards the end of the industrial era, I noticed that all the civilizations on the other continent had pretty much replaced all of their towns with farms. Except for mineral resources, all hills had windmills.

My question is: at what stage is it better to do away with city specialization and simply maximize the population, using farms and windmills to allow a large specialist-based economy? My guess is that when biology comes it is best to replace all towns with farms (except on flood plains)?

Or is it advisable in some cases to have lots of farms prior to biology?

My own preference, from playing Civ4 original for many months, was to have lots of towns for most cities but have a few cities with farms/mines for production. I would only tend to have one all-out farms/windmills city for the sake of the National Wonder. Is there any point in the game where this kind of specialization is no longer relevant? Are specialists and large populations better?

I play on Prince and usually find this level challenging.

Cheers.

[Quillan]

The computer did that before Warlords. Usually when they develop Biology, the AI would go back and replace all their improvements with food producers and run massive specialist economies, though not exceptionally well (they didn't switch to Representation with it).

Me, I tend to build just enough farms to make sure I can grow to the point where every square in the fat cross can be worked. Aside from that, I build towns, watermills, lumbermills and mines. The exception is cities I've turned into great person pumps; those get farms, farms, and more farms.

[couerdelion]

I find it difficult to see how this could be a good tactic. Although the Representative+Farms might give a better return after a long period, all those farms worked will be running at -5 commerce (possibly -7 if you are running Free Speech). In the end this will be replaced by a specialist who might make +6 beakers (with Rep) and +6 GPP (with Pacifism/Philo trait/National Epic) so after a certain period, the total return should be better.

But this does not take into consideration the time it takes for large cities to grow. The lost commerce in the “growing” period may be worth more than the higher extra gold/beakers that comes later.

So in general, I would tend to leave villages or towns for their immediate commerce. And by then I would also have placed watermills on almost every available slot (though perhaps leaving the towns here too). Except for a few cities that need specialists, the rest will tend to have workshops on any flat ground and windmills on the hills.

[DrSpike]

Late game cottage economy owns specialist economy - the advantage of SE is it is faster to set up and provides some quick wins through lightbulbing if you want it. This is useful on the higher levels because you can maintain expansion whilst trading the lightbulbed tech without falling behind in the tech race.

The only time I replace cottages with farms late game is if necessary to max production in key production cities for the spaceship. A maxed cottage is simply a better tile than even a post biology farm.

[rah]

Yes, late in the game it seems the specialist/Pacifism economy drops in effectiviness due to a couple of issues.
One, you've cranked out so many GPs that the points needed for the next couple takes too long even with it doubled. And other civics can make improved squares as or more profitable to work then specialists. Depending on possible happy/health limits.

I always find myself playing a game of chicken of when I should drop out of it and switch to free religion.

But I must admit the AI can sure run the pop up in cities not handicapped as much by happiness or health.

[couerdelion]

As a general rule try this

A) Take Base GPP in largest GPP producing city + 50% of GPP in the next four cities.

Multiply this by Value of GPP (= Value of GP / Number of GPP needed for next GP

Compare value with

B) 10% of base science.


There are of course other factors to consider (military costs being a big one)

[rah]

In MP games you usually have other things to be thinking about in order to avoid taking abuse for taking too long of a turn.
The Military cost is criticical. Especially in MP games where you need a larger army than in SP games.
I just look at how many turns in my GP farm city, and any secondary city. If the number of turns is really high, it's time to revolt.

My mistake is usually sticking it out for just one more.