2H better than 3H ?

[guermantes]

Hi,

Why does the computer suggest me to improve the 2H tile rather than the 3H tile. Is it because I need to clear forest first before I can improve the 3H tile?

[Quillan]

They are identical in their potential. Both are plains hills. One produces 2 hammers as is, and one only produces 3 hammers because of the forest. To improve it, you must build either a lumbermill (assuming you had Replaceable Parts, and since you're researching Feudalism I doubt it) or clear the forest and build a mine. With the forest cleared, you'd get the same production you would from the other hill, without wasting the time chopping the forest.

[guermantes]

aaaahhhh....! It comes from the forest.... I did not think that far... Thanks!!

Sometimes when I become aware of the mistakes I make in this game I wonder why I bother... But it is so fun!!

[Quillan]

Yeah, there's lots of little things in there. For example, you have two basic terrain types: flatland and hill. There is also water, mountain and ice, which are all impassable to land troops, but I'm not counting those here. Flatland provides 1 food and 0 hammers base. Hills provide 0 food and 1 hammer base. On top of that you have a covering: grassland, plains, desert, tundra, or snow. Grassland adds +1 food. Plains adds +1 hammer. Desert and snow are -1 food, and I don't think tundra adds anything at all. On top of all that you can have vegetation: forest or jungle. Forest adds +1 hammer while jungle is -1 food.

[rah]

Is your city currently working that square?

[guermantes]

Yes it was working it when I took the screenshot. Why do you ask?

[Quillan]

I think Heliopolis was working that forested plains hill. Cologne had to be working the grassland forest just north of the worker; no other city could be. It looks like Heliopolis was working the forested plains hill, the iron mine and the pigs.