Do you move your capitol?

[joncnunn]

I thought about moving my capital in Holiday Surprise, but in the end built Verselles instead (in the city I would have relocated the capital to). I saved FP for the large landmass North of the capital.

[wodan11]

A lot of times I'll spend a GE on Versailles. He almost perfectly pops it, and without a GE it will take a newly-founded city FOREVER to build the dang thing.

The FP is cheap enough that you don't need a GE. Like joncnunn, a lot of times I plan out exactly where I want all 3 of these (capitol, Versailles, and FP), so I can have a huge empire without large maintenance costs.

A solid empire can afford to pay large costs, but why in the world would you want to? The impact is considerable enough that it's a severe drain on your economy and your rate of tech research.

My current game I used a GE to pop Versailles in a new city just off the border of Louis. He's creative, so Versailles will let me keep the city without getting culturally overwhelmed before it can grow. But, regardless, I plan on going to war with him in a hundred years or so, and Versailles will let all the cities I conquer from him be instantly positive additions to my empire.

Meanwhile, FP I'm saving for the other side. It's a long continent, and Sitting Bull was able to expand right up to my capitol over there. It's crazy how he spams settlers. Anyway I figure I'll be fighting him pretty soon. Maybe even before Louis, honestly doesn't matter to me; I'm gearing up regardless.

Wodan

[joncnunn]

One way to dramamaticly reduce the number of turns needed for Versalilles if you don't have a GE is to build it in a former AIs capital. Particularly if you rushed them early on.