City specialisation: micro-manage or automate?

[MyOlde]

I'm trying to get a grasp on this whole city specialisation business and am wondering if it's really necessary to micro-manage each city's citizens (as Sisiutil suggests in his really excellent strategy guide for beginners) or can you choose one of the three buttons in the city screen to have the computer do it. I know, I know! It's better to do it yourself but when that makes the game sooooo fiddly, can't you automate?

And while we're at it: what do you think of automating military promostions?

[wodan11]

I hardly ever do it. Simply forcing one type of specialist accomplishes 90% of the desired effect. (And keeps the city from running spy specialists, as it is wont to do otherwise.)

Wodan

[rah]

I wouldn't automate promotions since I will promote them based on how I plan to use them. And needs change.

[Supr49er]

Originally posted by rah
I wouldn't automate promotions since I will promote them based on how I plan to use them. And needs change.

Or even delay promotions for a future unit upgrade.

[rah]

One question on that Supr since I've never tested this one.

Let's say you've got 18 points where the promo level is 17. You don't do the promo and now it's time to upgrade. If the points drop to 10, do you lose that promo or is it still avail?

[Supr49er]

Originally posted by rah
One question on that Supr since I've never tested this one.

Let's say you've got 18 points where the promo level is 17. You don't do the promo and now it's time to upgrade. If the points drop to 10, do you lose that promo or is it still avail?

Just tested it in WB, you lose the promo.

[rah]

Darn, thx.

[Crossfire]

I generally micro-manage my cities, but I certainly don't do it every turn. If I see a city grow I will check on it, otherwise I might do a quick run through all my cities every 10 turns or so.

[rah]

Early in the game I'll micro manage a touch more since there aren't many cities. Later I'll do it every now and then, Usually when it completes building something.

[Ming]

Same here... early in the game, you really can't leave it up to the computer. You have to constantly check to make sure what you set up is still there.

But later in the game, I may watch a few key cities carefully, but like rah, I won't really keep a close eye on most of the cities.

[rah]

I'd have to do it even less if the GOV wasn't so enthralled with SPY SPECIALISTS.

[martin mcmartin]

I am with Ming and Rah all the way. that is why I never use queues, it lets me mcrmng (micromanage) my cities in a better way. you always return to every city at least once in a while. the ones that don't build are taken care of microwise because of hurrying etc.

and, on building something it sometimes looks as if the computer rearranges the worked tiles. is this true though, or am I going insane?

Mc

[snoopy369]

Definitely don't let the computer manage specialists. I'll usually let it manage the general WF in non-specialist cities, and maybe in 25% of my cities override it. For commerce cities or general production cities it's usually pretty good; but for specialized production cities where I don't want it to grow to the point of unhealth, for example (cities with tons of 0/4+ f/h tiles, for example) I have to override it of course.

[joncnunn]

I normally leave worker placement to the AI, but freqently overide the AI on speaclists. Normally to find something other than Spies.

Hum, specalist management might be a good add-on screen; I'm thinking list each type ever possible and a check box for AI governor allowed to use. Then just unclick the Spy box and later on the priest box as well.

[#07]

Originally posted by Supr49er


Just tested it in WB, you lose the promo.

So you mean you should always promote the unit before you upgrade?

After I'm up and running I'll get the gov to automate say hammer and commerce (or food if I'm trying to grow) but if I've noticed it's made a strange decision I'll intervene. Often the gov won't make the best prod choices. Always assign specialists yourself, spy specialists are for the birds.