Overlapping BFCs

[Nikomakkos]

So, what about it? Perhaps it's an old topic, but I'm new on these forums. When I place cities, I try to use as many of the tiles my land has to offer as I can. But there's always the question of whether to try to have as little overlapping of BFCs as possible or whether to cram more cities closer together.

The cramming allows you to work more of the land much earlier in the game, but also costs more city maintenance. The first choice means bigger cities later and less maintenance.

If you go for more cities closer together, it might mean more specialists when they get bigger, which maybe isn't that bad. And you might choose some of your cities to get to use all of the tiles in the BFC around it to make a few super production/commerce cities. Maybe that way, instead of having a single GP farm, you could have several in between the big production/commerce cities. It would work well with the Parthenon. This is intriguing, I have never tried what I'm describing.

So maybe the cramming is a better choice? I've usually gone for the other, that is try to have as little overlapping as possible. Hmm...

And then there's always the completely different choice, of not trying to work all the tiles but just finding ideal spots for a few specialist super cities. I guess it depends on your traits?

[joncnunn]

Very entirely situation dependent, especally resource and overall productivity dependent.

In general though my top priority is to bring as many resources into my empire's city radi as possible and when it means overlap I'll do it but also when it means leaving a gap I'll do that as well.

(If the gap is large enough I might later build an infill city once my empire can suport it; the higher the overall quality of the gap land the earlier that is.)

[Blaupanzer]

Originally posted by joncnunn
If the gap is large enough I might later build an infill city once my empire can support it; the higher the overall quality of the gap land the earlier that is.

Generally the early cities are maximised for resources. This may result in overlaps, but usually results in gaps. Once cultural expansion fills in those gaps, the likelihood of building a filler city is, as joncnunn notes, dependent on the number and quality of the tiles the other cities cannot reach. Once the maintenance costs stop being a major issue (usually sometime during the Renaissance era), I will fill in the spaces that are worth it in terms of workable tiles in the gap.

[DirtyMartini]

I love it when I can share a food resource between my cap and my second city. They can alternate usage of it when in a growing phase, then rotate it back when at/above caps. It also lets you second city work an improved tile right off the bat. Also, cities close together can share defenders early on.

Also, IIUC having crammed in cities will result in less maintainance on a per city basis due to lesser distance penalties. The higher maintainance won't come until much later, when your cramming has allowed for a greater number of cities.

[Nikomakkos]

Originally posted by DirtyMartini
I love it when I can share a food resource between my cap and my second city. They can alternate usage of it when in a growing phase, then rotate it back when at/above caps. It also lets you second city work an improved tile right off the bat. Also, cities close together can share defenders early on.

Also, IIUC having crammed in cities will result in less maintainance on a per city basis due to lesser distance penalties. The higher maintainance won't come until much later, when your cramming has allowed for a greater number of cities.

Thanks for this interesting little tidbit. I have to ask, I keep seeing this "IIUC" and I'm always completely lost trying to gather its meaning.

[DirtyMartini]

if I understand correctly

see also: IIRC (if I recall correctly), AFAIK (as far as I know) etc.

[Nikomakkos]

Ok, I can take part in this game.

IBTIMOAFAIGAAFAMPKIIUC

I belief that in my opinion, as far as it goes, and as far as most people know, if I understand correctly...

Hey, I might use this to cut down on the length of my essay that I'm writing considerably.

[Blaupanzer]

Proffessors are notoriously hostile to abbreviations, especially those that are really "webisms," such as those noted above.

[Hauptman]

Originally posted by DirtyMartini
I love it when I can share a food resource between my cap and my second city. They can alternate usage of it when in a growing phase, then rotate it back when at/above caps.

Negatory capitory.

You cannot switch wich city uses a tile in civ 4 like in civ 3

when the new city is build in the correct possition, it may take over that food source, but cannot be switched back later.

X's beat O's. In the case of a tie, the oldest city wins. W's are guaranteed wins.


--OXO
OWWWO
XWCWX
OWWWO
--OXO

[Unimatrix11]

And what student wants to cut down essay-length ? Essays are all about the length... even if they are from the profs themselves. And then they do use a lot of abbreviations themselves. Just read an essay and it had a two-page abbreviation list...

[Blaupanzer]

Not so. From inside the city screen you can double-click on any tile in the BFC to take it over. So the second city can take it for awhile, then the first can take it back, undsoweiter.

[Unimatrix11]

Originally posted by Hauptman


Negatory capitory.

You cannot switch wich city uses a tile in civ 4 like in civ 3

when the new city is build in the correct possition, it may take over that food source, but cannot be switched back later.

X's beat O's. In the case of a tie, the oldest city wins. W's are guaranteed wins.


--OXO
OWWWO
XWCWX
OWWWO
--OXO

go try ! you can change the city that uses the tile - i am pretty positive about this... There is automatic allocation, but it is changeable at any time. Just it the darkness in the city that you want to use the tile and ta-da: There will be light... (and darkness in the other city)

[Hauptman]

Are you friggin kidding me... How long has this game been out and i was unnawares? lol.

[Blaupanzer]

Learn something new every day. You'll never feel like you are growing old.

[Unimatrix11]

The most funny part is the that you actually developed your on own, very detailed, ´law´ for this, as it seems...