BTS first impressions.

[Cort Haus]

So I didn't go to war yet - I decided to go for the AP. Before the first vote Darius, who I had managed to convert, switched to Free Religion so I lost his vote and was a bit short. Then I added some little filler cities in some gaps but forgot to send a missionary in and lost out by four votes. I've now researched biology for some growth, and got Darius back into line, but the next election was for AP leader, not the diplo win.

While waiting I've got Assembly Line and used a GP for a Golden Age to industrialise, but am getting hit for 4 health rather than the old 2 for a coal plant. There's also a penalty of 2 for just having coal connected, regardless of what it's doing. So there's no a hit of six health for the same situation as was previously a cost of two.

Coal is baaad mmmkay?

[Cort Haus]

Hmmm - if it does the same for oil as well maybe there's another hit of six, for a total of twelve.

Presumably you just have to use environmentalism if building industrial improvements. How preachy. I want HAMMERS not sermons.

[Cort Haus]

Anyway, I never found out about the oil - I got my AP win. The votes seemed to come round about every 10 turns on normal speed in the 1800's.

On reflection, maybe you used to get four green faces for a factory with a coal plant in the previous version.

[wodan11]

The Recycling building removes most of those health penalties. And coal/oil is not cumulative.

[Cort Haus]

[joncnunn]

Actually the Coal and Oil heath penalties are cumulative.
Those's also a +2 power health penalty.
The Coal Plant penalty is on top of that; but if you replace it with Three Gorges Dam or a Hydro Plant it will go away.

BTS though has added a Health Improvement : Public Transportation which helps a bit.

Usually I only build a Coal Plant on the cities getting Iron Forge, Three Gorges, and my capital and just wait for Three Gorges for the rest of my cities to get power.