City placement and resources

[rah]

Yeah, if copper and horses aren't in my cap's BFC, then that's the focus of cities 2 and 3.

[Dinner]

Yes... you get instant access to the resource as long as you have the "tech" required to use it.
However, you do not get the food or hammer bonus.
As far as whether it's good to do so or not, that depends on the circumstances. If it is the best place to build to take advantage of other resourses or terrain, and you don't need the food/hammer bonus (if any), sure, why not.
Also, if it is a strategic/war resource and it's near another AI's culture zone, you might want to build on it to make sure you don't lose it later to culture.
Also, if it's a strategic resource and it's early in the game, you might want to build on it to get instant access for building stronger units, like axemen, swordsman, chariots, whatever.

Most of the time, I don't build directly on a resourse unless there is a GREAT reason to do so.

Yeah, generally it is not a good idea as the +5 hammers from that bronze or iron mine sure do come in handy early game. That said in MP games people will do it, especially if it is on top of a hill because human players will often play on small maps with more civs then resources so neighbors will go after those metal mines; often as soon as the city is founded because they don't want to wait and let you build up all those axemen.

[Ming]

It is a good way to keep from getting pinched... and stops the pillage crap
I always have a city or two in MP that is pretty worthless, and only serves the purpose of making sure I have a key strategic resource.

There is nothing worse than having a couple of creative civs as your neighbors... You don't want them getting your resourses.

[rah]

No the worse is being creative and cheating a touch to try to get the primo city placement but the special resource is two out and having someone else come up and build right next to it in the first 5 turns before you even get control of it. Sometimes GREED is an evil thing.

[Thoth]

Sometimes it can work to your advantage (at least in SP). If you are creative libraries are only a 2 pop whip and theaters are only a one pop whip. You might not flip the city if enough units are stationed in it, but you have a huge edge in the cultural battle. (note that if you try this against one of the aggressive AI's you'd better be chopping and whipping an army elsewhere. )

[rah]

But if you're not and that was your play for the strategic resource and now you don't have it and didn't research archery, since you figured you'd have chariots or axeman, the game can be short (in MP). At least in SP you have a little more time to prepare or make alternate arrangements.

[Ming]

The AI is does love to build cities right on the edge of your cultural border and try to take squares/resources away from you. Granted, sometimes you just look at the new city and start counting down the turns to when it will become yours. I just love when the AI finds that open area in the middle of your territory and for some reason thinks it's a great place to put a city

But if the other civ is creative, and you aren't, you have to be really careful early in the game to protect your resources.

[rah]

The AI is does love to build cities right on the edge of your cultural border and try to take squares/resources away from you. Granted, sometimes you just look at the new city and start counting down the turns to when it will become yours. I just love when the AI finds that open area in the middle of your territory and for some reason thinks it's a great place to put a city

As long as they put it in the right spot. But yeah, it's just a matter of time.

[Ming]

I had a game the other day where I was creative and "cheated" on some horses. My city expanded and covered the square... and there didn't seem to be any problems. Then a non creative AI walked up, and built right next to the square before I could expand beyond the BFC. And the game turned into a culture war about that square.

However, I finally resorted to the proven method for winning culture battles... I just destroyed the city

[rah]

Yeah, always the best way. Sometimes you have to be careful when you digest half of another civ and get bogged down and decide to make peace for a 10 turns to regroup. While the conquered cities are waiting to come out of revolt, if there's a spot that's not covered by the 2 square rule they can slip another settler in and reclaim the culture which might lead to some starvation in a city coming out of revolt. (and if you're not in slavery to take advantage of the excess pop, it can be lost before the 10 turns end for you to whack their new city.