Civilization 2 City Improvements

[Martin Gühmann]

Original author:
a108at amug.org

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Airport	This improvement definitely alleviates the need for intercontinental sea transports, but most often it come too late to do much good.
Aqueduct	Same old improvement, but you really need it in Civ2.
Bank	I found this a little expensive at first, but it definitely is a must for players who need money.
Barracks	More useful in ancient times than in the past, it becomes annoying that they keep dying. Most of the time I just rebuild once.
Capitalization	A weird improvement, it is a life saver in a time of treasury troubles.
Cathedral	These are way too expensive to build in every city, as necessary. I always build Michaelangelo's Chapel instead.
City Walls	You should build these in vulnerable and vital cities, even if you have the Great Wall. They can triple the defnse of a city, and allow a city to withstand a prolonged siege with little loss in population. They cost nothing to maintain, so face no qualms there. Build them.
Costal Fortress	While not as much a must as city walls, vital coastal cities should build these. They are a neat idea, and allow even small city garrisons to defeat even an attacking AEGIS Cruiser. A medium-sized garrison has even odds agianst a battleship. They look good on the city view, too.
Colosseum	Even though they are expensive to upkeep and build, every major city will eventually need a colosseum. Make the most of it, and build it just before you need it.
Courthouse	You can avoid having to use these by switching to a low-corruption government early, like Communism or Democracy, or by having a small civilization. Otherwise you will need these on the fringe cities to slow down the rampant corruption and waste.
Factory	A factory, and the improvements that follow it, are what make a great city from a good one, or a decent city from a bad one. The factory, even though it produces waste, is completely necessary to skyrocket your production upward. Build them in as many cities as possible, as soon as possible, but remember to have an engineer corps to keep the place clean. Cities can be made, with the necessary factory-type improvements, to have a production greater than seventy shields.
Granary	If you have to build these any later than the the second millenium B.C.E., you're in trouble already. The improvement isn't bad, but it's a lot easier to build the Pyramids. It will save you a lot of money as well.
Harbor	This little improvement is cheap to build, but can make an excellent science or tax-producing city out of almost any coastal location. Allowing you to harvest food from the sea, cities can be supported just by one of these.
Hydro Plant	If you have the Hoover Dam, these are in every city, regardless, and are great. In any other case, they're are effective only on a limited scale. A few cities will be built on rivers, but not too many.
Library	Almost every city should have one of these. They cost little, but can increase your science production dramatically. While 50% may not mean much in the beginning of your city, it could mean a lot of research in a later era.
Manufacturing Plant	These are fine, but usually come in late. This is one of the improvements needed to make a super producing city.
Marketplace	Build these when you can to avoid the hassle of building them again. Like the library, 50% may not mean a lot yet, but with the improvements that later follow it will.
Mass Transit	A good improvement for cities with huge populations, but not otherwise.
Nuclear Plant	Skip these. You can build another type just as easily. They're also too risky, unless you just must have one in your city view make sure you have Fusion Power.
Offshore Platform	This improvement can turn that city thriving on the harbor into a producer as well. Even though they cost a bit, save a little money and problem solved.
Palace	Don't bother relocating unless corruption just cannot be stopped.
Police Station	I suppose these are useful in the Republic or Democracy, but Women's Suffrage is easier. If you really need to go to war, use Communism.
Port Facility	It usually ends up that you have only a few cities that produce naval units all the time, and you should build this improvement in those. You should also build it in a coastal city near a hotly contested area of ocean.
Power Plant	You can build these, but I wouldn't bother. They're ugly and you can wait for a better kinf much more easily.
Recycling Center	These can really help out your super-producing cities, if you have the time. Usually you're racing to get into space when you get this advancment.
Research Lab	These are good if you need to get back in the technology game late, and the SETI Project is already snatched up.
SAM Missile Battery	Like the Coastal Forstress, these are good in war zones but of little use anywhere else. You should put them in extremely vital cities, with city walls, though.
SDI Defense	Build these in every city. Just in case, or if you're trying to wage nuclear war.
Sewer System	Another one of those "don't want to but have to" improvements. You need it if you want to get past twelve in city size.
Solar Plant	Buidl these instead of any other types, except hydro or nulcear with fusion. They're also good after a few nukes have fallen.
Stock Exchange	Expensive, but worth it.
Superhighways	Good with the rest of the trade improvements(marketplace, etc.).
Supermarket	Indispensible if you are in a huge city. Also, it doesn't do you any good to turn all your irrigation into farmland without this.
Temple	The first resort people-pleaser. You'll always have to build one of these.
University	You'll need to build these if you want research labs. Expensive at first, but it pays off in the long run.