Irrigating Grassland

[worcesteradam]

Why is it when i irrigate some grassland it makes no difference to the food i produce. Sometimes food produced will stay at just 2 and it was a waste of time. How do i tell which bit of grassland not to irrigate and which bits to.

[inca911]

I assume you're talking early game. Read "Despotic Penalty" on page 7. Actually, I recommend reading the entire thing....

http://apolyton.net/upload/files/vulture/AUexpansion.pdf

[vmxa1]

If you are in despotism you suffer a penalty. This means it is never useful to irrigate grass. It is useful to irrigate cows on grass.

IOW's it is the food bonus tha helps not the grass.

Edit to make it clear, I meant it is never useful in despotism. After that is is useful only if the extra food is needed for growth.

IOW if you are at size 12 and are making 24 food, no need to waste worker turns irrigating grass, until you have a hospital.

[akulla]

As you gain higher governments, you will see the results.

[worcesteradam]

thankyou

[Solomwi]

The specifics of the penalty are that every tile which would normally produce more than two shields or food produces one less than it normally would.

For instance, an irrigated grassland normally produces 3 food. Under despotism, as you've seen, it produces 2. With a cow on the grassland, it would normally produce 4 food without irrigation. Under despotism, it produces 3. Since the penalty is already accounted for in the cow's case, it's okay to go ahead and irrigate.

[Addled Platypus]

playing around with the city screen and right clicking different tiles

you can see differnces with Food,Trade,Sheilds

dont always trust the city governors to place workers in the best spots

[realpolitic]

IF you wait until monarchy to irrigate your cities may already be size 5-7, so growth will be slower anyway, irrigate the plains so you'll have the extra growth from the beginning.