Undeniable City Build List

[maxcavsm]

As I progress into higher and higher levels of difficulty, I get less and less wiggle room on what I can build and what I can just let the computer take care of for me (governor).

Is there a list of structures from Ancient times to modern times that should be built? Are there stuctures that are ignored?

All I know so far, is that the first thing that needs built is a granary. Everything after that seems situation dependant. But is a temple required if there's a marketplace? Walls after seven people? I don't know. I've got the Aztecs breathing down my neck with them not accepting any terms for a right of passage, half my population is unhappy, so I've started everyone building marketplaces (for the luxury bonuses).

Thx.

[Harovan]

Such a list does not exist.

What you should build, depends on the city, especially from a corruption and waste point of view, and how far a city can grow.

If I have a moderately corrupt city in hill terrain, which can feed at most 5 or 6 citizens, I won't bother to build tier 2 improvements (banks, universities), because their upkeep just eats their benefit, and of course I wouldn't build a granary or an aqueduct either. But I will build walls (for defense purposes) and barracks. After this, the city will go into unit building mode and stay in this mode until the end of the game.

I usually won't bother to build tier 2 improvements in cities more than 50% corrupt.

If I have a moderately corrupt city with a living space of 10-12 tiles, I usually can't be bothered to build a hospital, unless the city can bring up that many food to support at least 4 specialists. I usually won't build a cathedral either, because with that number of citizens happiness and even the WLT*D can be achieved with luxuries alone.

I won't build a factory and a power plant in any city, that can't build it in at most 20 turns, because it just is not worth it. At least not as priority build.

I will strive to build all improvements in my core cities (high population, low corruption), but the order depends on my goals. It would be silly to priorize libraries and universities, if you're running 0% science. It would be silly to start with barracks, if you're planning to build improvements instead of units for the next 40 turns (but keep 3-4 cities with barracks for emergency purposes). It is a must to start with barracks, if you're planning a war.

Use your brain and decide for every city separately.

[realpolitic]

For a nonmilaristic civ, don't build barracks for your first war. Fight with only 2 cities, if other civs are near. The sceond city, and setting your slider to 50 turns for 1 tech will cover your unit costs. Plenty of time for your techs to be bought later.

I "slingshot" my culture. A few conquests first will increase my shield production, so building some culture won't put me behind militarily.

Using the luxury slider early frees you to build military. Once you have have corruption problems or fall behind in culture, then build temples.

Spending 80 shields to build libraries [ie non scientific civs] doesn't make sence except for culture until the Mid-Middle Ages.