tips for neurotic micromanagers

[Lars-E]

If you have barbs or Americans(?) invading your city sphere and you have an unhappiness problem at the same time, do this: take away workers from the city square(s) you anticipate the foreigner/barb to move into. You can tell from previous encounters and simply by looking at the options he has. The point of doing this is simply that you would lose that produce (food/trade/shield) anyways when someone other than your units are occupying your city square(s). If you have the opportunity to get rid of your closing enemy by military might/bribe it would be best to that most of the time...

Please submit more nitpicking micromanaging tips...

Could someone tell me how I can make ALL my cities grow to 127 by using food caravans?

[Deity Dude]

Here's another one - it's pretty obvious but here it is anyway.

After conquering a city sell off any improvements that you already have obtained on a global basis through a wonder (i.e. sell off graneries if you have the pyramids)

[Lars-E]

When cities pass size 8 sell aqueduct and when they reach 13 sell sewers...

[redbaron]

quote: Originally posted by Lars-E on 11-29-2000 03:05 PM When cities pass size 8 sell aqueduct and when they reach 13 sell sewers...

I wouldn't advise that. Without an aqueduct you can't build sewers, nor will your population grow any further. Only sell these improvements off when you have reached the maximum size you want for your city, (or if you desparately need the cash of course).

[Lars-E]

I wouldn't advise that. Without an aqueduct you can't build sewers, nor will your population grow any further. Only sell these improvements off when you have reached the maximum size you want for your city, (or if you desparately need the cash of course).[/quote]

Really? I saw that tip posted here somewhere...If you sell aqueduct (only) after reaching size 13 you stop growing?

[tonic]

The program seems to be asking,
1. "If the city is growing to size 8 or greater does it have an aqueduct?" and additionally
2. "If the city is growing to size 12 or greater, does it have a sewer system?"

So for a city to grow to size 13 say, there are really two checks ie you need both.

Now another tip:
Keep a close eye on the science beaker progress via F6. If the number of beakers per turn exceeds the number required to get the next tech, adjust the tax and science ratio. This will give you the extra gold for rush-building etc.

[Chainsaw]

quote: Originally posted by tonic on 11-29-2000 04:29 PM Now another tip: Keep a close eye on the science beaker progress via F6. If the number of beakers per turn exceeds the number required to get the next tech, adjust the tax and science ratio. This will give you the extra gold for rush-building etc.

How can you know how many beakers you still need to get the next tech if you already have some in the science box? Do you have to guess or is there a way to say how many are exactly in the box / how many are still missing?

[tonic]

quote: Originally posted by Chainsaw on 11-29-2000 05:04 PM How can you know how many beakers you still need to get the next tech if you already have some in the science box? Do you have to guess or is there a way to say how many are exactly in the box / how many are still missing?

1. You measure the length of the beaker "bar" in the F6 screen; it's about 15.5 cm. That's the beaker-length you need for 1 turn.

2. You read out the number of turns per tech-advance from F6 or F5.

3. Say it's 4 turns per advance. So each turn is equivalent to 15.5 divided by 4 or approximately 4 beaker-lengths.

Now if you have say 14 cm beaker-length on F6 (or 2 cm remainder) you know you have a surplus and can increase the tax:science ratio.

I have a spreadsheet of the length per turn vs the turns per advance for reference. And you can also get an on screen ruler utitlity for ease of measurement.

[Deity Dude]

Unless I am mistaken there is no real advantage to changing the beaker count at the end of the turn. I say this because extra beakers at a discovery just give you a head start next time.(i.e. if you need only 25 beakers to obtain your next advance and you get 125 per turn you will start with 100 beakers towards your next advance on your next turn) So changing the ratio there is no different from changing it anywhere else in the long run.

Along a similar line, if you are going to get darwin's voyage make sure you time it so you get it right after you recieive your next advance. Here is case where' if necessary' you might change your science/tax ratio to slow down or speed up your next advance to coincide with receiving darwin's.

[Legman]

tonic,
Aren't you thinking of OCC-play here? Only the exceeding beakers from the city that "makes" the discovery are wasted. The beakers from the following (earlier-founded) cities get carried over to the new tech you choose to research.

But granted, in OCC, the tip you gave is crucial to a succesful game, since you only have that one city to make all the advances.

[Richard Bruns]

Darwin will not waste science beakers. If you are just about to recieve a tech, then all the beakers will carry over to the second tech you choose. It is possible to get three tech advances a turn this way: a city builds Darwin, you finish the tech you are working on and get another. Then a city later in the list gives the beakers needed to finish the third tech.

[Smash]

I could be wrong but my experience seems to be that all beakers are "lost" after a certain point.Might be a tech or a game turn.Probably has to do with the order in which cities are "run thru".Does anyone know of a way to control this?

After exceeding the # of cities for a game level/map size/government type, keep an eye on the happy screen.It will tell you if a population growth will be content or unhappy causing disorder.If you are diligent you should NEVER have a city go into disorder.

[Scouse Gits]

Another couple of small points on beaker counting

• there is a neat little on-screen ruler available from here called appropriately enough the 'Cool Ruler' which is absolutely invaluable, and
• if you take off all scientists and move the tax rate bar to 0% for science the 'Number of turns needed' is the total number of beakers required for this advance. Caution, several external factors can effect this total such as the technology state of the AI

Good civin' :eek

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Scouse Git[1]

"CARTAGO DELENDA EST" - Cato the Censor
"The Great Library must be built!"
"A short cut has to be challenging,
were it not so it would be 'the way'." - Paul Craven

[Lars-E]

Tonic, let's say you have a size 14 city and you sell off your aqueduct and sewers...The city's growth stagnates...But what if you keep pouring in food caravans...won't the city grow then despite of lack of aqueduct and sewers??

Summing up science beakers:
Smash, what do you mean by run thru?
The point of Darwin relating to beakers is to get 3 advances the turn you get that wonder, and you don't need to keep counting anymore. Or do you, Smash??
I have seen some postings in here about the number of science beakers needed to get a new tech. The discussion doesn't seem to be conclusive. There seems to be a number of intricate(?) factors at play. Has anyone managed to find out which factors yet? If not I guess the ruler has to do in the meantime and using Scouses method of counting (only before you get Darwin??).

I based this temporarily summary on you people's comments. Please make corrections or add-ons.

[Ming]

Look at your cities every turn. If you only need 5 shields to complete something, and the city is producing more, shift your workers around so you only have 5 and take the extra trade or food.

Same with food... If you only need 5 food to fill the box... see above

If the food box is full, see above

BIGGEST TIP... If you are playing a MP game, do this stuff BETWEEN TURNS!