Pop Rushing. How should this be done, if ever?

[Artifex]

What are the effects of pop rushing? Is this a bad idea and when and how should it be done? I assume its best when you lose only 1 person at under 20 shields? How long does the unhappiness in the city last? Or is it empire wide?

Or should you avoid doing this?

[Jethro83]

The unhappiness effect of pop-rushing is only in the city it is done in, and lasts 20 turns.

Pop rushing in cities closest to my capital is only carried out in emergency situations, at a point where I don't need any more than 4 citizens in each city.

In the more distant cities, and the cities lacking shields in their nearby countryside, pop-rushing is actually a viable method of corruption-free production, as the shields you obtain from sacrificing a citizen aren't affected by corruption at all. Cities with high food production can also effectively be turned into cities of high shield production in this way. You just need to be sure you have no less than two troops police in the city, and the city (or town I should say) shouldn't exceed size 4 (size 5 if you have a temple/luxury, one extra size for each luxury).


Also, If I'm using communism, pop rushing is an effective way of gaining culture and removing potential trouble citizens in cities I have recently conquered. In the early days following the end of resistance, there is still the risk that the city will flip back to its original owner. Whittling down the numbers of their nationals in the city by using them to rush a temple and library makes for a good defence against this.

[Marquis de Sodaq]

Pop rushing in despotism is a very useful tool. In the early game, the effects are often off before much has really 'happened' in the game. In distant, highly corrupt cities, you can actually get things built. The ensuing grumbling of the masses is easily quieted with luxuries or happiness improvements. Keep it to a minimum number of citizens unless you are in a desperate situation.

Don't go overboard and rush 5 things in one city over the course of 15 turns, tho. The remaining people do not like that very much.

[Ijuin]

Also, always pop rush ONLY when you will get the maximum benefit of it. If you are building a Barracks (non-Militaristic Civs), it will cost you 4 citizens to rush on the first turn since the production box is empty. However, if you wait one turn (or disband a Warrior kept handy for the purpose), then it drops to needing 2 citizens. Altermatively, you can wait until only 20 shields are needed and sacrifice one citizen, effectively cutting the production time in half. Do NOT, except in the most dire of emergencies, rush when most of a citizen will be wasted (for example, sacrificing two citizens to generate 25 shields--you are much better off waiting one or two turns till it drops to 20 shields).