POLL: How should we use our Great Merchant?

[couerdelion]

What health building?!!

The loss of hammers CAN be afforded since Povo Este does not need that much production. All that extra production is at the expense of something else (commerce in Paddyton and beakers/GPP in Povo Este). And we all know we have too much production when we have to set a city to build wealth.

The problem is that all our cities are operating for themselves rather than for the good of Concordia. Femme Fatale built a Theatre because the people in Femme Fatale were unhappy. Markets are built because the people in the city are unhappy. Povo Este builds a harbour because the people in Povo Este are unhealthy. A workshop is built for Paddyton because Paddyton does not have enough production. I think the only "self-less" cities we have are Rubygrad and The Lake.

See the pattern?

[fed1943]

Now, you are joking again.

Without the harbour Povo Este would have 3 unhealth, so less 2

scientists. Can I use the prodution from Ap.or Lake to build what is

needed in Povo Este, Paddyton or MTT? Can I send some food from

Lake or Rubygrad to Apolyton or Paddyton?

Don't badmouth our people in the cities.

Best regards,

[couerdelion]

You use the production in the other cities to build what is not needed in Povo Este/MTTT/Paddyton so those cities need less. Then the only things they need are those buildings that do what the city is supposed to do. Every time the city is producing something that benefits the civilisation, it is doing something “self-less”. If it builds a building that only has an effect on the city itself then it is being “selfish”.

So buildings like Courthouses and Barracks and military units are self-less
Granaries, Theatres, Temples, Aqueduct, Colosseum are “selfish”
And Markets, Grocers, Library, Harbour are a bit of both since they give a civilisation wide benefit from the gold/science/commerce multiplier but a benefit that purely effects the city.

You see you’ve already said that you don’t want to build a forge in Povo Este because it can’t afford the food penalty. Yet you ignore the fact that you can recover that food penalty with either a GM or with a windmill replacing a mine.

Statement 1: We don’t want a forge means that you prefer 1 food to 4 hammers
Statement 2: We don’t want to switch the mine to a windmill means that you prefer two hammers to one food + 2 commerce

Since 1 food > 4 hammers putting this in statement 2 we have

2 hammers > 1 food + 2 commerce > 4 hammers + 2 commerce

Taking 2 hammers from each side leaves

0 > 2 hammers + 2 commerce

So either you want less commerce in Povo Este or less hammers. Neither of them make sense to me. Surely more hammers and more commerce is a good thing but you don’t seem to think so.

[fed1943]

First, let me put clear: I never care who is right, but just where right is.

So, in which of our cities a GMerchant settles better?

A GMerchant gives +1 food +6 gold. Gold as the same value anywhere,

but "6" can remain 6 or be multiplied. The need of food is different at

each city.

So,food first: +1 food is very usefull for Paddyton or Povo Este; in Pad.

will allow easily work the workshop for +3 hammers (16 total); in

Povo Este will allow forge for total 17 hammers, and, later with a

health building, will allow +1 pop. if nothing better to work plains/silk.

Hence, food wise in Povo Este is slightly better.

Now,gold: while a little later, Povo Este shall build market, and both

cities shall build banks. Povo Este shall never build Wall Street. And

Paddyton? And, I think, here is the question:

Shall Paddyton be our gold city? If yes, no doubts the GM - any GM -

must go there; if not, food first, this GM better in Povo Este.

But, if Paddyton is not our gold city... Susan's city shall be much

better, obviously, but it shall take some time, mostly grow and

worker's time.

Not an easy task to prepare said city at top speed to be the gold

city (does Finances accepts to research Engenieering after Astro?).

If so, I must say the flexibility at the use of the +1 food makes

settle this GM in Povo Este the best bet.

Let's ear what people want to say.

Best regards,

[UnOrthOdOx]

CS offers bigger hammers (ok, maces), hence it gets my vote.

[couerdelion]

You're forgetting the +3 beakers it will continue to earn but the gold city is a bit random at the moment so I would not make any decisions based on where it might be - too variable

p.s. What's the problem with your spacing between lines?

[couerdelion]

Comparing relative values:

1) Food bonus is more useful in PE because it can be used to support more specialists
2) PE gets the gold and food bonus now rather than in three turns
3) The Academy in PE will make the beaker bonus greater in PE
4) PE has more production capacity so will more quickly build the Grocer/Bank

[MMC]

As MoF, I suggest holding off until Valentina can find Dehli.

[Metaliturtle]

how use great merchant?

very carefully!!

[MMC]

We've found Delhi! I suggest we redirect Harkuf asap. And since we're due a Great Artist soon, it could be a race. Either a mission to Delhi or a Golden Age if the Artist gets there soon enough.

[couerdelion]

Originally posted by MMC
We've found Delhi! I suggest we redirect Harkuf asap. And since we're due a Great Artist soon, it could be a race. Either a mission to Delhi or a Golden Age if the Artist gets there soon enough.

Great Artist!!!! Where??

I can understand that the acting-MoF/MoF-elect would always want some money but suggest a more austere policy of cost control rather than rushing to grab a windfall.

As it is, we are running a surplus and yet we have a large bank of cash already. This suggests that we are simply hoarding gold rather than using it to develop Concordia. If MoF wants a sudden windfall of cash then it would seem appropriate to me that he should also give some details what we would then do with this.