City tile improvements lay out

[Son of moose]

I don't know whether any other AOM players are familiar with tha classic City Builder (CB) games (such as Caesar 3, Pharaoh, Zeus and Emperor: RotMK) where one's city design (lay out) is of cardinal importance to one's (economic) success in the game. Indeed, the key is to design a series of highly functional (and effective) Housing Blocks (HB).

I was wondering whether anyone has attempted a similar approach in AOM with the city tile improvements.

For example - the following represent early ingame layouts for structures that can be subsequently upgraded:

Here is a fairly basic arragement that I have tried:


MLLLM
LFFFL
LFCFL
LFFFL
MLLLM

C=City (in the centre)
F=Farms immediately surrounding city (these are often subsequently covered by city sprawl)
L=Latifundia (next outer layer)
M=Mines in the corners of this second layer


Here is a slight elaboration on the above featuring a third layer of additional mines:


?MMMMM?
MTLLLTM
MLFFFLM
MLFCFLM
MLFFFLM
MTLLLTM
?MMMMM?

T=Trading post
?=Any suggestions


Does anyone have any ideas as to other possible early ingame layouts featuring the most powerful (long-term) economic structures?

[Maquiladora]

Theres an error in the first example, the "M" isnt collected until the 3rd ring. Same for the second example, the "?" is on the 4th ring.

I usually just build farms, and mines on hills/mnts. I generate most of my gold from other sources and government science taxes dont go high enough for most early governments (except Republic on good land) in AoM to make the very costly spending on commerce tile imps worth it.

[Son of moose]

Maquiladora:

Thank you for your reply.

The layout possibly isn't as clear as it should be due to the oversized "M".

The mines are meant to fill in the corners of the first example. The trading post (or whatever) takes its place in the second example .... while the ? (possibly a fort or outpost) fill the outermost corners.

Perhaps a little bizarre .... but I do have an interesting looking and fairly effective empire (at circa 1300).

[Maquiladora]

Why build anything in those corners if they arent being worked?

[Son of moose]

Well .... they should preferably be worked or (failing that) at least fulfill a defensive function.

[realpolitic]

Maq is right about commerce improvements, if anything, when you're at your city limit in despotism, build trading posts, otherwise, eventually just use scientists in any outer ring as a city starts overcroding. You might also cut commerce improvements to a more palatable cost.

[HuangShang]

in ctp, you gotta put things based on wat the city needs, which i agree would not likely be spending PW to get gold

if u have the PW tho, just always use outposts, they do universal good, dont let villages cover them up, and r extra useful on goods.