Re: Civ 4 : Early game strategy

On 12 Dec 2007 10:57:32 -0700, Eddie Grove <eddiegrove@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
wrote:

>Paul Hyett <pah@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> writes:
>
>> In alt.games.civ3 on Wed, 12 Dec 2007, Eddie Grove wrote :
>> >Paul Hyett <pah@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> writes:
>> >
>> >> In alt.games.civ3 on Tue, 11 Dec 2007, Hank Stalica wrote :
>> >> > Very first thing I build is two workers, then a settler (depending
on
>> >> > surrounding terrain).  I use the first worker to chop another
worker then
>> >> > both to chop a settler.  Gets the 2d city up really fast.
>> >>
>> >> 'Chop'? I've not heard that used in this context before.
>> >
>> >It means to cut down forests for the production to quickly build the
unit.
>> 
>> Oh right - Bronze Working is not one of my early priority techs.
>> >
>> >I think a single worker is enough if you are very careful to plan
everything
>> >exactly, and I like to save my forests for the health benefit
>> 
>> Health benefit - I never realised that?
>
>Each forest [or jungle, but should raze those] adds .5 health. 
Production is
>good too.  I try not to chop any forests.  If you have to choose, keep
the
>forests on a river.  They get the trade bonus once you build lumbermills,
so
>for golden ages it is better to have forest on river plus non-river town
>rather than town on river plus non-river forest.  I've read that forests
are
>less likely to [re]generate on squares with a road, so try not to build
roads
>where you would like to see forests grow if that is feasible.
>

I disagree about keeping forests on rivers.  It takes a very long time
to get to lumbermills (Replaceable Parts tech), and all that time you
are losing out on the commerce bonus from the river because the tile
is forested.  If you don't need the forest for health, I think it's
better to chop forests on rivers first.  To me, one more research
point in 2000BC, for example, means a whole lot more than one more
research point in 1000+AD, or whenever you usually get Replaceable
Parts.

True, the bonus during a golden age will be reduced, but how many
turns do you spend in golden ages during the game?  Wouldn't it be
better in the long run to maximize your commerce in the non-golden age
state that you spend the majority of the game in?  Chopping forested
river tiles as early as possible helps with that.