[Freeciv] Re: default production

[John Wheeler <jdwheeler42@xxxxxxxxx>]

--- Richard Stallman <rms@xxxxxxx> wrote:
> Is it a good idea to build a settler immediately in
> a city, or is it better to build (say) a granary
> first?

This is hard to answer, in general.

1.) Unless you have fewer than 4 cities, building
Pyramids (200 shields) is always preferable to
building granaries (60 shields x 4+).

2.) In rulesets where settlers cost 2 population,
building settlers first is generally a bad idea.

3.) Part of the question depends on how fast you can
get The Republic.  Once I have a republic, I never
build settlers unless the city will be size 3 or more
afterwards, so I can quickly grow back with WLTPD.

4.) If I can build my capital in a high shield, high
trade position (e.g. whale+wine), I'll build a library
(usually starting out as barracks and researching
Writing ASAP).  In a high shield, low food city I'll
build a barracks and military units. Otherwise, I
never build improvements until I have the Republic.

5.) If WLTPD stops due to unhappiness rather than lack
of food, I'll build a temple; the 1 gold upkeep is
well worth the difference between a size 4-5 city and
a size 7-8 city.

6.) Generally I only build granaries when someone else
builds the Pyramids, and I have a large city that I
can't grow by WLTPD but will soon grow through food. 
This is especially important if the larger city will
have a negative food rate, as you'll lose the new pop
almost immediately without a granary.

++JohnWheeler

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