Building settlers in size 1 capital

[DaveV]

I've read about this trick before, but never had a chance to try it until today. I tipped a 50-gold hut, then picked up a (supported) archer from another hut. I disbanded the archer for 15 shields, and rushbuilt the settler at size 1, with 18 wheat sheaves in the box. To my surprise, the settler was built with no loss of wheat from the food box! I was able to grow to size 2 three turns later, and cranked out another settler about 6 turns after that.

What a great way to get a head start on the competition! I'm going to try to do this more often in the future.

[East Street Trader]

DaveV.

So, if you did this with a second or subsequent city you'd disband the city but because it is the capital you don't? Is that right? Or am I missing the significance of the nearly full foodbox?

I don't seem to get gold from early huts very often but your disband hut units notion must make this viable at least sometimes. I'll certainly try it if I have understood you. Might be a difficult balance tho' - conceeding some early exploration for quicker growth.

East Street Trader

[DaveV]

EST - I'm no expert, but as I understand it you can only pull this trick on your first city.

[Aurelius]

I think it is first and only city.

[Edit: Can build settlers in size 1 city without disbanding city if and only if you have one city-- independent of the existence of a palace.]
[This message has been edited by Aurelius (edited June 15, 2000).]

[East Street Trader]

Thanks.

I'll definitely give it a try, then.

GOBSMACKED (for the umpteenth time) at how many new things you learn about this game after X thousand hours of play. Maybe we need a record for the most basic thing learned after the longest period played.

East Street Trader

[Scouse Gits]

The only snag is that the Settler needs support - I think it is theoretically possible to manage two such settlers - I tried this as an 'accelerated start' technique in one of the early OCC games - incidentally when this last came up someone posted that "ICSers depend on this trick" - I was a relative newbie at the time and didn't question the statement, but do they??


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Scouse Git[1]

"CARTAGO DELENDA EST" - Cato the Censor

[Seeker]

So its a trick for high production capitals.

[Carolus Rex]

It is a good trick, especially at lower levels like king where you only start with one settler.

At deity it may be wiser to found the second city instead (unless you get a decent amount of goody hut gold early).

It's also another reason why Horseback Riding is a good early tech (gives you the second row for incremental buying).

Good idea to disband the archer, Dave. I'm fried in that game...

Carolus

[This message has been edited by Carolus Rex (edited June 16, 2000).]