Tax men and scientists in food cities; good?

[tobyr]

My query about food cities produced a lot of good info, but part of the original question got lost, so I'm starting another thread for it. Please comment on this hypothesis:

In a city producing much food and little else, it is GOOD to have tax men and scientists; their presence is not a sign of mismanaging the game in this case.

To be a little more subtle -- early in the game the hypothesis is particularly true, as the city balloons quickly in population. Later, when you can improve the trade capabilities of the city squares, it may not be true. Even later, when the population gets enormous, it will be true again.

- toby



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toby robison
criticalpaths@mindspring.com

DUH!
Remember to make the regular citizens before closing for a higher score.

[jpk]

Sometimes one needs some specialists to maintain order or "We Love The ? Day" in a large city. When that happens to me I will often see if I can use scientists or taxmen rather than entertainers.

I only use entertainers when it is absolutely necessary. Furthermore except for forests or mines, my workers are almost always working squares that generate trade.

Perhaps I misinterpreted your previous question because I have never considered large cities to be a problem. If your city has reached population 12 and you haven't discovered sanitation, then it makes no sense to have an excess of food production.

The money and science you get from a caravan dwarfs anything a tax collector or scientist can bring in. The amount of money and science you get from a caravan depends directly on the size of the city. Remember that while a city can only have three active trade routes, over the course of a game each city will have dozens of commodities available for trade. When a commodity becomes available, build a caravan.

This is the way I play.

[ZhugeLiang]

Originally posted by jpk on 11-26-1999 01:27 PM
Sometimes one needs some specialists to maintain order or "We Love The ? Day" in a large city. When that happens to me I will often see if I can use scientists or taxmen rather than entertainers.

I only use entertainers when it is absolutely necessary. Furthermore except for forests or mines, my workers are almost always working squares that generate trade.

Perhaps I misinterpreted your previous question because I have never considered large cities to be a problem. If your city has reached population 12 and you haven't discovered sanitation, then it makes no sense to have an excess of food production.

The money and science you get from a caravan dwarfs anything a tax collector or scientist can bring in. The amount of money and science you get from a caravan depends directly on the size of the city. Remember that while a city can only have three active trade routes, over the course of a game each city will have dozens of commodities available for trade. When a commodity becomes available, build a caravan.

This is the way I play.

I agree, later in the game you're trade route of hides just can't get you as much trade as say, coal or oil etc, plus when get the corporation it is much easier to move your trade units to far away cities (esspecially after everyone starts getting railroads) Always trade with other countries and the further away the better, and if they are on different continent that is another plus.



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"There is no can't, only won't."
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