Food Desert

[RedKetchup]

oh sorry @solarscreen it was a typo
i wrote a '3' instead of a '5'
sorry

[mariesalias]

One issue I have been noticing in my towns where I have recently starting trading firewood for logs is that there can be areas that will not get the extra logs unless you have a tradeport and room for stockpiles between the tradeport and woodcutters. The multiple stockpiles can be used to kind of love the logs across the map a bit, but location with these can be tricky. Although I always thought they deposited goods like logs and stone in the nearest stockpile, I am finding that this is not always true. The way distance is measured in game must be variable. I don't want to fill my town with tradeports so I will have to keep this in mind while planning out the placements for things in my town.

@mariesalias Here is an example of what you are talking about. The first screenie is of a forester/hunter complex on the outskirts, showing the logpiles and a barn, which is jammed full of leather. I just started demolishing the barn and the pile closest to the town. When that big pile is gone, I'll work my way back. Before I do the last one or two, I'll rebuild the big piles nearest the town.

The second screenie shows to the left the storage being razed, and to the right, where the goods are being moved to. The barn under the town hall panel is the one that is filling up with leather. When it gets full, I may burn it down as well, and move the leather on down the line.

I see what you mean. I do do that with stockpiles now, when I have the space to.I don't think I could do that with barns though. I usually start on hard just so I don't have to breakdown the starting barn later. Hate to lose the resources I guess. This all does certainly introduce a new element in town planning.

[irrelevant]

If you can spare the time to micromanage this, you won't lose the barn. When it's nearly empty, just click reclaim and you now have a nice, nearly empty barn.

I had a little panic last night; it was autumn, and in an outlying area with 10 orchards and 30 farms there was not a single barn that was not jammed full. I gave destroy orders to 5 or 6 of them simultaneously, and the laborers came swarming. I did lose one of the barns through inattention, but I just built it back.

Now there is much more food in the barns closer to downtown. I believe I'll make this an SOP.

[Kaldir]

If you're not building anything at the same time, you can also assign zero builders to prevent demolition. Then reclaim before assigning builders again.

[irrelevant]

If you're not building anything at the same time, you can also assign zero builders to prevent demolition. Then reclaim before assigning builders again.

Perfect! Thanks.

[salamander]

If you try to do the same thing with stockpiles, just be aware that total destruction of a stockpile doesn't require builders at all.  Of course, stockpiles aren't hard to rebuild, but it can be annoying.

[rkelly17]

@mariesalias, you asked whether or not the issue of balancing food was part of my decision-making in placing farms. The short answer is yes. The longer answer includes finding places with sufficient room for the style of farm I'm interested in building and the general layout of the settlement. I also try to have forest villages spread around the map so that the resources will be available in various places. Now that I'm trying to trade more I am also finding that production facilities need to be close to trading posts that bring in the raw material, so I'm building taverns and woodcutters near trading posts--taverns are actually between the orchards producing the fruit being fermented and the trading posts. I find that buying fruit to ferment is crap-shoot, given that traders but whatever is on offer and not just the fruit my taverns are focused on, so I grow the fruit to ferment and sell the ale for other things. Besides, in the 500 farmer challenge I need all the farmers I can get. 

[mariesalias]

@rkelly17  I also like to spread my forestry hubs throughout the map but had not really thought about it in regards to farming. It is something I will probably try to implement in future towns as I really like the look of it.

You may already be doing this but what I have found that helps with the fruit is to place orders for the kinds you want for every visit. I also do this with logs. Neither the fruit nor the logs have an increased price, like stone and other items do.

And i hear you about the Farmer challenge! I am having finding it a real challenge!


@irrelevant  Hmm, I had not actually thought about emptying the barns like this (builders would have to be off as I get distracted). Usually I try to build more barns then I will need to allow for future storage issues. I'll have to keep it in mind in towns with storage issues. Thanks!

[irrelevant]

@mariesalias, you asked whether or not the issue of balancing food was part of my decision-making in placing farms. The short answer is yes. The longer answer includes finding places with sufficient room for the style of farm I'm interested in building and the general layout of the settlement. I also try to have forest villages spread around the map so that the resources will be available in various places. Now that I'm trying to trade more I am also finding that production facilities need to be close to trading posts that bring in the raw material, so I'm building taverns and woodcutters near trading posts--taverns are actually between the orchards producing the fruit being fermented and the trading posts. I find that buying fruit to ferment is crap-shoot, given that traders but whatever is on offer and not just the fruit my taverns are focused on, so I grow the fruit to ferment and sell the ale for other things. Besides, in the 500 farmer challenge I need all the farmers I can get. 

@rkelly17 I currently have 17 brewers and have had good success in importing fruit. I have standardized on two fruit types, and the food merchants nearly always bring several thousand, usually of both types (I always place orders for what I want). I have some orchards, but nowhere near what it would take to be self sufficient at this level of production.

I did have a fruit crash a few years back, merchants kept bringing nothing but seeds  , and brewers all across the map shut down. That was a serious problem as I rely on selling ale and firewood, and at the time I was also having fuel issues. This made me realize that wool coats, leather coats (sell for 15 each), and iron tools (sell for 8 ) also are excellent export items. I have started putting a blacksmith and a tailor at every market in addition to the brewer and the woodcutter. This has been an excellent supplement to the ale and firewood combo that I had settled into. The coats take up a little less port space per trade value than firewood, the iron tools a little bit more.

Also, if you have tools and/or coats for sale , the livestock merchants will sell cattle for 600 (or is it 800) rather than the usual 1000 they want if all you have is firewood. Not sure which it is that they like, or if it takes both together.

@mariesalias  You're welcome!

edit: now that I've slept on it, I'm not sure whether they sell cattle for 600 or for 800. Also, it's probably not the mix of goods available for sale that affects the price, but rather whether the cattle were on order or not.

[RedKetchup]

but in 500 farmer chalenge... we cant say (or I cant say) we lack of food ^^

[irrelevant]

@RedKetchup  Now that is a bunch of food! What is the population to support 500 farmers?

[mariesalias]

@RedKetchup  You are so right! At this rate my map is going to be covered with barns!  Might be a good thing I have internal lakes for more storage options.

[RedKetchup]

@irrelevant : bah for the moment , presently : Year 69 : 1367 citizens : 342 farmers with over 120 laborers waiting crops lol

i know i m super slow but i make sure of :

1. never get more than 1 citizens per crop/orchard
2. never lack of Tools/clothes/firewood_and_coal/
2.B. never lack of stones/wood/iron/coal...
3. never lack of School/Hospital/Churches/Barns/Etc.

and even with my 15 hospitals lol i have measles running since 16 years

[Kaldir]

i know i m super slow but [..]

Super slow? You went from 900 to 1400 citizens in a day. I'd not call that slow.

[RedKetchup]

bah it s cause i played all day

but soon in i ll have a raid to attend in World of Warcraft