Does fertility affect ranches at all?

[player75]

Title i know the description offers ranching as an alternative in low fertility areas but still

[76561188078797539]

The higher fertility the less space the ranch will require to get 100% production per worker.

This gets pretty important at higher population count when you can start running out of (close enough) space.

[herr_dechse]

Yes but it isnt worth it imo. High fertility land is better used for agriculture except if you have it in abundance.

[76561188078797539]

Originally posted by herr_dechse:

Yes but it isnt worth it imo. High fertility land is better used for agriculture except if you have it in abundance.

The high fertility spots you can find inland are great for ranches, since you can use squares with fertility below + blue, down to twice-lower shades, and it won't affect general "fertility" percentile (and through it final yearly production) the way it does for farms.

Those same spots are unlikely to allow dedicated agriculture development without massive "fertility" hit to them, either. Not to mention you're unlikely to benefit from farms there, instead of along whatever water presence your map features (personally, I like to settle by lakes AND rivers if possible).

Unless you picked a spot with no water, I suppose, then you could boost things around with irrigation to make a decent farming spot, but that's a pretty specific consideration.

Other than that, I'd say prime ranch locations. You can always add more squares around to get full production per assigned worker, since - again - no "general fertility" drop for ranches, just more squares required.

[Fantastic Fwoosh]

Originally posted by herr_dechse:

Yes but it isnt worth it imo. High fertility land is better used for agriculture except if you have it in abundance.

1 production per worker equals returns better when the pasture is slaughtered, when you get the sufficient research and workforce (slaves or otherwise) onto upping it over 1, you can at least gain a net profit of livestock and their product making it faster to slaughter and restock cyclically en-masse for meat/leather/eggs, replenish livestock fully, and go again.

[herr_dechse]

Maybe early game.