what are the best units to build at the very beginning of the game? also, what is a good tech path to take at the beginning. I play on Warmonger difficulty at normal speed (im not 2 good)

just for reference, i usually start with scout>scout>worker>settler (throw in a work boat between the second scout and the worker if im near the sea)

I don't think you want to be building the scouts. Personally I usually do

worker,warrior,warrior, settler depending on the start. But I would imagine your start puts you quite a bit behind.

10 Quechas.

worker,warrior,warrior, settler depending on the start.

That's usually how I start too. A worker first does stunt initial growth, but it should (assuming a decent start) more than make up for it in the long run. The important thing with a worker start is making sure that your worker has something to do. Consider starting techs and early tech paths... you'll probably get one tech researched (maybe two, if you're lucky) by the time the worker is produced.

Aparently I play very different from everyone else and im not a rush kinda person but I thought I would offer my advice.

For some reason I nearly always get forested costal starts with fish, clam, or crab. Also I play with Sitting Bull which gives me fishing so I start off sending my warrior to scout while building work boats. This gives my city a large growth and a high science output which I use to get a religion at polytheism or monotheism(the second and third religions).

Then I train a warriors until I can train a worker that can actually do something. After my first city is being improved by a worker I start training settlers(which come out fast from work boats) and archers(If I have archery) and try to choke of my closest rival with cities.

Thats what I do. Also I play on a Marathon game speed Prince difficulty level.

I think what you do very much depends on starting techs and city site

Afew options for you (I`m leaving out any start involving founding a religion cause its not my thing , but better players than me can tell you how to do it)

1. A good rule of thumb is you want your best tile to be improved and worked as soon as you can . Lets say you a have riverside cow in the BFC and the pre requisite techs to study AH. Then a worker while you study AH may be the way to go also revealing horses for your next city.

2.If you start with hunting you might consider a scout , study archery ,build an archer then move onto worker while studying a worker tech.

3.Maybe you start with agriculture and have a good food source in the BFC....in that case a worker while you study mining can be good . food with out hammers aint much help so try to get at least two tiles producing 4 food which will pay for a mined hill.........even if that means irrigating a flood plain . You need hammers and food more than commerce right now and you can cottage over it later

4. You need the wheel . Roads are handy anywhere if your worker is out of stuff to do

5. If you start with mining but no other worker techs and have lots of forest , then studying BW while building a worker is a good idea. Maybe build a warrior first or start a pre build on a barracks before you build the worker cause your worker will be built before you have BW. Then chop what yuo feel you need

6.A Seafood start pretty much always means fishing/workboat......if starting with mining maybe worker first then BW then fishing while you chop a work boat.

7.Just remember that Barbs WILL come.....any start that ignores this is just asking for 50 re starts so dont ignore archery.

8.Look at slight variations depending on whether your capital produces one or two hammers

Basically its about looking ahead.......can I defend myself? Do I have access to copper/horses? Can i connect these things up? Where is my next city going etc?

The beauty of Civ 4 is there is no set starting strategy , you have to adapt.

The beauty of Civ 4 is there is no set starting strategy , you have to adapt.

For me it seems I always get a similar start... forested costal... o well it seems to work for me in most games.

Personally I liked that way you started giving that position.......I play lots of cheesey pangea warmongering games so get more inland starts

Personally I liked that way you started giving that position.......I play lots of cheesey pangea warmongering games so get more inland starts

I have been playing big and small with high sea level so it makes sense why I get costal ones but I just started a game big and small map with massive continents although im on an island that could fit around 16 cities that I have to share with Cyrus. Also I met Lincoln from a workboat but he died before I could find him(Raging Barbarians:lol:)

You are gonna need spearmen big time

You are gonna need spearmen big time

?:confused:? care to elaborate ?:confused:?

?:confused:? care to elaborate ?:confused:?

ooo the immortals... I have never have had a problem with Cyrus before.

Edit: I like how you are giving me advice when someone else asked for it...

If you are genuinely having a dig at me for a throw away suggestion like "you will need spearmen" then I suggest thats a little over sensitive...I was making one of those "ouch ,alone with Cyrus , not fun , better get spears" not "I doubt you know anything about Civ so let me explain about immortals"

If on the other hand I have mis read you then I apologise:)

I wasn't sure what you were saying at first... I am not entirely sure what im saying... I think I am saying that Cyrus doesn't randomly attack you(usually) like others do. It is hard to read moods from writing :lol: but no worries... I think... or do I :confused:

Its all good in the hood fellow civver:)

Till I find you in MP then I`m playing Cyrus for sure and unleashing immortals on ya;)

Its all good in the hood fellow civver:)

Till I find you in MP then I`m playing Cyrus for sure and unleashing immortals on ya;)

I will be waiting with my dog soldiers... wait... wheel beats axe doh :wallbash:

You think you can bait me with three doggies in your border cities while your drill 4 , CG archers wait two tiles back ? immortals become very mortal

I start out with Warrior, Warrior, Worker, Settler, that's only because mofos keep attacking me early in the game. And I'm personally a Protective/Expansive, so having a military defense is important to me.

You think you can bait me with three doggies in your border cities while your drill 4 , CG archers wait two tiles back ? immortals become very mortal
Immortals have +100% vs. Archers

I'm warrior, worker, settler, settler, settler.... I like to rush to 4 to 6 cities right away to capture land and resources, as long as I can keep my science at 60% or better I'll keep cranking out settlers. That's why I love Gold, Silver, and Gems so much.

You need either animal husbandary, bronze working or archery to survive barbarians, but I would only count on archers if I were protective, otherwise it won't be worth it.

If you're feeling lucky, get a leader that starts with hunting and work a high-hammer tile to get a scout first. If you manage to pop 6-7 good huts chances are you would pop 1 free tech, which is huge, whatever it is.

My role: Worker, Worker, Settler, Warrior, Stonehenge, Warrior, Settler. With Lizzy first tech is BW, that usually allows to chop the second worker, the first settler and way into the wonder.

EDIT. Forgot, BW also allows whipping out the wonder if need be.

Immortals have +100% vs. Archers

Agreed.......but they are not so hot against highly promoted archers on hills

I normally start worker, warrior or vice versa depending on the civ/leader I have (which I often change up). Especially as I go for religion whenever possible. Depending on starting tiles I may throw another warrior in before a worker (ortherwise the thirf build is warrior). I am also a person who tends to keep an extremely small standing army in peacetime, and still have the habit of ICS in Civ II, so settler normally comes fourth, and I get a second city before I find any resources/am able to defend it from anything other than animals (makes for some interesting times, and a rush for the GW, and I have, more than once, settled a mediocre spot because an animal wandered near my unescorted settler). Though I am now trying to avoid this and go for another military unit (whihc unit depends on my techs).
Beyond that, my games are so inconsistent that it varies too much (ever play a game only selecting random techs can be interesting, having a coastal capitol and not learning fishing before AD?)

Though, certain situations can really mess this up (i.e. having 3 cities by the time your first build is complete, hut + warrior rush).
Or if it is a coastal start, a workboat ASAP.

Agreed.......but they are not so hot against highly promoted archers on hills

Nope. some will die. but the flanking promotions give them a decent shot withdrawal. i like to send a bunch at a time, so that the ones that die and the ones that withdraw do some damage and i still have some more to finish what they started. oh and i lied; I just checked, Immortals get a 50% bonus vs archers, not 100%. Still, Immortals are big fun

It's only +50%. With culture D and CG II, archers would still be favored. Not much though. Any significant advantage in immortals vs archers would favor the immortals, but immortals cost more hammers. Killing a protective player with immortals would be far more arduous than any AI, even if they don't have metal.