One thing I am learning from my experiences with Civ3 thus far is that you need much different strategies for different map sizes. My experiences are with Huge and Standard maps, and the strategy is so different. I used the Americans.

When I play on the Huge map, the key for the early game is alot of Scouts. The key advantages are:

- Easy to produce
- Finds Tribes (that often give gold or advances)
- Determine physical boundaries
- Determine political boundaries.

Believe it or not, scouts really give an edge in an early game, and alot of scouts help you get that edge quickly.

One thing I have learned to do with lesser nations is to envelope their nation early with settlers and eat them alive with my culture. This avoids drawn out military disputes, and even sucks in cities. (of course it could be a double edged sword which draws in your cities...).

Ironfang

Grr...The British will RULE...when I get my Civ3...Why oh why do I have to live in Finland..ARGH!

Grr...The British will RULE...when I get my Civ3

unfortunately in conquests the british are changed to commercial/seafaring instead of commerical/expansionist. too bad. but other than that they're pretty good.

Yep, those scouts are great on huge pangea maps. I think getting contacts fast is just as important as popping huts.

But I'm confused by this part:One thing I have learned to do with lesser nations is to envelope their nation early with settlers and eat them alive with my culture. This avoids drawn out military disputes, and even sucks in cities. (of course it could be a double edged sword which draws in your cities...).
If you're able to build a good core, totally encircle another civ with your cities, build culture in those cities, and have a good enough military that you can stop them from crossing your ring by saying "get out or declare war", then your playing on a very easy difficulty.

Nullspace, I think he was (i hope) talking about making a "wall" with his boundaries and allowing them to pass, but cutting off the core from all the other cities. EX:
there's a narrow neck between two continents, I would place some cities inside so my cities are both touching in borders, but cutting off any cities which expand from there.

If that's not the case, then best of luck on the higher dificulties;)

Michael

EDIT:
Grammar/spelling

unfortunately in conquests the british are changed to commercial/seafaring instead of commerical/expansionist. too bad. but other than that they're pretty good.

There's nothing unfortunate about that! Seafaring is a much better trait than expansionist, except perhaps on pangaea maps. Seafaring gives you 3 move curraghs that only sink 25% of the time. You'll discover the overseas civs long before anyone else. +1 commerce in coastal cities and cheap harbors are nice too.

The English Man-O-War is better in C3C too. First, it doesn't go obsolete right away and it has the ability to enslave ships that it defeats.

There's nothing unfortunate about that! Seafaring is a much better trait than expansionist, except perhaps on pangaea maps. Seafaring gives you 3 move curraghs that only sink 25% of the time. You'll discover the overseas civs long before anyone else. +1 commerce in coastal cities and cheap harbors are nice too.

The English Man-O-War is better in C3C too. First, it doesn't go obsolete right away and it has the ability to enslave ships that it defeats.

Much agreed, gunk

Michael