no barbarians easier or harder?

[gaash2]

Sounds like a stupid question, but is the slowdown the AI experiences due to barbs worth the annoyance of barbs?

 

[lymond]

Generally speaking, I would say it is probably easier in most cases, except for certain maps, map sizes, and, ofc, raging barbs on. Otherwise, barbs aren't much of a hindrance to the AI anyway and they get bonuses against them anyway. Raging barbs though can certainly cause some issues for them, and actually that setting can make a game easier should you set out to build the GW asap.

However, I play with barbs as I feel that is the way the game was intended to be played, hence it being a "setting" and not "default". In most cases barbs are rather easy to deal with if you know how to spawnbust,

 

[Macksideshow]

I'd say easier with no barbs as you can rely on diplo and the AI's predictability to remain safe from aggression and completely ignore self defense units and techs at a time when you would really like to ignore those things

 

[Fippy]

You can also start building wonders turn 0 (SH with myst starters), only need 1 scouting unit (already available at start ), can send out settlers & settle without worries.
Also no need to fog bust great spots (so no barb city pops there).

On deity it's so much easier without barbs, i would not consider it deity anymore.

 

[Kallikrates]

I never played without barbs although I really hate them. I cannot even think of a situation (maybe raging barbs on a lower level) such that their presence would be an advantage. The AI plays an Noble? so they get considerable bonuses against barbs and will receive a far higher share of the promotions from barb fights. I remember only very few situations when the AI was too stupid to handle normal barbs and lost a city to them. (Whereas my most funny memory of Civ I is that on an earth map the barbs had completely taken over Africa which was bright red and they were cruising around in tanks, I think...)

 

[gaash2]

Interesting so the AI does not expand more slowly when barbs is set to on (not necessarily because the barbs might kill them but because the AI may make more units before settlers/workers/etc.

 

[elmurcis]

Interesting so the AI does not expand more slowly when barbs is set to on (not necessarily because the barbs might kill them but because the AI may make more units before settlers/workers/etc.

Ai is just set to play with barbs on - archers walking around, mini-stacks for taking barbs cities, (almost) always protecting settler with archer, many times defending worker too with archer.. If turn barbs off, it won't change much of it. Except that now units are made to attack human

 

[lymond]

Interesting so the AI does not expand more slowly when barbs is set to on (not necessarily because the barbs might kill them but because the AI may make more units before settlers/workers/etc.

Generally speaking, no, not having barbs on is not going to make a significant impact on AI expansion. There are some flat maps, like Highlands and Great Plains, that can spawn a lot of barbs, especially if you play larger map sizes. Possibly impacting the Ai and even you a little bit, but AI generally tends to handle barbs rather well.

 

[Gumbolt]

Yep the Ai are not clever enough to adapt their game play to no settler escort. If they did the human players would just kill the settlers whenever they leave the city. (Free workers) So an escort for Ai settlers is 100% necessary.

I think with an element of fog busting barbs are not a huge threat to human players. The dates they spawn is pretty obvious on most levels. Leaving warriors in your cities is the big mistake some players make early on.

The big pain could be barb galleys. You soon learn the need to keep coastline fog bust. Although on island maps this is not always 100% possible.