Immortal/deity question

Is it more difficult playing at these levels on a continents map or any map where the AI finds theme selves isolated ? I realize that on a Pangea map on higher levels if the AI decides to attack early, you can be screwed.

But I start a continents map on immortal as Catherine. I had a very good start on an island with Venice. My capital was production heavy with food caravans feeding it as well as food pantheon. So I could produce wonders quickly. I was trying for culture VC.

However, I came to realize that many of the key culture wonders I was missing out (tower of Pisa, Sistine, Uffizi, louvre) were built my AIs on their own continent. I did manage to get Petra early on and I was certainly keeping up in tech.

I know I usually get the AIs to war among each other. However, if AIs find themselves alone, with all their bonuses, I assume they won't build units if they have no neighbors?

Any info? Tips for continents?

yanner39 said:

.. However, if AIs find themselves alone, with all their bonuses, I assume they won't build units if they have no neighbors?

Any info? Tips for continents?

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No one to fight - no way to lose units - expect every available tile on his continent to have units ...fully saturated carpet of doom ... And with no AI wars - plenty of research agreements between themselves so higher than usual tech pace ..

AIs Love building units. Never seen an AI without a huge army, unless they just got trampled by someone.

You've pretty much answered the question yourself. When you are left alone you can build your empire and the the AI is no exception. On higher difficulties isolation affects you more as you wont be able to steal early workers and you wont benefit form the discount on techs already known by met civs.

Tip: explore by sea very early and Astronomy must be high on the list. Being isolated next to Venice is like having a free city. Venice can be bullied as he can't forward settle you, just don't be hostile until you're ready for war(you don't want him building the Great Wall). Of course do this before you meet any other civs.

Actually, my biggest complaint about the map scripts for Civ 5 BNW is that there is too much likelihood that either I am isolated, and therefore at a disadvantage, or one of the AIs is, which puts me at a disadvantage. Donut is of course more reliable than Pangaea, but comes with fewer options. I think that in the next release, map scripts should be made a lot less crazy.

phillipwyllie said:

You've pretty much answered the question yourself. When you are left alone you can build your empire and the the AI is no exception. On higher difficulties isolation affects you more as you wont be able to steal early workers and you wont benefit form the discount on techs already known by met civs.

Tip: explore by sea very early and Astronomy must be high on the list. Being isolated next to Venice is like having a free city. Venice can be bullied as he can't forward settle you, just don't be hostile until you're ready for war(you don't want him building the Great Wall). Of course do this before you meet any other civs.

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But if you're going for diplomatic victory you pretty much need to wipe out Venice if you ever find them. You can't let them dilute the number of CS's.