Seriously? You use some of those cheaty mods, that give you like 20 starting production bonus or something like that or what ?
Starting over: practical tips?
- Thread starter Prozac1964
- Start date
Seriously? You use some of those cheaty mods, that give you like 20 starting production bonus or something like that or what ?
Are you playing BNW? The reason I ask, is that before BNW, I always felt a need to build everything I could in every city, and it was fairly easy to do. Once BNW came about, I found I could no longer build everything. I had to make a lot of choices, and I often made the wrong ones.
It is also worth noting that for most lower level players, the problems go well beyond what to build. Growth, settling locations, diplomacy and how to fight are all problems.
Pengui6668
Chieftain
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- Jun 14, 2013
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One of my mistakes (that I still occasionally commit) is city placement. Pop your cap, start exploring, you find some nice luxes, maybe even a natural wonder close, but not that close. you get your settler out and go settle there, but it's 10+ tiles away from your cap. You're now in an AWFUL defensive position, and can't even send an early caravan to it. You may have gotten luxes you didn't have, but on higher levels, the AI will take that city in like 5 turns.
I think most of the "pros" settle cities no more than 8 tiles apart (but don't quote me on that). If they're close, you spend less on roads for city connections, and can move troops between them to defend MUCH easier. It might not be as good of a spot to settle, but you'll actually get to keep your city. If i recall correctly, some people actually put their cities 4 tiles apart, and use them to basically cover each other in event of an invasion.
I think most of the "pros" settle cities no more than 8 tiles apart (but don't quote me on that). If they're close, you spend less on roads for city connections, and can move troops between them to defend MUCH easier. It might not be as good of a spot to settle, but you'll actually get to keep your city. If i recall correctly, some people actually put their cities 4 tiles apart, and use them to basically cover each other in event of an invasion.
Prozac1964
Warlord
Food for thought. I'd never thought or knew that settling cities too many tiles from my capital would have any negative repercussion. Thanks for your post.
8 is a lot, 7 is best, but you rarely get that much land, so you have to settle on 5 or 6 in the end.
basic infrastructure for example? Its not that easy to build stuff fast and grow in the same time, so it actually takes a while. Add good tech rate and you always have something useful to build ...
Pengui6668
Chieftain
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I'm still working on Emp, so the AIs aren't completely insane with the land grabs yet. I've ben trying to settle them closer, but I've found there's usually no new lux within 6 tiles of your cap, so you're going to go into unhappiness quickly if you spread out and the starting area is low on luxes.
Well luxes do not have to be in the first ring, I sometimes settle cities with luxes in the third, but I am more than willing to buy tiles. Most LPs I've watched - ppl just let most of the borders to grow naturally, but I like the more aggressive approach
If you make the cities too far from each other, there is always the danger someone settling some land inbetween, and that will cause a lot of trouble.
DarkestOnion
Prince
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Hi everyone, I'm new here and also new to Civ 5. This is my first turn based strategy game and I honestly don't know what the heck I'm doing. I have started the game twice, once in Russia and once in America, but on both playthroughs I hit a spot where I'm sort of stumped, so I want try again, but this time I'd like to gather some knowledge first.
So I guess some basic questions would be:
- What are good nations to start with?
- Should I try to build a lot of cities or just a few?
- Is it better to build a strong military first, or focus on developing cities?
Ok, that's all for now.
I would recommend learning how to score a Domination Victory first.
You want a Civilization with an early game Unique Unit. Chose one of these: Mayans, Babylonians, Greeks, Aztecs, Polynesians, Shoshone, Egyptians.
Stick to 4 cities while you learn and try to remember the Domination Victory means holding all Capitals, not wiping every city off the map.
Build a strong land army consisting of 3 Ranged Units, 3 Siege Units, and 6 Melee Units. A sufficiently large army will often make the AI too scared of your army to declare war on you.
salocin097
Warlord
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- Apr 14, 2013
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6melee? What? Okay 7-8 ranged. And maybe a siege. Then 3 or so melee. They are meat sponges. Don't attack with them, just prevent your range from getting killed with them. When you attack the city use ranged. If it has walls then siege cuts down on time immensely. If not, siege isn't really needed. Then a melee unit(horsemen and knights are nice for this) walk in when the city has 0 HP. Its funny walking in with a scout sometimes to take out the 70+ combat strength city that falls because its 0 HP.
salocin097
Warlord
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^that was for early game. Ie comp bows and xbows. Then later artillery is king.
Heh.. Ignore everyone above.. Do whatever you like and try to understand the consequences. What civilization to pick doesn't matter at this stage. Whether you do something smart or not doesn't matter either.
What you need to learn, is the mechanics of the game, and learning that is more fun to do while playing easy games and trying to understand how the concepts work. Information in the forums is typically targetting people having a lot more context as to what civilization is.
Learn how to generate food, gold, science, hammers, culture & faith and what they can be used for. Use the civilopedia and try to understanding the various bonuses of buildings, improvements and techs and the like.
Once you find that the civilopedia is lacking information it's time to come here. It is intended for the general audience and doesn't always go into too much details when it comes to mechanics.
And above all else, don't start taking advice about this tech route being best, this units are the best etc at a stage so early that you haven't had any experience with them yourself.
What you need to learn, is the mechanics of the game, and learning that is more fun to do while playing easy games and trying to understand how the concepts work. Information in the forums is typically targetting people having a lot more context as to what civilization is.
Learn how to generate food, gold, science, hammers, culture & faith and what they can be used for. Use the civilopedia and try to understanding the various bonuses of buildings, improvements and techs and the like.
Once you find that the civilopedia is lacking information it's time to come here. It is intended for the general audience and doesn't always go into too much details when it comes to mechanics.
And above all else, don't start taking advice about this tech route being best, this units are the best etc at a stage so early that you haven't had any experience with them yourself.
Prozac1964
Warlord
Thanks for your post humbe.
Food for thought. Yet I also appreciate every forum member's advice and input. I'd much rather learn from the experience of others and I'm very teachable so when I come here - to the Civfanatics forum - I'm really coming to learn from everyone. Thanks again humbe for some of your contrasting game strategies. I'll give it some thought. 
I actually kind of agree with humbe, and is the way I approached the game, and prefer to approach almost every game I play.
I enjoy the game without side help, and earn a lot of "light bulb" moments, where something just hits you. I find it a lot of fun and exciting to figure things out.
Eventually, I will lose interest, or start to not have as much fun, at which point coming to the forums can be a jolt of energy. You start reading and learning what others have figured out, and everything is new and exciting again.
Anyways, everyone is different, but don't short change yourself if you enjoy learning on your own.
I enjoy the game without side help, and earn a lot of "light bulb" moments, where something just hits you. I find it a lot of fun and exciting to figure things out.
Eventually, I will lose interest, or start to not have as much fun, at which point coming to the forums can be a jolt of energy. You start reading and learning what others have figured out, and everything is new and exciting again.
Anyways, everyone is different, but don't short change yourself if you enjoy learning on your own.
DarkestOnion
Prince
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- Jul 27, 2014
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- 533
I was hoping to show the OP how to build a Carpet of Doom. Of course it is better to build smaller armies with tighter tactics in the long run as you suggest. However, I think it is best to learn over-kill before you learn efficient-kill in Civ 5. It helps you to understand early how the AI produces can sometimes produce so many units. This may minimize the rage-face when you are back-stabbed by your good Friend and neighbor Monty
salocin097
Warlord
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- Apr 14, 2013
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IMO. In SP, overkill in ranged is best. In MP you may actually want some variety. Because cavalry can actually overrun archersI was hoping to show the OP how to build a Carpet of Doom. Of course it is better to build smaller armies with tighter tactics in the long run as you suggest. However, I think it is best to learn over-kill before you learn efficient-kill in Civ 5. It helps you to understand early how the AI produces can sometimes produce so many units. This may minimize the rage-face when you are back-stabbed by your good Friend and neighbor Monty
