I can't seem to get a good strategy down for cultural victory. I have never been able to get one yet. Problem is the AI always manages to get wonders before I do. Even when I had tried to use just one city, the AI still manages to get the wonders built before me. I tried to drop the difficulty down to warlord but I am still not having any luck. Another thing is when I am building all of these culture improvements the AI is harassing me because my military ends up lacking. Then I have to kiss up to them and give them free techs and other things they demand and ask for. Could someone who had actually won a cultural victory post here what strategy you had used? I need to try something else because the ways I have tried are simply not working.
Cultural victory strategy/tips?
- Thread starter Warspite2
- Start date
denyd
Emperor
For the 100K culture victory, wonders aren't necessary (they do help though). The key to this type of victory is:
1. Lots of cities
2. Build libraries/temples/colosseums/cathedrals/universities in each city
Try using the Babylonians (both Religous & Scientific) for cheaper libraries & temples.
Get a settler factory going ASAP and start building cities. Add a temple/library to each first, then build workers improve the terrain & military to defend the new cities. When you reach the middle ages concentrate on getting to education. Build cathedrals & universities in each city. Switch to Republic help your cities grow and produce, then to Democracy to impower your workers. You'll probably need a couple of small wars to increase your city count (unless you're on a large world).
The final couple of steps are the most important. Make sure you're able to get the United Nations or else a vote might prevent your victory, also strive to get the Internet as it will add a Research Lab (2 cpt) to every city. It helps to be the 800 lb Gorilla, but it isn't necessary.
Good luck with this.
You also might want to check out the GOTM Forum. Medal Play Game 6-2 is a Persian 100K game and you can read how others achieved this goal.
1. Lots of cities
2. Build libraries/temples/colosseums/cathedrals/universities in each city
Try using the Babylonians (both Religous & Scientific) for cheaper libraries & temples.
Get a settler factory going ASAP and start building cities. Add a temple/library to each first, then build workers improve the terrain & military to defend the new cities. When you reach the middle ages concentrate on getting to education. Build cathedrals & universities in each city. Switch to Republic help your cities grow and produce, then to Democracy to impower your workers. You'll probably need a couple of small wars to increase your city count (unless you're on a large world).
The final couple of steps are the most important. Make sure you're able to get the United Nations or else a vote might prevent your victory, also strive to get the Internet as it will add a Research Lab (2 cpt) to every city. It helps to be the 800 lb Gorilla, but it isn't necessary.
Good luck with this.
You also might want to check out the GOTM Forum. Medal Play Game 6-2 is a Persian 100K game and you can read how others achieved this goal.
I find cultural the most difficult victory condition, but have managed to do it even at diety level.
The first key is to pick the right civilization: I prefer the Egyptians (religious + industrious) for cultural victories. Persian (science + industrious) would be my second choice.
The second key is to determine how you will get your victory condition. You have two choices: get 20,000 in a single city or 100,000 for your civilization. Getting 20,000 in a single city means that you need one of your early cities to focus on culture and nothing else. i.e. build temple, library, and high culture wonders (great library, hanging gardens, etc.) You are somewhat dependent upon luck. i.e. having favourable terrain around one of your early cities.
Getting 100,000 means that you need to build lots of cities and then build culture items in those cities (temple, library, cathedrals, etc.)
You will want to use warfare selectively, especially against your cultural rivals (Babylon, India, etc.) to either take wonders by force or to reduce their size and influence. Having an industrious civilization brings in lots of money which keeps you competeive in scienec and military.
The first key is to pick the right civilization: I prefer the Egyptians (religious + industrious) for cultural victories. Persian (science + industrious) would be my second choice.
The second key is to determine how you will get your victory condition. You have two choices: get 20,000 in a single city or 100,000 for your civilization. Getting 20,000 in a single city means that you need one of your early cities to focus on culture and nothing else. i.e. build temple, library, and high culture wonders (great library, hanging gardens, etc.) You are somewhat dependent upon luck. i.e. having favourable terrain around one of your early cities.
Getting 100,000 means that you need to build lots of cities and then build culture items in those cities (temple, library, cathedrals, etc.)
You will want to use warfare selectively, especially against your cultural rivals (Babylon, India, etc.) to either take wonders by force or to reduce their size and influence. Having an industrious civilization brings in lots of money which keeps you competeive in scienec and military.
For a 20k-victory Great Leaders are almost a must-have to rush certain wonders. Therefore a militaristic civ is great. You must think about making Elites and saving them for those easy kills for maximizing GL appearance.
Think somebody made a strategy for making Great Leaders. (SirPleb?).
Think somebody made a strategy for making Great Leaders. (SirPleb?).
Bamspeedy
CheeseBob
For 20k, leaders will help for getting an early win, but aren't necessary to just win. You will want as many wonders as possible. The best strat is to NOT use the capital as your 20k city. Having the 20k city being able to use the 'palace' as a pre-build for wonders far outweighs the culture the palace provides.
For 100k, this is easier on larger maps with more land. Wonders aren't that helpful, # of cities is. Focus on expanding and claiming as much land as possible, then start rushing culture in all those cities. Building an early wonder cuts your expansion. Just 2 temples provide just as much (or more) than the wonders do, and that isn't even taking into account libraries and other things you can rush into those cities.
Build a little dense (enough room to make your cities productive, but not too dense-like ICS). 9-12 tiles/city is good. You won't be going far into the industrial age to need those hospitals anyways. All you really need is to get to education and then you can turn science off completely. On some maps, you won't even need education and universities.
For 100k, this is easier on larger maps with more land. Wonders aren't that helpful, # of cities is. Focus on expanding and claiming as much land as possible, then start rushing culture in all those cities. Building an early wonder cuts your expansion. Just 2 temples provide just as much (or more) than the wonders do, and that isn't even taking into account libraries and other things you can rush into those cities.
Build a little dense (enough room to make your cities productive, but not too dense-like ICS). 9-12 tiles/city is good. You won't be going far into the industrial age to need those hospitals anyways. All you really need is to get to education and then you can turn science off completely. On some maps, you won't even need education and universities.
In addition to building lots of cities build temples and libraries early. They gain value over time. The older an improveemnt the more value it gains.
I belive the value doubles after a thousand years. I don't have the rules with me to quote chapter and verse.
I belive the value doubles after a thousand years. I don't have the rules with me to quote chapter and verse.
Hey, I got a question also. In my game I am the aztecs and I am owning in culture, everyone is in awe of me. But for some reason the neighboring american cities are not flipping at all. They have pretty low culture. IS there anything i can do to further along flipping?
Try to initiate propaganda.
Plant a spy, select the city which you want to flip and hopefully it will flip immediately. Try again if unsuccessful.
This cost a bit so if the city isnt that useful, you should consider going to war instead, if that isnt out of the question.
Distance to capital is a large factor for making the flip, so dont count on it ever happening if its like deep in American territory and far from your capital.
Plant a spy, select the city which you want to flip and hopefully it will flip immediately. Try again if unsuccessful.
This cost a bit so if the city isnt that useful, you should consider going to war instead, if that isnt out of the question.
Distance to capital is a large factor for making the flip, so dont count on it ever happening if its like deep in American territory and far from your capital.
apparition
Warlord
I've had that also. I've owned all the teretory around an american city through culture and it was still a few turns before it flipped.
American cities seem to have an unfair resistance toward culture flipping.
American cities seem to have an unfair resistance toward culture flipping.
Propaganda doesnt work when the civ is in democracy IIRC, so that should be examined at the time you plant the spy.
I guess the culture-similarity (ie. european culturegroup), also plays a part in flipping. I know theres a "calculator" for the chances of making a flip, so that could be a tool you should think about using.
I guess the culture-similarity (ie. european culturegroup), also plays a part in flipping. I know theres a "calculator" for the chances of making a flip, so that could be a tool you should think about using.
flamingmoose
Chieftain
The problem I encountered with trying to achieve the 100k points victory is that this is not the only condition; you also need all other civs to be below half your cultural score. The only game I ever won on the 100k condition I reached 100k and found out that I still hadn't won. Bummer; I had to finish off X, #2 in culture, and as soon as his last city fell I'd won.
