Emperor problems

WarLust

Chieftain
Joined
Feb 4, 2004
Messages
54
I've been reading this forum since January and it has helped me a great deal with my C3C gameplay. I've marched from Chieftan to Emperor in just a few months, but I am having a hard time trying to win against the computer consistenty. I've only won a few games thus far, only playing with Conquest, Domination, and Diplomatic Victory conditions on. I play regular continental maps with all and/or all but 1 of the available AI civs. I've read countless articles in the War Academy several times and strategies in the forums. I would like to get some further help so that I can feel comfortable to move up again in difficulty. I know how to micromanage the workers; I don't use the governors; I know what to mine or irrigate; I know how to achieve at least a 5-turn settler factory given the right spot; I know the importance of luxuries and connecting them ASAP; and I know how to use the luxury slider.

I'll just describe a little about my starts and what civs I use and hopefully someone can find something wrong and help me change it.

I usually play militarisitc, religious, scientific, and industrious civs, i.e., Japanese, Chinese, Persia, Celts, Egyptians, Romans, and Germans. This is in C3C. As I've said before, I play mostly continental regular size maps with all AI civs and sometimes 1 less. If I don't start on a river, my 2nd settler will. I try to space my cities out about 3 or 4 spaces from each other. The only tech tree that I can rely on most of the time to trade with other civs is the Alphabet-Writing-Literature path. Sometimes shooting for Monarchy works well. Prior to playing Emperor, I would rush for Iron Working and The Wheel ASAP so that I could expand to those resource areas before the AI because I war a lot in the Middle Ages with knights and cav. Playing Emperor, I am limited to trading for these techs most of the time, which becomes a guessing game as to where the resources will pop up once I finally have the techs. I normally set up 1 warrior as MP, and send one out before making a fast second settler since I have noticed I lose money if I make 3 warriors, 1 settler, and have 1 worker, which is 1 more than the city will allow for free support. Once I have my second settler, I start the granary on my first city. This is assuming I have pottery already either from a civ trait or finding it from a pop hut. Should I research pottery first if I do not have it? I procede to pump settlers/spearman and workers from cities and expand to whever I can. I have stopped building a temple in every city since that depletes my income rather fast. I now just build one in the border cities to prevent the cultural flip. My government of choice in the Ancient times is Monarchy, since I can war without WW. Republic does not seem to work for me. Is there anything I should be doing under Republic? I always end up using Communisim or Facism later. A lot of the time I can get the GL and set my science slider to 0 and rake in the money until it expires with Education. If I have a good river city producing a lot of shields, I will shoot for it and usually get it. If I don't get it, it's not a game-breaker for me. I connect my cities as fast as possible to the luxuries, often having workers build the road to the new spot before the settler arrives. My first attack usually begins with swordsmen, followed by knights. Given this information, can the pros who play this level a lot and win a lot or play higher give me some more tips or tell me what I am doing wrong? Thanks.
 
Try dropping the number of rivals to 8. This should give you more time to expand and slow the tech pace a little. Once you refine your game you can add some back in.

If you don't want to try that, then tell us about how you approach war, how you pick friends and enemies, and how often you trade besides buying/selling tech.

I see no significant problems in what you have written so far.
 
Originally posted by zerksees
Try dropping the number of rivals to 8. This should give you more time to expand and slow the tech pace a little. Once you refine your game you can add some back in.

If you don't want to try that, then tell us about how you approach war, how you pick friends and enemies, and how often you trade besides buying/selling tech.

I see no significant problems in what you have written so far.

On a standard size map, the max number of AI that can play (without editing the editor) is 7. I usually play with 6 or 7.

I approach war based upon the following factors in order of importance:

1. Resources
2. Luxuries
3. Solidarity of land
4. Previous threats from rival civs

I trade every time I have reseached a new tech before anyone else, except for Literature so that I can get a head start on the GL before anyone else, unless they request it.

I guess what I really need to know is how many defenders do you use per city? 2? How many workers per city? 1? What do you build in your cities? Every city has a temple? Two or three have granaries? Barracks? That's what I seem to do, except I build a lot less temples now, unless I need my borders to extend for resources or for cultural flip.
 
WarLust,

Ugh - somehow I lost track of this thread, but found it today while looking for another thread. If you are still istening:

I do not have a set formula for units per city - it is situational. Against the AI I like to leave the core cities minimally defended or undefended. I try to build a fairly hard sheel with some counterstrike units in strategic locations so they can be deployed quickly to problem areas.

What I think you should add to your approach to war allies. I keep some cash on hand to buy allies. Nothing dulls the attack of an AI than having to split forces fighting multiple enemies. This works great as long as their are other AI's left of any consequence. Sometimes you can use techs, lux or resources to get AI to join you. Also notice it is easier to buy a military alliance against an enemy who you are already at war with. Diplomacy is a huge part of the game, do not underestimate it. Having active trades with AI is a good way to keep them off your back. If you buy techs or anything for gpt, it will deter the AI from attacking. If the deal is broken at least you got the item without having to make all the payments.

I like to get two workers per city if possible. You should have between one and two. I like to have lots of slave workers to keep costs down when feasible. I measure worker counts as correct when all citizens are working improved tiles, and if all tiles are roaded and improved before steam power. If you have some newly acquired or totally corrupt areas that are not improved that is OK.

I only build a granary if a city makes more than two extra food. I don't typically build granaries when expansion phase is over. I would only build them in your "settler factory" cities.

I typically build barracks in cities that produce a lot of shields and I plan to use to produce military units. I might have 4-6 barracks.

On building temples for culture fip resistance: For a religious or non scientific civ this is probably good advice. If your civ is scientific, you should consider building a library instead since it actually produces more culture and costs less shields. It does not make a citizen happy, but that is not the goal.
 
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