So I'll go ahead and put it out there. I've always been just a casual player, and therefore only played around on the next-to-lowest difficulty. Well recently after starting to replay the game after I don't even know how long, I got bored of that and started a new game as America on the next difficulty up with raging barbs on and NoAIPatrol set to 0.
What a difference that makes. My first neighbor (Korea) attacks me out of no where while everyone is still in expansion phase just a few turns after first contact. Within a half dozen turns I learn that my other continent-mate, Rome, has declared on the Koreans. Just a few turns later Rome also declares on me. So before we're even halfway through the AA, it's full on war.
The war came to an indecisive stalemate on all sides after what seemed like the longest AA war I've ever been in, and immediately all I can think about is how far back this has set our whole continent. Also, from this point on, my reputation with AI civs begins falling against even my best trade arrangements. I cannot figure out what I am doing wrong, and before the end of the AA all of the known world is annoyed at each other, but thinks I am quite simply the scourge of the earth and is not to be dealt with peacefully.
Beginning of medieval age, Korea once again goes on the warpath and on the first turn I get lucky and get a leader and make an army of elite Knights, which I use to quickly dispatch 3 of their cities over the next 4 turns. They now have 4 cities, and I trade them peace for all their techs, money, and cities besides capital. Next turn Rome finishes them. And to celebrate, they declare on me. Most of this war is stalemate on the field, but it takes a heavy toll as my armies were already stretched thin. I held my frontline city Seattle against a SoD of Calvary and medieval infantry with my knight army and some pikemen. All the pikemen died and the army survived by 2 HP. Luck has saved the day.
However it is at this time I realize I have been left in the dirt in the technology department, even by the always-warring AI Rome, whom my advisors assure me is almost as hated as myself. Rome and America (me) are about the same size, and entered the MA at about the same time. Now I've barely gotten gunpowder, and he's coming at me with Calvary and based on diplo screen has education as well. The other continent has one civ already in IA.
Fast forward to end of Industrial Age for everyone else, modern age for one civ, and just squeaking into the Industrial Age is me. The world is at war and has forgotten all capabilities of reasoning peacefully.
However, the one thing everyone agrees on is that America is about as desirable as a pile of cow manure on your freshly mowed suburban lawn. I have been able to manage peace for about 20 turns with Rome, even though she has since gone Rogue and declared on everyone left in the game within a few turns to start WW3 of the game. I had used the rest of medieval age to build and appease my military advisor, who assures me even after centuries of building Calvary and armies to put them in, I am the weakest link.
Rome finally decides America has what she needs to fight the world, and declares. We stalemate for a half dozen turns trading Calvary battles, but once Caesars infantry stacks showed up I had to stop attacking (actually at first I was foolish and attacked a veteran infantry with a 4-Calvary army, and was treated to the sight of my army sacrificing itself to heroicly remove 2 HP from the infantry).
Times look bleak, as Rome now has industrialization and America was forced into no-research to be able to hurry armies. Roman troops advance on all fronts, and most of my remaining forces have been pulled back to cities for defense. Even more roman troop stacks have appeared on the border, and I am almost certain if I don't find peace soon the game is over (well I think it's over anyway, but I am at least trying to delay the inevitable).
The fate of America will be decided tomorrow morning. We are still roughly same size as Rome, but our army has been whittled down and are garrisoned behind our city walls licking our wounds.
So I wrote all that just to say: wow. I thought I had a pretty good understanding of the game and strategies to use to win in different ways. I've been reading these forums for years, although I just recently started posting. This has been the most challenging, frustrating game ever. And I love it, it's the most fun I've had playing Civ.
Sorry for the long post, but I had to share my (humbling) civ 3 experience of the day
What a difference that makes. My first neighbor (Korea) attacks me out of no where while everyone is still in expansion phase just a few turns after first contact. Within a half dozen turns I learn that my other continent-mate, Rome, has declared on the Koreans. Just a few turns later Rome also declares on me. So before we're even halfway through the AA, it's full on war.
The war came to an indecisive stalemate on all sides after what seemed like the longest AA war I've ever been in, and immediately all I can think about is how far back this has set our whole continent. Also, from this point on, my reputation with AI civs begins falling against even my best trade arrangements. I cannot figure out what I am doing wrong, and before the end of the AA all of the known world is annoyed at each other, but thinks I am quite simply the scourge of the earth and is not to be dealt with peacefully.
Beginning of medieval age, Korea once again goes on the warpath and on the first turn I get lucky and get a leader and make an army of elite Knights, which I use to quickly dispatch 3 of their cities over the next 4 turns. They now have 4 cities, and I trade them peace for all their techs, money, and cities besides capital. Next turn Rome finishes them. And to celebrate, they declare on me. Most of this war is stalemate on the field, but it takes a heavy toll as my armies were already stretched thin. I held my frontline city Seattle against a SoD of Calvary and medieval infantry with my knight army and some pikemen. All the pikemen died and the army survived by 2 HP. Luck has saved the day.
However it is at this time I realize I have been left in the dirt in the technology department, even by the always-warring AI Rome, whom my advisors assure me is almost as hated as myself. Rome and America (me) are about the same size, and entered the MA at about the same time. Now I've barely gotten gunpowder, and he's coming at me with Calvary and based on diplo screen has education as well. The other continent has one civ already in IA.
Fast forward to end of Industrial Age for everyone else, modern age for one civ, and just squeaking into the Industrial Age is me. The world is at war and has forgotten all capabilities of reasoning peacefully.
However, the one thing everyone agrees on is that America is about as desirable as a pile of cow manure on your freshly mowed suburban lawn. I have been able to manage peace for about 20 turns with Rome, even though she has since gone Rogue and declared on everyone left in the game within a few turns to start WW3 of the game. I had used the rest of medieval age to build and appease my military advisor, who assures me even after centuries of building Calvary and armies to put them in, I am the weakest link.
Rome finally decides America has what she needs to fight the world, and declares. We stalemate for a half dozen turns trading Calvary battles, but once Caesars infantry stacks showed up I had to stop attacking (actually at first I was foolish and attacked a veteran infantry with a 4-Calvary army, and was treated to the sight of my army sacrificing itself to heroicly remove 2 HP from the infantry).
Times look bleak, as Rome now has industrialization and America was forced into no-research to be able to hurry armies. Roman troops advance on all fronts, and most of my remaining forces have been pulled back to cities for defense. Even more roman troop stacks have appeared on the border, and I am almost certain if I don't find peace soon the game is over (well I think it's over anyway, but I am at least trying to delay the inevitable).
The fate of America will be decided tomorrow morning. We are still roughly same size as Rome, but our army has been whittled down and are garrisoned behind our city walls licking our wounds.
So I wrote all that just to say: wow. I thought I had a pretty good understanding of the game and strategies to use to win in different ways. I've been reading these forums for years, although I just recently started posting. This has been the most challenging, frustrating game ever. And I love it, it's the most fun I've had playing Civ.
Sorry for the long post, but I had to share my (humbling) civ 3 experience of the day
