I Can't Beat the Original Civ IV

[whazzup81]

I know this game is for intellectuals. It is obviously for thinkers. I am fairly bright, but not an intellectual. Can someon give me some basic help and strategies to beat the game on Warlord Level. Please try to explain it in lame man terms, as well, because I have read the strategy articles in the Civ IV War Academy and a lot of them are too complex for me to understand. Also, I wanted to know if the official strategy guide for the game is worth getting. I would greatly appreciate the help.

Thanks

[Cam_H]

whazzup81,

Welcome to Civfanatics.

You note that you've read The War Academy items, but I'll direct you again to Sisiutil's Guide that I believe is reasonably clear.

I would also encourage you to continue to browse the forum and check out games from this Strategies and Tips Forum (there's usually a few games going), the Succession Games Forum, and others of that ilk.

Best of luck ... and if you're really stuck, perhaps post a part-played game with some explanation as to what you think isn't working for you.

As for the Official Guide, I'm led to believe that these Forums will contain more and better information than the Guide. I personally don't own it.

[Andvare]

Lame man terms?
Best typo ever!
(You probably meant *layman's* terms )
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/in_layman%27s_terms
Hey, we all make mistakes.

AN AAR would help (after action report, or where you show a game played). That way more specific help can be administered. General help is difficult, and not really that helpful.

[vicawoo]

I think when I first read the guides, the number of undefined terms was huge (GP farm, SE, and so on). Nobody is born knowing them, so it makes typing easier at the cost of being much more confusing. You have to build on knowledge, step by step.

[Gooblah]

Check out the Commonly Used Civ Acronyms Thread. It'll help when you're reading things like Sisutil's ALCs, or Succession Games.
I'll direct you to Sisutil's Rush Guide and Beginner's Guide. They offer strategies for all types of gameplay, and the Axe Rush (quickly researching Bronze Working, Settling a City near Copper, hooking up the Copper, and then using forest chops/Slavery to amass tons of Axemen) is something to be mastered before progressing beyond Noble.

[Kennigit]

The main advice I'd have for you is to think of the basics and why you do each action- why build that wonder? why build that city there? why research that tech?

I'm betting Sisutil's guide will help you- I haven't actually read it, but it seems everybody who had problems before usually comes out of there and work their way up to atleast prince difficulty.

[Arkatsson]

Have you played any previous Civ games? If you have jumped into the series it will take a while because Civ is like no other game.