What do you think of my strategy?

[civ7777777]

So I can pretty much beat every game on Noble, so I'm playing Prince now. After experimenting with lots of different civilizations, I came up with a strategy that seems to work, but can any of you tell me the bad things about it? Or even good things? I just want some opinion.

Basically I use Egypt because, even though both leaders have kind of useless traits, the war chariot is really effective. So the first thing I do is make a warrior or worker depending on which one takes shorter to make, if they take an equal amount of time to make, I just make a worker. After I finish with that unit, I make the other unit, then a settler. While this is happening, I have researched Animal Husbandry and have explored a lot of land, so I use the settler to make a city next to a horse, or if there is already a horse next to the first city, then I just make the second city close to my first city and also close to good resources, but in the direction of the nearest AI civilization. Then I just make like 10-20 war chariots and destroy the nearest civilization and take their cities. After that, if there's another close civilization that doesn't have access to copper or iron, or if they have few spearmen, I destroy that civilization and takes their cities. By that time I have the most land and either win by domination, or if I don't take over any other civilizations cause they're on a different continent or something, I win by space race.

I know I wrote kind of a lot, but I want some feedback, cause I am pretty inexperienced with Civilization. I remember playing it when I was a kid, but I had no idea what I was doing. I just made as much cities as possible on the lowest difficulty level, and won time victory using no strategy whatsoever lol. But now that I found my old Civilization IV CD a few weeks ago, I'm trying to take it more seriously. Seeing that you people here seem to be Civ veterans, I would like some feedback from you.

Also if any of you remember, a few days ago I asked about how to expand quickly without losing too much money. All of your tips are helping, so thanks for that!

[lymond]

Interesting that you are winning on Noble now...that's impressive if you are as inexperienced as you say. It sounds like you are an early war rush warmonger.

I think the best thing about CIV is playing the different CIVs and trying different strategies based on them - and different maps. It's fine having a favorite and the War Chariot is cool, but I recommend trying out the other CIVs and learning non-rush strats.

Other than the basic rush strategy, it's hard to say how well you are doing as a whole and if it would work on higher levels. As a quasi Prince/Monarch player as well as one who at least attempts the GOTMs at higher levels., Prince is not a huge jump from noble IMO. It's gets significantly harder afterwards though. I've yet to win on Emperor.

One piece of advice is to always build a worker first, unless you have a coastal situation and good seafood for a workboat (and Fishing tech). Workers are the most important unit in the game and key to winning at higher levels. 1.5/city or more rule. Hooking up resources and working improved land is vital early.

As for the rest, you may want to try out a shadowing games here or running your own for advice - this is common.

Your war chariot rush strategy may be hiding flaws in your game that would effect your play at higher level. However, it's hard to discern on current information.

[CornPlanter]

Basically I use Egypt because, even though both leaders have kind of useless traits

You are seriously risking to be proclaimed a heretic and burned at the stake. Dont say I didnt warn you

Chariot rush is a valid strategy and usually pays off if you pull it right (e.g. very early, this varies from difficulty to difficulty, from map to map, etc.) The flaw of your strategy is that it's situational, but one can say that about probably every sort of strategy. What if you have no horses, what if your opponents are too far, what if they are Pacal or Shaka... Your strategy is good and nice but just dont rely on it too much.

[DaveMcW]

War chariot rush works all the way to immortal, as long as you find horses and balance expansion so your chariots don't go on strike.

[Shurdus]

Originally Posted by civ7777777

So I can pretty much beat every game on Noble, so I'm playing Prince now. After experimenting with lots of different civilizations, I came up with a strategy that seems to work, but can any of you tell me the bad things about it? Or even good things? I just want some opinion.

Basically I use Egypt because, even though both leaders have kind of useless traits, the war chariot is really effective. So the first thing I do is make a warrior or worker depending on which one takes shorter to make, if they take an equal amount of time to make, I just make a worker. After I finish with that unit, I make the other unit, then a settler. While this is happening, I have researched Animal Husbandry and have explored a lot of land, so I use the settler to make a city next to a horse, or if there is already a horse next to the first city, then I just make the second city close to my first city and also close to good resources, but in the direction of the nearest AI civilization. Then I just make like 10-20 war chariots and destroy the nearest civilization and take their cities. After that, if there's another close civilization that doesn't have access to copper or iron, or if they have few spearmen, I destroy that civilization and takes their cities. By that time I have the most land and either win by domination, or if I don't take over any other civilizations cause they're on a different continent or something, I win by space race.

I know I wrote kind of a lot, but I want some feedback, cause I am pretty inexperienced with Civilization. I remember playing it when I was a kid, but I had no idea what I was doing. I just made as much cities as possible on the lowest difficulty level, and won time victory using no strategy whatsoever lol. But now that I found my old Civilization IV CD a few weeks ago, I'm trying to take it more seriously. Seeing that you people here seem to be Civ veterans, I would like some feedback from you.

Also if any of you remember, a few days ago I asked about how to expand quickly without losing too much money. All of your tips are helping, so thanks for that!

A heretic! Burn him at the stake!

Both Egyptian leaders have solid traits. Spiritual is a brillliant diplomacy trait, and either creative or industrious are very very useful. The higher the difficulty, the more useful these traits become.

The strategy seems fine. Too bad your style is very civ dependant. Try to mix us your game a bit by polaying random leaders. If you can adapt you will be playing on monarch soon with some practice.

[civ7777777]

Originally Posted by lymond

Interesting that you are winning on Noble now...that's impressive if you are as inexperienced as you say. It sounds like you are an early war rush warmonger.

Oh wow time moves fast. It seemed like I started playing Civilization IV 2 weeks ago, but I looked at my program files after reading your comment, and it said I actually installed it 2 months ago . Sorry, I guess I'm not that impressive. Then again, because of both schoolwork and frustration with the game, I didn't play that much during the 2 month period, so the actual total number of days playing may add up to a few weeks.

Originally Posted by CornPlanter

You are seriously risking to be proclaimed a heretic and burned at the stake. Dont say I didnt warn you

Chariot rush is a valid strategy and usually pays off if you pull it right (e.g. very early, this varies from difficulty to difficulty, from map to map, etc.) The flaw of your strategy is that it's situational, but one can say that about probably every sort of strategy. What if you have no horses, what if your opponents are too far, what if they are Pacal or Shaka... Your strategy is good and nice but just dont rely on it too much.

Really? I would prefer other traits like, say, Financial. I think I would like maybe Creative/Financial the best. Cause I don't tend to change civics and religions too often so Spiritual isn't that useful. Also, in the later difficulty levels, don't AI's build wonders faster? So Industrious would be barely any help.

And it's easy to stay in my comfort zone, but I'll try to use different strategies with other Civilizations too. I haven't come across a situation where horses were too far away, but like you said, it could happen. Who knows, I might find a better strategy with a different Civilization.

Originally Posted by DaveMcW

War chariot rush works all the way to immortal, as long as you find horses and balance expansion so your chariots don't go on strike.

What's so special about immortal?

[GreatEngineer]

Originally Posted by civ7777777

So I can pretty much beat every game on Noble, so I'm playing Prince now.

Congratulations on moving up the difficulty. In my opinion, saying I can win on Noble is like saying I beat the game on normal: kudos, but it's not supposed to be hard yet. I'll second the motion that the jumps up become bigger as you move.

Originally Posted by civ7777777

Basically I use Egypt because, even though both leaders have kind of useless traits, the war chariot is really effective.

I have a friend who wins consistently on immortal using Hatshepsut but no one else. Her traits are far from worthless, and that chariot is just an added bonus. I won't pillory you for slighting Egypt, but I also think Ramesses is one of the best leaders in the game.

Originally Posted by civ7777777

By that time I have the most land and either win by domination, or if I don't take over any other civilizations cause they're on a different continent or something, I win by space race.

In your post you listed killing at max 2 civilizations, and then you get the domination or space race win. Besides Noble, what settings are you playing on? That seems like a really quick win.

[civ7777777]

Originally Posted by GreatEngineer

In your post you listed killing at max 2 civilizations, and then you get the domination or space race win. What settings are you playing on besides difficulty? That seems like a really quick win.

No I'm of course I don't win space race or domination right after killing two civs lol. I'm just skipping over everything else cause I try to be the first to cavalry, then kill weak civilizations. Or if that doesn't work, than I go straight for tanks, then kill weak civilizations. And if both of those don't work, then I always win by space race, just that I get a lot less points for it. (When I say go straight to cavalry or tanks, I don't mean like straight straight. In the middle I research useful technologies like communism or whatever).

[CornPlanter]

Also, in the later difficulty levels, don't AI's build wonders faster? So Industrious would be barely any help.

They do build faster, so industrious is indeed a help. If you are not industrious, most of the time you dont even try to go after wonders. If you still fail wonder race, you get much more money w/ industrious. Also there's a difference between investing 600 hammers into wonder and 300 hammers into wonder/300 hammers into units if you see what I mean. Last but not least, industrious gives you cheaper Forges.

As for civics, switching or not switching them is often not a matter of personal taste, its a matter of effectiveness. Usually effective way of playing would involve switching them very often if not the downside in a form of anarchy. Spiritual removes this downside.

It's just that on levels like Noble it is really hard to evaluate effectiveness of more subtle things 'cause when its so easy you can do lots of not-very-effective decisions or downright mistakes and nothing seems to change: you still smack down hapless AI with ease, you still build any wonder you like, you still have and edge in technology and you still can win the game with ease. I recall back when I was playing prince, traits like spiritual, expensive or organized seemed ridiculous to me, I valued only financial, philosophical and aggressive

What's so special about immortal?

Chariot rush does work on immortal too, I'm sure. I believe he meant "...including immortal".

[GreatEngineer]

Originally Posted by civ7777777

No I'm of course I don't win space race or domination right after killing two civs lol. I'm just skipping over everything else...

Okay, good. For a second I thought you meant you were playing on a duel map with 3 civs or something and just rushed really fast each time, which would be really cheap.

Originally Posted by CornPlanter

They do build faster, so industrious is indeed a help. If you are not industrious, most of the time you dont even try to go after wonders. If you still fail wonder race, you get much more money w/ industrious. Also there's a difference between investing 600 hammers into wonder and 300 hammers into wonder/300 hammers into units if you see what I mean. Last but not least, industrious gives you cheaper Forges.

Very well said, I agree with everything 100%. Especially how having cheap forges is huge.

[civ7777777]

Originally Posted by CornPlanter

It's just that on levels like Noble it is really hard to evaluate effectiveness of more subtle things 'cause when its so easy you can do lots of not-very-effective decisions or downright mistakes and nothing seems to change: you still smack down hapless AI with ease, you still build any wonder you like, you still have and edge in technology and you still can win the game with ease.

Maybe I didn't make it clear, but I was using this strategy on prince

Originally Posted by GreatEngineer

Okay, good. For a second I thought you meant you were playing on a duel map with 3 civs or something and just rushed really fast each time, which would be really cheap.



Very well said, I agree with everything 100%. Especially how having cheap forges is huge.

Yeah I played duel map before on epic speed, and captured the opponent's city before they could make a unit to guard it lol . But I agree, that's really cheap, and I only did that once just for fun.

Oh right, I forgot all about cheap forges! Now that I think of it, that's really useful

[Shafi]

If you like the egyptian WC's. Try the Persians IMHO the persian UU (also a chariot based unit) the "Immortal" is even better, they come with a bonus against Archers. And you start with Agri + Hunting both the prereq techs for AH! Darius has the most amazing trait combination Fin + Org. (Cyrus is not too bad with Cha + Imp)

[VoiceOfUnreason]

Two thoughts

Originally Posted by civ7777777

After experimenting with lots of different civilizations, I came up with a strategy that seems to work

Your strategy is lonely - you should adopt a second one to keep it company.

Originally Posted by civ7777777

Basically I use Egypt because, even though both leaders have kind of useless traits, the war chariot is really effective.

I have to point out that Hatshepsut is the leader I recommend to beginners because she is "easy mode". The traits are a big part of that (basically, with her traits and her chariots you can play the game any way you like).

[civ7777777]

Originally Posted by Shafi

If you like the egyptian WC's. Try the Persians IMHO the persian UU (also a chariot based unit) the "Immortal" is even better, they come with a bonus against Archers. And you start with Agri + Hunting both the prereq techs for AH! Darius has the most amazing trait combination Fin + Org. (Cyrus is not too bad with Cha + Imp)

I considered using Persian immortals in place of war chariots, but realized that while Egypt only needs to research animal husbandry, Persia has to research both animal husbandry AND the wheel. Now that I think about it though, researching one more technology won't take too much time. Darius has Financial/Organized?! I really need to get BTS

[lymond]

Originally Posted by civ7777777

I really need to get BTS

yes you do

[vicawoo]

War chariots are 25% stronger than immortals, so they are equal strength against 150% bonus and better after, not including first strikes. So they're better against archers on a hill with 20% culture or CG1, or a 40% capital with a CG1 archer (say protective).

[Fluxx]

As mentioned before Hathy is there in the top3 best leaders in civ.

My only advice to you is, play alot, dont be afraid to move difficulties up quickly, even when you loose, keep trying.

When you are settled somewhere in prince/monarch try playing different leaders, and your game will improve by itself.

Oh, and read this section of the forums often

[troytheface]

a good strategy

egypt- war chariots - kill neighbor- kill other neighbor if you have to

well done

[GreatEngineer]

Originally Posted by civ7777777

I considered using Persian immortals in place of war chariots, but realized that while Egypt only needs to research animal husbandry, Persia has to research both animal husbandry AND the wheel. Now that I think about it though, researching one more technology won't take too much time. Darius has Financial/Organized?! I really need to get BTS

Something to consider is that having both hunting and agriculture gives you a bonus to researching AH. So while Persia forces you to research an extra technology, it's not that far out of the way.

Also, BTS adds so many dimensions to the game! I can't wait for you to get it!

[jihe]

Originally Posted by Shafi

If you like the egyptian WC's. Try the Persians IMHO the persian UU (also a chariot based unit) the "Immortal" is even better, they come with a bonus against Archers. And you start with Agri + Hunting both the prereq techs for AH! Darius has the most amazing trait combination Fin + Org. (Cyrus is not too bad with Cha + Imp)

egypt starts with the wheel