Peace and prosperity strategy

[Out4Blood]

I'm playing on Emperor-level, as Egyptians. Game is nearing Modern Age.

My initial gameplan was to aggressively make contact with as many civs as possible and begin trading with them immediately. I sidetracked myself just a bit when I stopped to get the Pyramids (woot!) which really set back my settler production, and hence my expansion plans. However, the trading has worked out great and have massive, intertwining trade deals with every civ on the globe.

I am a demoracy and have almost no army, but I have not been harassed at all by any of the AIs. Our trade agreements average about 30-40 gold per turn with each civ + luxuries + strategic resources. War rages around me, and my neighbors have asked me to get involved but I have declined. Because of the luxuries, and the trade agreements, my science rate is pegged at 100%. (Never had that before.) I have about 25 cities and most of them are celebrating WLKD. Not sure I can win this, but if I do it'll be late game conquest or space-race.

Key strategic points:
1. Trade constantly with all AIs
2. Maintain tech equality across civs, at least until I can develop science base and pull away. Buy and sell to all, or research and sell to all
3. Miniscule military (e.g., 1 unit per town)
4. Culture buildings first, research buildings second
5. Research goal of getting Democracy as early as possible
6. Build only KEY wonders (e.g., Pyramids, JS Bach, etc.)
7. Never make mutual protection agreements (avoid war at all costs)
8. Focus efforts on cultural assimilation of nearby AI cities (gained 4 through culture already)
9. Trade for luxuries (every town currently has 6 of the 8 luxuries) and make marketplaces to maximize impact
10. Keep towns in WLKD status as much as possible

[Sam_Catchem]

Good luck.

I tried to be the ultra peaceful civ in warlord and got myself hammered. The other civs must have grown envious of my wealth and access to numerous reources and decided to invade.

I traded and kept up good relations..but they saw I was weak and decided to get rid of me.

I am curious how this turns out for you. Sounds like it is going quite well. I am willing to give it a try if everything does ultimately turn out well.

[shirleyrocks]

I agree with you that trading with other civs should be at the top of the list. The AI LOVES a successful trade. And if relations start to sour a bit, usually all it takes is a small gift of gold 10-100 to perk up their spirits again.

It probably also helps if you're not playing the Germans, Russians or Zulu. They're always bastards.

[Out4Blood]

Yea, I am purposely keepin my treasury low and I do not have access to many strategic resources. I suppose my fate may change if it turns out I am the only source of oil :-) Then again, the balance of power might change in my favor as well...

[Out4Blood]

I finally had to abandon this game (and the strategy). The map was too huge for my computer to handle quickly - each turn was taking nearly 5 minutes JUST FOR THE COMPUTER! I do not think I was going to win it either. The computer had too many cities and I did not have enough military to go to war with any of them that were left. I also did not have nearly enough cities to compete with them in a space race. So while I was in 4th and gaining on the leaders, I did not want to waste the 50 or so hours required to finish what was probably a lost cause.

I have dropped some components of this strategy. I will repost the revised version.

[Atreidis_42o]

Except you need to play a huge mapo with 16 civs. I only have 10 cities. I admit I am on regent. But I am playing the greeks. I have never had a war. it is the early 1600's I have science at 100% I have over 50,000 gold in my coffers and currently just over 1000 per turn comming in. I also am suckign up all excess reasources and luxuries. basiclaly, I am "Cornering the market" all the other civs are lucky to get 500 to 1000 gold before I take ti all away from them by trading them all the newest tech I have discovered. being a perfectionist things are workign ut GREAT. being that I have a low score I am a little bit bummbed, I am just about to enter the modern technology areana. I am toyign with waging an espionage/culture war on everyone and seeing how far I get. I liek tot hink I came up with this stratagy. I got the game on october 31st. I guerss I didn't. but maybe I could share some of the spotlite for it. :-D BTW. Greece works PERFECTLY for this stratogy being Scientific & Comercial, lovely to have thouse paired bonuses . usually get upwards of 80 gold per turn from other civs. ahve gotten my income as high as 16XX gold a turn and have had civs payign me over 140 gold per turn at times. this is my stratagy from Civ2 personafied. now... if we juuuuust had MARCO POLO'S EMBASY.......

[Atreidis_42o]

WLTKD is NOT important, for the most part, it is helpful though, maybe even key now & then (gov't shift), but you should maximize for production. that leads to the other civs respecting yoru smaller military.

[eyrei]

Even when I play a peaceful civ (which is most of the time), after I develop riflemen, I pump out three or four per city. I don't think the AI distinguishes between offensive and defensive units when determining the strength of your military. A properly run peaceful civ should easily afford a military this size, without seriously impacting your economy. When the AI perceives a strong military, trades are more favorable as well.