All the ways to get free settlers

[FriKitty]

Hello everyone! I'm having a bit of a specific issue and Google doesn't help that much.

What are all the ways that AI can get free settlers? It doesn't have to be easy, just possible. I know just these:

-One free settler at the start of the game
-Some ancient ruins give settlers
-Defeating barbarians can give settlers (I'm not sure about this one)
-Deity difficulty gives another settler to AI

You guys know anything else?

The reason is, since I started playing Civ3, I've always enjoyed playing alone. And Civ5 won't give me that option natively, so I used the mod "Really Advanced Setup", I even had to go find an older version to get the "optional settlers" option and so give AI no settlers at the start. But then, if no barbarian killed them, they'd eventually find an ancient ruin that gave them a settler. I just want to avoid the AI civilization to have one settler until I find the non-combat unit I gave them and kill it.

If there is an unavoidable free settlers I guess I'll have to turn on barbarians and hope they get killed soon but... If possible I'd like to play with no barbarians too. Or maybe have less of them on the map, they're kinda annoying.

 

[so_what]

Liberty - collective rule
Venice - optic

 

[raider980]

How did the AI get a settler from Ancient Ruins? The player can't get settlers from the ruins, at least not in BNW. Unless the mod you're using introduces it. And killing barbs doesn't give settlers either without mods.

 

[Nizef]

How did the AI get a settler from Ancient Ruins? The player can't get settlers from the ruins, at least not in BNW. Unless the mod you're using introduces it. And killing barbs doesn't give settlers either without mods.

On Settler difficulty the player can indeed get a settler from a ruin, if I am not mistaken.

 

[FriKitty]

On Settler difficulty the player can indeed get a settler from a ruin, if I am not mistaken.

Must be this! I got one the other day and the only mod I have is the one I said.

Liberty - collective rule
Venice - optic

... Ah. Well, I don't have Venice (I only have base game) but if Liberty gives a settler to AI as well... then my only option must be to turn barbarians on and let AI get killed soon.

Welp, still better than actual wars.

Or... I mean... can you get culture points without having at least a city? Would it be possible to get that free settler in this situation?

 

[bobbobbybobbob]

How can defeating barbarians or a barbarian camp give free settlers?

You wanna play alone? Uhhh.. how come? I mean I guess you could play on Settler and on the smallest map. Wipe the AI of the planet and choice "one more turn" after you get the domination victory. Or you could just add anyone on the forum. You then host a game with a friend and the friend deletes the settler and leaves. There is probably possible to just remove the AI settler by installing some mod that allows you to manipulate the game how you want to play it.

 

[Xiomn]

Doesn't the AI get a free settler form the Authority tree in Vox Populi?
I limited all my games so Civs can only settle 4 cities (+1 if they go authority). Much funner game when the entire map isn't spammed with every Civ having 10+ cities.. especially when there's 30+ civs in a game.
You can edit the free units ai get at the beginning of the game in civilisations XML file under freeunits category.

 

[Phil Ken Sebben]

Ya, the city spam in this game can sometimes get out of control. The AI actually seems to think - contrary to Civ 6's - and often claims places with good resources before I can get to them.

I appreciate the tips for free settlers.