Dom V Civ Suggestions

[EvilPocatello]

I've been playing for a while now, but rarely go for domination. I'm trying to spice up the Civ experience by going all out for Dom victories.

I tried the obvious, Zulu (emperor level), but fizzled out when four civs gang attacked me. I had already taken down Greece and Japan, but low happiness was killing me. I think I waited too long to spring my attack, I wanted a massive force of Impis.

I'm thinking Poland for my next attempt, since they are good for all types of victories. Mongols seem obvious too, but I really don't like to attack CS because they are all that will keep happiness once you are in full on combat mode.

I also thought maybe Egypt for the Burial tombs. Go wide, steal resources, and build BT's in every city to counter unhappiness.

Any other suggestions, beyond the obvious choices?

 

[docbud]

Definitely Poland. Mongolia is pretty good, but the Keshiks have a limited shelf life (and some of their promotions don't carry over when upgraded). I've played games as them where I left the city states alone and actually defended them. I know it's not how they are supposed to be played, but it worked out well.

I've had good luck with Dom victories with Arabia (the camel archers are great), and America.

If a continents or water map, England is good, too.

When you played as the Zulus, were you puppeting, annexing, or razing cities?

 

[docbud]

To add--I just won a Domination Victory (but unofficial). I ended up winning a cultural victory one turn before I took the last AI's capital.

I was playing as Korea. I was so far ahead in science that I was using rocket artillery and infantry against the AI's riflemen and cannons.

I feel guilty when I play as Poland or Korea (or Babylon). Like I should play one difficulty level higher just for playing as them.

 

[EvilPocatello]

Definitely Poland. Mongolia is pretty good, but the Keshiks have a limited shelf life (and some of their promotions don't carry over when upgraded). I've played games as them where I left the city states alone and actually defended them. I know it's not how they are supposed to be played, but it worked out well.

I've had good luck with Dom victories with Arabia (the camel archers are great), and America.

If a continents or water map, England is good, too.

When you played as the Zulus, were you puppeting, annexing, or razing cities?

I'm glad you asked that, as I forgot to include in my OP. I raze almost everything except cities with wonders or luxuries, and usually anything over 10. I annex those. I rarely puppet a city, as I don't want to have to keep funneling troops for defense. Just burn it to the ground.

I played England once on a small continents map, I agree they are fun, I went Exploration and added movement promotions, eight naval movement. Good stuff. Like the longbows too. AI is just too dismal at warfare on a naval board. Seems like it would be too easy.

I like the Arabia suggestion. Might try them instead of Poland. Many thanks.

 

[phillipwyllie]

Definitely Poland. Mongolia is pretty good, but the Keshiks have a limited shelf life....

Mongolia/Arabia is probably the easiest DomV civ. By the time Keshiks become obsolete you will have won.

 

[meatpardle]

I need to put more time into dom victories, it just isn't my natural playing style.

Aside from the obvious, Ethiopia (playing tall) and China both seem decent shouts - both have a decent UU (although Ethiopia's is more for defending), a UA that supports war and a UB that indirectly benefits early on.

 

[Kriogen]

For me, most reliable DomV is Artilery rush. Works with any civ.

Tradition/Commerce/Autocracy or Tradition/Patronage/Autocracy. Start is like you'd go for science victory, but after Education, you go hard for Dynamite(Artilery).

While you are building, researching, you take extra care to get as many happy faces you can, have solid economy(gold) and bribe other AIs to hate each other (but not you).

War ain't cheap (gold), people in general don't like it(happy faces) and you don't want others to jump on you at the same time(you bribe to distract AI fighting each other and not you).

You also don't build artilery, you pre-build trebs, cannons and then upgrade them when you pop Dynamite with Oxford. "Time" is important. You want to get arties fast. Its a "rush".

After artilery, you press hard to get anti-air units. Artilery is strong, unstopable, almost cheat mode ... if there are no bombers around.

While any civ will do, some civs are better. Like Babylon/Korea(science), Poland(free policies), etc ...

 

[Puhi]

I definitely recommend Arabia. Camel archers are really great, and the double luxuries from bazaars give you lots of happiness and gold through trades. Poland may be stronger overall, but Arabia's UU and UB work so well together for domination.

 

[miaasma]

arabia, poland and zulu are great

if you want to get started early then try the huns

 

[Popedesu]

I'd have to say Korea, simply due to the science, you'll get so far ahead, plus you get the first ideology, so with enough culture you can easily increase happiness with Ideology policies. (Plus this also means first to lightning warfare on autocracy, land ship OP.) Also you should rush Alhambra, it will let your units automatically upgrade to blitz as long as you choose drill for all their promotions, till blitz. Just get a good culture and start rolling out of control with science.

 

[claudiupb]

If you want a late game domination you can try Germany, they have pretty cool bonuses that go well with Order, and then there is the Panzer which is pretty good.

For earlier domination you can go with any civ that has a ranged UU from medieval era: Mongolia, England (very good for continents), China, Arabia. I listed them in the order of my preference. With any of those the game will be very easy, and you usually win before the industrial era or in the early industrial.

There are also other civs with war flavor that can be very good, but sometimes not as fun: Zulu, Huns, America, Ottomans, and lots more.

 

[beetle]

See consentient's Domination on Immortal/Deity - a noob's guide.

 

[Sclb]

If you want safe domination on high difficulty, you should start after you have artillery and get triplane/GWB ASAP, you need mounted units or tanks to capture cities and pillage. CB/XB will get your win faster, but more risk involved on high difficulty. I personally like late game domination more as ideology makes happiness much easier to manage. If you want to be even safer, you can wait until you have nuclear missiles, stealth bombers and Xcoms, but doing so on deity may leave certain civs closing in on science victories.