First Time Going For Domination

[rover6695]

Any tips?
Is a Pangenia map really necessary?

 

[MightySpice]

It is really easy on islands.

 

[Kriogen]

If you play on pangea, you don't have to bother with naval tech, navy, swimming. Its easier. More comfortable. Build land units and go, go go.

Very water map (archipelago, islands) is like pangea. Skip land units, build large navy, go, go, go.

Maps that are in the middle (continents style) are a bit harder.

Tips:
- diplomacy is just as important as your pointy sticks. As you fight, others will hate you. You need to keep them calm so they don't attack you all at the same time. Divide&conquer.

 

[rover6695]

So it's highly recommended I do a water or land map, not my usual small continents plus?

As for diplomacy, how do you keep them calm?

 

[beetle]

It is really easy on islands.

Except that, as a rule-of-thumb, you do not what to have to wait until Astronomy to first start. It depends what islands gives you.

So it's highly recommended I do a water or land map, not my usual small continents plus?

Nothing wrong with small continents plus, especially since that is what you are used to. But maybe hold out for a one where you do roll a neighbor? I would think you would want to practice taking a city early with archers and CBs. That is a generalizable skill. The water separation will make things easier, so that is good for your first time going for domination. Divide and conquer, and the ocean helps with the divide part. Plus the AI is terrible at naval warfare.

As for diplomacy, how do you keep them calm?

Clearing your continent early is part of keeping the AI calm. Dead men tell no tales. You have 2x the space of every else, so you play as you usually do, timing your world wide domination push for the unit of your choice. Maybe frigates?

Your first target should be an AI that everyone else hates. Bribe the target to DOW several civs, then DOW the target. Stay at war until you have their cap, and you are confident they cannot recover, but probably do not kill them off. So now you have 2 of 7 caps.

See if you cannot repeat this trick once more, 3 of 7 caps.

Now things are starting to get tense, but you only need trades with one or two AIs. 4-on-1 is harsh, but you can handle 2-on-1. Once ideologies are up, you know how that will shape future relations. So use that to pick your next two targets. 5 of 7 caps, and it is time to take caps from your former allies. I always let the DOFs expire, just for the RP.

Your last couple of strikes might be more surgical, since you only need to hold the next-to-last cap for a couple turns, and if the last cap flips right back -- you have already won!

 

[MightySpice]

the ai is wrater stupid when it comes to a navy. On islands pretty much all capitals are sea-based. it is very easy to capture them all in a small time-frame.

 

[Kriogen]

..
As for diplomacy, how do you keep them calm?

Its more art then science.

As Beetle said, dead man tell no tales. You want scouts, get in contact with others, but maybe don't scout too wide.

Bribes:
- Theodora: you filthy warmonger, go away!
- Me: "I give you 1gpt just because I like you Theodora"
- .. she likes that, but is still grumpy
- Me: "O great warrior Attila will you attack Theodora for 1 Wine"
- Attila: ... no problemo!
- Theo calls: this world so brutal, will you be my best friend
- ... no, but I prep my units and when Theo and Attila are fighting, I attack whichever is not loosing. Now, they will be weakened by fighting. So war will be easier. But I don't want that one will get too big, so I attack the bigger one (that is still weakened by war on 2 fronts).
- at the same time I give gifts to everyone. 1gpt, horse, iron, whatever. AI reeealy like gifts.
- at every give oportunity I do Theo/Attila trick with everyone

 

[beetle]

I agree that it is more art than science. And with your Theo/Attila example, and with gifts.

You want scouts, get in contact with others, but maybe don't scout too wide.

OP likes small continents, so can scout as much as he is able.

Is a Pangenia map really necessary?

Pangaea is popular because it is gives fairly consistent results, so you can use the same overall strategy from game to game. Plus the watery maps nerfing the AIs fighting ability makes them less popular because they feel too easy. But no, Pangaea is not necessary. Any strategy that works on Pangaea should work on other maps. Continents is also very popular because the kill-your-neighbor-before-anyone-notices is so much more feasible than with Pangaea. But there is not so much water on Continents (and Continents plus) that Domination VC feels contrived.

 

[lizacarr]

You would play comfortably at islands.

 

[pdxmm]

One could also make a deal with the devil and go for DoF with the biggest war monger on the map and together wipe out the world until it is just the 2 of you. It depends on difficulty level for sure but it has worked for me in the past