I Heart Egypt

[fmlizard2]

Wow, I've been reluctant to use them much since they usually clock in near the bottom of most "best civs" lists, but Egypt rules.

I've played 3-4 Egypt games in my life and each time I have built perhaps my strongest Civs yet. My most recent game was on Immortal (pangaea, standard) and it was the most complete Civ I ever put together. Even with a disastrously difficult center start between Denmark, Rome, Siam, and Russia (all bordering me!) the Egyptians pounded out wonders at a +50% clip (UA, Marble, Aristocracy) and had just enough defense to survive early.

For me, the big advantage of Egypt was being able to blast through Tradition and build a very strong and specialist capital through a high population. I was able to forgo Liberty, even in that mosh pit of a center start, because I was able to have the GL and NC already both built before turn 50. Tradition is stronger than Liberty...if you can get away with it. Liberty tends to be a necessary evil to be able to get up and running before you get crushed, but with early wonder builds flying by and less need for that Liberty ending GE, Egypt can build for the future with a huge population. I won a win in 1720 AD with minimal RAs (about 5-6). By this point, I had swallowed up Rome, Siam, and most of Denmark using the Mech Infantry I built in 1200 AD.

Love Egypt...just wish the war chariots were a tad more useful. Still, they are going to be my pick for this week's Deity bid.

 

[joshinda]

Do the national college, epic etc. get all the wonder multipliers?

 

[fmlizard2]

Do the national college, epic etc. get all the wonder multipliers?

Yes. Even things like Apollo Program and Utopia Project do. I built the NC in 9 turns in my referenced game, putting a bow on it at turn 49. Usually takes me 15-18 with the average Civ at that juncture. I watched Catherine trying to settle my second city site...but the speed of my NC let me take it just before her and still get my NC. Would have been hosed with any other Civ.

Unless I wanted to steal her settler and have an early war against her 2x mountains of iron...

 

[kamex]

Yes. Even things like Apollo Program and Utopia Project do. I built the NC in 9 turns in my referenced game. Usually takes me 15-18 with the average Civ at that juncture. I watched Catherine trying to settle my second city site...but the speed of my NC let me take it just before her and still get my NC. Would have been hosed with any other Civ.

Unless I wanted an early war against her 2x mountains of iron...

Apollo and Utopia too? What about manhatten. Sounds like a bug as they should be 'Projects' (like in Civ IV) and not Wonders

 

[fmlizard2]

Apollo and Utopia too? What about manhatten. Sounds like a bug as they should be 'Projects' (like in Civ IV) and not Wonders

I'm pretty sure I was getting the wonder bonuses. I tossed up Apollo in 8 turns (approx 1500-1550 AD), and have never done it in anything less than 12-13 before. Even my second city was able to do a late, useless Manhattan in 11. That is pretty crazy production to not be getting the buffs.

 

[Rpger29]

I think it does work for all of those. Remember that they are still listed in the "wonders" section of building choices. I also think they should use that bonus - it's one of the few things Egypt has going for it. I'm going to try them in my next game; I'm thinking their UU will be great for early defense.

I bet I have to reroll a few times to get a good start though

Edit: fmlizard2, can you post a ss of your total wonder count? Or a list? Did you try for or get some of the nice early growth wonders like ToA or HG?

 

[chazzycat]

Egypt is good. Free burial tombs for +8 happy is amazing at that point in the game. And who doesn't like building wonders?

 

[vexing]

the production bonus doesn't help projects.

 

[Rpger29]

Vexing, thank you for the confirmation. That's not too big of a loss. Still works on all the National wonders though right?

 

[fmlizard2]

the production bonus doesn't help projects.

Hmmm...maybe it was just the I was getting from high tradition populations, SoL boosted specialists, and the accumulated wonders I had built all game. Regardless, was not an issue by the time I was putting these end game projects together.

 

[Liegence]

Didn't someone recently reported besting a diety OCC with Egypt?

I like them alot, I think the legalism play for 4 free burial tombs is huge. War chariots aren't terrible, and their UA is a fun boost on any difficulty level b/c who doesn't love wonders?

 

[Kbo]

Did you shoot straight to philosophy after writing? Or did you bulb philo and hard tech some military? Having both built before turn 50 is pretty compelling, I have to admit I haven't played much of egypt myself since they're not warmonger civs.

 

[fmlizard2]

Did you shoot straight to philosophy after writing? Or did you bulb philo and hard tech some military? Having both built before turn 50 is pretty compelling, I have to admit I haven't played much of egypt myself since they're not warmonger civs.

IIRC, my tech path was Pottery, Writing, Calendar (had wine), Philosophy. GL came on turn 40, at same turn as Philosophy, where I took Theology - big free tech and era jump for turn 40. Your CS allies will be HUGE then for that game stage. Then, it was on to Masonry (I got Mining from a hut).

Policy path was all tradition. Opener, Aristocracy, the one that gives free garrisons, Legalism. Waited for one free Burial Tomb, but can't wait for the 4 cities...wanted the bonuses too much.

After clearing tradition, I took a couple Patronage policies, then started in on Rationalism. The minimum 20 influence is really big when recovering from Siam's patronage and endless DoW strategy.

 

[Buccaneer]

I won with cultural victory Egypt on king that could've easily won on emperor. Wonders in the capital and War Chariots to defend made the victory possible early on.

 

[qalsip1977]

Didn't someone recently reported besting a diety OCC with Egypt?

This guy

 

[w a i n y]

Love Egypt...just wish the war chariots were a tad more useful. Still, they are going to be my pick for this week's Deity bid.

Just expect their wonder trait to be significantly less useful on deity (except possibly if you have the wonders DLC). No GL slingshot to philosophy, likely, and the AI will come at you with more units.

 

[qalsip1977]

Just expect their wonder trait to be significantly less useful on deity (except possibly if you have the wonders DLC). No GL slingshot to philosophy, likely, and the AI will come at you with more units.

It's entirely possible to get GL on deity. I've done it more than once, so has MadDjinn, and I wouldn't say Egypt's UA is less useful. It's really the only equalizer IMO (marble is a must as well). Even though the AI sends units at you en masse...creative diplomacy (and a little RNG) goes a long way at keeping you safe. I've successfully completed a deity OCC cultural victory with both Egypt and Korea.

 

[fmlizard2]

And I just took down Deity. First time (that I won, not played). I played as Egypt, and I won by in 1720 AD. I was on a pangaea and was fairly isolated to my own peninsula. I used Egypt's UA to get GL on turn 39, NC on turn 48, and then I built the Hagia Sophia and used the GE on Porcelain Tower on turn 93. I had no marble, but I did have my UA and Aristocracy.

After that, I won in spite of Egypt. Never built another wonder. A runaway Nebuchadnezzar put up a real fight in ...I never did pass him in pure techs cleared.

Other than that, it was a study in doing more with less. I only built 3 cities on a tundra-filled land. I had 0 horses, 0 iron, 0 coal, 0 oil...though strangely enough I was absolutely a uranium tycoon (4 deposits!), which I found out 7 turns from victory

The key, of course, was RA spam. But the real key was keeping peace with everyone, including a wicked powerful Siam to the south. I learned the value of buying wars to keep my hide safe.

 

[qalsip1977]

But the real key was keeping peace with everyone, including a wicked powerful Siam to the south. I learned the value of buying wars to keep my hide safe.

There is a real skill to this, in fact, and knowing the right timing can make or break any sort of peaceful victory. I've even seen it delay Civs from building wonders (my Korea win I bribed America to attack Egypt after reloading when Rammy had built GL, and I got GL instead). Good work

 

[Karpyan]

Congrats on the win - I agree that there is art to keeping things peaceful. Seem to be coping well with Immortal now, so it might be time to try the move up....