madscientist
RPC Supergenius
I will post Brennus tomorrow as I plan to use him in my next RPC.
Leaders: How to play them and how to play against them!
- Thread starter madscientist
- Start date
The Almighty dF
Pharaoh
Suppose you ever came up with a guide for him?
ventrue
Warlord
I was able to win with Mao, Brennus and Rameses. I think I will start on the French next.
Mao and Rameses were pretty easy wins and I think they are pretty good civs to play.
Brennus sucks, imo. It took me 4 times to win with him. I tried everything from cultural to conquest, but finally ended up just getting a cheap space victory. I think he is difficult to play for the average player. I don't like him, but that is probably because I don't understand the best way to play him. I would imagine he would be only good for cultural or domination games.
Mao and Rameses were pretty easy wins and I think they are pretty good civs to play.
Brennus sucks, imo. It took me 4 times to win with him. I tried everything from cultural to conquest, but finally ended up just getting a cheap space victory. I think he is difficult to play for the average player. I don't like him, but that is probably because I don't understand the best way to play him. I would imagine he would be only good for cultural or domination games.
for me this is one of the best guides, although it's not even complete, but it made me think very much about how to play certain leaders just like it's done in this guide. i'd love to see you continue this guide, but maybe you're too busy with your (also excellent and entertaining) RPGs and therefore would like to have some help to enhance this guide with more leaders? i'm not talking about myself, 'cause i'd say i'm a rather mediocre player, but i'm quite sure that some of the most forumactive immortal/deity players would contribute. i really don't want you to give "your" guide out of your hands, but as i'd rate it as one of the guides you can learn the most of and especially as one of the most interesting, i'd really love to have it "complete" rather now then tomorrow 
henrebotha
proud Fender owner
Just goes to show how people differ.
My first Monarch win was space race as Brennus on Terra. Waged Classical war (Gallics!) against Charlemagne and someone else, taking them both out. Then built infrastructure (including a killer scientist city), beelined to Liberalism and took Astronomy off it, and rushed to colonise the New World, conquering barbarian cities and settling my own. Finally, I waged a modern war against the backwards and thoroughly unpopular Rameses, taking his capital and another two or three cities before capitulation, and cruised towards an easy space race win while sabotaging my rivals' attempts to do the same.I like Brennus because he's killer at ancient/classical war (thanks to free Guerilla promotions on top of Charismatic), but also gets a ton of extra happiness (one for free, one each for monument/broadcast tower, and fast temples), and can change civics or religions at a whim, turning the entire diplomatic or economic situation around as needed. I think he's more balanced than he appears at first.
madscientist
RPC Supergenius
I know I let this thread go. To be honest it's tough doing this and working on the RPCs, and with CIV V coming out my motivation to work on CIV IB stuff has ebbed.
Still once the Current RPC is done I plan to retire that series and will have time to complete this Artical as I do not like leaving lose threads.
If anyone has any preferences start listing the leaders.
Still once the Current RPC is done I plan to retire that series and will have time to complete this Artical as I do not like leaving lose threads.
If anyone has any preferences start listing the leaders.
The Almighty dF
Pharaoh
The three I'd love to see on here are Mao Zedong, Brennus, and Suryavaraman.
i'd love to see your thoughts on charlemagne (very interesting and important historical person, but as a civ4 leader...). his UU tends to be useless in my games, the UB is very situational and varies from "awesome" when you can manage a great empire quite early to "rather weak" when you're boxed in or plan to expand after communism (e.g. rushbuy with kremmlin or so)
Boudica or Brennus plz!
My opinion on the two:
Brennus-
- He is a very versatile leader in terms of traits (cheaper religous building & more efficient monuments) with the Spiritual trait and charasmatic trait (Faster & cheaper promotions for military units) makes him a peace-monger
.
Boudica-
- My favorite leader. Though she lacks economical traits, she more than makes up for it with her war traits (debatebly the best warmoger, as I once had level 5 tanks of the bat...then only 1 battle away from level 6!). Though over exspansion is the bane of her reign, learning to use her makes her a force to be reckoned with (especially in Multiplayer!)
Just my insights (I should realy expand my game...but I can't stand any other leader apart from the celts...guess I'm a scottish and aggresivly proud of it 
)
My opinion on the two:
Brennus-
- He is a very versatile leader in terms of traits (cheaper religous building & more efficient monuments) with the Spiritual trait and charasmatic trait (Faster & cheaper promotions for military units) makes him a peace-monger
.Boudica-
- My favorite leader. Though she lacks economical traits, she more than makes up for it with her war traits (debatebly the best warmoger, as I once had level 5 tanks of the bat
...then only 1 battle away from level 6!). Though over exspansion is the bane of her reign, learning to use her makes her a force to be reckoned with (especially in Multiplayer!)Just my insights
(I should realy expand my game...but I can't stand any other leader apart from the celts...guess I'm a scottish and aggresivly proud of it )
madscientist
RPC Supergenius
Peter (Philosophical and Expansive ), starts with Mining and Hunting
Unique Unit : Cossacks (+50% versus Mounted),
Unique Building :Research Institute (Lab with 2 free scientists)
Mad's Opinion: Made for an SE game, both early and late.
Mad's successful Peter Spy Extraordinaire III (An espionage economy): http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=306844
How to play with: (Specialists, Specialists, Specialists!)
Peter, One of the best leaders for running an Specialist Based Economy (Note, I am NOT proposing No cottages here), however patience is needed. Philosophical get's those Great Scientists very fast which can be used to bulb technologies for tech trading (thus a peaceful Peter gives you the biggest return) or mass academy building. Meanwhile the expansive trait allows fast Graneries and thus faster population growth. For this reason he may be one of those few non-Industrial leaders where you want to get the Pyramids, as representation is a civic Peter wants all game (Let the Russian People speak out!). This really comes to fruitation late rin the game with the UB which provides an extra 15 beakers per city under representation. AN unusual tech path of Physics/Electricity/Refridgeration/Superconductors is preferred here and not all that difficult. The Philosophical trait also allows Peter to exploit Corps, especially the 2 food ones. On the Military side Peter starts with Mining and hunting so fast early defense or an early Axe-Rush is definitely possible here. Without an early target, the rifling/Cossacks era is the ideal time but do not get too arrogant with the Cossacks as they are no better that regular cavalry against rifles although Cossacks can defend stacks very well (the Ai cannot really trash your cannons too much with collateral damage).
What to expect from AI Peter (favorite civic is Bureacracy): The most trustworthy of the three Russians which is not saying too much. He can be trusted as an Ally and if you build a good relationship (He has a good favorite Civic) you can trust him throughout the game. However, care must be taken as he will backstab and can be bribed into wars. He is the weakest of the three as far as warring and is usually one of the easier leaders to overwhelm. He can be a threat in a late game space race but rarely is he a large enough empire to seriously threaten you.
Unique Unit : Cossacks (+50% versus Mounted),
Unique Building :Research Institute (Lab with 2 free scientists)
Mad's Opinion: Made for an SE game, both early and late.
Mad's successful Peter Spy Extraordinaire III (An espionage economy): http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=306844
How to play with: (Specialists, Specialists, Specialists!)
Peter, One of the best leaders for running an Specialist Based Economy (Note, I am NOT proposing No cottages here), however patience is needed. Philosophical get's those Great Scientists very fast which can be used to bulb technologies for tech trading (thus a peaceful Peter gives you the biggest return) or mass academy building. Meanwhile the expansive trait allows fast Graneries and thus faster population growth. For this reason he may be one of those few non-Industrial leaders where you want to get the Pyramids, as representation is a civic Peter wants all game (Let the Russian People speak out!). This really comes to fruitation late rin the game with the UB which provides an extra 15 beakers per city under representation. AN unusual tech path of Physics/Electricity/Refridgeration/Superconductors is preferred here and not all that difficult. The Philosophical trait also allows Peter to exploit Corps, especially the 2 food ones. On the Military side Peter starts with Mining and hunting so fast early defense or an early Axe-Rush is definitely possible here. Without an early target, the rifling/Cossacks era is the ideal time but do not get too arrogant with the Cossacks as they are no better that regular cavalry against rifles although Cossacks can defend stacks very well (the Ai cannot really trash your cannons too much with collateral damage).
What to expect from AI Peter (favorite civic is Bureacracy): The most trustworthy of the three Russians which is not saying too much. He can be trusted as an Ally and if you build a good relationship (He has a good favorite Civic) you can trust him throughout the game. However, care must be taken as he will backstab and can be bribed into wars. He is the weakest of the three as far as warring and is usually one of the easier leaders to overwhelm. He can be a threat in a late game space race but rarely is he a large enough empire to seriously threaten you.
Bandobras Took
Emperor
One could make the argument that if you got boxed in as Charlemagne you played him wrong in the first place. You're Imperialistic, you start with Mysticism and hunting (one tech away from Protective Archers), and have a UB that lets you recover from overexpansion. You should be solidly in charge of your continent unless you were in circumstances where even Imperialistic wouldn't help.
Also, the Landsknecht is the perfect complement to an army of Drill promoted Crossbows and Trebuchets -- give it a try some time; it requires deviating from the Tech Path handed down to us from the Forefathers, but that in itself can be a refreshing change of pace.
dirtyparrot
Upholding Brannigan's Law
- Joined
- Oct 6, 2005
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- 1,841
I was just reading your breakdown of Hyuana Capac and it might be worth noting that if you have multiple agricultural resources, it's a decent gamble to take a stab at hinduism or buddhism and not have to fear about wasted worker turns and stifling early growth. I thinking specifically in regards to higher difficulties.
Quick question on playing against Ragnar AI:
Will he DoW from Friendly? He's planning a war with someone and has SoDs with Berz, CB and Trebs passing through my territory. If he won't hit me directly, I've got a situation that just hasn't come up much in my games before. Ragnar's worst enemy is Elizabeth. She ASKED to vassall to me and I agreed. Everyone has same religion. They're still worst enemies, but it's only cautious between them. With her as my vassal, will he DoW her even though we're pals?
Will he DoW from Friendly? He's planning a war with someone and has SoDs with Berz, CB and Trebs passing through my territory. If he won't hit me directly, I've got a situation that just hasn't come up much in my games before. Ragnar's worst enemy is Elizabeth. She ASKED to vassall to me and I agreed. Everyone has same religion. They're still worst enemies, but it's only cautious between them. With her as my vassal, will he DoW her even though we're pals?
IIRC (but I might be wrong), a civ can't declare on a vassal, only on a master, and what is weighted in the DoW decission is a combination of the attitudes towards both master and vassal. So as long as you keep good friends with Ragnar he probably won't declare even if he doesn't like Elizabeth much.
Kind of. A Civ declaring on a master or vassal effectively declares war on BOTH. IIRC Ragnar WILL attack at pleased and, you're right, it's a combination of attitudes. Problem with that is, if he doesn't like Elizabeth, it's practically impossible to get him to friendly. If he doesn't like your vassal, watch it! Ragnar is one of the most dangerous and warlike AI's.
Editor Rex: A Civ won't plan a war against you at Friendly. However, if he was pleased, starting planning a war, and then turned Friendly, he can still attack. Basically, you can only completely trust an AI that's been Friendly for a while (except Cathy on occasion). And yes, as above, he can attack you at Pleased. About half of the AI can plan a war at Pleased and half can't.
That's what I was thinking. I never found out for sure what he had in mind because I invaded rather that wait around to find out. Had to take 5 cities with almost no losses (Rifles vs. Longbows) before he gave up. Two conquests later, Vassal Ragnar takes as many cities from Napoleon as I do. Handy to have Vikings on a leash.
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