Mastering Realism Invictus - Hints and Tips.

[CivEikka]

you are definitely playing under your level

Monarch is too easy, immortal usually kicks me in the teeth.

 

[HannibalBarka]

Monarch is too easy, immortal usually kicks me in the teeth.

I actually had the same experience in the beginning as well, and than I now manage to deal with Immortal games. I don't win all the time, and I don't lose all the time either, so it's really good because nothing is settled
try to play with the civ/leader you think are best for your play style for example to make the first Immo games easier , enter WB, if you don't have someone to do it for you, and "cheat" on the map to have an easier game

 

[Antmanbrooks]

What map settings you guys use?

I usually play on my own version of Perfect Mongoose (I changed things on it). The map is GIANT (Same size as the GEM) and I messed around with the bonus placement in CIV4BonusInfos so that copper, horses and some other resources are more realistically placed.

I play with vassels turned off, random events on, tech trading off, require complete kills and AI plays to win. Emperor level. Usually between 18-20 civs. On a map that size it gives regions of emptiness and barbarian cities usually form groups of 4-6 cities in these regions splitting AI civ's and the player from other civs.

The game usually pans out in line with the advances on earth using this setting. Because of the size of the oceans there are usually late contact with Civs on other continents too.

 

[HannibalBarka]

I usually play on my own version of Perfect Mongoose (I changed things on it). The map is GIANT (Same size as the GEM) and I messed around with the bonus placement in CIV4BonusInfos so that copper, horses and some other resources are more realistically placed.

I play with vassels turned off, random events on, tech trading off, require complete kills and AI plays to win. Emperor level. Usually between 18-20 civs. On a map that size it gives regions of emptiness and barbarian cities usually form groups of 4-6 cities in these regions splitting AI civ's and the player from other civs.

The game usually pans out in line with the advances on earth using this setting. Because of the size of the oceans there are usually late contact with Civs on other continents too.

I just started a new game on your version of PM (all options set at defaults). I like the shape of the continents, resources placement is good apart from food resources in starting location (I had to cheat and add food to all civs in their SP on WB). The map does still create a lot of tundra though and places many civs in tundra lands. It creates a lot of differences for civs starting conditions. for that reason I added one food to tundra and made founding cities possible in swaps. I find it more balanced that way.
PM gives a lot more space than PG for example, for that reason I find it easier because you won't have a neighbour only 10 tiles ways declaring war before 2000BC.

 

[PatriceLumumba]

I know this hasn't been used in a while but I recently started getting very into RI after a long (5 years or so) hiatus from Civ and I have been loving it ! I won a game on Prince then bumped it up to Monarch and am enjoying my game. I am going for a cultural victory (which I believe is 100k culture?) Both with the Zulu. The mod feels really dynamic and balanced. Its incredible how much depth it has and also I love the fact that i can still get so much enjoyment out of it more than 10 years after CIV's first release.

From reading through this thread, there is a lot of good advice that I have used but for any other current players, the big thing i would say is: always strive for military parity, especially if you turn on ai plays to win because you get invaded very frequently if you have any weakness. I generally do fairly well but I do cheat at times as well, like one time when i was invaded and unprepared I gave my archer several upgrades to allow him to fight off the invading force but honestly you really just need to be always prepared in order to avoid this.

Also it seems like people find militarism a weak trait but Shaka with the Zulu seems really strong if you play a certain style. You're superior training allows you to generally win wars easily which can enable you to build an economy, conquer other civs etc. Another thing in favor of the Zulu is that their UU's are really strong. Sangoma are basically swordsmen which don't require iron and have medic I plus march and Impi's feel like one of the strongest units in the game for their time with 50% vs melee, additional strong bonus's against early gunpowder units, 2 movement, -1 terain cost and a 30% w chance. They do have -50% in cities but all around with Sangoma's plus Impi's the Zulu are a lot of fun to play.

Also, I actually study African history and am starting a PhD program this year but I find the historical detail and extent of well-thought ideas in this mod extremely impressive! I am blown away at the thinking, ideas and effort which have gone on to this mod. Hats off to the whole team, past and present!!!

 

[buck beach]

Help, I never can fiqure out acronyms!! Here's a list of those in the various posts above that I haven't figured out: FS promo; OB; 3S melee units; ToA; RI farms; HR; IW.

 

[AbsintheRed]

Checked some of the eariler posts (mostly from Antmanbrooks):

RI = Realism Invictus
Mids = Pyramids
ToA = Temple of Artemis
GL = Great Lighthouse
GW = Great Wall
GE = Great Engineer
GG = Great General
OB = Open Borders
3S = 3 Strength (melee)
FS = First Shoot (promo)
IW = Iron Working
HR = Horseback Riding
MA = Middle Age (?)
WB = World Builder

 

[buck beach]

Checked some of the eariler posts (mostly from Antmanbrooks):

RI = Realism Invictus
Mids = Pyramids
ToA = Temple of Artemis
GL = Great Lighthouse
GW = Great Wall
GE = Great Engineer
GG = Great General
OB = Open Borders
3S = 3 Strength (melee)
FS = First Shoot (promo)
IW = Iron Working
HR = Horseback Riding
MA = Middle Age (?)
WB = World Builder

Jeez, now that you have explained them some seem so obvious. Color me dumb!!

Thank you very much

 

[AbsintheRed]

You are welcome! Have fun playing!
Don't worry, they are sometimes hard to understand for the first time.
I for one didn't know for years that Mids was the common abbreviation for Pyramids everywhere in the strategy subforums!

EDIT: Ohh, I meant First Strike promotion, there is no First Shoot.
Also, I'm not totally sure about MA, but I guess it makes the most sense in the context it was mentioned.

 

[plasmacannon]

Infinite city sprawl is not a viable strategy in this mod.

I notice my research tends to stay around 30-50% and I wonder if anyone had figured out an optimum number of cities per map size and difficulty level?
I usually play on Prince, Standard size map, raging barbs, no vassals, no tech brokering, random events on, goody huts on.
My Economy has been such a pain, that I have started considering to only build cities in coast and river tiles for the buildings that grant extra trade routes. Those are nice, but sometimes resources and number of usable tiles have to be considered too. I can't have just one grassland hill for production for example.

What percentage of you cities build wealth to pay for armies when attacking?

When have you found to be the best time to attack? For me it's around fusiliers, occasionally swordsmen.
Anyone early rush with chariots and militia?

3S = 3 Strength (melee)
FS = First Shoot (promo)

3S could be 3 Strength or Strength 3 Spearman as the militia are an early non-metal spearman unit.
FS = First Strike

 

[Karlus]

Very good tips here.

Im in my first serious game right now.

Great mod i love it.

 

[DisposableHero]

Combing back to this mod after a long absence.

What are people's opening moves now? I tried 3x Warrior - Settler - Pyramids; Second city pumps out military units. But I got attacked by Rome who dropped 4-5 S4 units next to my second city, on a forest tile which I couldn't shift them off of. This was even after I stole two Workers from them and they managed to settle two cities!

I'm on Prince level but thinking about dropping back to Noble.

 

[Shuikkanen]

Monarch -- Worker. Almost always, worker. As long as there's a good resource tile that needs a farm or a pasture nearby.

If there's stone, I'll go for the pyramids. Often I have to settle my second city down on it first. I'll go for an early wonder almost always. How many military units I build right at the beginning depends on how defensible from barbs my starting location is -- but I do like to gamble in that regard.

 

[HannibalBarka]

immortal. 3-4 warriors than worker or the two buildings that give production (depend on how urgent improvement are) than settler or pyramids

 

[DisposableHero]

You guys don't go for worker stealing?

I've just tried this fairly successfully on a new game and managed to grab 5 workers from my 3 neighbors. All but one is now too far behind to be much of a threat to me.

 

[HannibalBarka]

You guys don't go for worker stealing?

I've just tried this fairly successfully on a new game and managed to grab 5 workers from my 3 neighbors. All but one is now too far behind to be much of a threat to me.

what level do you play?

 

[CivEikka]

Little update for newcomers. Most importantly, you can't capture enemy workers, only slaves.

Before adopting slavery, make sure you have atleast 1 skirmisher for every 2 cities to kill rebelling slaves.

The amount of skirmishers is greater now. Firstly: you have to defend yourself with skirmishers (skirms eat meleeunits) and against rebel slaves, you will need more on protecting bigger cities than small cities.

The most important resource for large empires is not copper or iron, but limestone (2) for paved roads. You can have less units defending yourself against rebellions that way + large empires tend to have long borders..

Before advancing to middle ages, and if you're using slavery/planning to use serfdom (who uses caste system anyway?) Make cavalry to deal with more powerful rebels. If you don't have horses, use crossbowmen, they should do the trick, along with experienced skirmishers.

During middleages, if you don't have limestone, consider researching the tech that shows coal on the map. It's more frequent and two coals equal masonary tools you need to build paved roads. Also the 5P3M horsearchers are good against slaves aswell, as long as there is no forests. (or they've gained many promotions).

Advancing to renaissance use upgraded skirmishers (explorers), cavalry or adopt feudal civic to build those powerful melee units.
Advancing to industrial use light infantry. (your upgraded skirmishers)
No point of using slavery/serfdom after industrial, unless doing a fun challenge.

Still valid today.

Have atleast 4workers/city, 5 if you're foreign leader, helps during classic-->middle ages (slave farms to farms) and mines to windmills, building lumbermills etc, farms to mechanical during industrial. Tip to gather workforce: Have a border city, with weak defences, and wage a war/wait for AI to wage war against you, he should send you a big stack of future slaves attacking that city. Scout your opponents with spys so you know what to build against it.

Valid, but use your slaves on building your empire. Some slaves can't build UIs so use them build roads. Use slaves to rush buildings only if you don't have anything at hand, or won't have in near future.

Use forts at border as military stations and try to use them as your advantages. Optimal place for fort is on a hill, next to a swamp, where enemy has to stand on in order to attack.(-25% defence). Try to make choke points for your favor.

Fort bonuses are huge and can easily win you battles and wars, while you're outnumbered. Forts can also be used against rebelling slaves (put forts near your resources, and make sure atleast 1 unit is inside the fort).

Also consider using feudalism/representation civics for raising units, that you can place in hard to defend places, like forested hills (prime timber) etc.

 

[Grassland Farm]

I also struggle in Monarch, while the game is fairly boring in Prince... I've never been really good at civ4 either, but I'm at peace with that!
I love the results of PerfectWorld, but:

• I hate how continents usually end up long and "snaky". I'd prefer some more unpredictable landshapes!
• There are too few heavily forested zones, compared to how much jungle there is on the equator.
  
• Too much ice! Sometimes there's even ice on the coast while the land is still grasslands!

Still, it looks gorgeous and it's very easily to output a sizeable "new world" to colonize with this mapscript.

I feel like the cottage/specialist economies still apply up to a limit in RI. The +100% GPP national wonder on a city surrounded by grasslands makes any nation able to pump out some GPs, and cottages can be really good with Guild Halls.

 

[Nerodidintdoit]

Hey, reviving this thread after about 10 months. I got into RI about a month ago after playing CIV IV for almost 10yrs and I gotta say, like someone did a few years ago, this is better than CIV IV. Thanks for everyone involved!

About strategy, I'm playing on Monarch, raging barbs and the usual settings. Economy is definitely the most important aspect of the game and having units build is very important too.

My best game so far was with the Romans, when, with a combination of ToA and Stonehenge (for the GP), Hinduism, and a little later, the GL, I actually managed to stay positive on income with 5 cities and 100% science. Even though my capital sucked (I only had pepper around it IIRC), there was literally only one tile from where invaders could come, so defense was easy.

In another game, with the greeks, I used a strategy that I had seem on a video by youtuber Hadriex, where he founded his second city far a way from the capital in order to fill in later (I founded two cities with the full cross space usage between them after the game evolved). One thing that I didn't see anyone mentioning before, and was particularly crucial in the greek game, is the impact of diplomacy and the free stuff the AI give you. I don't know if the game was programmed like this to boost the diplomatic traits, or if it is a miscalculation of the value of raw cash, but most of the time I can get the AI to give me money in a decent amount. 50, 70 even 150 gold + a 15 turns peace treat from time to time. This in a point where I was losing 10 or 15 gold at 100%, so a solid amount of turns of full tech. With around 6 leaders at pleased I managed to get 450 gold from all my "friends" at one point. In the greek though, this was so crucial because at the early game I saw a Japanese army approaching my borders and asked if the Chinese could please declare war on them. They did and the army retreated before declaring on me.



Even though now I manage to usually stay strong up to the middle ages I always decline fast around the renaissance when my early wonders begin to obsolete. Honestly, I never managed to keep a game going with hope of winning through modern times. What do you guys do keep science and commerce up in this transition? Maybe I'm prioritizing the wrong tech and I must admit that I get very confused with Feudalism because you research it waaay before you have access to the techs that unlock it's awesome units and the other benefits it gives doesn't seem to be very strong compared with the other options in it's tree.


Another doubt, do you do espionage? Because only invest something in it when I get a GS.


again, awesome game, thanks for providing the experience!

 

[Gus Glenwell]

Too many barbarians breaks the gigantic maps. They spawn every 4 turns, and there isnt the economy function that early in game to support enough units. Makes for tedious grind and eventually I just quit. I love the historical aspect however, just wish every modpack didn't include barbarian simulator.