Observations and a strategy for king level

[LuckyArt]

okay..long time civ player. just recently got G&K. could play at king/emperor level and usually win at vanilla. have played a few games at king level G&K. Standard map w/quick combat.

Observations:

1. much tougher to win a conquest victory. terrain around capitals makes it hard to set up siege units. AI fights harder.

2. easier to win diplomatic and cultural victories.

3. i concentrated on science in one game playing as the celts and at about turn 250 was running at about 900 science per turn and still needed a bunch of techs for a space race victory. so.. is it possible to get a space race victory?

Strategy:

1. my build order was monument, scout, shrine, GL, then a few archers. (pottery and then writing).

2. i took tradition and the aristocracy as my first two social policies. Then, i switched to liberty and completed it and then went back to tradition.

3. i only had four cities and played total defense the entire game.

4. i concentrated on allying city states throughout the game.

5. i took patronage and switched to rationalism as soon as possible, then freedom and back to patronage as the finisher.

okay.. looking forward to constructive comments

 

[Donaskme]

terrain around capitals makes it hard to set up siege units.

I win tech all the time on King, 90% of my wins. I don't bother with siege units until at least cannon, and generally not until artillery. Five archers/composite/crossbow and a melee/mounted unit works the best.

my build order was monument, scout, shrine, GL, then a few archers. (pottery and then writing).

I never build the GL. My build order is scout-worker-shrine-warrior-settler-archers. I get my monuments free from Legalism, my second policy selection. My emphasis is getting 4 cities with libraries and the National College in my capital by turn ~100. Usually I'll have 4 - 5 Composite Bowmen at that point as well, on my way to 6 - 8, and my two initial melee units one of whom is nearly always become a spearman from a ruin.

Steal your additional workers from City States, Barb camps, and capture them from AI civs you puppet. Buy your last three settlers with cash. I've usually purchased two settlers before the one I build has popped. Control happiness by stalling your non-capital city growth if needs be, but always be focused on making those four cities as huge as you can, as fast as you can.

I go full Tradition and then Rationalism. If I get extra policies before Rationalism opens, I usually put them into the right-hand Honor or Commerce trees depending. I ally as many CS as I can with spies, quests, and available surplus cash. Often I can ally one or two by turn ~100 sacking barb camps. Maritime priority.

i only had four cities and played total defense the entire game.

I think that attacking and puppeting three or four more cities which are then Trading Post spammed is very helpful. The earlier you take them, the better.

 

[Traejun]

90% of my wins on King are conquest. I'll generally be through my 2 closest opponents before gunpowder provided I'm playing the right civ. I'm fastest with Rome, but fairly quick with England and Germany as well.

Science seems to be the toughest for me to achieve on King, followed closely by culture. The AI is a lot more aggressive, with forces me to build a strong military early. I'll usually get dec'd within the first 75-100 turns on standard pacing. The AI usually overextends their war effort, leaving border cities ripe for the taking. I can rarely pass that up. I generally won't accept peace offers outside of total capitulation.

 

[Donaskme]

Science seems to be the toughest for me to achieve on King, followed closely by culture.

The real key is getting the National College up around turn 100, and having three or four cities then as well, and at least 4 CB. Then you need to keep military parity, because many nations will attack you. You'll quickly get ahead of them in tech, so you just need a trim but complete defensive army by midgame, and keep it upgraded.

You can't beeline tech, you have to keep your military updated at all times. In several games, I've been involved in high-tech defensive wars at the end while building the last few spaceship parts.

Search for Tabarnak's "Tradition's 4 city opener" for a really detailed guide to do the start of a science victory.

 

[Traejun]

The real key is getting the National College up around turn 100, and having three or four cities then as well, and at least 4 CB. Then you need to keep military parity, because many nations will attack you. You'll quickly get ahead of them in tech, so you just need a trim but complete defensive army by midgame, and keep it upgraded.

You can't beeline tech, you have to keep your military updated at all times. In several games, I've been involved in high-tech defensive wars at the end while building the last few spaceship parts.

Search for Tabarnak's "Tradition's 4 city opener" for a really detailed guide to do the start of a science victory.

Yeah, I go for the 4 city open when going for a science vc. Sometimes, I'll reduce to 3 if it's a small or tiny map, but rarely.

Up to date military is almost always a priority for me unless I have a powerful UU that's still competitive even one tech level behind (i.e. Legion, Hoplite, Samurai, Musketeer or Minuteman).

If I get to the late game and I'm a step or two ahead (like first to rocket arty or modern armor), I'm going to war. Especially if it's close or if there is someone else building parts. I'm not looking to take cities or even puppet them. I'm just razing cities here.

 

[Jeff1787]

@ donaskme:

You said you buy your last three settlers. Is that after the initial four?

Also, do you you try to get a free settler from Liberty?

Thanks!

 

[Traejun]

@ donaskme:

You said you buy your last three settlers. Is that after the initial four?

Also, do you you try to get a free settler from Liberty?

Thanks!

Always yes for conquest, no for culture or victory.

 

[mintcandy]

okay..long time civ player. just recently got G&K. could play at king/emperor level and usually win at vanilla. have played a few games at king level G&K. Standard map w/quick combat.

Strategy:

1. my build order was monument, scout, shrine, GL, then a few archers. (pottery and then writing).

2. i took tradition and the aristocracy as my first two social policies. Then, i switched to liberty and completed it and then went back to tradition.

3. i only had four cities and played total defense the entire game.

4. i concentrated on allying city states throughout the game.

5. i took patronage and switched to rationalism as soon as possible, then freedom and back to patronage as the finisher.

okay.. looking forward to constructive comments

Even though I don't have Gods and Kings, that initial build order seems a bit wonky. I don't see the point of building a monument first if you're getting Tradition right off the bat.

Second, the hammers that go into building the Great Library that early are holding you back. Try playing without the Great Library.

Third, switching back and forth between Tradition and Liberty in the early game isn't very efficient, especially if you're aiming for a cultural victory. The food bonuses and free aqueducts for the Tradition finisher are why you go into the Tradition tree. An early great person of your choice from the Liberty finisher is why you go into the Liberty tree. Since you seem disposed towards defensive games with a small civilization, I'd advocate finishing Tradition before even thinking about dipping into the Liberty tree.

 

[Donaskme]

You said you buy your last three settlers. Is that after the initial four?

No, what I mean is that I only ever build one settler. I buy the other three to complete my goal of four settled cities by turn ~100. I also only ever build one worker, I steal the rest or liberate them from barb camps. You need all those saved turns to build your army.

All other cities I'll get past four come from conquest. That requires you to develop luxuries fast and sell them all very early. Sometimes I have to throttle growth on my non-capital cites to control happiness during that phase. My second and third cities I usually plant right on top of a luxury to speed that up, and by the fourth I can generally position it as I will. I strive to form a big square or circle, that fills into the center with expansion. When I'm looking for a science victory, the only two policy trees I use are Tradition and Rationalism, unless I get an extra policy or two before Rationalism opens up.

I don't take any Liberty policies at all. If there's a lot of warring I'll put extra policy points into right-hand Honor, and if not I'll put them into right-hand Commerce. Usually, by the time I'm getting extra policy points all the early wars are over, I have military superiority, and I'm putting them into Commerce for the extra cash.

This is primarily at King difficulty, I'm still putzing around only rarely at Emperor but it seems fairly much the same as King so this should probably work there also.

 

[IgnatiusTBarfat]

Tradition's 4 cities opening

The link above is to a forum post that has a recipe for success. Read it. Know it. Play it. Love it.

 

[manu-fan]

Tradition's 4 cities opening

The link above is to a forum post that has a recipe for success. Read it. Know it. Play it. Love it.

I prefer Liberty myself with more than 4 cities myself. There's more than one way to skin the Civ 5 cat.

Cheers.