Played for about 12 hrs. Got the story through 1200AD

[nicketzsche]

I've played a couple games, my latest through 1200AD or so. One thing I can tell everyone, this game is so much harder and the AI so much smarter than in Civ 2. I used to beat deity all the time (about 90% of the time). Civ 3 is so much harder. The warfare is great. When you ask another civ to fight against your common enemy, they really KICKIT. I used knights to take out a few persian cities, and my allies the aztecs took captured a city for every city I captured. Keeping control after conquests is difficult. The recently aquired city will often revolt against you. When you capture a city you're given the choice, keep the city, or lose it (resulting in a couple workers under your control) I would recommend opting for the workers often (although you cannot heal your troops unless you return to your own territory). I was playing this on King difficulty, and I had everything going very well for myself, yet the babylonians had 4 more techs than me, and control of most of the western hemisphere. I was under a monarchy in 1200AD! It's very difficult to switch governments, anarchy lasts for 5 TURNS!!! Corruption and waste is Prevalent even within the capital, and if you go a couple cities away from the capital, production is so poor that for every 15 shields, only ONE is not being WASTED!!! A courthouse is actually a city improvement you'll NEED to build. Once I got cavalry, I was doing very well militarily, but keeping up with the babylonians in science will be difficult. Oh yeah...... one more thing. Wonders! They are difficult to aquire. I used to be builiding all but one or two in civ 2 on deity. This game I only have the pyramids, gardens, and workshop. VERY difficult to make them all when you can't sit back building the same thing in every city and then just leave it in the production stage when complete so you can switch it once you've aquired a new tech. Sea invasions by enemy civs? Oh yeah, that happens also. Ruthless AI intelligence! Godsend from sid meier, this game rules! I'll take questions.

 

[nicketzsche]

Advice:

a)Build units with more than 1 move ability. Their retreat ability is VERY Important.

b)Time seems to pass slower than in Civ 2, don't worry about that. Just make sure you trade a lot for technology, the computer will have more than you.

I also noticed that no matter what game I'm playing (I've played two or three) I'm always the 8th person to build my second city. And I am building that 2nd settler as soon as possible. (so that his ocmpletion coincides with pop reaching 3)

 

[nicketzsche]

Expansion is very difficult in this game. The computer will find islands that no one is on, and the standard map with 8 comps is very tight. Be prepared to choose where you'd like your borders to expand to, then defend that imaginary border with military force until you've got your actual border spread out to that area. Don't let the computer come build their cities where you'll want to put yours! They'll have their citizens in them and will not be as productive once you take over the city. If they do get their city where you want one of yours, hit the city with your military and get rid of it so you can bring in your own settler, then use their workers that you'll have captured to farm your fields and pave the roads.

 

[nicketzsche]

Let's say you've been researching a tech for 30 turns, then you get that tech from someone. Those beekers aren't carried over to the other tech you want. Moral: Don't trade for writing if you're getting it on your own in two turns. I just did that to myself.

 

[WUM]

many thanks for the info!!!

a couple of questions raised:
1: razing a city results in a couple of workers. Is this always a couple or does it depend on city-size???
2: is it so bad that you´ll play a Religious civ next time?

Originally posted by nicketzsche
When you capture a city you're given the choice, keep the city, or lose it (resulting in a couple workers under your control)

It's very difficult to switch governments, anarchy lasts for 5 TURNS!!!

 

[nicketzsche]

More workers for larger cities I believe, but I may be wrong. I believe anarchy will last for 5 turns no matter what, does anyone know for sure about this?

 

[RobKid]

From what I've read it's supposed to be random. It certainly didn't seem like it lasted 5 turns for me last night when I finally was able to switch from Despotism to Monarchy.

 

[Logans Run]

Anarchy lasted 3 Turns for me.... first change to Monarchy.

 

[SINISTER1974]

I have to disagree about time going by slower-i feel that it is faster and takes longer to build than usual. I started in 4000bc and by 1AD i only had 5 good sized sities.Maybe it was my first few games and i dont know the ends and outs but time went by extremly fast.
SINISTER

 

[.:KNAS:.]

of u destroy a city from the X-civ, u get workers, right? and if the X-civ attacks that worker does ot kill him, or "rescue" him?

 

[EdmundSpenser]

i am tentatively compiling all the dates upon which the govt changes...remember in civ2 it was set to certain dates, and knowing the dates completely removed anarchy...perhaps someone already knows?

ed

 

[Jezner]

Anarchy is nuts in this game. jeez. Usually, when I switch governments and all goes into revolt, I just hang-ten. Wait out the storm. But not anymore. Citizens were trashing my buildings. WTF? City walls - trashed. Library - destroyed. They were having a field day. E-gads!

 

[LKendter]

Anarchy is nuts in this game.

Hmmm....

Maybe religous will go up in value