Standard Early Openings?

[Typhon66]

I am a relatively new player to Civ in general, and i am looking for some good opening builds. I have been playing with the AI a lot but it doesn't seem to be helping me much with the early game. I'll be playing with a group of friends soon and each of them seems to have a basic early game strategy, one guy rushes for Great Library/NC another rushes for Iron working, another rushes pyramids etc.

I am hoping to be able to do well when playing with them but i don't have really any early game strategy/idea that i am going for. What should i be going for in the early game?

 

[Lord Katana]

There are a lot of good posts about openings, but in the most general strokes:

- make sure you work improved tiles for every city all the time. This means you need one worker per city for a good long while.
- population is the basis of everything, production, culture and most importantly science. Make growth in early game a priority
- (since BNW) make sure you don't go broke early game cause of units/buildings.

You might say... I know this! But it is the fundamental basis for winning the game. Your strategy should be aimed at succeeding in doing the above.

Personally i always enjoyed tall empires and therefor the Tradition tree. Don't bother with the very first wonders. I have seen friends go completely broke cause they build the pyramids, and went into -gpt cause of the workers and still lag further cause they didn't prioritize growth (but hammers to build said wonder...) Your build order should start with a scout in general. Scouting gives gold, science (through the meeting of neighbors) and information where to settle. I normally tech towards theology and education while disregarding the bottom half of the tree for a long time. Build the National College quickly! By the time you get education you should be able to build a university quickly (or buy it) and have pop to use as specialists. Typically i also build the writers guild in my capital so i have 4 specialists. From there anything goes, you got your basis covered. Depending on the aggression level i normally tech towards Crossbows then, but i also found that since BNW that isn't always needed.

Hope it helps!

 

[Randall_Flagg]

Well, play as Ethiopia. Build your Steles and control the religion of the world. This also means you should grab Stonehenge.

This would mean you should tech Pottery-Calender-Writing. Pottery to open up the other 2 and it also gives you shrines. Build order something like this. Warrior or Scout- In mp I suggest Warrior. Stele- worker- Stonehenge. Have your worker chop a few forrest, on hills is best for this, but I love mines. They should not have given you clues, it basicly means your should have no issue with your religion ruling the world.

Starting SP for Ethiopia, I go for tradition. Keep your Empire small, 3-4 cities tops. You want them to come to when fighting as Ethiopia.

Always have some units barb hunting until they stop popping up.