A HOF Civ...

[PRIMEMOVER]

What I've learned so far to play HOF caliber games (correct me if I'm wrong):

Large or Huge Warm/Wet Pangea Map

Build Settlers (via a settler factory) and workers...avoid defensive units (via RoPs)...

Irrigate everything until middle ages at the earliest...

Now does it matter what civ you use given this "formula for success" I've derived from a few posts here? I've noticed a lot of Aztec, America civs in the Top 10 scores, very few militaristic civs...why is that? What traits seem to be more condusive to scoring high in your opinion?

I'm a huge proponent of China with it's combo of Mil-Ind. which is un matched (at least on Vanilla CivIII)...I'm considering trying and Industrial/Commercial civ, but having a hard time grasping the idea of playing with FRANCE!! Or perhaps Rome...the only better combination, I think than MIL/IND. is MIL/COMM...

I'm enjoying hanging out in this forum and reading all your insights...

 

[superslug]

I think that currently I'm the only one using China. In all honesty, the Militaristic trait kinda stinks. The extra promotions are handy, but it doesn't really generate the number of GL's I'd like to see. The reason I play them is because of the Rider, which I use as my 'pangaea sweeper'.

The trait the Chinese have that you also see in America, France and the Ottomans (all popular) is Industrious. This is one trait we all seem to rely on. With the Ottomans, you also get the Sipahi, which IMHO is the most powerful UU around. America's Expansionism can be a real boon when applied properly, a good start is everything. Then again, you have to rely on regular units to do all your warfare with.

As for the Aztecs, well, there's nothing quite like the strategy of building lots of Jaguar Warriors and beating the crap out of the AI from an early start.

Any, my two cents....

 

[fret]

Originally posted by PRIMEMOVER

Irrigate everything until middle ages at the earliest...

Im no expert, but I would disagree with that.

You should mine everything in productive cities around your capital and FP.

Outside of the influence of your palace and FP they yes, you should irrigate everything from the start, because the cities production will be crap anyway.

Then either once you are in complete control of the map and move to the milking phase, or start building hospitals, whichever comes first, you should irrigate the mined areas around your palace and FP.

 

[superslug]

Fret's mostly right. There's no point to irrigating grasslands under Despotism due to the penalty, so you're only irrigation early on in productive zones should be around your Settler/Worker factories. Total irrigation of productive zones should wait for the milk phase.