A newbie needs help

[terrak]

I'm trying to work out an effective starting strategy for myself, I've been wokring on it for a few days and I've managed to come up with something, but when I found this infomative web-site, the way I played civ changed forever, so I was thinking that maybe some of you forum-goers might be able to help me change my views even more.

Anways heres my starting strategy right now, I've managed to win the game by about 500 BC (I bet thats pathetic..) on King if I'm on the same land mass as all of the other AIs.

1) I don't found my capital city until 3500 BC, During the time I have my settler(s) I use them to epxlore for huts, and use whatever comes out of the huts to either buy horsemen in my cities when I found them, or use the units to explore for huts,

2) When I get 10 units, or 3500 BC comes along, I found my city, One of the things I've noticed is that even in the higher difficulty it can be quite easy to keep up with the AIs in technology + gold, Huts once again from this point assist me in catching up on the AIs

3) For AI Handling, I make a peace treaty, and basically keep on demanding tribute, this is my main source of income for the early part of the game, its gotten me quite a bit, When an AI starts getting annoyed and declares, I capture one citiy ASAP, make a cease fire, demand tribiute and leave them alone for a few turns, then see how much they are willing to pay for a peace treaty, if its above 50 gold, I accept, and go back to the beginning for managing the AIs, any AIs that refuse to offer a cease fire, or refuse to pay me for a peace treaty, will eventually end up dead

4) Once each of my cities have produced 1 defender unit and 3 horseman, the cities start producing settlers, Out to found new cities and quickly get those units in
Once I have about 30 cities, each roughly the same size due to the aggressive expansion (*sigh*) I Found all of the settlers still standing, and use any extra settlers to imporve the landscape, and this point, I convert from Monarchy to Republic, and end all wars.

5) Ancient/Medival Wonders I aim for:
Leonardos Workshop, Issac Newtons College, Copernicus's Obersatory, King Richards Crusade (for my production city..)

Leonardos Workshop and King Richards crusade goes into produciton city, produciton city helps make a science city using the other two wonders

6) By the discovery of Tactics/Communisium, I immediately switch to Communism, and resume my "Demand everything off them and only go back to peace if they offer me gold" thing to help fuel my Conversion of troops, if I didn't get leonardos Workshop (only happened once)
If they declare War, I do not sign a Cease fire unless they offer me 400 gold, if they don't.. they die

7) If the game should carry on further, by about 1 AD, I immediately revert back to Republic, Start using my science city to its fullest to try and widen the gap in advances, and delcare war When I discover computers, nd have built the Unites Nations and Women's Suffarge(sp?) (in my production city)

8) industrial/modern (advance level only) wonders I aim for
United Nations
Women's Suffarge(sp?)
SETI Program
Manhattan Projek
Statue of Liberty
Bachs Cathedral
Michelangelo's Capel
Hoover Dam

9) As soon as I start reasearching future tech, I switch to Fundamentalism, and finish off anybody thats still standing (if anyone..)

Well thats it.. Basically.. *shrug*

I bet it sucks, and thats why I'm posting it, so please, give me advice. (just no flames)

[note:] I changed this paragraph..
Anways heres my starting strategy right now, I've managed to win the game by about 500 BC (I bet thats pathetic..) on King if I'm on the same land mass as all of the other AIs.

[Its getting hard to think straight with this blocked up nose.]

 

[Smash]

whats wrong with conquering the world by 500bc at king?Thats good.Darn good.

I'd say its time to move up in difficulty level and/or map size...then come back

 

[terrak]

Originally posted by Smash
whats wrong with conquering the world by 500bc at king?Thats good.Darn good.

THat was certainly not expected

Originally posted by Smash
I'd say its time to move up in difficulty level and/or map size...then come back

I just started a game of Emperor, its 2500BC, I have 3 cities, 16 units, 299 gold and 8 advances..

Is this any good?

 

[Smash]

Ya sounds ok.You could have a city 0r 2 more but if you going for conquest you won't need to build more than a half dozen or so.Other civs are going to contribute cities

16 units is a pretty large army for 2500.

I like to use my gold early for rushing settlers and what not so by my standards you are rich.

for conquest I generally go for Monarchy first.Selecting Map Making or Horseback Riding as my non monarchy pre-requisit.Then steer for Fuedalism and War Academy.Vets are more important as you move up.Pretty much a necessity for deity and emporer.Then,I max taxes and try to time the completion of War Academy with Chivalry.From there I may get Writing for dips if I don't allready then turn science off and start incrementally rush building vet knights.
That would be on smaller maps.Larger maps I keep science going and try to get Leo's and Statute for Commie.Then steer toward Leadership then Tactics(dragoons then cavalry).Thats usually the most powerful unit you will need if you war from the start.

 

[jc011]

holy geez, 500b.c win?? i got a 1985ad win, and you think its bad?? move up dude

 

[jomey]

I think you'll have to re-define a 'newbie' to the game.. If you can finish by 500bc then I've wasted many years playing this darn game the wrong way.

Go ahead.. Jump to deity...have some tougher barbs. You may be pleasently surprised how well you'll do

 

[terrak]

Originally posted by jomey
I think you'll have to re-define a 'newbie' to the game.. If you can finish by 500bc then I've wasted many years playing this darn game the wrong way.

I think I figured out how that happened.. Seeing I was on a single land mass, there were plenty of huts, seeing as I don't found my cap until 3500bc, I get mainly units from huts from the first few years, that gives me enough shoirt+long term military power to win quickly, but at a sever cost at science..

The only reason I declare when I get to communism/tactics is because those are the two advances I aim for in my conquest games..

I've decided to go with my Emperor game on a map with multiple land masses, that way I'll get a more accurate finishing time.. which I predict wil be about 500ad. (win by conquest..)

Another thing I hae to remember in the lweor difficulties, time passed quicker, in Deity, 500bc, while I don't know, would proabably be closer to 100ad.. but I don't know, as for that emperor game I am playing, I'll get back to that, and I'll tell you my progress.

550bc, 1524 gold, 31 units.. (war hasn't been going as well.) 7 cities, 26 advances @ 1 every 89 turns:
Indians almost completely destroyed, (they offered me 567 gold for cease-fire)
another civ Capitaless, not going very well.
orange buggers abuse forests..
white too far away to attack
blue aren't completely found yet
light blue can't be pissed off, had troops there, but decided to move to purple
Capitaless civ is connected by roads, currently cease-fire, 7 units sentried in ex-capital.

Will continue playing, I might upload my game when I'm done.

 

[jomey]

I think I figured out how that happened.. Seeing I was on a single land mass, there were plenty of huts, seeing as I don't found my cap until 3500bc, I get mainly units from huts from the first few years, that gives me enough shoirt+long term military power to win quickly, but at a sever cost at science..

I have also used this tactic in some games and I generally don't build a capital until approx 3000bc(sometimes even 200bc depending on map/difficulty). Hopefully the huts will give me enough horsemen/archers/gold/knowledge to be in a strong position from an unsupported army point of view. Guess you could also demand some money form the other civs

I would then locate suitable cities to take over.Once my troops are in position I would build the capital, take over as many cities as possible , acquire gold and knowledge in the process , all in the same turn. The reason for this is that the ai will demand that you withdraw your troops and seeing as you don't have a city to withdraw to well........

Generally I find that I'm not too far behind on science but all my resources can be used to rectify this by PRB/RB libraries. The additional benefit is that your army should mainly consist of unsupported troops

Of course there is always one hut that decides to turn itself into a new city in which case I just PRB it into a settler(also unsupported) and start laying down some roads.

I've decided to go with my Emperor game on a map with multiple land masses, that way I'll get a more accurate finishing time.. which I predict wil be about 500ad. (win by conquest..)

With mutiple land masses I find that I develop map making and seafaring fairly rapidly just to make contact with other civs (and to pop some huts). I find that my strategy (start to finish) does vary a lot depending on the size of the land masses and also the distances I need to travel to get to other habitable islands.Trade becomes very important (some people will say that trade is important in any scenario)as the bonuses and gold you get become significant. Naval warfare will be imminent.. barbs are a pain cos they just sneak up on you and have 18 trillion knights on a single tireme .

orange buggers abuse forests..

Never heard a civ described as THAT before

 

[JoeM]

I'm relatively new to the site also, although my stats are a lot worse, I'd guess that my average is 1700's finish Space Race. Reading through the advice I tend to hear a lot about huge cities, but I can't figure out how you can make use of the Pyramids and Democracy so early on considering the unhappiness factors at Emporer/Deity level.

I guess the key must be trade routes as it's never been a policy of mine to use them I've always concentrated on expansion. Maybe I should halt at half a dozen cities and consolidate before stretching out further...?

 

[Saanmiguel]

500 B.C. (king) good finish time. What was your score??? The world may be conquered but how prosperous is it.

Follow this strategy tweak it any way you want and I can gurantee you will reach 90 percent ratings and above.

Select the deity level. create largest map possible. set rules to bloodlust. restless tribes or raging hordes. raging hordes delays early tech development.

The deity levels provides the player w/two settlers. unless the location of your first square is inhospitable then build your capital. Work for Litcy then Mnchy. switch to Monarchy Immediatly unless population is below 200,000, then wait for 200,00.

Your first units should be warriors (NOT PHALANX) the first warrior shoulld be used exploratory the second for defense. Unit 3 equals settler. Your spare settler should be used to improve one square w/ irrigation and roads and then should be moved to the closet prosperous region that creates an interconnected zone of control. (turn on the map grid to view city zoc). set tax rates to maximum science levels and repeat above process of unit creation until a military threat presents itself.

DON'T FORGET TO CREAT A STRONG MILITARY UNIT IN EACH CITY AFTER THE FIRST SETTLER IS BUILT. (PHALANX OR ARCHER IF NOT RESEARCH IT!!!)

As you continue your expansion process settlers created in the middle of your empire will have to far to travel to create new cities. These settlers should be used for infrastructure and to connect the empire. Remember to build at least three rd and irrigation within city radius before attempting to connect empire. (Some situations like early barabarian assualts will require certain parts to be connected at the expense of rd and irrigation use your judgement).

By this time one of your cities should be able to reach a production level of 10 through proper manipulation in the city screen. Build the great library and set tax to 70-30 in favor of the treasury. This will allow you to stock up on gold in case someone else beats you in the production stage you can buy it out from underneath them. Once the library is built keep your tax rates as they were during construction, continue expansion policy until AI prevents you from doing so. During this time follow the same strategy for other wonders you wish to build. (The great library will keep you education until it expires at electricity.) Create lots of caravans while the Library is effective you will be able to develop your cities faster w extra gold and also will have a nice stockpile when ww1 breaks out. As soon as you have three million citizens a revolt to republic is neccesarry. some wars will need to end others should be kept going at all costs.(otherwise during your democratic reign the doves will destroy you.) Your tax rate will need to change set it 40 science 40 tax and 20 luxury. You will loose money on the first turn of this tax rate, but once order is restored to your cities you will be making more money than under 70 30 monarchy rates. also depending upon the city improvements around your nation you may get wlk day Continue your expansion policy with a few changes you must irrigate and build roads around 2 squares before you build the city also you must bring military unit w settler to avert disorder.

From here the choice is yours. If the great library is proving invaluable switch tax to 80 treasury 20 luxury step up the offensive and begin picking your oppenents off. I suggest eliminating third world and allying with world powers. This will continue for a few years until world war 1 breaks out. It always does on bloodlust. Try to get Liberty if not it doesn't matter. you now need to switch to democracy. Be very careful once the revolution is over you will need to check the attitude advisor and fix any cities threatening to riot or you will fall into anarchy once again.

Once the Democracy is functional usually two turns after it comes to power. focus all your efforts on the happiness of your people, industrialzation of your society, and the war machine. You can maniupulate the taxes to serve whatever purpose is neccesary weather it be luxury science or money you are now the most powerful nation on earth. Time to infurate weaker oppents and force them to attack you.

Key points to remember. during the middle age reinassance era build as many trades routs as possible. When you discover corporation switch all cities to freight production and find the most profitable routs. this will add about twenty thousand gold to your coffers. continiue trading try and build cities on seperate continents where you can airlift freight to. the more money you have the easier it will be to win the war. The senate doesn't like you to destroy other civs, but your spies don't care and if you can force the other nation to declare war or face the destruction wrought by your spies then you can annihilate them.

Good luck deity's hell, but trust democracy is the way to go.


ps. if your worried about revolt in war times heres how you allevieate it.

30 percent rate on lux
population of at least 30,000,000
create army from units supported by all cities
the bigger the city the more revenue the higher the luxuries the more military.
Womens sufferage, if not build police stations
U.N a must
constant trading

 

[starlifter]

500 bc

Winning in 500 BC seems very good to me. You might try Deity. I rarely play bloodlust anymore, but used to. A BC win at higher levels on a large map is a good thing!!

PS, about Democracy advice, I would add that JS Bach is a very key wonder, if you want to fight and keep growth. Women's sufferage is too, but JS Bach is moreso. Nothing else in the game can duplicate its effect, except Shakespeare (which does a lot more for only one city).

 

[Malta]

How do you turn that city grid on/off in civ 2?
I know I've done it before, as I have at least one save game where I can see the city zones of control, but after a break from Civ, I don't recall what I did to turn it on...

 

[adamsj]

Is to expand by put down cities at good site early and in the first two thousand years of B.C. Starting at 4000 years BC, by just building one defend unit for each city and then all settlers I always try to build roads between cities but no other improvement and just build tons of cities, (this is a the easiest level).

:crazyeyes

 

[adamsj]

In my experience as a Civ 2 player. I think that your starting or all throught the game the objective should be work out by the way:-

1. What you want from that actual game.

2. Which Civilization you have choosen to use.

3. Where your Civ is based.

4. What technologies you want to research.

and finally:-

5. What other Civ you are playing. and which has made your blood boiling.!

 

[Nishdog]

Originally posted by Malta
How do you turn that city grid on/off in civ 2?
I know I've done it before, as I have at least one save game where I can see the city zones of control, but after a break from Civ, I don't recall what I did to turn it on...

Control+G toggles the grid lines on and off