A warlord-level quirk...?
- Thread starter 1940LaSalle
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TheOverseer714
Overseer
Actually, unescorted workers or settlers seem to enhance barb appearances. I can't count how many times a brand new barb village has appeared in front of my Settler during the IBT. Barb horses seem to just wait for my worker stacks to come into range so they can murder them. I absolutely despise the sneaky &*$#@%'s.
darski
Regent in Training
Yes, that's what I meant to say, but wasn't clear enough. If the plan is to deter an AI attack, but not conduct an invasion yourself, you might ask yourself, "what do I do with all these units?" One answer is: spread them out, along the periphery of your empire and fortify them on hills or mountains. They will be observing, as Raliuven writes, and can keep barb camps from forming.
As Ataxerxes pointed out, you should watch the F1 and F3 screens to be sure that (as a peaceful builder) you haven't built more units than your empire can support for free. Then build more cities, to increase your unit support and the rest of the attributes of your empire.
Another good thing to do is check your military advisor - he'll telll you if a barb camp has appeared and the closest city. I guess I've never checked to see how accurate he is (i.e., if he tells you about all of the newly created barb camps and in what radius), but if he tells you someone saw Fred and Barney out by Whatsawhoseville, you will find them hanging around.
It was some time ago, but I played a few SG-games on Deity where we were only allowed to build 5 cities (5CC) and could never capture anything. If the pyramids was in a certain city, raze..if the GL was in another city - raze!
GOZ11 was one of them games, read and learn, we ended up being just 2 players but we won.
I also did a double try on impossible missions on Deity, planting cities only INSIDE your borders, but very unluckily we failed. This was with some of the BEST players and they loved the challenge.
Monarch, build enough warriors to stand your ground, 4-6. Build more cities and move your warriors over there. Enter - repeat - enter- repeat.
The AI won't attack you on lower levels and IF they do, stick your defense on hills and stuff and they go suicide.
On common Monarch-games in single play or GOTM, I could have 20 cities by 1000bc. My record is 22.
GOZ11 was one of them games, read and learn, we ended up being just 2 players but we won.
I also did a double try on impossible missions on Deity, planting cities only INSIDE your borders, but very unluckily we failed. This was with some of the BEST players and they loved the challenge.
Monarch, build enough warriors to stand your ground, 4-6. Build more cities and move your warriors over there. Enter - repeat - enter- repeat.
The AI won't attack you on lower levels and IF they do, stick your defense on hills and stuff and they go suicide.
On common Monarch-games in single play or GOTM, I could have 20 cities by 1000bc. My record is 22.
1940LaSalle
Warlord
Haven't been back in a while so I thought I'd update: I've tried what I thought would be the dual strategy of a land grab plus building the military but I'm obviously not doing something right since about all I was able to do was postpone extortion.
I thought that building settlers to found cities and making a strong military were all but mutually exclusive? How does one accomplish this (sorry; don't have any saved games to post to demonstrate where I went wrong)?
I thought that building settlers to found cities and making a strong military were all but mutually exclusive? How does one accomplish this (sorry; don't have any saved games to post to demonstrate where I went wrong)?
ChaosArbiter
King
The best way is to have one or two Settler Factories to pump out Settlers while other cities build military units. The next best is probably to know what you can get away with building in the way of military to deter the AI long enough for your Settlers to get built and your cities founded.
Eventually you have to decide how much you are spending to avoid being extorted. If you are wasting more gold avoiding it (and the critical point is 'wasting' as opposed to 'using') then it costs to pay it, just give them the money, etc. and get revenge later.
Another way to approach it is to expand via military rather than settling. Let the AI make the settlers and workers - you capture the cities and slaves. Sometimes that is easier said then done, but this is an example of how military build up can lead to faster expansion.
My approach tends to be like ChaosArbiter - build a few settler factories that can produce a whole slew of cities that can then outproduce the AI.
Another way to approach it is to expand via military rather than settling. Let the AI make the settlers and workers - you capture the cities and slaves. Sometimes that is easier said then done, but this is an example of how military build up can lead to faster expansion.
My approach tends to be like ChaosArbiter - build a few settler factories that can produce a whole slew of cities that can then outproduce the AI.
I can't really remember, it was so long ago I played this.
But to make a settler pump, you need 5 fpt with a granary? Then you get those settlers every 4 turns, right? Same with worker pumps, only that you get a worker every 2 turns...
Sometimes you have to juggle the tiles and micro-manage, so some cities works best with 6f 2 turns and then 4f2h 2 turns, so some hammers goes as overflow...or something like that. Can anyone remind me?
Other times you can have less food than you really wanted, but 5-6 turn settlers pumps are not bad in that case, just micro every turn and those spots you wanted will be filled by you.
If I'm incorrect, please tell me where I'm wrong, it was long ago.
Also, don't neclect whipping, strongest feature in the game if you handle it right. Whip for 2 at highest possible overflow, you can get a warrior almost for free next turn.
But all in all, the absolutely strongest way to win is to check your cities EVERY turn and configure the right setting for EVERY city that turn.
Do that 300 times and you will win.
But to make a settler pump, you need 5 fpt with a granary? Then you get those settlers every 4 turns, right? Same with worker pumps, only that you get a worker every 2 turns...
Sometimes you have to juggle the tiles and micro-manage, so some cities works best with 6f 2 turns and then 4f2h 2 turns, so some hammers goes as overflow...or something like that. Can anyone remind me?
Other times you can have less food than you really wanted, but 5-6 turn settlers pumps are not bad in that case, just micro every turn and those spots you wanted will be filled by you.
If I'm incorrect, please tell me where I'm wrong, it was long ago.
Also, don't neclect whipping, strongest feature in the game if you handle it right. Whip for 2 at highest possible overflow, you can get a warrior almost for free next turn.
But all in all, the absolutely strongest way to win is to check your cities EVERY turn and configure the right setting for EVERY city that turn.
Do that 300 times and you will win.
Bowsling
Deity
Whipping is a CivIV favorite. In CivIII, there is no overflow, and the unhappiness and population penalties are much stiffer.
I'm not a huge fan of whipping. I know it can be used effectively - I've played an entire game on regent in despotism (the game lasted into the industrial age) - can't say it was the fastest or greatest game ever. The problem with whipping, from my limited perspective, is that it makes it harder to swap up to a better government later. You will have a lower population and higher unhappiness. In republic, that really hurts. Monarchy handles it better becaues the transition is less population based and happiness can be controlled by MPs.
Definately agree with the MM. As an expansion on that - it is also a good idea to find the 'sweat spot' where the city is balanced to produce a unit in 'x' turns. For example, if a city is making 14spt and you are buildin horses/swords, squeezing that extra 1spt somewhere gets you the unit a round faster and with less waste. Either that or drop the city to 10spt (etc.) and give the extra production eslewhere. It is not just about balancing each individual city, but about balanceing the overall civilization (which is why I love this game and can't stop playing - now if only I didn't have to worry about showing up for work
).
Learning how to run a settler factory, at least for me, was not as intuitive as it is for other people. It takes a little work and some real understanding of the mechanics behind the game. I agree, though, this skill is vital at high levels. I've tried explaining it to a friend that just wasn't into the mechanics and his eyes glazed over. Next turn I received a DOW.
Definately agree with the MM. As an expansion on that - it is also a good idea to find the 'sweat spot' where the city is balanced to produce a unit in 'x' turns. For example, if a city is making 14spt and you are buildin horses/swords, squeezing that extra 1spt somewhere gets you the unit a round faster and with less waste. Either that or drop the city to 10spt (etc.) and give the extra production eslewhere. It is not just about balancing each individual city, but about balanceing the overall civilization (which is why I love this game and can't stop playing - now if only I didn't have to worry about showing up for work
).Learning how to run a settler factory, at least for me, was not as intuitive as it is for other people. It takes a little work and some real understanding of the mechanics behind the game. I agree, though, this skill is vital at high levels. I've tried explaining it to a friend that just wasn't into the mechanics and his eyes glazed over. Next turn I received a DOW.
True. Raliuven gave a good explanation of why whipping usually doesn't work in CivIII. I've never used it. It is very powerful in IV, but not III.
I've done it a few times effectively late in the game. When I took over a country, converted from Repo to Commie, build secret police HQ there and started whipping people to get smaller towns and less resistance.
That worked pretty well.
Elephantium
Trampling the AI
Whipping? Pah.
I've always preferred Nerve Stapling.
I've always preferred Nerve Stapling.
After investigation, I was still paying money for shields though.
The 3rd core island was producing, but under Repo I was making more money.
Lasalle,
one good measure to reduce the number of extortions has not yet been mentioned in this thread: make an embassy (at least with your direct neighbors) as soon as you can spare the necessary cash. (The nations far away don't matter that much: if they declare on you because of a refused extortion, you just enjoy the war happiness... They won't send any units to you anyway, so no big deal.) Making an embassy has other benefits as well. Usually you can get better trades from them, etc.
Lanzelot
one good measure to reduce the number of extortions has not yet been mentioned in this thread: make an embassy (at least with your direct neighbors) as soon as you can spare the necessary cash. (The nations far away don't matter that much: if they declare on you because of a refused extortion, you just enjoy the war happiness... They won't send any units to you anyway, so no big deal.) Making an embassy has other benefits as well. Usually you can get better trades from them, etc.
Lanzelot
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