Advice for returning player

[Cavalyn]

Hey all, i bought civ5 on release, but have just reinstalled it once more, after well over a year without playing it. Think I stopped perhaps 3 months after release. I was never a pro, or heavy MP player, preferring to play with some close friends. But I felt I was okay. My usual tactic was to be France and rush to around 6-7 cities, before making mass amounts of trading posts, and raking in huge science with the Rationalism tree.

Since restarting however, I've found myself thrown for a loop. In fact my last few games I've almost been forced to focus entirely on one city. I'm not sure if the patch has hit my old playstyle hard or what, but I was hoping to ask a few questions here anyway...

For the record I always play on epic speed, NO city states (too easy to abuse with patronage), no ancient ruins, raging barbarians is on. Policies may be saved.


- My first worry was about science, although If i go with one city it inevitable ends up being hugely cultural and containing a crazy amount of wonders, I'm concerned about the science output of my force itself. I don't have much of a stick to measure it against, but by about 450AD, i'm usually at 90-100 beakers, and that seems small... While enough to keep up with the AI (on king anyay ) it doesn't give me much tech advantage. Is it best to have more cities? What would be an optimum amount?

- Diplomacy... something is very wrong with this. In my last game where I had a single egyptian city until around 1000AD, after which I expanded to three, China declared war on me and was resolutely smashed about. I didn't have the will nor the units to destroy all their cities. So razed one, and pillaged every tile around their capital and surrounding areas. Despite this, and me killing any unit that comes within 5 tiles of my territory with complete ease... they keep demanding all my gold, resources, etc.. for peace. My military is quite large. 7-8 infantry, 4-5 artilley, a cruiser, a sub, 2 fighters and a bomber... vs MUCH less chinese. I had never been at war before this, and honoured all agreements

- Great people, how are they best used nowadays? I had taken to useing scientists to make academies unless a tech required over 20+ turns, engineers are usually hurrying wonders, and most others are turned into golden ages, bar 3 generals who made a barrier of forts across the narrow chinese landbridge. Is this a good use of GP's, particularly GS's? It just seemed that even with 3-4 academies, my science output was still not fantastic. I believe 333 at 1940AD, early modern. Or is this a decent amount?

- How many cities would people suggest if I was say, wanting to focus on a domination victory, but intending to enact it in the modern ages. So wanted high amounts of tech, and a turtling attitude to defence. Our friends I play MP with always agree not to attack each other too early. I know it's not realistic, but we enjoy the build up. Not the rush. My usual city plan.. now at least. Is capital, rush for writing and GL, then work towards mathematics, use GL for maths if timed, if not, pop philosophy. Hanging gardens, then head for Porcelein tower, grabbing the free Great Engi from Hagia Sophia en route for it. Then after PT, National college, N Epic, etc... and around 15 pop... i consider my second town... Is this too slow? He often comes out just after i build the oxford uni, from Education. Should I be aiming to settle early, and build both up at the same time? My 2nd city doesn't seem to have too much trouble growing, since i can purchase granary, watermill, etc to boost it up.


Sorry for the veritable essay here. But first time posting the forums, and I am a bit of a noob. Looking forward to a response.

 

[paceybaby]

I would say the main thing I would do differently is put out more cities. Science comes from libraries etc but it also comes from having a large population. I get the impression you are not really pushing that hard enough (especially when u only have 1 city by 1000ad?!)

I would agree with your use of great people. I will generally go for academies etc to boost long term gain, which is even greater on epic game time, but 300 science going into the 1900s sounds pretty low to me. I would recommend taking a tech instead of an academy if you are rushing for a wonder.

Hope this helps

 

[Johan de Witt]

What difficulty do you play on?

 

[Trickster7135]

I had a similar situation, I bought it on release and stopped playing after a few months. I came back a month or two ago and have found the new patches to make the game much more fun. The basics you should know is:

You can't build a large number of cities like you used to. On a standard sized map, getting 3 to 5 is the norm, and you can go with less if you focus on that kind of game.

City-states are no longer broken like they used to be. In fact, they are now very very balanced, as maritime city-states no longer give ridiculous food, and the free science from patronage has been toned down by a lot.

Diplomacy has changed a lot, mostly for the better. Going to war, even if you are the defender, will make all civilizations dislike you, if you end up conquering cities, especially capitals. After conquering one or two civs, the rest will assume you are going for a domination victory and cut all contact with you, keeping most relations at guarded. Enemy civs will only ask for peace if they fear you, if taking a few cities didn't work, mark your troops to their capital and pillage/bombard it, after a few turns they will most definitely give you peace for good terms.

If you need more extensive information, I suggest you check out my guide; link is in my signature.

 

[Cavalyn]

Ty for response Trickster, i admit i havent even tried city states since the last patch, since they horrified me when i played an MP game with a few friends, and I owned every state with patronage tree.... I was bringing gets and mechanised infantry vs their musketmen.

I usually play on King difficulty, and a nowadays i seem to always be egypt and go for a wonder spam with one city, til well... in my last vs AI game, i had one city til Oil was discovered off my coast, then made a second. Then a 3rd to grab aluminium.

I haven't had as much joy with multiple cities for some reason. Even having just three cities that grow to 15+ pop has caused me happiness issues, etc... I never play on legendary resources either, and the AI will NEVER trade luxuries to me, unless i am murdering them.

 

[Clrdk]

I also play at KING, standard map (contients) with city states, Marathon speed. Right now I play with Rome

My norm is 4-5 cities.

I will first go for the NC

My second city when I discover IRON.

My other cities depend at Gold and happiness but before 500 BC

Normally I will take one agressive civ out early of the game with my legions

Social policies: Switch between Honour and Liberty

 

[paceybaby]

Ty for response Trickster, i admit i havent even tried city states since the last patch, since they horrified me when i played an MP game with a few friends, and I owned every state with patronage tree.... I was bringing gets and mechanised infantry vs their musketmen.

I usually play on King difficulty, and a nowadays i seem to always be egypt and go for a wonder spam with one city, til well... in my last vs AI game, i had one city til Oil was discovered off my coast, then made a second. Then a 3rd to grab aluminium.

I haven't had as much joy with multiple cities for some reason. Even having just three cities that grow to 15+ pop has caused me happiness issues, etc... I never play on legendary resources either, and the AI will NEVER trade luxuries to me, unless i am murdering them.

By having more cities you allow yourself more access to resources which you can trade. Am not sure why the rival civs won't trade with you on king difficulty, they always trade in my experience, as long as you are friendly / neutral with them. Are you trading the resources they have a surplus of (2 or greater)? They generally want the shirt off your back for a single luxury resource.

 

[Cavalyn]

Perhaps i am being unlucky, but the computer is never willing to trade luxuries with me. Even in my last game where Pachou- and Ghandi and I had a triple decleration of friendship circle (which resulted in waaay too many messages). Ghandi had 7 wine, and wasn't willing to sell me one for even 1,000g. When I asked him what would suffice (I only had two cities, and he had like 4). He wanted. 2,256g(ALL), 15gpt, Marble, Gold, Pearls, 5 Iron and 10 Horses.

..... This is how most of my trades seem to go. I nowdays settle just for selling them at 360, accepting that they will never offer me anything in return.

They seem better for strategics... usually willing to sell me some horses/iron at fair prices.

My peace making diplomacy suffers too. Why yes Wu Zetian, I have crushed your army and raised your city, now pillaging your capital. What do you mean you will only accept peace if I give you everything!?!?!?

And she sends me her peace demands every few turns. Always ALL gold, all gpt, all resources.