Advice Wanted From Better Players

[RedwoodTree]

Needing advice from "better" players

Play on warlord with large world. Typically there are 12-16 civs at the start. The problem is that I'm always in the top 2-3 by 1000AD and by 2050 AD, but I never win.

Sometimes, the other nations (ALL OF THEM LITERALLY!!! I"M NOT KIDDING) are at war with me, and I spend all my time and money trying to defend myself. I've offered them fair (I think) trades, and all early in the game, and only attack a country when it's weak, and I want the territory. I often try to destroy them outright, instead of letting them hang around.

I never win though!!

Some things I do which I need advice on:

1) build cities faster or build fewer big cities faster? (if you don't get the land, another nation will)
2) I always just "automate" workers, this works fairly well, but I'm not sure if they are doing what must be done
3) I always build a pretty strong militiry, or a REALLY strong one if the continent is crowded and looks like it's headed for war

The last game I just retired on (lost), we were at war (the entire frigging world!!) for nearly 2000 yearss!!! What a pain in the you know what!!

Suggestions??

Yes, I build wonders when I can get them, if I get them first, and I usually get 2-3 or so of them per game.

 

[andyo]

what you really should do is try and play better then the computer- that is try and do better than your opponents.

also, you have to make sure that your computer is plugged in.

 

[Beam]

To start with the workers, do not seek a solution there since its effects do not have a lot of influence on your specific result.

But my goodness, you are at war yourself for 2000 years? Why is that? When you attack a country do you check the treaties they have? Mutual Protection Pacts, specially nested ones can make the worl go mad at you. Do you take reasonable or profitable peace offers? Choose of opponents?

I would suggest to give some examples how you run one or more wars before specific advice applies.

 

[RedwoodTree]

Yes, I sometimes check the MPP, but usually, the other countries just declare war on me. That's what happened constantly for 2000 years...I NEVER initiated an attack on them, they just constantly re-declared war, re-initialized trade agreements against me!!!

 

[Beam]

Key question: why does the AI treat you like this? Have you read other threads on successful games and try to copy some of those?

 

[Allemand]

My thoughts: 12-16 civs on a large world means it's a bit crowded so there will always be friction. Might want to reduce the number of civs or go to the huge world.

If the AI players are all picking on you and not on each other then you are either stronger than the others or weaker than the others. Best bet there is to cultivate a couple of dependable allies and get them into your wars with the others. Make sure you reward them.

 

[RedwoodTree]

RE: too many civs on a large map, I've just let it set at random, should I say 8 or so?

also, RE: "If the AI players are all picking on you and not on each other then you are either stronger than the others or weaker than the others. Best bet there is to cultivate a couple of dependable allies and get them into your wars with the others. Make sure you reward them."

I did that last game, neighbor Aztecs were fairly strong, and I gave them gold, traded with them, etc...so we had a fairly nice relationship, and then all of the sudden, they made an alliance with Egypt and attacked me!! They had been "polite" up til then, so I let 'em have it, and cut them in half. I couldn't destroy them, because they were too big. After this point, they were Furious with ME for the entire rest of the game, and it just deteriorated into MPPs with every nation against me!!

 

[Allemand]

You should set the number of civs in the last screen before starting the game. Okay to say random, but only on the number you want. Set the others not to play.

I did say reliable, and the Aztecs are not as good allies as some. Try the French, maybe the Egyptians. Also don't ally with your neighbor. Too much friction between neighbors, plus they're the ones you can expand against. Ally with one of their neighbors, one who does not have a border with you. Again, make sure you reward them after a war. That means giving them a city or two, or maybe some gold, luxury, or tech. They need to think they will get something out of every war they help you with. Always give things to your allies, even if it's just a small amount of gold.

 

[Sodak]

As soon as a war starts, contact every other leader in the game. Offer a military alliance against your foe. Some will refuse, others will gleefully join, others will need a fat bribe. GET ALLIES, even if you need to cough up gold and tech.

Apparently you wage war well - you cut up enemies, and do not lose ground in a world war. When your enemy is down, contact the reluctant leaders again. They will be more willing to attack a nation on its knees.

If you always make stingy deals, or do not contact other civs often, they grow to dislike you. Isolationism is not a good approach in Civ3. Trade often, make deals that help the AI, they will like you more.

 

[Black Waltz]

You may also stop automating your workers from early on, as you need to control them to build trade links. Also try to expand in a star fashion. The capital in the center, and the outlying cities surounding it. Don't expand too far, but make sure if you have an enemy (or friend) near, you expand quickly to their nearest city so they do not expand into your land too much.