Advice?

[Penguin Glory]

Hi I am fairly new to Civ 3, and I am having the problem of science. I try to keep it as high as possible, but have to keep lowering and lowering it because of money problems. I expand fairly quickly, but still have this problem. Tips?

Thanks,

~Penguin Glory

 

[Shadylookin]

some people just prefer to buy from the AI at least until industrial ages when they want thousands for a tech

 

[zagnut]

What level are you playing on?

Shadylookin's advice is really for the harder levels. Since you say you are new that may not be the best advice.

Is your trouble with money in the ancient or middle ages?

 

[cavemanf16]

I have been playing on Monarch recently. Trading techs around the same turn you get them will really help you out. Also be sure to build a Temple and Library in your largest cities quickly as that will help eliminate some unhappiness and corruption in your cities.

Also, getting a Right of Passage agreement with as many Civ's as possible, and meeting as many civ's as possible before everyone else is very helpful, as the AI views those 'Contact with the ... ' trades as very important and will trade techs, money, maps, etc. for them. Honestly, even though some of the articles on this website are written towards winning on the upper levels, using the same strategies on the Chieftain, Warlord, and Regent levels will greatly increase your ability to win too. That's why I started playing Monarch lately... Regent just became too easy for me in some respects.

 

[billindenver]

Originally posted by Penguin Glory
Hi I am fairly new to Civ 3, and I am having the problem of science. I try to keep it as high as possible, but have to keep lowering and lowering it because of money problems. I expand fairly quickly, but still have this problem. Tips?

Thanks,

~Penguin Glory

Go to your domestic advisor and find out some stuff. How much money are you earning and where is it going? Is your army costing too much to support? Is corruption eating it all? Are your cities too small to support the number of buildings each one has? Are you already paying too much to other civs for trades?

If corruption is a problem, build courthouses and the Forbidden Palace, or switch to a more modern govt ASAP.

If your army is too costly, disband some units.

 

[Konquest02]

Originally posted by billindenver

If your army is too costly, disband some units.

Or go attack an enemy. You will either suffer casualties (lowering your unit count) or gain cities (making your empire produce more gold) or both. You can also extort techs and gpt from the peace treaty...

--Kon--

 

[billindenver]

Originally posted by Konquest02


Or go attack an enemy. You will either suffer casualties (lowering your unit count) or gain cities (making your empire produce more gold) or both. You can also extort techs and gpt from the peace treaty...

--Kon--

Very good points. If your army is too large, you should check your military advisor to see if it's larger than your neighbors. If you army is stronger, extort, renegotiate peace treaties, etc.

 

[marceagleye]

During despotism, only build improvements that are absolutely necessary. I generally try to get to republic before my total maintenance costs exceed five per turn. (Usually one granary, one barracks and three temples or two temples and a harbor). You just don't make enough money in despotism to afford many improvements without having your research rate suffer because of it. Republic makes more money than monarchy so if you're not warmongering go for Republic. It also doesn't hurt to use taxcollectors or scientists in cities that would be in disorder otherwise. After you get republic, build as many libraries as fast as you can. That should help with research. Then build as many marketplaces as you can. That will increase each city's commerce by (50% I think).