[GS] Alashiya's dumb question thread

[Alashiya]

I always run DL early game, to max first meeting envoys and get +2 for any early quests. I keep it slotted as long as there are achievable first quests or if I'm about to explore a new continent. (I play really big maps mostly, so there's always more to find mid-game.)

thank you I'm going to use that approach

 

[fjordan]

thank you I'm going to use that approach

That may work for very empty maps, but by the time you can slot in those cards in my experience all city states will already have been met by an AI, so the free envoy is gone. I do wait with sending my first envoy until I can slot in DL, but slot it out on the next switch.

 

[Alashiya]

I'm trying to become a really solid Deity level player would it be worth spending time learning to master City management on Duel at Emperor level before going to Deity Small?

I know duel size maps has a completely different dynamic to say a large or standard size map will this be a problem when attempting to make the transition to bigger maps in the future?

 

[vorlon_mi]

I approach games on Duel maps (at whatever difficulty) entirely differently from any other map size. Just one opponent, only one diplomatic relationship to manage, one direction to look for potential threats. I would find it hard to learn city management, to master it, while constantly looking over my shoulder. I would recommend instead choosing your opponents at Emperor level on a larger map for a few games, ratcheting up the aggression of your opponents in later games. To become a solid player -- assuming that you're not specializing in playing just one leader, for that leader's unique abilities -- choose leaders with related but not identical traits.

 

[Alashiya]

I approach games on Duel maps (at whatever difficulty) entirely differently from any other map size. Just one opponent, only one diplomatic relationship to manage, one direction to look for potential threats. I would find it hard to learn city management, to master it, while constantly looking over my shoulder. I would recommend instead choosing your opponents at Emperor level on a larger map for a few games, ratcheting up the aggression of your opponents in later games. To become a solid player -- assuming that you're not specializing in playing just one leader, for that leader's unique abilities -- choose leaders with related but not identical traits.

I think you're right. Ive added extra RAM to my Mac today and its handling 10 player sized map easily ,I'll play on 10 man and graduate up(in difficulty) every time I feel I've improved

 

[Alashiya]

when going for a high science domination victory is it best to beeline flight/radio before Refining & the oil dependent goodies?
also is it worth creating my own religion ?

 

[vorlon_mi]

I have some partial answers; I hope others with more experience will also chime in.

Flight Before Oil: On the one hand, I've read multiple people here say that bombers are very powerful. They damage the city, ignoring the walls. To produce enough of them, you will want industrial zones to boost production; these same boost will speed up production of land units.
But you will still need some other type of unit to actually *conquer* the city, since air power can't do that. Beelining flight means you can start building your Aerodrome districts earlier. You will still need to get refining and oil, before you have produced so many planes.

Creating Own Religion: This question isn't simple. If you get some key beliefs, you can buy Campus buildings with faith. That helps you reach your goal of "high science" and get military advances sooner than your neighbors. Other beliefs let you buy units with faith, which helps you achieve your goal of domination. On the other hand, if you're one of the last to found your religion, some of those beliefs are already taken. Having your own religion may mean that an AI will start sending squads of *their* apostles trying to convert your cities. You will need to react to that. Taking on a neighbor's religion may help with loyalty when you take their cities; you can lose loyalty points if the citizens are not following "your" religion. My conclusion is that having your own religion is nice-to-have, but not required. Others who have won more domination victories may have a different conclusion.

 

[Alashiya]

Flight Before Oil: On the one hand, I've read multiple people here say that bombers are very powerful. They damage the city, ignoring the walls. To produce enough of them, you will want industrial zones to boost production; these same boost will speed up production of land units.
But you will still need some other type of unit to actually *conquer* the city, since air power can't do that. Beelining flight means you can start building your Aerodrome districts earlier. You will still need to get refining and oil, before you have produced so many planes.

Air power is far more effective than artillery for removing city walls also great against conventional forces I'll stick with beelining flight and then refining

Religion is a weakpoint of my gaming are there any good basic guides to religious victories?

Thank you Vorlon

 

[Alashiya]

When going for a domination victory when is it best to start researching towards Industrialisation & Flight?
Conversely when to go for Refining and all that juicy Oil

 

[reddishrecue]

That's agreeable.. flight does kill artillery but if u dont have oil thats when there could be a luck issue.

 

[Alashiya]

That's agreeable.. flight does kill artillery but if u dont have oil thats when there could be a luck issue.

you need oil to make biplanes for the advanced flight tech

 

[Alashiya]

I'm currently focussing on religion how do I ensure I get the debater promotion for my apostles more frequently?

 

[Airey]

Are scouts worth building during the ancient era?
CivLifer thinks not ,Potato McWhiskey this yes.I'm undecided veering towards no esp on harder difficulties, what do you think?

It's probably better to ask players for their reasoning and support, not a simple yes and no question.

On higher difficulties, lots of top players start with scout (unless the starting terrain is terrible start with builder, however, one also have the alternative to walk around and not settle on turn uno).

The benefits of scout first openings:

• with initial warrior, find optimal 2nd and 3 city spots (which pays huge dividends in the long run).
• sell Lux to neighboring AI to rush buy 320g/440g settler.
• early goody huts (free builder, convey, and rarely a relic or Governor title can be game breaking)
• steal builder from CS that we were not the 1st civ to discover, but close enough to one of our 3 cities.
• steal unprotected AI settlers (you will be surprised even on deity how easy it is to steal one from AI).
• fun gambits: Poundmaker+Inca has scout as their unique unit. Produce 3~5 scouts, slot in the survey card hit CS and Natural Wonders to get to Lv 2. Beeline writing & construction, and chop Terracotta for Lv3 scouts (+20 strength in all situation).

Early scouts that wonders around with no purpose is different from scouts that looks for opportunities.
Personally I open with 2x or 3x scouts.

Should the government plaza be in your second city or your capital?

The GPlaza should be in one of the 3 early core cities which has the highest hammer yield (look for hills, or found religion for work ethic +8 x2 hammer)

• level 1 and level 2 buildings cannot be rush bought, and are hammer cost heavy
• has bonus towards building settlers
• chop hill forests/rain forests and mine, flat land save for lumber mills.
• for fast domination games, GPlaza are there for adjacency bonuses mostly. The hammers for buildings might translate better if put into horsemen/chariots/Great General projects.

That may work for very empty maps, but by the time you can slot in those cards in my experience all city states will already have been met by an AI, so the free envoy is gone. I do wait with sending my first envoy until I can slot in DL, but slot it out on the next switch.

This is what I prefer to do as well, stay in "Charismatic leader" while getting a good overview of the map and situation.
Slot in "Diplomatic League" to and spend convey points to get to +2, this method allows the player to complete CS quests later rather than trying to time it perfectly.

I have some partial answers; I hope others with more experience will also chime in.

Creating Own Religion: This question isn't simple. If you get some key beliefs, you can buy Campus buildings with faith. That helps you reach your goal of "high science" and get military advances sooner than your neighbors. Other beliefs let you buy units with faith, which helps you achieve your goal of domination. On the other hand, if you're one of the last to found your religion, some of those beliefs are already taken. Having your own religion may mean that an AI will start sending squads of *their* apostles trying to convert your cities. You will need to react to that. Taking on a neighbor's religion may help with loyalty when you take their cities; you can lose loyalty points if the citizens are not following "your" religion. My conclusion is that having your own religion is nice-to-have, but not required. Others who have won more domination victories may have a different conclusion.

something to add regarding religion:

• combine with Golden Age Momentarily, faith buy settlers + builders in the 2nd wave of expansion.
• in culture games, you can take Choral Music (favored by AI) so the player doesn't have to over come the AI culture leader.
• for Domination: use one of the Byzantium leaders and beeline religion, take Crusade.

I'm currently focussing on religion how do I ensure I get the debater promotion for my apostles more frequently?

Kindly remind me what debater promotion does. If you want to sacrifice your apostles for relics, build Mont St, Michel wonder.
Yerevan a Religion CS that allows you to pick promotions for apostles.

when going for a high science domination victory is it best to beeline flight/radio before Refining & the oil dependent goodies?
also is it worth creating my own religion ?

Domination is about getting a tech advantage over AI and blitz.
it takes alot of time to set all those up if you want Flight/Radio and Religion.
My dom games usually ends before industrial. In atomic area, AI might have more resistance due to the time they had to grow and develop.
There will be alot more units occupying space (even a warrior in the way takes 1 turn to kill, instead of moving 4 tiles), thus slows down the attack.
One AI might have taken over other AIs and we'll have to deal with a super AI.

 

[Alashiya]

That's agreeable.. flight does kill artillery but if u dont have oil thats when there could be a luck issue.

On higher difficulties, lots of top players start with scout (unless the starting terrain is terrible start with builder, however, one also have the alternative to walk around and not settle on turn uno).

The benefits of scout first openings:

• with initial warrior, find optimal 2nd and 3 city spots (which pays huge dividends in the long run).
• early goody huts (free builder, convey, and rarely a relic or Governor title can be game breaking)
• steal builder from CS that we were not the 1st civ to discover, but close enough to one of our 3 cities.
• steal unprotected AI settlers (you will be surprised even on deity how easy it is to steal one from AI).

Early scouts that wonders around with no purpose is different with scouts that looks for opportunities.
Personally I open with 2x or 3x scouts.

I've come back down to King difficulty while I work on weakpoints in my overall game.Scouts definitely useful at that level difficulty and I can see why it would be on higher difficulties you cannot beat a settler kidnap

 

[reddishrecue]

I've come back down to King difficulty while I work on weakpoints in my overall game.Scouts definitely useful at that level difficulty and I can see why it would be on higher difficulties you cannot beat a settler kidnap

Yeah I feel the same way with both of you Airey and alashiya when it came down to starting with scouts like that and coming back down to king. Emperor got too difficult.

 

[Alashiya]

Yeah I feel the same way with both of you Airey and alashiya when it came down to starting with scouts like that and coming back down to king. Emperor got too difficult.

I'm trying again to acclimatise myself to Emperor level difficulty how do I get the debator promotion more frequently so I can dominate the religious game?

 

[reddishrecue]

I'm trying again to acclimatise myself to Emperor level difficulty how do I get the debator promotion more frequently so I can dominate the religious game?

One way you could do it is by timing it right. Save the game, purchase an apostle and check if the debater promotion comes up in your apostle. If it does, buy more apostles. If it doesn't, load the saved game and skip a turn. If in the next turn the debater promotion comes up, purchase more. If it doesn't, reload the game and skip to the next turn. Repeat until you see a turn that has a debater promotable apostle.
I say that because the debater promotion appears once a turn and when it does, ALL apostles purchased in that turn will be able to be promoted to debater.

 

[Alashiya]

Is there a sweet spot (capital city size?)for maximising settler output?

 

[reddishrecue]

Is there a sweet spot (capital city size?)for maximising settler output?

It should be done gradually since settlers consume resources from the original city in earlier versions of civilization and it probably still does. The capital should do the settler expansion because it's supposed to be the largest city in your civilization.

 

[vorlon_mi]

Is there a sweet spot (capital city size?)for maximising settler output?

I haven't found one. I tend to wait a bit, until the capital is size 4 or so, with a builder for chopping. Chop/harvest bonus resources to speed up production of a settler, use a trade route to hasten the grow-back of population, and wait again. One of the promotions for Magnus lets the city not lose a population when producing a settler. That ability works well with the "better chops with Magnus" ability, especially in the early game. Once my capital has grown to size 7, I don't miss the population drop as much.

A further interaction exists when you want to place a district, to lock in the cost. Even if you don't intend to finish the district, it's sometimes helpful to wait until size 4 so that you can place the 2nd district. If you want a 3rd district for your capital, growing to size 7 can seem like it takes a long time.