Alexander The Great Scenario -- Tips

[Horizons]

I finally did it, after six hours of playing and with 50 turns to spare. (On Prince.) Overall the scenarios are deceptively simple but they actually work really well. I like them. In this case Breunor is very right in saying that you get a nasty shock when you penetrate into the heart of the Middle East. I would say that the first time India sprays war elephants all over your captured Persian cities is quite a shock too. But eventually you beat them back and once again, the known world is shaking to the rhythm of millions of your soldiers going to war. It is a splendid sight.

 

[Antilogic]

Personally, I was disappointed to find that Egypt could build elephants. The first few cities are easy, but once you get about half-way across the map, the Persian counterattacks just seem endless. Just bring plenty of hoplites...the Persians love their cavalry.


I didn't think the scenario captured the feel of Alexander's conquests, though. He didn't have a near-infinite supply of reinforcements marching from Greece to the fronts in the far East. Not to mention you apparently didn't need Antipater to put down those silly Greek rebels.

 

[Whitedragon]

Personally, I was disappointed to find that Egypt could build elephants.

Egypt gets elephants because they are trading with the Indians for ivory. The whole world is against you and your desire for world domination.

The first few cities are easy, but once you get about half-way across the map, the Persian counterattacks just seem endless. Just bring plenty of hoplites...the Persians love their cavalry.

I think you mean Phalanx.

And just because it appears that the other Alexander threads are dead, I'll point you all to my discoveries here:

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=219485

Within the next week or two, I hope to replay the scenario and see how far I can get Alexander without all the reloading. Alex will have to do alot of fighting, but this time without the long odds to speed up the experience gains.
I don't want him getting injured and taking six months off while the rest of his army slaughters the Persians. That just wouldn't be fair.

 

[Mewtarthio]

I'm currently playing the scenario myself. Alex has just hit level 12 (~120 XP... 124, if I remember correctly) and is known worldwide as "Alexander the Brave" (third civic level). Note that I've been playing him conservatively, so his main source of experience is other Warlords. Additonally, I'm fairly certain (though I can't state this with any degree of accuracy) that joining him to a unit that isn't stacked with anyone else at the beginning (so he gets the full 25 XP) is sufficient to instantly boost you up to "Alexander the Victorious."

Note that this is the unpatched version. By the way, correct me if I'm wrong, but don't the Macedonian Barracks provide bonus XP to mounted units (along with Flanking I), and the Spartan Barracks provide free Guerrilla I promotions?

A glitch is definately not out of the question. At the very least, we know the player doesn't get informed if Alex unlocks a new title (except, oddly enough, Victorious). I don't think the designers intended the player to manually check the civic screen every time Alex levels up (at least, there's nothing that would indicate it to the player that I've seen).

 

[Whitedragon]

Additonally, I'm fairly certain (though I can't state this with any degree of accuracy) that joining him to a unit that isn't stacked with anyone else at the beginning (so he gets the full 25 XP) is sufficient to instantly boost you up to "Alexander the Victorious."

I just tested this today. Alex splits his experience with all other troops in the stack, just like any other warlord. Join him to an individual unit for the full 25 exp. Too bad you need 26 exp. to gain the Victorious title. You do have 2 companion cavalry that begin the scenario with 2 free exp though.

However, my experiment created something very scary.

http://forums.civfanatics.com/uploads/115869/Civ4ScreenShot0002.JPG

186 experience is nothing to sneeze at. I could have hung around for the final title (197), but frankly I was getting bored. It just takes too darn long. I had Alex fight at least one battle per city plus a few extra battles against stray troops. On the plus side, no reloading this time.

 

[Mewtarthio]

I just tested this today. Alex splits his experience with all other troops in the stack, just like any other warlord. Join him to an individual unit for the full 25 exp. Too bad you need 26 exp. to gain the Victorious title. You do have 2 companion cavalry that begin the scenario with 2 free exp though.

Ah, that explains it. I'd joined him to one of the advanced Companion Cavalry units.

I've checked the Python files, and I've found this little nugget of info:

if self.getAlexanderLevel() > 5 and self.getAlexanderLevel() < 9:
	if not (self.getCivicOptionTitle() == CvUtil.findInfoTypeNum(gc.getCivicInfo,gc.getNumCivicInfos(), "ATG_CIVIC_VICTORIOUS")):
		self.setCivicOptionTitle("ATG_CIVIC_VICTORIOUS")					
	if (not self.bTitleVictorious):
		self.bTitleVictorious = True
		self.doPopup("TXT_KEY_ATG_POP_UP_TITLE_UPGRADE_VICTORIOUS")

if self.getAlexanderLevel() > 8 and getAlexanderLevel() <13:
	if not (self.getCivicOptionTitle() == CvUtil.findInfoTypeNum(gc.getCivicInfo,gc.getNumCivicInfos(), "ATG_CIVIC_BRAVE")):
		self.setCivicOptionTitle("ATG_CIVIC_BRAVE")		
	if (not self.bTitleBrave):
		self.bTitleBrave = True
		self.doPopup("TXT_KEY_ATG_POP_UP_TITLE_UPGRADE_BRAVE")
		
if self.getAlexanderLevel() > 12 and self.getAlexanderLevel() < 15:
	if (self.getCivicOptionTitle() == CvUtil.findInfoTypeNum(gc.getCivicInfo,gc.getNumCivicInfos(), "ATG_CIVIC_AMAZING")):
		self.setCivicOptionTitle("ATG_CIVIC_AMAZING")	
	if (not self.bTitleAmazing):
		self.bTitleAmazing = True
		self.doPopup("TXT_KEY_ATG_POP_UP_TITLE_UPGRADE_AMAZING")
		
if self.getAlexanderLevel() > 14:
	if (self.getCivicOptionTitle() == CvUtil.findInfoTypeNum(gc.getCivicInfo,gc.getNumCivicInfos(), "ATG_CIVIC_GREAT")):
		self.setCivicOptionTitle("ATG_CIVIC_GREAT")	
	if (not self.bTitleGreat):
		self.bTitleGreat = True
		self.setCivicOptionTitle("ATG_CIVIC_GREAT")
		self.doPopup("TXT_KEY_ATG_POP_UP_TITLE_UPGRADE_GREAT")

In other words, we should see the following pattern:

Lvl 6 = Victorious
Lvl 9 = Brave
Lvl 13 = Amazing
Lvl 15 = Great

Whitedragon, could you double-check whatever game spawned that screenshot to make sure that "Amazing" isn't a title option?

EDIT: Of course, Whitedragon already knew that. By intensive playtesting. I really should read these links more often.

 

[Whitedragon]

Yeah, I knew I should have updated this thread with the information I'd found and posted in the old one.

Since the numbers are all that are important.

Alexander the Victorious: Level 6 (26 xp)
Alexander the Brave: Level 9 (65 xp)
Alexander the Amazing: Level 13 (145 xp)
Alexander the Great: Level 15 (197 xp)

I've only achieved Alexander the Great once. I got close this last time, but I didn't do all the reloading I needed the first time. Probably why it took me over 4 hours to finish.

It will probably be more than possible to achieve the higher titles playing on higher difficulty levels. Playing this scenario on diety would probably give you more than enough battles to suck experience points out of.

 

[Breunor]

Whitedragon,

I have tried to put your suggestions and information into the main post. I profusely apologize if I misstated it. I'd appreciate your checking it for accuracy if you get a free moment.

Thanks for your tremendous help!

Breunor

 

[Breunor]

Ah, that explains it. I'd joined him to one of the advanced Companion Cavalry units.

I've checked the Python files, and I've found this little nugget of info:

if self.getAlexanderLevel() > 5 and self.getAlexanderLevel() < 9:
	if not (self.getCivicOptionTitle() == CvUtil.findInfoTypeNum(gc.getCivicInfo,gc.getNumCivicInfos(), "ATG_CIVIC_VICTORIOUS")):
		self.setCivicOptionTitle("ATG_CIVIC_VICTORIOUS")					
	if (not self.bTitleVictorious):
		self.bTitleVictorious = True
		self.doPopup("TXT_KEY_ATG_POP_UP_TITLE_UPGRADE_VICTORIOUS")

if self.getAlexanderLevel() > 8 and getAlexanderLevel() <13:
	if not (self.getCivicOptionTitle() == CvUtil.findInfoTypeNum(gc.getCivicInfo,gc.getNumCivicInfos(), "ATG_CIVIC_BRAVE")):
		self.setCivicOptionTitle("ATG_CIVIC_BRAVE")		
	if (not self.bTitleBrave):
		self.bTitleBrave = True
		self.doPopup("TXT_KEY_ATG_POP_UP_TITLE_UPGRADE_BRAVE")
		
if self.getAlexanderLevel() > 12 and self.getAlexanderLevel() < 15:
	if (self.getCivicOptionTitle() == CvUtil.findInfoTypeNum(gc.getCivicInfo,gc.getNumCivicInfos(), "ATG_CIVIC_AMAZING")):
		self.setCivicOptionTitle("ATG_CIVIC_AMAZING")	
	if (not self.bTitleAmazing):
		self.bTitleAmazing = True
		self.doPopup("TXT_KEY_ATG_POP_UP_TITLE_UPGRADE_AMAZING")
		
if self.getAlexanderLevel() > 14:
	if (self.getCivicOptionTitle() == CvUtil.findInfoTypeNum(gc.getCivicInfo,gc.getNumCivicInfos(), "ATG_CIVIC_GREAT")):
		self.setCivicOptionTitle("ATG_CIVIC_GREAT")	
	if (not self.bTitleGreat):
		self.bTitleGreat = True
		self.setCivicOptionTitle("ATG_CIVIC_GREAT")
		self.doPopup("TXT_KEY_ATG_POP_UP_TITLE_UPGRADE_GREAT")

In other words, we should see the following pattern:

Lvl 6 = Victorious
Lvl 9 = Brave
Lvl 13 = Amazing
Lvl 15 = Great

Whitedragon, could you double-check whatever game spawned that screenshot to make sure that "Amazing" isn't a title option?

EDIT: Of course, Whitedragon already knew that. By intensive playtesting. I really should read these links more often.

Mewt,

Very helpful, thanks!

Breunor

 

[Whitedragon]

Looks good Breunor. You've done a tremendous amount of work.

I've got some time off this week, and I'm considering playing this scenario again one last time...on deity. At the very least, this should be interesting.

 

[Breunor]

Good luck, White! I haven't had the courage to go for deity quite yet ....

Breunor