Any cool civs to exploit on a TERRA map?

[El Caballerion]

Looking to start a new TERRA game and want to choose a unique CIV to have a really unique experience. The only one that comes to mind is perhaps playing as Polynesia, leaving the old world and settling on the new world with all of its juicy ruins.

Though I know they are perhaps the most exploitable on TERRA, what other civs bring about really cool strategies on this kind of map?

 

[cpm4001]

Spain, of course, is one of the top choices; send those Conquistadors over to the New World and settle cities!
Otherwise, perhaps England for that extra naval movement, or Portugal for the Nau.

 

[Navelgazer]

Spain is the civ that was basically made for this. Polynesia's settler gambit (just send your initial settler and warrior to the new world from turn one) is another popular one, as you mention.

 

[Plumfairy]

Indonesia & Carthage both have inherent ways to exploit Terra maps.

 

[BrotherInJah]

Spain is the civ that was basically made for this. Polynesia's settler gambit (just send your initial settler and warrior to the new world from turn one) is another popular one, as you mention.

In BNW this is more difficult than it was in GNK (playing poly). No gold from trades (trading with CS isn't so lucrative). I have a feeling that in New World lux are more spraeded and less diversited. In bigger maps journey takes much much longer so you fell very behind. Scouting for good spot with initial units is hard.

Spain is much better for this but.. if you take control on Old Worlds NWs you might end up beating everyone befor astronomy (been there). But Spain is Spain and you can get empty hands, so settling in New World is double fun.

And this is it.. palying with other civs i can't see a point to even bother to sail of, unless i need some resource (oil, aluminum etc) or there is rare NW.

 

[DarthSheldonPhD]

If you play with cheat huts on, I'm sure Shoshone would be an easy civ for that map, provided you can be first to astronomy

 

[jlim201]

Goody Huts arent really "cheap", their a luck thing. That is one of the few "random elements" of Civ V and that they also make the early game interesting.

 

[Dogmouth]

My one piece of advice if you opt for Polynesia is that you should NOT settle your first settler in the New World. You have plenty of time to exploit your ability with new settlers and scouting (e.g., monopolizing the ruins and CSs) without gimping your early game.

 

[tat501]

Spain dominate Terra.

Portugal are also quite good - there are lots of CS in the New World and you can get to them and feitoria them easily.

England - with its extra naval movement.

Ottomans can be extremely deadly on Terra as well. A huge cheap navy to dominate access to the New World - but the real killer is that the Old World continent is quite crowded and small - so if you want to win a domination victory its not much of a slog -Janissaries and Sipahi's will get excellent usage on a Terra map because of this. This is another reason why Spain is so strong on Terra with the Conquistador (as well as the overseas colonising business! and the Tercio which dominates just about anything if you can build enough of them).

 

[Quineloe]

I don't really see the value of a dozen ancient ruins discovered in the renaissance era. The culture, faith and gold boni you'll end up getting won't really help. That usually pays for half a missionary and 1/10th of a social policy. At best, you'll get a modern unit upgraded beyond what you currently have, for example getting cavalry out of a knight. But what's one unit at that point in the game? The by far best thing to get from ancient ruins is +1 pop and technology, but it's restricted to ancient era techs, so most of the time those ruins won't do anything noticable for you.

Sending your first settler over to the new world as Polynesia makes no sense. At best, you'll spend 10 turns traveling. That time lost is probably impossible to make up, especially since your exile will result in not getting trade route science.

 

[nimzo28]

Polynesia is the best civilization. It will establish a first contact with many city-state at least 100 rounds before other civilizations, which ensures better relationships with them, so more culture, food, faith ...

 

[Biologist]

One of my favorite games was played as Spain on a Terra map. I held myself to only building two cities on the starting continent, then sent Conquistadors to settle the New World. My civ went from worst to first in a hurry.

Being the first to colonize the New World also means being the first to clear out all the barbarians there... and earn the gratitude of all those undiscovered city states. I conquered one to give myself a decent harbor to work with, then set about allying the rest of them. That was before BNW though, I might have to try it again some time.

 

[El Caballerion]

Sending your first settler over to the new world as Polynesia makes no sense. At best, you'll spend 10 turns traveling. That time lost is probably impossible to make up, especially since your exile will result in not getting trade route science.

In the end, I think it does make sense. I mean, it's gimmicky, but considering you have an entire continent to yourself to exploit without fear of war (until renaissance) is almost cheating... hence, the slight time lost esp with trad route science makes up for this OP ability on such a map.

 

[redwings1340]

For Polynesia, I'm pretty sure sending your first settler to Terra is a bad plan, although I imagine roleplaying as a defender of an entire continent could be pretty fun.

Indonesia is a civ that hasn't been listed yet for this category. With Spice Islanders, they could become a good civ to get some Terra settlements on.

 

[shaglio]

For Polynesia, I'm pretty sure sending your first settler to Terra is a bad plan, although I imagine roleplaying as a defender of an entire continent could be pretty fun.

It's not too bad on lower difficulties where falling behind early isn't as detrimental. I don't know if I'd try it on Deity, but I've only once won a game higher than King under normal conditions, so I'm a good barometer of what is and isn't possible.