Any tips on developing quickly (Warlord level and higher)?

[Rusek]

I guess the problem with me is that I prefer playing at the Chieftan level, and I find it easier to play and of course win , but I got bored of it so I decided to kick it up a notch and play a game at the Warlord level. After a few turns (playing as the Poles, mod URL in the signature), I find myself completely upside-down. Technologically I am the worst, hell the AI is already in the next era while I'm still learning my 4th tech. Those "free give-aways" turn out to be a disaster, 3 tribes attacking me, one of them actually got to my capital and screwing me over even more.

So .. I was hoping if you guys know how to expand quickly at the same speed / faster then the AI so that I'll be at a reasonable pace, instead of an era gap. I would also like to know any worker tips so that I can develop a stable, growing civ.

Thanks for your time.

 

[Rosicrucian]

Ok, these tips are for the first stages of the game.

* pump up your tech all the way.
* build warrior, warrior, settler in your capital
* keep pumping out settlers WITHOUT WASTING SHIELDS due to cities being too small (that's important)
* don't worry about military until you have claimed all the territory you want. You might find yourself building military units until your cities are big enough to build settlers, but aim for defense.
* MINE, don't IRRIGATE

 

[BCLG100]

actually if you want to grow more the warrior warrior setler thing doesnt work as fast as others
Tips
check around the forums
mine in depotism irrigate in all other governements
worry about military units unless you have a substantial force the AI will declare war on you

 

[bobgote]

ok, if you want specific tips, post a save game, otherwise my advice is:

you need workers to improve terrain early as possible. building on what BCLG100 said, mine the grasslands, but irrigate plains, floodplains and wheat tiles (optional). Anything getting 2 food, mine, anything getting more, irrigate. Forests aren't necessarily bad, just build roads there (also handy for science/cash).

keep military up. The AI will pick on weak civs, try to make those civs other AI players.

If you don't plan an early war (and one doesn't look like eventuating), get to monarch. If you are looking for an early war, stay in despotism for the unit support, until you get a few >6 size cities.

Expand quickly, but make sure you're settlers and new towns are defended.

 

[MAS]

BCLG100

In despotism, don't irigate grassland. only grassland! and even then only when it doesn't have a bonus resource!
grass with a bonus resource and flood plains need to be irigated becouse you need to grow very fast!

being able to do settler-settler-settler is better than having to do warrior-warrior-settler. Unless you start very very close to an other civ on a tiny map and you want to conquer it.

EDIT:
Oh, i forgot to mention, in most cases i find it a lot easier to go directly to republic from despotism. That saves 8 turns of anarchy! Don't forget that unit support in despo is 4 for towns while it is only 2 for towns in monarchy! and if most of settlements are larger than size6 they can support republic well enough. (assuming you have properly paved your territory with roads)

 

[Allemand]

In Despotism, I mine the grasslands that produce 2 food and 1 shield, so they give me 2 shields. That's as good as hills for that government. Grasslands with no shields should generally be iqnored at the start, although sometimes you have to use them. Bonus food tiles should be irrigated, for growth, but you can mix that up if you have several sites with the bonuses. I look for at least 2-3 cities that can grow fast and produce settlers. The slower cities I use for military production.

I usually get to Republic by 1500 BC (with an Expansionist civ) and have about 8-10 cities by then, mostly small but with at least two growing faster and preparing to build wonders. Going into Republic my military claims more than 50% of the budget, sometimes as high as 70%, but that number will decrease gradually to about 15-20%. In Republic I leave the mines in the grasslands unless a city is growing very slowly. In Democracy and with hospitals I exchange the mines for irrigation.

Of course, the game is often over before I get to Democracy. For a longer game, I often iqnore all the advice and play as if I'm as dumb as the AI. That can be very interesting.

 

[kb2tvl]

I just mine everything but floodplains. I generally fight long protracted monarchy or despotism wars to gain a FP early. What you lose in pop growth, you gain in military muscle.... or culatural muscle from building temples/granarys/barracks faster.

I would suggest to have atleast one shield per tile worked though. During a golden age, each square that produces a shield produces an extra shield(im pretty sure on this one.)