At a bit of a crossroads...

[Excalibur]

Okay then. I am still essentially a beginner and am at Chieftain level. I am playing as the Babylonians and am unsure of what victory type to pursue. To the south of me are the English, the North hosts the Germans and to the east are some other tribes that I have not seen a lot of. I have several iron resources and have expanded decently. So then my question is should I go all warmongery on them or play the culture flip game? It's in the early AD I believe as well.

 

[Wheelock]

I'd suggest some warmongering. Gaining experience with how the AI manages troops, with war weariness (if applicable), and managing your own army is invaluable. Even in fairly peaceful games down the line, you'll need to deal with occasional wars. Good luck.

 

[Excalibur]

Yes well the English have gone bye bye heh heh. I was able to have the iron resource in my territory and all they had were outdated spearmen. Now what to with Germany...I'll have to check their military beforehand. However my cities are closer and more established to them so culture flipping is not out of the question.I don't have much interest in taking over the other side of the world since right now I want to claim the West. It's a Pangaea style map.

 

[SimpleMonkey]

If it were me, I'd eliminate the Germans as soon as it's practical to do so. I've never had anything but trouble from Bismark -- he'll declare war on you sooner or later no matter what, so why not take it to him on your terms?

It might be especially valuable to do so if he his going to put up a fight. At Chieftain you have so many advantages over the AI that some practice fighting a hard fight against an aggressive opponant would be a good learning experience.

At this level, you might also try to play Mr Peaceful for a while, just to get some practice at trading for what you need. Try living for a while without some vital resources within your borders, and work at getting them through trade. This is going to be an invaluable skill as you go up in difficulty.

Regardless, as soon as your at the point where the only challange is figuring out what type of victory to persue, it's time to move up.

If you want a more detailed analysis of your game from the folks here, you should post a saved game.

 

[automator]

Yes, destroy the Germans soon. My last game I was the dominant force on my continent, had just reached Tanks and had a huge army (was preparing for an assault on the other continent). Out of nowhere, Germany declared on me with an army of BOWMEN. Needless to say, within two turns they were history. Bismark happens to be an agressive AI player. Take him out before he has a chance to build up.

I find military domination to be the easiest strategy. Destroy or cripple the others and the end game is much more simple.

 

[vmxa]

Bismark is the strongest at the start and not a good early rush canidate as he starts with archers and spears (at levels that give units).

A great one to take down before Panzers, ugly then.

 

[Excalibur]

How would I get my save file here?

When you link something how do you link it so instead of http://forums.civfanatics.com/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=3173372 it becomes a simple word like Link or something?

How do you trade with other civilizations without having to see one of their units?

 

[vmxa]

The std attachment will put the file in the post if it is less than 500K, I think.

No you cannot trade with a civ unless you have contact. The could be via a unit or trading communications with another civ (if you have the tech).

BTW you won't be able to trade goods without a trade route connection.

 

[SimpleMonkey]

BTW you won't be able to trade goods without a trade route connection.

That's either an unblocked road connecting your capitals, or unblocked sea-lanes connecting coastal cities that are connected to your capital. Airports don't count, if I remember correctly.

I remember that my PTW manual promised to have a chapter on trade explaining all this, and it didn't. Frustrating.

 

[Tone]

When you link something how do you link it so instead of http://forums.civfanatics.com/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=3173372 it becomes a simple word like Link or something?

This is how:

{URL="http://forums.civfanatics.com/showpost.php?p=3179018&postcount=7"]link[/URL} except the curly bracket should be replaced with square ones

When you set up the hyperlink, the highlighted text can be overwritten with the 'link' text.

 

[Excalibur]

Well I've taken care of Germany. Russia tried to settle near my territory. That was a big no no. I took the town and sicked Persia on them who,in turn,sicked Zulu on them.

When I asked about trading I didn't mean before you meet them. I meant say is there any way in the foreign advisor screen or something or other to trade with known Civs. Looking for their units just to talk to them again is a bit of a bother.

After two consecutive wars I am all warmongered out. I have the entire western world under my rule and a huge lead in the histograph so I'm going to settle down and develop my cities.

 

[vmxa]

You can trade from the F4 screen. BTW airports count as connection to the trade grid. Harbors count as long as they are not culture locked. IOW if build a harbor in a town on a beachhead and the AI has enough culture to cover your town, it will not have access to the sea/ocean.

This happens to me all the time on Sid. I pop a harbor and it is blocked from the sea, until I can get rid of the next city or get some culture.

 

[SimpleMonkey]

BTW airports count as connection to the trade grid.

Curse that missing chapter in the PTW manual. Usually the sea lanes are so established by the time that airports come around that I don't notice that airports count as connections too. Still, very useful when you're establishing yourself overseas or on the other side of a continent and find your sea lanes blocked for one reason or another. It's the worker-built airfields that don't count as trade connectors.

BTW, Excalibur, congrats on dealing with the Germans.

 

[Excalibur]

Curse that missing chapter in the PTW manual. Usually the sea lanes are so established by the time that airports come around that I don't notice that airports count as connections too. Still, very useful when you're establishing yourself overseas or on the other side of a continent and find your sea lanes blocked for one reason or another. It's the worker-built airfields that don't count as trade connectors.

BTW, Excalibur, congrats on dealing with the Germans.

I got a little concerned when they started building Swordsmen but luckily I spotted the town where their iron resource was and demanded for the city in the peace talks. Once I get the basics down I'll probably move up to the next difficulty.

 

[egroen]

I'd say you are ready to move up...

 

[SimpleMonkey]

I got a little concerned when they started building Swordsmen but luckily I spotted the town where their iron resource was and demanded for the city in the peace talks. Once I get the basics down I'll probably move up to the next difficulty.

I'd say that just the strategic insight to see how valuable iron is in the Ancient Age (the path to power until the Industrial Age, and vital even then for building railroads, IMHO) says that you're ready to move up. Control of resources, strategic and luxury, only gets more important the higher the level. After all, what's Xerxes without iron except a cranky old guy with a funny beard?

 

[oppressor]

You're very lucky that you got much iron so early. I suppose your neighbours might not have it, at least one of them. So the best choice is to attack, making your advantage of the resources. It's the gift for you. Don't let the chance pass. Don't let your rival pass.
The God is fair. You probably won't have enough saltpowder in the middle age. At that time your position'll be sharply down. So grab your opportunity.