Aztec tall strategy

[TheEvilUmpire]

Long time lurker, first time poster. I'm currently playing around with the Aztecs, trying to maximize the benefits of their UA/UU/UB's. Currently towards the end of the medieval area, have finished off Honor and Tradition and recently opened Piety.

Anyhow, I've killed a ton of barbarians, upgraded 3 Jags to Pikes (upgraded through ruins) and 2 Jags to Longswords and am in the process of building xbows to steamroll my nearest neighbor. So that covers the UA and UU for starters.

My question is whether I am taking full advantage of the Floating Gardens or if there are other food bonuses I can take advantage of.

My religion includes:

Fertility rites (+10% growth)
Swords into Plowshares (+15% growth when not at war)
Feed the World (+1 food for shrines and temples)

As I stated, I have full Tradition, which includes +2 food and +10% growth in cap; +2 food and +15% growth in all cities.

I have the following food-based wonders in capital:

Temple of Artemis (+10% growth)
Hanging Gardens (+6 food)

I am running a 4 city tall empire, all having access to fresh water and my capital and a second city sharing a large lake. All cities have the Floating Gardens (+2 food, +15% growth, +2 food for all lake tiles) and Graneries (+2 food). All also have aquducts provided by Tradition. Anything I missed?

BTW growth is amazing! 28 in cap and growing every 6-8 turns!

 

[dragonxxx]

What is the point in opening Piety? That sounds like a waste to me. You do not have high FTP generation to take any advantage out of the Piety stuff ...

 

[TheEvilUmpire]

I'm building the Great Mosque, may run a couple of holy sites, snag a reformation belief.

 

[dragonxxx]

Why do you need em? Shouldnt you be hunting your neighbuors after you finished honor?
Makes no sense for me. Opening patronage for consulates and then going into Rationalism sounds much more reasonable with your initial setup.

 

[TheEvilUmpire]

True, I could go back later if I have time. Might be more valuable to take consulates and pledge protection to the maritime city states for extra food in the cap. Could do that for all city states.

I am a couple turns away from declaring war on Casimir. I plan to let his army come to my force of 3 Jag/Pikes, 2 Jag/Longswords, 5 xbows, and 2 knights. Take his wonder-laden capital and burn the rest. Then wheel my army in the other direction and cap Washington.

BTW not able to post screenshots right now, at work.

 

[arand86]

what level are you playing on? It can't be too high if you managed to gun down both the gardens and ToA

if you're warmongering and ferociously growing all at once, it's not going to bode well for happiness.

Trading with other nations for luxes becomes a lot more expensive, selling luxes to others becomes much less profitable and they very well may come and slap an embargo on you later on.

you have to focus on getting your economy developed, and when your happiness starts to burn, buy out some city states.

 

[TheEvilUmpire]

Good points, arand86. I'm running at about 12-14 happiness right now, so the thought had crossed my mind about running down to the happiness cap. I usually start allying city states in the mid-game.

I'm playing king and right now I'm bringing in about 40gpt wiht 4 trade routes running (caravans on a huge lakes map), so economy hasn't been too much of a worry right now. I do have a couple extra luxuries that I should be trading away, may use some to get resources needed for "we love the king" days to further bolster growth.

 

[TheEvilUmpire]

Any other ways I can increase food, other than buying up maritime city states, building hospitals and med labs when they become available, and triggering some "we love the king days"?

 

[Pazyryk]

You should fight like crazy to take advantage of the UU for culture, which could be used to finish Tradition and Patronage very quickly (both applicable to your grow like crazy idea).

Just fight smartly without accumulating warmonger hate or unhappiness. You can warmonger a lot without accumulating any hatred, and even finish most of a domination game without it (see here). Selective city targeting and liberating also keeps the unhappiness down. Alternatively, don't take any enemy cities at all. At Immortal+ difficulty you should have no shortage of AIs declaring on you and sending masses of units for you to slaughter.

 

[TheEvilUmpire]

Thanks for the advice Paz, but I think I'd rather waste Poland and America instead. They've built some lovely wonders for me and it would be rude of me to not graciously accept their generous gifts. Keep the Caps and burn the rest! Hack and slash your way to fame and fortune!

 

[budweiser]

Fertilizer. Freedom tenets less food consumed per specialist.

 

[Lunco]

Where can I see which luxury my citizens want for "We love the king day"?

 

[chazzycat]

city screen, top middle

 

[Gort]

I don't think it's worth finishing Honour or doing anything in Piety.

My own preference for Aztecs is:

1. Open Honour
2. Do all of Tradition
3. 2 policies in Patronage for Consulates
4. Everything in Rationalism that gives extra beakers
5. Whatever ideology works

 

[FrostK]

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=508066
Doubt Azteq can do better...