Back to BASICS for Newbies

[Babalu]

I'm new to Civ. I've been fooling around with it for a week and and scanning this forum. Yes, that's right; I'm hooked. (My social life is already in the decline.) Anyway, I think on on my way to my first victory, if I keep up the good work, using the Greeks. I'm not a warmonger and prefer expanion by peaceful means, so I appreciate and understand importance of culture and diplomacy. I've been pretty successful at assimilating rival cities via culture.

But WHAT ABOUT SOME OF THE BASICS...
1. population growth (it's almost always slow)
2. prevent "disorder"
3. what should first priorities be for new city..worker, defender, settler, improvements (in that order)
4. any recommendations on strategically positioning military UU if my strategy is war only as defense and as last resort for expansion

I would greatly appreciate recommendations on these issues.

Also recommendations on what civs for my gen strategy would be appropriate.

THANKS!

 

[eyrei]

The Greeks are a perfect civ for your current playing style. The phalanx is THE best defensive unit in the ancient age. FOrtified in a city or in a mountain, they are nearly invincible.

City growth is calculated by adding the number of surplus food/turn to the 'granary' box on the bottom right of your city screen. When this fills up, your city grows. If your city stalls at 6 population, you need to build an aqueduct to continue growing.

Another civ you might try is the Babylonians. They build cultural improvements faster.

 

[Babalu]

Thanks Just the kind of help I was looking for.

Anyone else's suggestions would be appreciated as well.

One more question. How do I use barracks and more generally "upgrade" UU?

 

[eyrei]

To upgrade, move the unit to a city with a barracks. A lightning bolt command icon will appear at the bottom of the screen if the unit is upgradable. Click it and determine if you can afford the upgrade. Also, to upgrade all units of a type that are in cities with barracks, select one unit of that type, and press shift+u.

 

[Mike C]

1. Make sure you irrigate any plains squares to generate an extra food per square. Build irrigation on flood planes as well as they will override the despotism penatly of no square generating more than 2 food. Build a granary to half the time for growth.

2. Make every possible effort to bring in luxury resources. Each unique luxury resource will combat one unhappy citizen. Build temples, colloseums and cathedrals early on. Otherwise you may find yourself wasting a lot of citizens as entertainers.

3. Personally, the first thing I do when I start a new city is rush build a granary as fast as possible. It cuts down on city growth time by half and that is huge. The only time I deviate from that is in the very early going when I build a defensive unit to protect myself from barbarians who have a nasty habit of destroying all work on a city improvement under construction.

4. No matter how defensive or peaceful you are, you will need a few offensive units like swordsman. Otherwise, while your defensive unit turtles, the enemy just pillages you to death.

 

[Babalu]

Many thanks to both of you.

 

[CeasarSalad]

The computer automatically places new citizens on resource squares that it thinks are the "best", but if you're hurrying towards finishing up a wonder or an important piece of production, it's a good idea to second-guess the computer, as it will usually favor food over sheilds in it's citizen placement.

 

[Gnarlyhotep]

You can instruct the computer, through the contact governor command, to ephasise food production, or commerce, or production, in that city, or throughout your empire.

I don't, because I find it better to micromanage everything, but when you start dealing with large amounts of cities growing fast, it may be easier

 

[Babalu]

This is superfantistico advice!

 

[Mike C]

One last thing.

EXPAND. Gobble up every piece of land available to you right from the start. Don't wait, don't walk, RUN - nay, GALLOP to settle everything in sight, even if you think the terrain is worthless or the city probably won't grow very well. You never know if a strategic resources is going to be under that city you build.

Expand as fast as you can, as far as you can until you can no longer do so because you've run out of room against the enemy AIs.

 

[Babalu]

That is the best advice in this game.

 

[element|Z]

1. Epand fast
2. Build Wonders fast
3. Use money to buy tech from AI's
4. Build up Colture fast
5. Attack at will