Barbarian Men-at-Arms in the Ancient Era

[steveg700]

So, I thought the quadreme geysers were problematic enough, but I've played multiple games now where men-at-arms are geysering every turn from camps in the ancient era. Is this supposed somebody out there has researched Apprenticeship? Or is this some new snag?

Either way, suffice to say it was never particularly sensible or intuitive to have barbs unlock units whenever any one civ in the game has unlocked a unit. Oh well, guess I'll just start by men-at-arms from this camp to wipe out this camp.

 

[Linklite]

So, I thought the quadreme geysers were problematic enough, but I've played multiple games now where men-at-arms are geysering every turn from camps in the ancient era. Is this supposed somebody out there has researched Apprenticeship? Or is this some new snag?

I'm not convinced that is the rule, at least not anymore. I remember one game in particular where I was unable to wipe out a Barb camp for quite a while because they had musketeers and I didn't. After a long time, I ended up beelining musketeers so I could wipe them out. I was by far the strongest civ for science (being eras ahead of the others), and I didn't overtake the Barbs in terms of units until I got mechanised infantry. I don't know what the rule is, but it seems to not follow them having the most advanced unit unlocked by other civs. It used to be that my troops would always be more advanced than theirs.

 

[GinandTonic]

So, I thought the quadreme geysers were problematic enough, but I've played multiple games now where men-at-arms are geysering every turn from camps in the ancient era. Is this supposed somebody out there has researched Apprenticeship? Or is this some new snag?

Gaul built three mines.

 

[Duke William of Normandy]

Gaul built three mines.

No, Gaul would have built an Oppidum to get Apprenticeship. Babylon would have built three Mines to get Apprenticeship.

 

[Linklite]

I'm not convinced that is the rule, at least not anymore. I remember one game in particular where I was unable to wipe out a Barb camp for quite a while because they had musketeers and I didn't. After a long time, I ended up beelining musketeers so I could wipe them out. I was by far the strongest civ for science (being eras ahead of the others), and I didn't overtake the Barbs in terms of units until I got mechanised infantry. I don't know what the rule is, but it seems to not follow them having the most advanced unit unlocked by other civs. It used to be that my troops would always be more advanced than theirs.

Thinking about it, do you still have the save? Could you get a screenshot of the ribbon that shows everyone's science (amongst other things)?

 

[steveg700]

No, Gaul would have built an Oppidum to get Apprenticeship. Babylon would have built three Mines to get Apprenticeship.

Note to Self: Make sure Babylon is banned from random AI civ list.

 

[Pietato]

Barbarian clans have the highest tech units in the game, until end-game units start appearing. I have no idea why, but you will see Line Infantry running around at turn 120.

 

[Archon_Wing]

Note to Self: Make sure Babylon is banned from random AI civ list.

Lol, honestly if they deleted Babylon from the game, little would be lost.

(Gaul too probs)

Most of NFP too.

 

[Pietato]

Babylon is not the cause.

 

[Noble Zarkon]

Lol, honestly if they deleted Babylon from the game, little would be lost.

(Gaul too probs)

Most of NFP too.

Some of the best. most fun, civs have come in NFP IMO.

 

[MrRadar]

If anything, barbs should lag an era or two behind the tech leader or at least their tech should be aligned to that of the closest neighbours. Now not only they subscribe to the scientific magazines publishing the cutting edge military science data worldwide (and who's the editor, I wonder), but they also have underground factories with unlimited access to all kinds of resources to spew out the most modern units. I suspect they also snag all those great scientists nobody else get a chance even to get a glimpse of

 

[Pietato]

If anything, barbs should lag an era or two behind the tech leader or at least their tech should be aligned to that of the closest neighbours. Now not only they subscribe to the scientific magazines publishing the cutting edge military science data worldwide (and who's the editor, I wonder), but they also have underground factories with unlimited access to all kinds of resources to spew out the most modern units. I suspect they also snag all those great scientists nobody else get a chance even to get a glimpse of

They are probably the CIA testing new weapons again.

 

[steveg700]

If anything, barbs should lag an era or two behind the tech leader or at least their tech should be aligned to that of the closest neighbours. Now not only they subscribe to the scientific magazines publishing the cutting edge military science data worldwide (and who's the editor, I wonder), but they also have underground factories with unlimited access to all kinds of resources to spew out the most modern units. I suspect they also snag all those great scientists nobody else get a chance even to get a glimpse of

Yeah, barbs be an exercise in quantity, not quality.

Certainly quantity *and* quality.

 

[Archon_Wing]

Some of the best. most fun, civs have come in NFP IMO.

Well there's been good civs like Vietnam and...I guess Mayans is interesting. Some are not bad.

 

[Alaindor]

Some of the best. most fun, civs have come in NFP IMO.

I quite enjoyed both Gaul and Portugal, too

 

[Linklite]

Some of the best. most fun, civs have come in NFP IMO.

I agree. Certainly the more interesting ones. A lot of the others are quote bland, but any of the NFP ones fundamentally change how you play. I wouldn't want all the civs to be like that, but the game could do with a few more, IMO.

 

[PiR]

I quite enjoyed Gaul

 

[aieeegrunt]

I ended up turning barbs off, because the concepts are neat but the implementation is hilariously broken

a fitting epitaph for this game

 

[Park Hyun]

Firaxis, please read this thread. This should be a quick and easy fix.

 

[SirWill90]

Yeah I have to agree barbs are a little too crazy atm. Hate to turn them off. But they are like several times more powerful militarily than any civ and the advanced units issue... spawn rate needs turned down a little and they should never have more advanced units than the nearby civs, IMHO.

I do love the new barb mode though as a concept. And mostly as executed heh.