Best Civ for Real Start Earth Map in VI

[Victoria]

Early armadas as well

 

[gimper42]

A really early armada can be a pretty big deal. I learned this the first time I got Santa Cruz a couple games back.

 

[Feyd Rautha]

I cherry picked civs for my TSL game. I wanted to give everyone two or more starting city areas, but also tried to limit it to two per "old world" continent.

Has anybody tried a "one per continent (two per Asia)" TSL? I was considering it to see how it would play. China, Scythia, Germany, Kongo, Australia, Aztec, America?

 

[gimper42]

I had one where I was Victoria. Teddy, Monty and Pedro were present and they nearly filled up their continents. Western US, most of Canada, the Yucatan and Panama were untouched by them. Harald and Gorgo filled up most of Europe while our African friend filled up most of his continent. Finally there was Arabia gobbling up his starting area and India. Everyone seemed to have plenty of room to expand and mostly took good advantage.

 

[Ferocitus]

The trouble is that what most people regard as a "good start" might not
be all that good after a 50-100 turns when other resources become
visible, e.g. iron, nitre, etc.
What do you want? Lots of resources immediately? Or an average
start with lots of goodies later?

 

[gimper42]

I will always take the better starting dirt. Strategics that show up later can be sought out with new founded cities or captured ones.

 

[Victoria]

I just want Plains Hills, as many as I am allowed

 

[paulmr1968]

When playing Australia, what's the prevailing thought on moving Canberra's starting location to the coast? Seems like a given to me but perhaps Deity players don't want to take the two turn hit?

 

[MaximusPlatypus]

When playing Australia, what's the prevailing thought on moving Canberra's starting location to the coast? Seems like a given to me but perhaps Deity players don't want to take the two turn hit?

As far as the Firaxis TSL map, I always move south of the horse. There's iron on Tasmania as well. 2 turns is normally not optimal at all, but no big deal when you know beforehand that nobody will contact you until Seafaring

 

[Ferocitus]

When playing Australia, what's the prevailing thought on moving Canberra's starting location to the coast? Seems like a given to me but perhaps Deity players don't want to take the two turn hit?

I hate the standard maps; they're far too small and boring.
In the ludicrous size Giant Map (230x115 hexes) of Ynamp, the settler starts on the coast.
There are often good places inland, and near the Barrier Reef.

 

[Victoria]

@paulmr1968 there is a thread asking just that simple question, how far would you go. Quite a few would if that meant good value.

 

[SlySlySly]

I like playing as China, but I hate playing against them. China is always pissed at me because I build wonders.

This makes it very annoying when I'm playing as France. France and China do not mix.

 

[DWilson]

In my two TSL Australia games, I moved to the coast both times, but to different spots. First time South and West, second time, East and Slightly North (and later settled close to the previous game's capital).

 

[Nigel_Tufnel2]

I tried Alex TSL, kinda LOL on the start with Roman and Greek Settlers for the taking. If you SIP you get both as they can't settle. Other civs were Poland, Spain, Scythia, Arabia, and England. Quite the cake-walk. I was taking them in that order, and actually thought I might finish my first ever game in VI, but as usual, got super bored by t75, a new record. I guess you should probably select your opponents?

So yeah, Alex is absolutely the best civ for Earth TSL.

 

[Nigel_Tufnel2]

Tried an Immortal China game (with Smoother Difficulty, no starting extra Settler, but ramped up bonuses through Eras). AI included Curtain, Gil, Peter, Mvemba, Trajan, Teddy, and Pedro. The map got filled in fairly well by the 170s, although nobody settled England. Trajan wandered a Settler, but never settled Spain. I think Peter hoses everyone by grabbing so much land on a cramped map.

I dawdled at 7 cities to build infrastructure - left Japan for 8th, but Curtain started sending Settlers, so it was a rush to get that and 4 more. He also had very early Cavalry. He was wonder whoring, so I missed Pyramids and Petra in my western dry city. Not sure had I beelined Mathematics and saved builders I could have had it, as Barbs in the NE were a major rampaging pain.

Peter settled smartly and took Uruk, he was the clear leader much of the game. I think better balance could be had by using Norway or Scythia instead. I'd be curious to shake things up in other ways, perhaps play Japan, and switch Qin for Curtain. Then try to settle towards Australia.

DomV just seems like such a joke. Sometime in the mid-100s, Mil Strength plummeted again, even though most AI had good gpt. Peter stayed OK, but when I quit t178 I had MS near 1,800 and Peter only 600s. Averaged, the AI had MS of only 278. Even so late I could have just Frigate rushed everyone.

There are a lot of things I like about this small map, but there really should be 2 more different lux for every starting area. There's just no tension for a land rush early, no thrill of really nailing good spots. Your neighbors always have the same lux as you, and there are no Strategics revealed to plan around.

 

[Victoria]

But , @Nigel_Tufnel2 its tsl so the resources do not change between games, you can cheat because you have played the map before

 

[Nigel_Tufnel2]

For sure - it's just that lux variety is more scarce than a regular map.

 

[Bro]

The map seems to be build in a way that encourages you to trade luxuries. For example, China has loads of easy silk available. Or as England you have 4 whales. I always trade the extras to gold or other luxuries.

 

[Nigel_Tufnel2]

Yeah, the trading gets great once you start sailing - but your immediate neighbors typically have little need for your extras. I guess I'm just so used to a race for the unique luxes!

 

[Victoria]

On any game, if I skim an early luxury I will often trade it for gold.
Doubles triple etc later on are great earners as the AI is rubbish settling on them and can get you that iron or inter.
Strategic resources traded to the right civ can give you more than trade and political value, also indirect military value.