Big Plains

[johncross21]

Just finished playing a viking conquest game

About to start a game with low sea level and arid climate

Welcome tips

Strategy I will be playing

- linear development along the side of rivers (settle these strips early as possible)

- explore and move to temperate/tropical zone

- be spain for high population growth

- keep big army to deal with barbarians and deter invasion
- build walls in all cities

- watch foreign adviser (make friends because its a brutal world on the steppe)

- find horse for chariots etc and deprive enemy of horse if possible.


Any other tips please

 

[Cam_H]

It's a little difficult to offer too much specific advice.

I'd question "build walls in all cities" ... personally I rarely build Walls, but you'll need them as a prerequisite for Citadels if you're playing with the Warlords expansion - but even then probably only with your unit pump cities, or choke cities to fend off an aggressive neighbour.

On "find horse for chariots etc and deprive enemy of horse if possible", you'll want Horses also for the Conquistador unit - a good unit because the bonus against Melee units counters the problem that Knights have with Pikemen (or well promoted Spears). Bear in mind that your starting technologies are not prerequisites for Animal Husbandry, so you'll make a slow start there unless you have luck with Goodie Huts / Tribal Villages.

 

[johncross21]

Thanks. I haven't started yet so any more ideas

I thought walls because settlements will be spread fairly thinly along rivers but I suppose it could be an expensive strategy - might be better with Mao who is expansive/protective

I want a really quick win on population in this game. what will help in wonders

I read something about priests increasing population ?

 

[Cam_H]

"I want a really quick win on population in this game. what will help in wonders"

For a "quick win" I guess the three that spring to mind are;

• The Hanging Gardens (+1 pop, +1)

• Notre Dame (+1 on same continent) and

• The Pyramids > Representation (bonus in largest cities).

"I read something about priests increasing population ?"

When you join Great Merchants to your cities as Super Specialists, they add - perhaps that's what you've read?

 

[johncross21]

Started my population explosion extravaganza

Somwhat disappointed to find that in warlords you have to acquire 75% of the land as well as 75% of population. Means that building wonders and techs for population growth don't have an obvious pay off - in terms of victory conditions.

Also noticed that on the map iron and copper tend to appear outside the tropics. So having made a beeline for the rich plains so I could build big cities suddenly realised all the iron was in the opposite direction and as a result got put back a few hundred years by barbarian axemen. Should have built walls !

 

[Cam_H]

Should have built walls !

I know you want to blame me for this but I'm not sure what you did about fogbusting, attacking the Barbarians on their way into your empire, or defending your cities better.

I have not read too many successful succession game reports where Walls a prioritised as important builds.

 

[johncross21]

Only joking about walls.

all mess ups in this game are mine

got civil service now so will get workers to spam irrigation.