Bismarch, the eternal runaway

[Magean]

Back in G&K Bismarck was almost always a runaway in my games. And now, things apparently didn't change. I saw him twice in BNW, and both times he chain-builded wonder, blizted his way through the tech tree, was the best AI in every line of the demographics (despite a mediocre tundra start in one of my games), allies tons of city-states... Looks like he's preparing all victory types at the same time, with quite a success.

Did you notice it, too ? I find it strange because Germany is perhaps not the all-around best civilization.

 

[nenya]

Never had this problem. I find him to be a bit aggressive, but I've never seen him snowballs like you say. At king, Alexander, Hiawatha, and Caesar are much more common runaways for me. He may have just had an optimal start and snowballed from there.

 

[mbuna120]

Bismarck is always a strong contender in my games. But he is notoriously easy to conquer ;-)

 

[Tachii]

Because he beelines for Civil Society. Some of the other civs goes for Theocracy or Steel. The food bonus + UU spam is rather crazy under AI's hands.

 

[digrosz]

For me, Catherine is the eternal runaway. She's always at the top of the damn scoreboard and is like 20 techs ahead of the second closest.
Also, on higher difficulties, pretty much any AI could runaway. The bonuses they get are massive.

 

[Byzantine Bomb]

Ugh, Catherine. She'd be just an annoying backstabber if she weren't so powerful. Instead, she's an inexorably expanding force that will always have at least three plans for your demise.

 

[Mrdarklight]

In terms of runaway civs, here's my list in rough order:

1. Hiawatha, by far
2. Bismark
3. Greece
4. Russia

 

[Gamewizard]

In terms of runaway civs, here's my list in rough order:

1. Hiawatha, by far
2. Bismark
3. Greece
4. Russia

Agreed...these four civs always end up being the strongest in my games.

 

[Mrdarklight]

Civs that almost never run away with it:

1. India
2. Songhai
3. Mongolia
4. Spain

 

[Mercurio]

Bismarck's AI personality is set to focus on science, production, military and expansion (among others). So the AI preferences aren't really set to be passive. It'll try to tech hard, build an army and expand with force if necesarry.