Cannot seem to win, help plz

[McPolle]

Hi guys,

Either I am a complete dead head, or something is wrong with the way I play.

It doesn't seem to matter which Civ i play, I am always behind in tech, money and armies.

I am playing on Monarch, because I tried it on the others and that was too easy, but now, I think I am doing fine, but am always playing catch up.

I try to expand, I also try for the Gt library, because this is a chance of catching up in tech.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.


Thx

Polle

 

[Zardnaar]

I skipped the Great Library. It gets increasingly harder to build early wonders. Don't build the GL unless you get Literacy before the AI and have a spare city not doing much- towards the end of your expansion phase and you have more than one city building settlers.

If you need a morale boost play on your civ traits. Pangea map for expansionist, Islands for Seafaring, Warm and Arid for Agricultural etc.

Also don't research tech much. Set your slider to 10% science, 10% luxury and the rest in tax. Remember to find as many AI civs as you can for this. Buy your techs off the AI. Find a AI or 2 that has one tech no one else has. Buy it off them and trade it to all the poor civs that have techs you don't have and sell it to the rich civs. You'll soon catch up. Once you have 1500-2000gp or so and the AI civs are broke maybe research depending on how fast the AIs are researching. If the tech can be researched in 10 turns or so and you have lots of money it could be worth researching (Literacy and Philosophy come to mind here).

Or try the Maya on a warm, arid pangea map and turn the barbarian level up a bit

 

[Park Ranger]

There's lots of good articles in the CFC War Academy that will improve your gameplay. But without a more specific question I don't know where to begin...some general tips:

1. Specialize your cities' production. Where there's food surplus, build granary and produce settlers/workers. Where growth is slow but lots of shields are coming in, build barracks and then military.

2. Trade with AI often, keep track of what techs they have and who they're at war with.

3. Don't rely on wonders - see if you can win without them. The Great Library is good but not the only way to keep up in tech - again, trade with AI.

4. Play to your civ's attributes - religious/militaristic/ whatever.

It always takes time when moving up a difficulty level...for most of us, at least.

 

[McPolle]

Well to be more specific, as said I am always behind in tech. You say to trade with AI, but this is difficult when he will not trade with me.

And I can only ever get to meet one or two civs early in the game.

But will keep on going and see what happens.

Thx for the comments.

Polle

 

[Park Ranger]

Originally posted by McPolle
Well to be more specific, as said I am always behind in tech. You say to trade with AI, but this is difficult when he will not trade with me.

And I can only ever get to meet one or two civs early in the game.

But will keep on going and see what happens.

Thx for the comments.

Polle

Ok, so maybe try an expansionist or seafaring civ to get more contacts. Exploring units (scouts and curraghs) should always move continually outward. The more civs you know, the more trade options you will have. Also AI discounts the tech for each civ you know with the same tech.

Also ask yourself how important the tech lead is anyway. Maybe easier to build a military and accumulate gold, then extort tech, buy it once all other civs have it and it's devalued, or go to war and catch up on tech in peace negotiations.

Finally, make sure you have enough workers. Every tile worked by your cities should have a road for the extra commerce. Under despotism, food surplus is rare so when you get cows/wheat/game clear forests (if any) and irrigate.

Good luck!

 

[McPolle]

Thx, am trying Rome, just because I love their history. Not sure if it is a good country to play or not.

Polle

 

[unscratchedfoot]

Originally posted by Zardnaar

Also don't research tech much. Set your slider to 10% science, 10% luxury and the rest in tax. Remember to find as many AI civs as you can for this. Buy your techs off the AI. Find a AI or 2 that has one tech no one else has. Buy it off them and trade it to all the poor civs that have techs you don't have and sell it to the rich civs. You'll soon catch up. Once you have 1500-2000gp or so and the AI civs are broke maybe research depending on how fast the AIs are researching. If the tech can be researched in 10 turns or so and you have lots of money it could be worth researching (Literacy and Philosophy come to mind here).

What version of civ are you playing? The AI puts its slider on 90% or 100% tech so they have no money to pay for techs you try to sell them. It's rare, almost impossible to get a gold per turn - even one. And trying to buy techs off the AI is impossible after halfway through the first era. They will just say no to anything but an equal or better tech with a lot of cash added so the above advice won't work.

Research your own tech and get some more by going to war and making peace settlements for tech. The AI is a complete pushover, even on Diety, once you get your infrastructure built.

 

[McPolle]

Sorry cannot find that it is a pushover, but have tried that with the 10% science and tax, is ok, and get a bit of money, but the AI does not like trading that much.

Am playing Conquests, but cannot find the patches, if there are any, that is.

Polle

 

[CornMaster]

I won Regent once by spaceship. The other time I lost be 2 points to retirement......But I had taken over half the world...it was an awesome comeback.

In my Monarch game I'm WAY behind everyone.....but I boxed others out and built my civ. Next thing I notice...I had 6 swordsmen....so I took out Washington.

Expanded through conquest....then I finished off the French....planning to finish off the Americans....or maybe the Koreans. Not sure. But you definitially need to go to war early....or just get huge....but I can't get ahead in Monarch either.

 

[Arizona_Steve]

@McPoll - Please post a save game, and I'll take a look and give you some feedback...

 

[McPolle]

How do you do that?????

Also do not understand that the AI can research so damned quick.

And why is it just me that the comp attacks, they never seem to go to war with each other.

Polle

 

[LaRo]

Try to play a scientific civ. With the Greeks, even on Emperor, I was the first to get Philosophy.

Go for Literature and with luck, you could get a SGL and rush Great Library.

In any case, you may get something by trading these techs.

Same happen later in the game. I was first on ToE, get a SGL and Rush Darwin.

And about the war, When you are in war with someone, make sure you bribe the others civs to join the party on your side. On a huge map with 16 civs, I crush the Americans with 14 allies!!

And yes, AI are fighting each others, almost all the time.

 

[Zardnaar]

Originally posted by unscratchedfoot


What version of civ are you playing? The AI puts its slider on 90% or 100% tech so they have no money to pay for techs you try to sell them. It's rare, almost impossible to get a gold per turn - even one. And trying to buy techs off the AI is impossible after halfway through the first era. They will just say no to anything but an equal or better tech with a lot of cash added so the above advice won't work.

Research your own tech and get some more by going to war and making peace settlements for tech. The AI is a complete pushover, even on Diety, once you get your infrastructure built.

Patched version of conquests. I'll try and be more clear. I am playing on Emperor as Byzantines. I have discovered all of the AI civs (I think). I saved my money and researched writing and then trade it for all the basic techs I didn't have. I then traded those basic techs to AI who didn't have them. Any excess techs I sold for whatever the computer could pay if it was over 30-50gp. I sold several techs for 100+ gold. Its not alot but multiply that by 10+ civs and it adds up. Throw in money from goody huts, saving, (50+gpt in despotism) and destroying barbarian encampments and it wasn't to hard. By draining the AIs early cash they have to save up again and then you sell them another tech bankrupting them again. I was also the 1st to philosophy and literature. After I build the GL I'll sell that as well.

 

[McPolle]

Hi Zardnaar, where did you get the patches from, I cannot find them..

Thx

Polle

 

[LaRo]

http://www.atarisupport.com/newfaq/civilizationiiiconquests.php?browser=1&pageDisplay=DOWNLOADS

 

[McPolle]

Thx