choxorn 01: Low level training game

[CommandoBob]

As an example, I'm a builder first, warmonger second.

I don't have a favorite age, but I find the science choices in the Ancient Times a bit confusing, don't know how to rightly judge between them. Try to get to the Middle Ages as quickly as possible.

When I fight I prefer combined arms, unless I get into a hurry, which does happen, and then I wished I had waited.

 

[choxorn]

Welcome aboard, Bucephalus!
@commando: Are you in or not?
Oh and, warlord vs. regent:
I seem to lose a lot even on Cheiftain, but Warlord would be fine.
I'm getting the hang of this game.
Gamestats: I had already intended all of those.
@whomp: Good ideas. And answers to your spoilers questions, in this order:
1.Warmonger.
2.All of them.
3.No.
4.What does that mean?
5.No.

 

[Whomp]

I think as a team, and with training, regent is the best approach to improve each of your skills. At regent the AI is at equal strength to start. With a team approach all decisions, MMing, wonder building discussion, trading, war plans etc. will be discussed. I think you should really consider this. Just my penny's worth.

Choxorn to answer your question...

In warfighting, do you prefer to "blitz" or use a "combined arms" approach?

Blitzing means you send fast units in for a lightning strike on the enemies cities. The objective would be to put the AI on their heels by hitting them so quickly that 4 or 5 cities would fall in a few turns and make a quick peace. You'd do this typically when they have a wonder, resource or luxury you need.

Combined arms would be for longer campaigns where you intend to cripple the enemy. You would bring both defensive slow units, offensive fast units, artillery and skirmishing fast units. Does this make sense?


What do you think of my other ideas?
Each player playing the same save for the first 20 turns and then taking the best save out of each of your attempts? This will spur quite a bit of learning for the team.

Trading examinator? Do you want me to do this?

 

[choxorn]

Okay then my preferred strategy is combined arms. And as for Warlord/Regent, that will depend on what the team says. I'll take the votes of any player who cares.

 

[kill fire]

My vote is: WARLORD! WARLORD! WARLORD! WARLORD! WARLORD! WARLORD! WARLORD!

 

[choxorn]

okay, I get it. Sheesh.

 

[gmaharriet]

I think as a team, and with training, regent is the best approach to improve each of your skills. At regent the AI is at equal strength to start. With a team approach all decisions, MMing, wonder building discussion, trading, war plans etc. will be discussed. I think you should really consider this. Just my penny's worth.

lurker's comment: I think Whomp is right about playing this at Regent if you really want to learn to play better. The object of a training game is not to show how well you can play at your current level, but to learn to overcome new challenges with the help of trainers. You learn from your own and each other's mistakes, with the trainers explaining how it could be improved. Most people who go through a complete training game find that they can play at least one level higher on their own afterwards.

 

[CommandoBob]

@commando: Are you in or not?

No, I was just trying to get the discussion ball rolling.

Gamestats: I had already intended all of those.

My bad; should have checked first.

 

[choxorn]

@Whomp&harriet: I know, Regent would probably be better, but I won't do Regent unless a few of the team says they're sure they want it.

 

[Bucephalus]

@Whomp&harriet: I know, Regent would probably be better, but I won't do Regent unless a few of the team says they're sure they want it.

Choxorn: 'Conquer Dude' and myself are comfortable at Regent /Monarch so we wouldn't be flying blind; and there are plenty of others to offer advice should we want it. So I say, let's do Regent. Maybe as a compromise we could go without 'barbs'?

 

[choxorn]

Okay, regent it is. Oh, and conquer dude hasn't told me whether or not he still wants to play. I'll give him until tonight, then close the roster. Oh, and I've edited my first post a little. And though it looks like I've changed the rules, I really haven't- just reworded them.

 

[jclast]

Regent is fine with me.

As for the questions (that I remember):

1.I'm a builder. War is not my thing. I tend to wait until somebody declares on me, and then capture one city and sue for peace. This is probably why I only win by points most of the time.
2. Science. I loves me some research.
3. Nope.
4. Blitz
5. Ancient, I dig the exploring.

 

[Alex Johnson]

Hey, I'm kind of an active lurker but I'd be interested in hearing your stories. A little about your experience with Civ3. What level do you play at, where is your trouble spot you'd most like to improve, how often do you win by victory condition? by points? not at all? I'm not trying to probe too deeply, I just want an impression of what skill level the players are so I know what to look for and so I don't delurk with a comment that an experienced player might be offended by ("Do you think I'd forget something as basic as that??").

I'll volunteer that I'm at Regent and my weak spots are in ancient age management and organized war. I tend to not commit totally. I have (so far) won every game with a victory condition (pretty much all of them).

 

[Whomp]

Alex asks some good questions. Alex I think you should join the game as well. You could add a lot to this game and raise your game at the same time.

@Team this is your game so you can take as much as or little from it as you wish.
There are a few other things I think you should discuss...
Do you prefer a training game or simply playing it without help?
Would you like the best training civ or would you prefer to choose your civ to acheive this victory?
What victory condition would you like to acheive?

Space is always interesting because it takes you through all of the ages and offers the most training.

1.I'm a builder. War is not my thing. I tend to wait until somebody declares on me, and then capture one city and sue for peace. This is probably why I only win by points most of the time.

There's nothing wrong with being a builder however there's being a focused builder, as well as being a focused warmonger, and there's being a builder who simply builds everything. As a builder, would you like to learn how to avoid letting the AI dictate the outcome?

 

[choxorn]

What level do you play at, where is your trouble spot you'd most like to improve, how often do you win by victory condition? by points? not at all?

My trouble spot: Pretty much everywhere.
Win: Usually I lose Yes, even cheiftain pwns me.

 

[The 777 Hoax]

My trouble spot: Pretty much everywhere.
Win: Usually I lose Yes, even cheiftain pwns me.

Don't worry about it... we'll be able to help you. gmaharriet and Whomp are two of the best SG players I've seen at CFC.

 

[jclast]

Alex asks some good questions. Alex I think you should join the game as well. You could add a lot to this game and raise your game at the same time.

@Team this is your game so you can take as much as or little from it as you wish.
There are a few other things I think you should discuss...
Do you prefer a training game or simply playing it without help?
Would you like the best training civ or would you prefer to choose your civ to acheive this victory?
What victory condition would you like to acheive?

Space is always interesting because it takes you through all of the ages and offers the most training.

There's nothing wrong with being a builder however there's being a focused builder, as well as being a focused warmonger, and there's being a builder who simply builds everything. As a builder, would you like to learn how to avoid letting the AI dictate the outcome?

I would very much like to figure out how I can be in control of the game. The reason that I try to stay out of wars is that I'm always afraid that even if I win, I'll overextend myself and then some other AI will come and roll over all my cities.

Also, I'd be up either for just a regular game or a training game. Goodness knows I could use the help.

 

[tupaclives]

The reason that I try to stay out of wars is that I'm always afraid that even if I win, I'll overextend myself and then some other AI will come and roll over all my cities.

My policy when preparing for the war is that you can never have enough offence. If you think you can win a war with 20 swords then why not make sure of it and build 30? That why you prepare for unexpectedly strong opposition and poor RNG rolls. Also when at war keep building new units to replace the fallen and always back up your offensive units with the best artillery units can build, be they cats or radar artillery. Remember, artillery units can always be upgraded.

And don't be worried too much about the AI, if you're afraid of the AI you'll never 'dare to win' as the phrase goes. Always remember that the AI, even at deity level is still a pre-programmed (although quite well programmed really) machine that cannot adapt or take proper advantage of a situation. With a human brain you should never fear the AI, they really quite stupid.

 

[Alex Johnson]

Alex asks some good questions. Alex I think you should join the game as well. You could add a lot to this game and raise your game at the same time.

Thank you for the invitation, but my unique preferences keep me from getting involved. I only own vanilla Civ3 (no PTW or C3C) and I don't install the patches because they kept changing the way the rules of the game worked and I really liked it when it came out. Plus time is a serious problem for me. I finish one game a month because I get to play so little.

I'll just watch from the sidelines and try to help as best I can.

 

[choxorn]

Okay, I think everybody that would join has joined here or will join D'artagnan's game. I think I'll close the roster now- we have enough players. And enough senior lurkers!