Civ starting places

[TriangleMan]

Why are civs always started one square away from the sea, and never right next to it (unless you're seafaring)? I have C3C version 1.22 if it matters.

 

[Tomoyo]

...because one square away from the sea is more likely to have whatever parameters are required to constitute a "start", I suppose...

 

[TriangleMan]

true, I guess the start has to be surround by a certain number of grassland tiles or something...but still, the enemy capitals always turn out crappy when I take them over because of this.

 

[Babbler]

I have notice this happen to ME in some games (PTW 1.27f). The AI never moves to a better, IIRC.

 

[TriangleMan]

yeah, the AI never has a port city as its capital unless it's a seafaring civ. And if you play archepilago maps like I like to most of the time, every single AI capital is one square away from the coast.

 

[Huzzamaster]

Well, that's interesting, I never noticed! I always like my city next to the sea. i really am not a seafaring civ, I just like my capital like that!

 

[Hyronymus]

Playing at regent level, C3C 1.22 and my enemy the Russians build Moscow next to a sea square.

 

[TriangleMan]

hmmm...so I guess "never" should be "rarely". I almost always have to move my city to the sea when I start.

 

[Total War]

I don't think I have ever built my capital on a coastal square. Then again, I usually play on pangaea or continent levels, and I have never played as a seafairing civ (yet), so it is more likely that I will wind up with a capital away from the coast.

Any civ who has a chance of survival needs at least one coastal city, but I don't really like putting my capital on the coast.

 

[Richard Cribb]

hmmm...so I guess "never" should be "rarely". I almost always have to move my city to the sea when I start.

Yes, it should. I am just playing an Emperor game with Japan and I have conquered Washington which indeed was a port city.
However I have never experienced to start myself next to a sea square when playing a non-seafaring civ.

 

[Hyronymus]

Chances are slim indeed. I never build my capital near the coast, I always settle for some mountains along a river (preferably). This yields extra trade and the mountains might show a nice bonus later on but certainly have a nice production rate to build important wonders.