Civ strategies you ALWAYS/NEVER do

[Djor]

Always:

- Build SH first, then Ora and Pyr if possible in early game
- Beeline for BW and chop my way into an early city/pop lead
- Chop wonders
- Defend against barbs w/archers
- Take barb cites
- Attack first w/swordsmen + catapult; then with cav + catapult/cannon; then with tank/marine/bomber; then with MA/stealth
- Build defender, worker in new cities (only move to worker when city is size 2)
- don't ever build a settler until I've built a worker and another unit/bldg. in new cities
- attempt to discover bonus-netting techs first (music, liberalism, physics, fusion)
- go on a rampage if I don't get coal
- " " " " " " " " aluminum
- automate workers (w/don't chop/don't overwrite improvements) when initial empire is fully improved; update manually with biology
- Try to pull in an ally against a civ that declares war

Never:

- Build horse-archers
- Build explorers - even for medic reason - find Marines much more suited for this purpose until MI
- Whip, unless unhealthiness is a major problem
- Nuke, though I do build some in case I get really pissed
- Go for conquest over domination - I don't raze cities at all
- Trade military techs to AI, unless I don't have a (diplomatic) choice
- Agree to open-border agreements in the early game -

 

[Dusty4prez]

Horse archers are awesome if you have a close source of horses. A bunch of horse archers conquer an empire much faster than swords

 

[pholkhero]

you're missing a good ol'axe rush...you can take cities w/up to 50% def w/5 or 6 axes

whipping, too, is great!

 

[Lengo]

Try this one:

1. Build the Manhattan project.
2. Nuke a couple enemies.
3. Build the United Nations.

 

[ownedbyakorat]

Always:
- Find a source of bronze, horses and/or iron ASAP
- Try to wipe out my nearest neighbor
- Try to found Confucianism
- Use Theology and Vassalage while building an army
- Prioritize Assembly Line
- Expand as much as possible before units go on strike in early-mid game if at all possible, then try to supercharge the economy with cottage spam, courthouses, currency, markets, & harbors
- get Kremlin and Pentagon
- put Heroic epic and West Point together

Never (or almost):
- Get a religion before Code of Laws
- Try space race victories
- Upgrade units below 11 xp with cash
- prioritize wonders not specified above (I'll build them if I have excess production, but I won't sacrifice for them)
- use Cultural slider
- use GP to discover tech other than to found a religion

 

[BadHorsie]

My bad habits:

Always

• Play huge maps with as many opponents as possible.
• Play domination/conquest victory only.
• Expand as fast as possible towards enemies, then back-fill the land that is safely behind me.
• Plan where I will build 2/3 cities in advance.
• Aim to have at least 2 Mech. Infantry + 1 SAM Infantry in every one of my 50 cities
• Attack with a mass army of Modern Armor with +2 City Attack, backed up by Stealth Bombers
• Put my culture up to 70%+ and research down to 0 or 10% (depending on amount of money coming in) as soon as I've discovered Future Tech 1
• Spread as many religions to as many cities as possible
• Build cities next to opponents' borders and try to steal their land through culture
• Have railroad on almost every square on the map that is mine.

Never

• Attack aggressively until at least after gunpowder
• Build ironclads, horse archers, warriors, WWII planes, explorers, marines, cannons, calapults, artillery or UU's
• Use nukes
• Raze cities unless they are built in a really stupid place, like 2 squares away from another city that I want to keep.
• Promote flanking or more than one medic

Loads more I cant think of right now

 

[Felz]

Always -
-use great people to discover techs only at the ancient and medieval times.
-build theaters in captured cities.
-build theaters in my own cities anyway
-build cities next to rivers, or important resources
-avoid jungles like the plague
-discover liberalism as fast as possible, without skipping important techs in the process
-if I discover liberalism first, I'll probably get astronomy s my free tech.
-build 6 to 7 workers
-automate workers only when I can't find anything else to do. Usually around industrial or reinassance.
-always have the 'workers leave old improvements and forests alone' box checked.
-build forges and factories asap
-build the internet

Never
-build too many cottages only to find the city is not growing in the 1st place.
-fight stronger countries
-declare war for the hell of it, I only do it if there is a real advantage
-trust Montezuma or Isabella.
-Declare war on Mansa Musa
-accept peace treaties unless they offer some techs, only to declare them war again 10 turns later
-build jails

 

[cabert]

Never
-build too many cottages only to find the city is not growing in the 1st place.
...
-trust Montezuma or Isabella.
-Declare war on Mansa Musa
...
-build jails

I forgot those, but same for me : i've never built a jail, and almost never declared war on Mansa Musa (my tech broker friend). Also, when my troops start to become eager for a fight, i usually go for isabella or montezuma first (they would sneak attack me anyway)

 

[Xanikk999]

I Always spam cottages on rivers, chop trees for wonders and settlers, Declare war early and often, and i always go for an early religion.

I Never build ironclads, adopt another civs state religion, adopt caste system, and play certain civs.

I usually dont research medicine into very very very late into the game.

 

[Dizzy75]

Always:
- Go for CS slingshot if I have gold in capital
- Assemble a horde of axes to take out my nearest opponent early
- Chop my first 3-4 settlers
- Build West Point and Heroic Epic/Ironworks in the same city
- Build Kremlin
- Create as much commerce as humanly possible

Never:
- Start a war without knowing I will win
- Trade "current" military techs to AI
- Use a spy to sabotage
- Allow my military to fall significantly behind AI after 1000ish AD

 

[jimbob27]

Always-

use the same civics (Representation until universal sufferage, vassalage, slavery until emancipation, Mercantilism and theocracy)

-beeline for macemen, then riflemen.
-Always war early.
-Always stockpile nukes.
-Always build hoover dam.
-Always overestimate how many units i'll need.
-Always fail miserably in making friends with the right civs.
-Always make friends with a useless backwards civ that won't help in my wars.
-Always try for domination.
-Always keep my capital defended soley by warriors or quechuas.

 

[ownedbyakorat]

-Always build hoover dam.

Always mix up my versions of Civ!!

 

[Ball Lightning]

ALWAYS
-Get Universal Suffrage, Free Speech, Emancipation, State Property, Free Religion
-Take or get a holy city (try to get the largest religion)
-get BW for copper, and IW for iron, then get Writing and Alphabet (to trade techs for others i missed)
-Get statue of Liberty on pangaea and continents, get colossus on archipelago
-play catherine, frederick or monty (just for fun)
-take off domination vic.
-get COTTAGES LOTS AND LOTS, ALWAYS
NEVER
-chop rush (i like my green trees)
-get explorers
-get environmentalism and police state
-comply when civs ask to stop trades/go to war
-Go below 30% science
-lose

 

[unhealthyman]

My bad habits:

Never


Build ironclads, horse archers, warriors, WWII planes, explorers, marines, cannons, calapults, artillery or UU's

How do you take cities without using any catapults/cannons/artillery? Do you just suicide units at 80% defence?

- go on a rampage if I don't get coal
- " " " " " " " " aluminum

Haha, my last game ended up as a domination instead of a spacerace as I discovered that my entire half of the map had no aluminiun. I was planning on just taking one neighbouring city with aluminium but just spammed tanks at everyone until they all died and won domination

 

[The-Hawk]

Interesting thread! I was hard pressed to think of "always/never", so I added a some "almost nevers":

Always:

- chop most trees (usually all, unless health is a problem)
- build lots of cottages in my core cities

Never:

- build an explorer, crossbowman, machine gun, musketman, navy seal, fixed wing aircraft, submarine, ICBM, or a fort
- build Chichen, Broadway, Eiffel Tower, Hollywood, Kremlin, Rock & Roll,

I almost never:

- research past miltrad, steel, and liberalism - I only will if I'm going for spaceship (and I rarely do)
- discover oil or coal
- build flying machines of any kind
- build any offensive ships (other than the odd destroyer to act as an escort if I absolutely need transports)
- build Angkor Wat, Hagia Sofia, Pentagon, Spiral Minaret, Statue of Liberty, Three Gorges, United Nations
- switch to any of the Economy civics

 

[uberfish]

Always:

Nothing


Never:

Nothing. Il enjoy seeing how the game plays out with different approaches.


Usually:

Prioritise food techs over bronzeworking
Aim to get liberalism first

 

[Xanikk999]

My bad habits:

Always

• Play huge maps with as many opponents as possible.
• Play domination/conquest victory only.
• Expand as fast as possible towards enemies, then back-fill the land that is safely behind me.
• Plan where I will build 2/3 cities in advance.
• Aim to have at least 2 Mech. Infantry + 1 SAM Infantry in every one of my 50 cities
• Attack with a mass army of Modern Armor with +2 City Attack, backed up by Stealth Bombers
• Put my culture up to 70%+ and research down to 0 or 10% (depending on amount of money coming in) as soon as I've discovered Future Tech 1
• Spread as many religions to as many cities as possible
• Build cities next to opponents' borders and try to steal their land through culture
• Have railroad on almost every square on the map that is mine.

Never

• Attack aggressively until at least after gunpowder
• Build ironclads, horse archers, warriors, WWII planes, explorers, marines, cannons, calapults, artillery or UU's
• Use nukes
• Raze cities unless they are built in a really stupid place, like 2 squares away from another city that I want to keep.
• Promote flanking or more than one medic

Loads more I cant think of right now

You seriously never build catapults or warriors? You arent a very good player.

 

[Bezhukov]

Playing emperor:

ALWAYS
Wait until the diplomatic situation is clear before warring, usually post-axe/sword.
Upgrade Catapults & Cannons with Accuracy and City Raider for greater survivability and thus upgradability
Give Archers/Longbowmen City Garrison to defend cities, take one xbow in early offensive stacks for defense against axe/mace counters.
Build early wonders based on traits/resources
Use early GP's for super-specialists, academies, key wonders
Chop all trees on hills, along rivers, & plains with fresh water
Leave two trees for health
Build worker first and make sure to research the techs to keep him busy.
If warring early, use HA's to mop up injured enemy units without exposing my units to counters. Use HA's bonus vs. cats to prevent taking collateral damage by attacking them first.

NEVER
say never

 

[ownedbyakorat]

You seriously never build catapults or warriors? You arent a very good player.

I think he forgot "Always play on Chieftain level"

 

[Cam_H]

Lordy ... I do just about the opposite of jimbob!

Always use the same civics (Representation until universal sufferage, vassalage, slavery until emancipation, Mercantilism and theocracy)

Constantly shuffle around my civics and often my religion (depends upon Isabella and Montezuma).

beeline for macemen, then riflemen.

Beeline for Longbows then Grenadiers.

Always war early.

Unless playing the Romans, I usually don't war early, or at least initiate it. *** I know, this is not a good thing! ***

Always stockpile nukes.

Never built them.

Always build hoover dam.

lol ... Refer ownedbyakorat's post.

Always try for domination.

I usually start the game aiming for Domination, and end up heading towards either Cultural or Space.

Always keep my capital defended soley by warriors or quechuas.

Never, ever, ever again!

I (at least lately) always;

• Attempt to pick up Hinduism along the way to the double Great Prophet slingshot through Stonehenge > Code of Laws > Civil Service.
• Go after the super-science city by bee-lining Literacy / The Great Library after getting the basic worker technologies plus Meditation.
• Count food requirements of cities to avoid 'over-cottaging'.
• Chase after The Kremlin.
• Have least one-third of my cities as 'unit pumps'.
• Chop Courthouses in new cities wherever practicable.
• Play a financial Civ, the Romans, or the Arabians ... well, pretty much always.
• Switch to the Universal Suffrage and the Free Speech civics once accessable unless I'm in the middle of a war, or planning a war in the next ten turns (n.b. I usually don't chase The Pyramids re. Universal Suffrage).

I (at least lately) never;

• Have won by Conquest.
• Research Divine Right or Fascism.
• Build nukes.
• Voluntarily switch to Environmentalism.

Therefore, to summerise the 'strategy' ... it's typically the capital goes for Stonehenge while gradually improving the tiles as worker tech's are learnt and Settlers and Workers are slotted into the queue. Hopefully pick up Hinduism and build a Temple for specialist priest. Meet my neighbours; Montezuma, Tokugawa and Isabella. Use Great Prophets on Code of Laws and Civil Service. The next one builds a Shrine. Head towards The Great Library while there a measured sprawl of other cities producing Workers, a Courthouse, and Settlers. Fog bust to contain Barbarian 'issues'. Have a crisis when I realise that I have a miserable military, so go through a period of pumping out Longbows everywhere while again kicking myself for not instigating an Axeman rush fifty turns prior. Put a greater emphasis on specialisation, and consider a Medieval war. Aim for the Oxford University in the science city. Address victory type depending upon how Medieval war went. Regardless, aim for The Kremlin.