CivIV Monarch level - computer opponents with instant forces, roads, cities..

[benvee]

I have played since the first CIV but only bought CIV4 a month ago. The monarch level is impossible. By 3600, opposing nearby cities have roads, workers that have completed pastures and multiple cities while I am still making my first settler or military unit. How is that possible?

If I play to the mid game, I am normally the weakest civilization and at least six discoveries behind others.

It is impossible to settle an island...I have camped a caravel next to an island in several games and when my ship approaches with a settler..bingo..instant city with two military units every time..

Not much fun to date...others experiencing this or am I just getting incredibly bad rolls when I create a world?

 

[Capellan]

Monarch definitely isn't impossible (though it's above my current level as a player). The computer does get significant advantages over the player at that level, however, so you will pretty much be behind for a good chunk of the game.

If you haven't already, you need to go read Sisiutil's ALC games. I've gone from being smacked on Noble to regularly winning on Prince level, mostly from picking over the hints and tips to be gleaned in those threads.

 

[Joshua368]

Try Prince or Noble.

 

[JujuLautre]

multiple cities in 3600BC? As far as I know, it's only possible on deity.

 

[Cashew]

The AI needs that advantage because it is incapable of dealing with choking of any kind. Just send some units at it and if you do it right all the AI's cities will have no improved tiles and a growing stack of defensive units in each city that can't do crap to you. Course, if the AI could play like a human then it's advantages would be impossible to overcome... My point is that you need to stop thinking of it like some kind of race. As clever as you're strategies may be, you are on a bike and the AI is on a rocket-fueled race car. Even if you find short-cuts the AI will still win. That is why you need to slow it down with early warring. Failure to do this will make life much harder for you.

 

[bobbyboy29]

If you read those ALC's you'll get a good idea on how to win on the higher levels, its all about early on, focusing more on military whilst the AI build up their infrastructure, even on higher difficulty levels you should eventually work out that its easier to build a few units and capture cities early on rather than settling lots. Also, a common mistake that people make when switching from civ3 to civ 4 is overexpanding to early, REX was awesome in civ3 but will cripple your economy in civ4.

 

[vicawoo]

Are you playing vanilla/warlords? They get a free worker starting at monarch.