Communism as Antidote to Corruption?

[takeshikaga]

For some of the veteran players out there: with a fairly far-flung empire, is communism a viable alternative to combating corruption?

I am playing monrach level and have 44 cities of various size. We are in late-Industrial Age/Early Modern Age, and although I have a fairly large points lead, I am now very far behind in techs. I went to communism during a protracted war -- is it a good strategy to stick with it to combat the corruption of a large empire, or should I jump back to democracy?

Thanks!

 

[silver 2039]

I would prefer Fascisim in C3C during a long war. If this is Vanilla civ or PTW than I think you should go to Republic because it has less war weriness than democracy and it has reduced corruption.

 

[Azadre]

I use Communism, but I like Science!

 

[Frimlin]

I've never used Communism in Civ3. I'd love to know if anyone has found it handy, and for what kind of situations.

Usually I stick with Despotism for a while, then maybe switch to Monarchy or Democracy.

In a war I'd now go to Fascism, and maybe never leave it again. But if peace did occur before the game was over, I'd return to Democracy if the Anarchy was worth it.

 

[Azadre]

Communism for war
ALLWAYS

Switch early, you get better results in the end

 

[warpstorm]

I find it useful with large far-flung empires. The big change to make it work is to toally forget the idea of a core. There is no core. You have to develop all of your towns. Rather than, say, 15 very productive cities and 45 useless ones, you'll have 60 kind of productive cities. The biggest downside is the lack of trade bonus that republic and democracy give. While you can get more overall shields, you will typically have less gold/research.

If you were planning on a conquer and hold strategy, it can work fairly well.

 

[takeshikaga]

I've played Vanilla Civ3 many times, but this is actually the first time I've ever used Communism -- I used to stick with democracy until the WW got to be too much. Now that I'm in my first epic C3C, I thought I'd give Communism a shot to finish the game out. I'm so far behind in science that I think I'm better off punting that and using the added production bonuses to maintain my position.

 

[Frimlin]

Interesting -- thanks for the insights. I hate having any useless cities, but at the same time, I enjoy having a few very productive ones.

So if there's no core (Communal corruption, I'm assuming) then what benefits does the Palace, FP and Secret Police HQ provide while you're in a state of Communism?

 

[Goober]

Communism rules!!!! (except in real life) It is by far the best gov't type, IMHO, unless you have >30 cities, then just stick to Democracy. I usually use to to attack, or develop those little outlying cities, having them be productive at the expense of a not-quite-as-productive core seems worth it to me. The SPHQ is also fairly sweet. By the time I get Communism, I am usually the tech leader, and can afford to to get a bit behind. Being a religious Civ in nearly every game i have played, I tend to flip between gov't types a good deal.

 

[warpstorm]

Originally posted by Frimlin
So if there's no core (Communal corruption, I'm assuming) then what benefits does the Palace, FP and Secret Police HQ provide while you're in a state of Communism?

The palace gives you no benefit. The other two each decrease corruption significantly across your entire civ (assuming no bugs, which C3C v1.0 has).

 

[Frimlin]

Ahh righto -- so they evenly decrease corruption, everywhere! Sounds like Communism is definitely a Government type I've misunderstood and ignored far too long!

I shall have to experiment. Thanks warpstorm!

 

[Dogmeat]

Ive devoted all my wartime in C3C to Fascism (because im right wing, heh, heh...heh).
But back in the days of PTW I used Communism all the time. With a Police station and a courthouse, my cities had 10% corruption and waste. And that was in a huge empire. Which is pretty darn good.
Im gonna try communism in C3C soon and see if i get the same wonderful corruption level.

 

[Offa]

Has something changed about Communism?

When I tried it it was dreadful, but that was some time ago. I vowed never to ruin my game in such a fashion again. Communism was known to be so bad that it was a common trick to try to induce war weariness in the AI to make them switch to it, after which they would crumble away.

 

[silver 2039]

Yes they can build a police HQ which is like a second FP. So they have their Palace then their FP then their HQ.

 

[civforum151]

Under Communism, Corruption seems to be worse under C3C than PTW. Overall productio was terrible. Building the Secret Police did not improve the corruption situation much.

What is th proper use of the Secret Police?

I thought of it as a second FP, but it didn't have that effect?

 

[Cuivienen]

The Secret Police HQ and Forbidden Palace are horribly weak in Conquests, not even really worth the shields. Also, the SPHQ only works in Communism.

 

[Louis XXIV]

After any bugs are fixed, the FP will work like it is supposed to, and having both the FP and SPHQ in Communism will raise the OCN a lot (isn't it something like 40%?).

 

[warpstorm]

40% was what it was before the bugs. Having both and courthouses and regular police stations in all towns make all but the biggest empires very productive.