Condensed tips for beginners?

[joyceanblue]

ok after reading 12 pages i have few questions.
1- if you get a settler on a forest tile in the begining would you make city over it or move it to an empty tile first and waste one turn? and if you build a city on a forest tile where would the hammers go that youre gonna get chop rushing?
2-ive seen forests growing back, any info when and how do they grow back so you can chop rush them again?
3- i prefer to wait till mathematcis before chop rushing cause its supposed to yield more hammers or i am wrong?
4- the right side colum in the city screen is confusing me i have no idea what to do with the specialists and citizen etc. in that column anyone knows link to a thread that discusses feature in that column.

 

[MrCynical]

1)I'd probably ignore whether the settler is on a forest tile or not, and found ona site based on the surrounding terrain. One forest tile is fairly trivial compared to the other factors in placing your capital. The hammers you'd get from chop-rushing are lost if you clear a forest by founding a city on it, but that's a very minor issue.

2)There is a very small chance each turn of a forest growing on any grassland, plains or tundra tile already adjacent to a forest tile. The tiles must be unimproved or forests will not grow there (roads don't count, but cottages/farms/mines/etc prevent forest growth there). The same is true for jungles.

3)Chopping gives 50% more hammers after you research mathematics, so yes there is some point in delaying it till then.

 

[Narnian]

I keep reading that founding cities on coasts is good for economic benefits but I also see players avoiding ocean tiles. I know some coastal sites, usually with a curve or a peninsula, allow you to avoid having ocean tiles but I am still confused. Coastal tiles can't be improved so I can't see how they would be good commerce tiles when compared to cottaged tiles...

 

[cabert]

I keep reading that founding cities on coasts is good for economic benefits but I also see players avoiding ocean tiles. I know some coastal sites, usually with a curve or a peninsula, allow you to avoid having ocean tiles but I am still confused. Coastal tiles can't be improved so I can't see how they would be good commerce tiles when compared to cottaged tiles...

if you settle on the coast you can build:
- a lighthouse (+1 food for all water tiles)
- a harbor (+50% income from trade routes, health bonus from sea food)
- the colossus (wonder giving +1 commerce to all water tiles in every city)
- the great lighthouse (wonder giving + 2 trade routes to every coastal city)
- naval units (obviously, you need a navy in some non pangea games )

Why it's good for commerce?
because if you have a lighthouse, you can work sea tiles for food and commerce. Sea tiles are inferior to mature grassland cottages, but you don't need workers, you don't need to mature them, they don't get pillaged. Also, some land tiles cannot be cottaged, making the commerce from sea the best you can get (better with colossus!).

 

[ProfessorK]

I'm fairly new to Civ4 and this forum. I've never found in all my years of gaming a game so addictive. The first time I played I was at the computer for sixteen hours and it seemed as if only a few minutes had passed.

Mostly I logged on to say thanks to all of you who have posted responses to newbie questions. I've learned a lot which has helped by game immensely.

I did have a question as well. Is there a way to minimize Civ 4 onto the Windows taskbar, so you don't have to save and exit the game to do something else on the computer? I don't see the standard icon for this, so wondered if there was something that I was missing. I teach on-line classes and it would be very helpful to me to be able to go between Civ 4 and the platform I use for my online classes.

I have some questions about the Warlords expansion, but will look at that forum for answers there.

I appreciate your knowledge, wisdom, and patience with us newbies.

 

[Sisiutil]

I did have a question as well. Is there a way to minimize Civ 4 onto the Windows taskbar, so you don't have to save and exit the game to do something else on the computer? I don't see the standard icon for this, so wondered if there was something that I was missing.

I play full screen, and if I press the Windows key, the game minimizes.

 

[Welnic]

I keep reading that founding cities on coasts is good for economic benefits but I also see players avoiding ocean tiles. I know some coastal sites, usually with a curve or a peninsula, allow you to avoid having ocean tiles but I am still confused. Coastal tiles can't be improved so I can't see how they would be good commerce tiles when compared to cottaged tiles...

Cabert listed the many things that you can do with coastal cities. I just wanted to add that the really negative thing with city placement is if you end up with one 1 square away from the coast. Then you end up with coast squares that only have 1 food and will never have more since you not being on the coast you can't build the lighthouse, making them basically worthless.

Financial civs get more of a boost out of coastal cities.

 

[mammothskier]

I play full screen, and if I press the Windows key, the game minimizes.

Alt-Tab and Ctrl-Esc would also allow one to switch to another task or to windows menu.

 

[cabert]

welcome to the forums ProfessorK !

 

[ProfessorK]

Thank you Sisiutil and Mammothskier for the information. I feel really stupid about not thinking to use the Windows key...duh? Maybe it's the lack of sleep from this addictive game? Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking with it.

I am currently at a good but interestingly unsure place in my current game. I have a lot of good tech options open and would like some input from the august panel of experts about which direction I should go.

A quick briefing of my current status:
Level -- Chieftan, Single Player
World -- Terra (large), Temperate
Civilization -- France, Louis XIV (good lead in time, domination,and culture victories)
Opponent Leaders (point order) Montezuma (Eastern border), Huayna Capac (Western border), Julius Caesar (distant), Cyrus (Southern border), Bismark (was North I've all but taken him out).
Date: 1160 AD
Diplomatic Status -- Pleased (Cyrus), Cautious (Montezuma, Huayna Capac, Julius Caesar), Open borders with all, some past trading of resources and techs
My Civics: Representation, Barbarism, Serfdom, Decentralization, Organized Religion (Hindu--founder, but just a couple of turns from Theocracy)
Tech Race-- I'm equal and possibly slightly ahead based on techs which others are willing to offer and want to trade for
Finances-- +10 per turn, 200-300 banked
Surplus Resources-- Horses (2), soon-- Fur (2), Iron (1)
Current Position on Tech Tree: Iron Working, Metal Casting, Construction, Theocracy (in 2 turns), Priesthood, Feudalism, Literature, Alphabet, Horseback Riding, Sailing, Calendar, Astronomy, Currency
Wonders-- Great Library, Hanging Gardens, Oracle, Stonehenge, Pyramids, Palace
In development cue: Catapults, Heroic Epic, National Epic, Markets, Libraries

My chief concerns, as I see them, are being sandwiched between agressive civs on my east (Aztecs) and west (Incas) borders. Particularly the Aztecs who are building forces along my border, whether this is prelude to invasion or a natural response to my taking out Bismark to my north who also shared a border with them.

I am also concerned about my finances as I already have as 60-40 Commerce and Science ratio to deal with maintence costs of my army and cities (8 French and 4 captured German).

I guess the big question, given this overload of information, is: What would be your next moves? I look forward to your sage wisdom.

 

[Sisiutil]

Overall, it sounds like you're doing quite well. 60% on the science slider in 1100 AD or so is perfectly respectable, especially with a 10 GPT and gold in the bank. You should be able to either go into a deficit for a few turns to rush a key tech, or consider expanding with another city if there's room.

My chief concern based on your description is your military, since you haven't described it. Montezuma is a well-known, drop-of-the-hat warmonger; if he's massing troops on your border, I'd be 90% certain he's about to invade, especially if the power graph shows you as weaker than him. Heck, he'll attack even if you're stronger. He'll attack even if he likes you. He's very predictible, in a psychotic sort of way.

Since this thread is for condensed tips, you may want to start a separate thread to solicit advice for this game. It would be a good idea to attach a saved game file there for more in-depth responses. As I said, it's hard to assess your military this way.

 

[ProfessorK]

Thanks, Sisiutil.

You confirmed by suspecions about Montezuma. I should have known he attack when I refused to give him a tribute of horses (which he still doesn't have) and thought I'd appeased him with another tribute. I hope I don't end up playing Chamberlin to his Hitler. From what you know about Cyrus, what do you think about approaching him with a mutual defense pact? We've been on good terms and share a religion.

I'm glad to hear from you that my finances are in pretty good shape. That's a relief.

Sorry about the length of the post. Being a teacher, I tend to be naturally verbose. I'll follow your suggestion and post it on or start a more appropriate thread.

 

[ProfessorK]

"Since this thread is for condensed tips, you may want to start a separate thread to solicit advice for this game. It would be a good idea to attach a saved game file there for more in-depth responses. As I said, it's hard to assess your military this way." Sisiutil

Can I attach the file that exists of my game from my Load screen? If so, it is really cool that this site would support what must be a very large file like that.

 

[Sisiutil]

"Since this thread is for condensed tips, you may want to start a separate thread to solicit advice for this game. It would be a good idea to attach a saved game file there for more in-depth responses. As I said, it's hard to assess your military this way." Sisiutil

Can I attach the file that exists of my game from my Load screen? If so, it is really cool that this site would support what must be a very large file like that.

Scroll down beneath the message you're writing to the "Additional Options" section, where you'll find an "Attach Files" option. You can upload files of specific types (included saved Civ games) to a maximum of 20 MB total.

I'm a former teacher myself and can relate to the inclination to verbal diarrhea.

 

[ProfessorK]

Thanks, again. I'll try to start a new thread on Sunday or Monday when I am back home and have access to my game in progress. I think I basically know what to do and that is to get ready for war as quickly as possible against Montezuma. I'll switch civics to Theology and Vassalage and start pumping out units and getting them into position. If I keep the borders open I can bring some scouts in to see what I'm up against and know what type of units to create. It is all a matter of timing to see if I can get ready before he attacks.

 

[JimT]

ok after reading 12 pages i have few questions.

3- i prefer to wait till mathematics before chop rushing cause its supposed to yield more hammers or i am wrong?[end quote]

edit: I corrected the spelling thinking it was mine, not trying to be petty, now it won't say it's a quote, sorry

Yes you get more but each hammer is worth more in the earlier game. It depends on your situation. In the early game you may want to chop rush a settler, building or wonder. Their value is often worth more than ten measly hammers. Its never worth leaving a forest if you would prefer to use the tile for something else (e.g. grassland on a riverbank). Otherwise, as a guideline don't chop rush unless you have a significant use or want to improve the land, otherwise you may regret it later.

 

[Sisiutil]

Thanks, again. I'll try to start a new thread on Sunday or Monday when I am back home and have access to my game in progress. I think I basically know what to do and that is to get ready for war as quickly as possible against Montezuma. I'll switch civics to Theology and Vassalage and start pumping out units and getting them into position. If I keep the borders open I can bring some scouts in to see what I'm up against and know what type of units to create. It is all a matter of timing to see if I can get ready before he attacks.

Here's a tip on the use of those two "war civics".

You might be running cheaper and more profitable civics such as Bureaucracy and Organized Religion; you usually want to run those as much as possible, and the war civics for as short a time as possible. In each city where you're building a unit, wait until it has 1 turn left to complete, and then insert another (different) unit above it in the queue (Ctrl+click on the unit). Keep doing this until you have a handful of units in each city's build queue all ready to complete within a turn of each other. THEN switch civics. Churn out your promoted army, then switch your civics back after a few turns.

This is also a good way to convince an enemy that you're weaker than you really are, enticing him into declaring war so you avoid the diplomatic penalty, and luring his units into your territory so you can kill them there and mitigate war weariness.

Just be warned that a build starts losing hammers if it's in the queue without work being done on it for more than 10 turns or so.

 

[ProfessorK]

I read something about that strategy earlier in this thread. I'll give it a try. Thanks. What are your thoughts on the mutual defense pact with Cyrus on my southern border. Is he typically ameniable to such ideas? If I know that I don't have to worry about him, I can shift more units to my western border to deal with Montezuma.

 

[Sisiutil]

I read something about that strategy earlier in this thread. I'll give it a try. Thanks. What are your thoughts on the mutual defense pact with Cyrus on my southern border. Is he typically ameniable to such ideas? If I know that I don't have to worry about him, I can shift more units to my western border to deal with Montezuma.

I usually find Cyrus pretty easy to get along with, so by all means go for it.

The problem with Cyrus is that if he manages to get in a decent position, he's a pretty formidable competitor. He rarely wars with me, but often beats me to wonders I want. So I wind up having to kill him. I'm sure you understand.

 

[ProfessorK]

Well, you were right. Montezuma just closed the borders and changed to the vassalage civic. If someone's going to be psychotic, it is at least good that they be predictable. He was kind enough to let me scout his civ before he closed his borders, so I know at the outset that I have a technological and numeric edge on him. I also switched to vassalage and with theocracy will be able to crank out some pretty powerful units. I have knights, longbowmen, and catapults in the works all over in my cities and am building some forts on strategic hill tops where I think his primary line of advance will be toward my capital. He has no mounted units (since I wouldn't give him horses earlier in the game when he demanded them), so my forces are much more flexible and mobile. I hope to take the war to him, using my mounted archers and knights to destroy his capability to wage war. I think he only has one source of iron and I have a galley with a mounted archer and axeman pointed to disembark and quickly move to destroy it. One of his whole borders is coastline that is ripe for amphibious strikes once I get a couple of more galleys. If I can disrupt his rear and take out resources around his production centers, hopefully the war won't be one of attrition which weakens both of us. I also will have gunpower tech in five turns, which will give me French musketeers, also mobile units. Any ideas are welcome.