Hereditary Rule
Warlord
- Joined
- Dec 13, 2007
- Messages
- 294
I enjoy playing HUGE size maps (11 players, standard) because I like more opponents in the game and a larger map to explore. I wanted to post some observations and differences I've noted while playing these maps vs. playing STANDARD size maps.
and 
On HUGE maps, it is much easier to settle and trade for happy and health resources. More opponents means more trading partners for resources. By the mid-late game, both happiness and health are virtually non issues. Unique buildings that provide or are generally less useful on HUGE maps (unless they come relatively early).
Religions
Founding one of the first 3 religions is much tougher on HUGE maps. More opponents increases the likelihood of a religious fanatic teching through the religious tree. Unless your start is incredibly good AND you start with Mysticms, forget about it.
Shrines are more much powerful on HUGE than Standard because there are many more cities in the game, allowing greater religion spread and greater shrine
. A good holy city with a shrine can sustain your empire for much of the game. These are much more valuable to capture, particularly if the religion is predominant in 3-4 AI Civs.
Traits on HUGE vs. STANDARD
Improved on Huge
Industrious - You are competing for wonders on Huge maps against more opponents than on standard. More opponents means a higher probability that an 1 or more opponents are also IND. Even if you're not wonderspamming and just targeting specific wonders, IND is very hulpful to make sure you win the wonders you really want.
Philosophical - Besides the standard +100%
, PHI gives a double production building bonus that is more significant on HUGE maps. Universities are an expensive building and you must build 8 eek on a HUGE map before you can build Oxford. Philosophical civs are going to get Oxford online in their best science city much faster than non-philo civs. Additionally, since your empire is usually larger on HUGE maps, you'll benefit more from Golden Ages than you do on standard size maps. PHI civs generally get a few more and can therefore generate 1 or 2 extra Golden Ages than non-PHI civs.
Spiritual - With 10 opponents, diplomacy becomes much more difficult. SPI is of even greater benefit to keep the various AI happy, allowing you switch religions and civics at their request. This trait is more useful that on STANDARD maps simply because you're going to face many more requests for civics and religion swaps.
Organized - Like with Universities, the Forbidden palace requires 8 Courthouses on HUGE maps. ORG allows you to build them at half price to get the FP online faster. In the mid and late game however, your empire is likely going to be larger on a HUGE map than on Standard (anywhere from 50% to 75% bigger depending on how much warmongering). ORG shines the larger your empire is, and typically your empire will be larger on HUGE maps.
Imperialistic - Usually, but not always (depending on the map script), HUGE maps will have more land to settle during the REX phase. You'll typically build more settlers on HUGE than on Standard, and thus IMP's settler discount is applied more than on Standard size maps. If you are seeking Conquest or Domination on HUGE, you will enjoy the Great General boost more so than on Standard, as you'll be warring a lot more to achieve victory, thus generating more Great Generals at double speed. These extra generals can fuel a super military city, or allow for the creation of 3-4 medics to lead separate armies on multiple fronts.
Thoughts on the other Traits on Huge
Aggressive, Charismatic, Protective - These traits perform similarly on HUGE as they do standard. AGG is useful for an early axerush, as well as mid and lategame conquests. CHA's bonus is still welcome in the early game, but is less useful on HUGE maps because there are so many extra happiness resources to settle and trade for. On HUGE maps, you'll do a lot more fighting when going for domination or conquest than you do on standard - the extra promos potential from AGG, CHA, and PRO (gundpowder units) make these victories much easier.
Expansive - Expansive is more useful on HUGE maps for its production discounts than its actual bonus. On HUGE maps, you'll build more workers, granaries, and harbors. In the mid-late game, you'll be able to settle and trade for virtually every resource in the game, making the +2 rarely factor in.
Creative - A good trait, but not much improved over Standard size maps. Depending on the script, you'll either REX more than usual on HUGE or you'll encounter a neighbor about the same time as you do on Standard. The building discounts are not as significant as IND, PHI, or ORG, but still useful. All in all not much different than on Standard.
Financial - On HUGE, you'll typically have more cities, meaning more tiles, and more chances to use the + 1
. Therefore the trait is more useful on HUGE because of you'll have more tiles with a bonus, but this is pretty straight forward and really no different from a Standard size map where you happen to build a large empire. Other traits get a larger boost on Huge than FIN due to the interplay of more opponents and tougher National Wonder requirements.
Thoughts on Specific Early Strategies and Gambits on HUGE Maps
Early Rushes - Depending on the map script, AI's can often start further away than on Standard maps. Early UU's based on Chariots and Axes become much more situational as close neighbors are less common.
Great Lighthouse and Oracle - Wonders go much faster on HUGE maps due to more opponents and great chance of IND opponents. I wouldn't even attempt these wonders unless I'm IND, have marble for the Oracle, or playing at Noble or below. Even if you're IND, the GLH is almost impossible to nab with a second city so make sure you have a coastal capital.
and On HUGE maps, it is much easier to settle and trade for happy and health resources. More opponents means more trading partners for resources. By the mid-late game, both happiness and health are virtually non issues. Unique buildings that provide
or are generally less useful on HUGE maps (unless they come relatively early). Religions
Founding one of the first 3 religions is much tougher on HUGE maps. More opponents increases the likelihood of a religious fanatic teching through the religious tree. Unless your start is incredibly good AND you start with Mysticms, forget about it.
Shrines are more much powerful on HUGE than Standard because there are many more cities in the game, allowing greater religion spread and greater shrine
. A good holy city with a shrine can sustain your empire for much of the game. These are much more valuable to capture, particularly if the religion is predominant in 3-4 AI Civs. Traits on HUGE vs. STANDARD
Improved on Huge
Industrious - You are competing for wonders on Huge maps against more opponents than on standard. More opponents means a higher probability that an 1 or more opponents are also IND. Even if you're not wonderspamming and just targeting specific wonders, IND is very hulpful to make sure you win the wonders you really want.
Philosophical - Besides the standard +100%
, PHI gives a double production building bonus that is more significant on HUGE maps. Universities are an expensive building and you must build 8 eek on a HUGE map before you can build Oxford. Philosophical civs are going to get Oxford online in their best science city much faster than non-philo civs. Additionally, since your empire is usually larger on HUGE maps, you'll benefit more from Golden Ages than you do on standard size maps. PHI civs generally get a few more and can therefore generate 1 or 2 extra Golden Ages than non-PHI civs. Spiritual - With 10 opponents, diplomacy becomes much more difficult. SPI is of even greater benefit to keep the various AI happy, allowing you switch religions and civics at their request. This trait is more useful that on STANDARD maps simply because you're going to face many more requests for civics and religion swaps.
Organized - Like with Universities, the Forbidden palace requires 8 Courthouses on HUGE maps. ORG allows you to build them at half price to get the FP online faster. In the mid and late game however, your empire is likely going to be larger on a HUGE map than on Standard (anywhere from 50% to 75% bigger depending on how much warmongering). ORG shines the larger your empire is, and typically your empire will be larger on HUGE maps.
Imperialistic - Usually, but not always (depending on the map script), HUGE maps will have more land to settle during the REX phase. You'll typically build more settlers on HUGE than on Standard, and thus IMP's settler discount is applied more than on Standard size maps. If you are seeking Conquest or Domination on HUGE, you will enjoy the Great General boost more so than on Standard, as you'll be warring a lot more to achieve victory, thus generating more Great Generals at double speed. These extra generals can fuel a super military city, or allow for the creation of 3-4 medics to lead separate armies on multiple fronts.
Thoughts on the other Traits on Huge
Aggressive, Charismatic, Protective - These traits perform similarly on HUGE as they do standard. AGG is useful for an early axerush, as well as mid and lategame conquests. CHA's
bonus is still welcome in the early game, but is less useful on HUGE maps because there are so many extra happiness resources to settle and trade for. On HUGE maps, you'll do a lot more fighting when going for domination or conquest than you do on standard - the extra promos potential from AGG, CHA, and PRO (gundpowder units) make these victories much easier. Expansive - Expansive is more useful on HUGE maps for its production discounts than its actual bonus. On HUGE maps, you'll build more workers, granaries, and harbors. In the mid-late game, you'll be able to settle and trade for virtually every
resource in the game, making the +2 rarely factor in. Creative - A good trait, but not much improved over Standard size maps. Depending on the script, you'll either REX more than usual on HUGE or you'll encounter a neighbor about the same time as you do on Standard. The building discounts are not as significant as IND, PHI, or ORG, but still useful. All in all not much different than on Standard.
Financial - On HUGE, you'll typically have more cities, meaning more tiles, and more chances to use the + 1
. Therefore the trait is more useful on HUGE because of you'll have more tiles with a bonus, but this is pretty straight forward and really no different from a Standard size map where you happen to build a large empire. Other traits get a larger boost on Huge than FIN due to the interplay of more opponents and tougher National Wonder requirements.Thoughts on Specific Early Strategies and Gambits on HUGE Maps
Early Rushes - Depending on the map script, AI's can often start further away than on Standard maps. Early UU's based on Chariots and Axes become much more situational as close neighbors are less common.
Great Lighthouse and Oracle - Wonders go much faster on HUGE maps due to more opponents and great chance of IND opponents. I wouldn't even attempt these wonders unless I'm IND, have marble for the Oracle, or playing at Noble or below. Even if you're IND, the GLH is almost impossible to nab with a second city so make sure you have a coastal capital.
