[BTS] DAR - Prince - Pangea - Normal - Default settings
- Thread starter diegoami
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Swordnboard
Warlord
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- Jan 21, 2018
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Spoiler off-topic :
Genearlly agree with Gumbolt, Lymond, and Fippy's commentary. We're coming at you pretty hard with a lot of commentary and ideas, so certainly OK not to get everything right in one go. I think it's good that you are playing many iterations of the same game to experiment for yourself and see what works well. Micromanagement especially can be a bit overwhelming and not everyone's cup of tea, but is very worthwhile (compare Gumbolt's empire-wide stats to your most recent save file). I'd recommend taking a look at all of your cities every 5-10 turns or so and really thinking about whether your tile choices are the best they can possibly be, whether you should be whipping, etcetera. Eventually the patterns will become more natural and checking on cities will just be a normal part of your game flow.
Ok, thank you for all the tips.
I understand that I was not able to getting the maximum out of the golden age, also because this is the first golden age I ever triggered. I hadn't quite grasped that food-producing tiles do not get any bonus from the gold ages at all, so I might try that again.
There are other things I also should be working on, like hoarding trade agreements, switching town production to knowledge and know how to bulb.
On the other hand, I am still convinced that I do need to take part in wars even when not going for conquest or total war. One thing I have experienced during my (little) experience with Civ4 is when two AIs go to war, there is the risk that one vassalizes the other, and then the block becomes difficult to take down.
That is why I believe in having a standing army and in leading limited wars even when striving for some kind of economic victory, either for containment or for taking a piece of the cake.
I understand that I was not able to getting the maximum out of the golden age, also because this is the first golden age I ever triggered. I hadn't quite grasped that food-producing tiles do not get any bonus from the gold ages at all, so I might try that again.
There are other things I also should be working on, like hoarding trade agreements, switching town production to knowledge and know how to bulb.
On the other hand, I am still convinced that I do need to take part in wars even when not going for conquest or total war. One thing I have experienced during my (little) experience with Civ4 is when two AIs go to war, there is the risk that one vassalizes the other, and then the block becomes difficult to take down.
That is why I believe in having a standing army and in leading limited wars even when striving for some kind of economic victory, either for containment or for taking a piece of the cake.
Swordnboard
Warlord
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2018
- Messages
- 223
Large vassal blocks can indeed be a bit trickier to deal with. However, AI-AI wars are, for the most part, a huge boon for the human player. You can think of it as hundreds of hammers the AI have funneled into units disappearing into thin air, while you use your hammers more effectively. Joining in when you won't make significant land gains is just participating in the inefficient bloodbath.
As for standing armies, use caution. Units that sit around do little but gradually grow obsolete and cost money in maintenance. And if you are worried about safety, there are better (diplomatic) ways of avoiding warfare, and sufficient defense can often be whipped together quite last-minute, once you are certain an AI has begun plotting war with you as a likely target.
As for standing armies, use caution. Units that sit around do little but gradually grow obsolete and cost money in maintenance. And if you are worried about safety, there are better (diplomatic) ways of avoiding warfare, and sufficient defense can often be whipped together quite last-minute, once you are certain an AI has begun plotting war with you as a likely target.
Agree with sword. Armies should only be built to counter AI in war mode or to take out an AI. I don't believe in part wars. Each time you attack an Ai you get a diplo hit from all it's friends and also a -2-3 we want to join our motherland hit for happiness in each captured city,
You can't get an economic victory. How do you plan to win this game?
You can't get an economic victory. How do you plan to win this game?
Well, good points, I will try to avoid war if I don't see gains to be made. On the other hand, most of my games so far had been Marathon, and I have been reading tips that on Marathon you do need a standing army. Might have been the wrong civ game though 
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2popbulb
Chieftain
- Joined
- Apr 29, 2018
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- 80
Marathon games are different. You need standing army when playing on Marathon. Barbs are much more dangerous especially if you play on a huge map and no AI's nearby. And aggressive AI's will pile up big stacks since they have lot of time. You cannot count on diplo tricks to save you from being attacked for 1500 turns. I don't believe I will go for cultural victory on Marathon/Huge maps. There is no way that no one will attack my crappy little empire until I get 3 legendary cities.
It is true that units will grow obsolete but that is why at least one city should pump out units constantly. Delete obsolete units when you have problem with maintenance cost.
It is true that units will grow obsolete but that is why at least one city should pump out units constantly. Delete obsolete units when you have problem with maintenance cost.
Ok, I went back to 400 AD, before the golden age and while still at war with Carthago. I played on until 1010 AD.
Saved games here.
- I kind of messed up the war and lost more units while assaulting Carthago, so I sued for peace. At least I got rid of obsolete units.
- I waited a little longer before starting the golden age, to build some stuff and get more citizens. During the golden age, I removed citizens from food tiles to work on Great People.
- I used one scientist to bulb Philosophy, and I won the race to Liberalism. I (accidentally) bulbed a great artist to Drama - not the best move.
- I have still a scientist and I am on my way to other Great People and to being the first one to discover Economics and get a free Great Merchant.
- Having Pacifism and having built the Temple of Arthemis, I seem to be producing a lot of them. I have also built the Great Library.
- The Malinese built the Apostolic Palace for Hinduism - luckily I managed to convert a few towns and get enough votes to block the motion to give back Carthago.
- Nobody seems to be messing with me, although the Romans have conquered a Sumerian town. I haven't built that many troops, I feel a little naked.
- I might settle a town farther south. I am in a position to start two more golden ages - I will have two Great People and build the Taj Mahal.
- Considering that I am far ahead in science, I might rush to Cuirassier or to a later unit.
Saved games here.
Spoiler 1010 AD :
Not sure what you are really doing here now. What is your plan to win this game?
Capital is still not using all it cottages.
You have cities running unimproved tiles.
You took liberalism and took printing press which can be easily bulbed with a GS. Why research lib so early? Only 1 Ai currently has edu.
As Fippy pointed out you were wrong to end the war so quickly when you had more follow up units that could of taken that city.
Scrap that court house build.
I would of joined Romans in their war to take Sumerian cities.
Capital is still not using all it cottages.
You have cities running unimproved tiles.
You took liberalism and took printing press which can be easily bulbed with a GS. Why research lib so early? Only 1 Ai currently has edu.
As Fippy pointed out you were wrong to end the war so quickly when you had more follow up units that could of taken that city.
Scrap that court house build.
I would of joined Romans in their war to take Sumerian cities.
What I am doing here ? I am practising golden ages... or trying to. Just finished one.
As I wrote, I went back to 400 AD, before the assault on Carthage, and for some reason I had many more losses this time, so I had pretty much no units left to continue the war.
I did bulb Printing Press actually....what's wrong about beelining to Liberalism and building courthouses ?
As I wrote, I went back to 400 AD, before the assault on Carthage, and for some reason I had many more losses this time, so I had pretty much no units left to continue the war.
I did bulb Printing Press actually....what's wrong about beelining to Liberalism and building courthouses ?
Spoiler 700 AD :
AcaMetis
Emperor
- Joined
- May 21, 2018
- Messages
- 1,859
Courthouses cost too many hammers for what they do early game, and cities as close to your capitol as Rajavihara are going to have barely any distance maintenance so they'll take even longer to pay the 
investment back. City governors are also notorious for running Spies basically whenever they have air to breathe, despite the fact that 
is usually less valuable than the 
a Scientist provides, although ideally you should never let a city governor make a decision without you double-checking it anyway.
Now after you've industrialized and are spreading one or two powerful corporations that drastically increase city maintenance, definitely build Courthouses. Alternatively, if you're expanding through warfare and end up capturing many relatively far-flung cities, build/whip Courthouses in the new cities to help stabilize your economy. Assuming you still need a stable economy, of course.
As for Lib, if no other AI can research it (I'm assuming the one AI with Education doesn't also have Philosophy) you can delay it to try and get a better, more expensive tech for it. Military Tradition or, better yet, Rifling instead of Nationalism (or Guilds?), for instance. If another AI can research it my personal advice would be to just grab it, but that's just me. Ideally you'd delay it a few turns if it allows you to grab a better tech, if your only competition is a relatively slow techer and could also go for Economics first or something, but someone else should go into detail about that. There are situations where delaying Lib a few extra turns is a safe enough bet and worth it, but I personally never bother.
investment back. City governors are also notorious for running Spies basically whenever they have air to breathe, despite the fact that is usually less valuable than the a Scientist provides, although ideally you should never let a city governor make a decision without you double-checking it anyway.Now after you've industrialized and are spreading one or two powerful corporations that drastically increase city maintenance, definitely build Courthouses. Alternatively, if you're expanding through warfare and end up capturing many relatively far-flung cities, build/whip Courthouses in the new cities to help stabilize your economy. Assuming you still need a stable economy, of course.
As for Lib, if no other AI can research it (I'm assuming the one AI with Education doesn't also have Philosophy) you can delay it to try and get a better, more expensive tech for it. Military Tradition or, better yet, Rifling instead of Nationalism (or Guilds?), for instance. If another AI can research it my personal advice would be to just grab it, but that's just me. Ideally you'd delay it a few turns if it allows you to grab a better tech, if your only competition is a relatively slow techer and could also go for Economics first or something, but someone else should go into detail about that. There are situations where delaying Lib a few extra turns is a safe enough bet and worth it, but I personally never bother.
Court houses should really only going in cities with 8-9 cost a turn. Really not needed here. Better to run wealth than build them or Barrays. I barely build them. Too many hammers for 1 food and 2 health.
You really wanted the National epic in a food city. The production city may have lots of wonders but the great people pool will be diluted with engineers, artists. 30% Great artist chance is horrible. I guess you could of taken off production tiles for specialists. Would only delay TM wonder. Learn to whip builds into wonders for overflow. 1-2 chops can speed up wonders like NE greatly.
Getting Great Library and NE in same city is useful but ultimately reduced in value due to mixed great people pool. Every wonder gives different types of great people points. Too many here giving great artists and great engineer points.Those scientists from Glib in your capital would of got the academy bonus too.
Your size 15 city could of been running 2-3 more merchants.With NE in this city you would of got more great people here. 1000ad for National Epic is really late!
Your struggling on war front as I don't think your whipping enough units. 4-5 catapults mixed with 5-6 phants and some melee units should of made Carthage easy work. A 15-20 strong stack is never a bad idea. With units being whipped to replace lost catapults. So bombard 1 turn and attack the next pending on number of defenders. Start wars before the Ai can get xbows/pikes and mace to avoid struggles.
On your 1010ad save you have a really strong stack there just watching as the Romans weaken the Sumerians for you. The Carthage defences were really weak once the Sumerians were at war with them.
I would really like to see more of a killer instinct here. I would of also liked to have seen your first turn of the golden age. Lots of small mistakes here gradually making the game harder for you.
Not expecting you to be an immortal player over night but you will be suprised how much whipping will add to your game here.
You really wanted the National epic in a food city. The production city may have lots of wonders but the great people pool will be diluted with engineers, artists. 30% Great artist chance is horrible. I guess you could of taken off production tiles for specialists. Would only delay TM wonder. Learn to whip builds into wonders for overflow. 1-2 chops can speed up wonders like NE greatly.
Getting Great Library and NE in same city is useful but ultimately reduced in value due to mixed great people pool. Every wonder gives different types of great people points. Too many here giving great artists and great engineer points.Those scientists from Glib in your capital would of got the academy bonus too.
Your size 15 city could of been running 2-3 more merchants.With NE in this city you would of got more great people here. 1000ad for National Epic is really late!
Your struggling on war front as I don't think your whipping enough units. 4-5 catapults mixed with 5-6 phants and some melee units should of made Carthage easy work. A 15-20 strong stack is never a bad idea. With units being whipped to replace lost catapults. So bombard 1 turn and attack the next pending on number of defenders. Start wars before the Ai can get xbows/pikes and mace to avoid struggles.
On your 1010ad save you have a really strong stack there just watching as the Romans weaken the Sumerians for you. The Carthage defences were really weak once the Sumerians were at war with them.
I would really like to see more of a killer instinct here. I would of also liked to have seen your first turn of the golden age. Lots of small mistakes here gradually making the game harder for you.
Not expecting you to be an immortal player over night but you will be suprised how much whipping will add to your game here.
Thank for the tips. Anyway, I decided to finish this game and I guess, this thread also.
- Used two golden ages to grow, but in the meanwhile two blocks formed. I had a pact with the Persians, while the Romans vassaled the Sumerians and the Carthagineans !
- The Romans attacked the Persians and therefore, my nation too. After initial setbacks, during which I ended up losing even three cities, I managed to win the war.
- Got on good term with the remaining powers.
- Got my economy rolling and won a diplomatic victory in 1876 AD.
Saved games are here - some of them are attached. Here are also some screenshots.
I am taking a break from Civ IV but may come back in some time with a new, different start - winning on Monarch is already a good result for me.
Saved games here - some of them are attached. Here are also some screenshots.
- Used two golden ages to grow, but in the meanwhile two blocks formed. I had a pact with the Persians, while the Romans vassaled the Sumerians and the Carthagineans !
- The Romans attacked the Persians and therefore, my nation too. After initial setbacks, during which I ended up losing even three cities, I managed to win the war.
- Got on good term with the remaining powers.
- Got my economy rolling and won a diplomatic victory in 1876 AD.
Saved games are here - some of them are attached. Here are also some screenshots.
I am taking a break from Civ IV but may come back in some time with a new, different start - winning on Monarch is already a good result for me.
Saved games here - some of them are attached. Here are also some screenshots.
Spoiler GAME FINISHED :
