The-Hawk
Old Original Geezer
I finally got a domination win on deity on a standard map (4 random AI's, normal barbs).
For two major reasons, I found it to be very difficult to win by domination on deity with this map size:
1) On a larger map, you need more cities to get domination. It is hard to balance between the need to build economy to support those cities vs. the need to rush your opponents before they get too advanced. (PS... I decided to play this without using the "perpetual anarchy exploit", so economy was a major challenge).
2) Because of the distances, it is hard to get to all the AI's before they get too far ahead on techs.
I went to war as soon as I could get a few Praets up, and was in constant war for many years. At first, my workers concentrated on chopping Praets only, I hardly did any tile improvements.
I razed many of the cities I captured, but not all. I figured that if I left too many gaps, the AI's would just fill them back up. As a result, my economy was running at a deficit almost from the beginning. I pretty much stopped research after Iron Working, just couldn't afford it. I was forced to stay in constant war, I needed to keep capturing new cities so I wouldn't run out of money. Luckily, I captured a city with a wonder that produced two Great Merchants... their windfalls kept me solvent.
Even with my focus on early warmongering, I was only able to stunt 3 of the AI's. The Incas were a little too far away, and were too strong when I got to them. So, I needed to make nice with them, and hope they stayed below 32% of the total land (so I could get 68% without trying to fight them). I researched pottery and went cottage and settler crazy.
In the end, I was JUST able to squeak over 68% by producing some Great Artists and dropping some culture bombs to grab a few tiles from the Incas. Around 200 AD, I thought I had the game under control, but it took me a loonnnnggg time to research up to Drama so I could adjust culture to fill gaps, and a long time to build some GAs for culture bombs. It would have been even longer, but my best bud Huayna gave me a couple of techs along the way. Anyhow, my final date was 1050 AD, seemed pretty damned slow.
Given how hard this was on a standard map, I can't imagine winning on large or huge maps (conquest - yes, domination - no).
So, some questions for the board:
- I noticed only there is only one game on the HOF for deity domination -standard map, and I'm pretty sure Moonsinger used perpetual anarchy. There are no HOF dominations on large or huge. Obviously, many people do not post on the HOF... so, how many of you have been able to get deity domination wins on larger maps (with or without perpetual anarchy)? Is it even do-able?
- In a few failed attempts, I had tried to research some of the basic worker techs and build up my economy first. But it never seemed to work, if you wait to
, you simply fall further behind on techs. Has anyone succeeded with any strategy besides bash early and often?
- I'm wondering if a "total raze" strategy would work... ie. don't keep any captured cities so your economy stays stronger, then build lots of settlers late in the game. The risk being one of the other AI's simply takes the open land. Any opinions on how well that might work?
For two major reasons, I found it to be very difficult to win by domination on deity with this map size:
1) On a larger map, you need more cities to get domination. It is hard to balance between the need to build economy to support those cities vs. the need to rush your opponents before they get too advanced. (PS... I decided to play this without using the "perpetual anarchy exploit", so economy was a major challenge).
2) Because of the distances, it is hard to get to all the AI's before they get too far ahead on techs.
I went to war as soon as I could get a few Praets up, and was in constant war for many years. At first, my workers concentrated on chopping Praets only, I hardly did any tile improvements.
I razed many of the cities I captured, but not all. I figured that if I left too many gaps, the AI's would just fill them back up. As a result, my economy was running at a deficit almost from the beginning. I pretty much stopped research after Iron Working, just couldn't afford it. I was forced to stay in constant war, I needed to keep capturing new cities so I wouldn't run out of money. Luckily, I captured a city with a wonder that produced two Great Merchants... their windfalls kept me solvent.
Even with my focus on early warmongering, I was only able to stunt 3 of the AI's. The Incas were a little too far away, and were too strong when I got to them. So, I needed to make nice with them, and hope they stayed below 32% of the total land (so I could get 68% without trying to fight them). I researched pottery and went cottage and settler crazy.
In the end, I was JUST able to squeak over 68% by producing some Great Artists and dropping some culture bombs to grab a few tiles from the Incas. Around 200 AD, I thought I had the game under control, but it took me a loonnnnggg time to research up to Drama so I could adjust culture to fill gaps, and a long time to build some GAs for culture bombs. It would have been even longer, but my best bud Huayna gave me a couple of techs along the way. Anyhow, my final date was 1050 AD, seemed pretty damned slow.
Given how hard this was on a standard map, I can't imagine winning on large or huge maps (conquest - yes, domination - no).
So, some questions for the board:
- I noticed only there is only one game on the HOF for deity domination -standard map, and I'm pretty sure Moonsinger used perpetual anarchy. There are no HOF dominations on large or huge. Obviously, many people do not post on the HOF... so, how many of you have been able to get deity domination wins on larger maps (with or without perpetual anarchy)? Is it even do-able?
- In a few failed attempts, I had tried to research some of the basic worker techs and build up my economy first. But it never seemed to work, if you wait to
, you simply fall further behind on techs. Has anyone succeeded with any strategy besides bash early and often?- I'm wondering if a "total raze" strategy would work... ie. don't keep any captured cities so your economy stays stronger, then build lots of settlers late in the game. The risk being one of the other AI's simply takes the open land. Any opinions on how well that might work?
Anyway, I reloaded my save (20 AD) and managed Domination. 
Large maps are possible?
.
