Did they make this game harder?

[contempted]

I'm not a very serious player, I usually just play on warlord so that I can win easily. I've been playing this way for years. I recently got a new computer (windows 10). Now I can't seem to win anymore and the games are way more difficult. Does anyone know why this would be? And now that I'm here, is it a bad idea to automate all workers and to build what the game recommends? Thats pretty much how I play, I try to get a military advantage and just play in semi-perpetual war. Now, when I go to war, the other civs get too far ahead in science. I need help!!!

 

[lymond]

I'm not a very serious player, I usually just play on warlord so that I can win easily. I've been playing this way for years. I recently got a new computer (windows 10). Now I can't seem to win anymore and the games are way more difficult. Does anyone know why this would be?

Well, not sure if you used to play BTS years ago or vanilla. Regardless, I'd say BTS is probably easier than its predecessor, which were at least very hard on the highest difficulties. Maybe you were playing the newer versions of Civ (5 and/or 6) and got used to the simplicity of those games. I don't know. Warlord is a very easy level. I know you are not serious, but just learning a few key things can really change your game. Also, playing on Warlord is not doing you much good learning the game.

...and...

And now that I'm here, is it a bad idea to automate all workers and to build what the game recommends?

Extremely bad idea. Honestly, if you are going to automate workers you might as well not play the game. Just a bit more attention to detail early on will pay of immensely. IV is very much about the snowball effect. Automated worker do very stupid stuff...just look at the AI workers. Worker management is key aspect of the game. (note that later in the game you can start setting workers to auto-trade route and stuff, but early on you need to manage them and chop forests)

Thats pretty much how I play, I try to get a military advantage and just play in semi-perpetual war. Now, when I go to war, the other civs get too far ahead in science. I need help!!!

Well, getting a military advantage is often a strong play in this game, but it is how you go about doing it. I suspect that, in your case, when you focus on "military advantage" you are really going down bad tech paths and not trading techs effectively (although on Warlord level tech trading "should not" do you much good since you "should" clobber the AI in teching)

Again, you've already stated you automate workers, which is egregiously bad, and by virtue I assume you really never learned much about the game...just going through the motions. I know you say you are not a serious player, but it doesn't take much to improve your game a heck of a lot more than Warlord, and just overall be more successful. One of the great joys I had over the years with this game was getting better and moving up difficulties, eventually winning on Deity.

If you want to learn, spend a bit more time over and Strategy & Tips - play one of the Noble Club games, and get advice...or post your own:

https://forums.civfanatics.com/forums/civ4-strategy-tips.155/

 

[contempted]

Well, not sure if you used to play BTS years ago or vanilla. Regardless, I'd say BTS is probably easier than its predecessor, which were at least very hard on the highest difficulties. Maybe you were playing the newer versions of Civ (5 and/or 6) and got used to the simplicity of those games. I don't know. Warlord is a very easy level. I know you are not serious, but just learning a few key things can really change your game. Also, playing on Warlord is not doing you much good learning the game.

...and...




Extremely bad idea. Honestly, if you are going to automate workers you might as well not play the game. Just a bit more attention to detail early on will pay of immensely. IV is very much about the snowball effect. Automated worker do very stupid stuff...just look at the AI workers. Worker management is key aspect of the game. (note that later in the game you can start setting workers to auto-trade route and stuff, but early on you need to manage them and chop forests)



Well, getting a military advantage is often a strong play in this game, but it is how you go about doing it. I suspect that, in your case, when you focus on "military advantage" you are really going down bad tech paths and not trading techs effectively (although on Warlord level tech trading "should not" do you much good since you "should" clobber the AI in teching)

Again, you've already stated you automate workers, which is egregiously bad, and by virtue I assume you really never learned much about the game...just going through the motions. I know you say you are not a serious player, but it doesn't take much to improve your game a heck of a lot more than Warlord, and just overall be more successful. One of the great joys I had over the years with this game was getting better and moving up difficulties, eventually winning on Deity.

If you want to learn, spend a bit more time over and Strategy & Tips - play one of the Noble Club games, and get advice...or post your own:

https://forums.civfanatics.com/forums/civ4-strategy-tips.155/

Thanks, your answer is very helpful. although I'm stiff baffled by why I can;t win all of a sudden(its bts, btw) I know, you;re right. I never even look at the city screens, I have no idea what it all means. I just go for swordsman, catapult,and if I'm lucky, calvarly. and try to wipe out three civs. Lately, I can barely even keep up with the competition even though I'm doing the exact same things I always did. But yes, maybe I'll try that helpful link you provided. thanks.

 

[lymond]

Good.

I recommend at least playing Noble level moving forward. Noble is considered "normal" or "neutral" level. AIs get no bonuses, so are essentially on par with the human. Below Noble, like Warlord level, AIs get maluses and the human bonuses, so it really not helping you much to learn. You could even go with Prince level, which only sees a very minor uptick to the AI. Either way, it helps to be forced a bit out of your comfort zone, so that you try putting more focus and effort into your game.

Of course, read up a bit over in S&T and look at some of the game in progress. Some YT videos help as well. Not a wealth of YT vids, but there are a few good ones out their mainly on higher levels. Look for Lain over in S&T..he should have some linked in his sig. He plays Deity, which is almost like a different game in term of strategy, but there are basics you can learn from him.

I'd focus more on empire management and getting off to a good start for now. How to best use workers, tech priorities, great people, economy, civics, etc.

 

[davelisowski]

Work on a strategy. Don't automate workers and probably don't send units to move more than 1 turn (unless in your zone of culture).

The computer recommendations are almost never good. You can usually pick a better tech./settlement spot/building/unit, etc. The computer doesn't understand your strategy.

I recommend a granary and a monument in each city (at least monument to get first culture pop for large cross). Plan to work tiles with enough food to max out the fat cross (this should grow as tech advances).

Food is king. Next is research and hammers . Of course you need a good economy to support your empire so nothing can be neglected.

I'd recommend choosing a VC and trying with a specific civ/leader. Establish an economy best suited to the VC. Have a backup VC.

I'd recommend working on a 'rush' as well. Whether you beeline a tech and go for a world wonder, or you beeline a tech for military advantage and zerg your neighbor.

Build stacks of doom as those are the most effective. By catapults you should always send seige weapons in offensive attacks (upgrade as tech allows).

The AI blows on the water so if you like war and pick a good naval civ (or civ with naval UU), you should be able to win handedly on island or archi. maps.

I have a generic rule about viewing every city in the city screen each turn as well as units moving in the map. I set groups of workers to build or improve tiles so they complete tasks faster. Never automate workers aside from while they are completing the assigned task on the one tile. The rare exception is the build a road to a specific destination (but only with protection or entirely in my cultural border).

Never send settlers solo! Just DON'T!

I try to get at least 1 unit per town and stack to have Medic I upgrade. Medic II is even better so you keep the stacks side-by-side.

Defenders should get Garrison and first strikes, imho. Don't neglect a medic here either. Medic II is great for border cities in case you have to defend from AI. In my experience the AI will attack outside-in, often (note: not always). But I mean they don't really venture into the heart of you civilization for a 2 population filler, if they are marching past a 5 pop with strategic resource.

The rest is usually situational.

Read the Sistuil (sp?) beginner guide.

:edit:
I, too, am returning to Civ 4. It's on my tower in the basement that still runs XP and doesn't use Internet. I also have Dead Space 1 and 2 (maybe 3), GTA 4, The Witcher, and Civ 5 as well.

My first game back and I feel like such a noob. I'm also thinking of switching from marathon to epic just so I can accomplish more games. Not too much time to play at this point.

 

[2popbulb]

I recommend a granary and a monument in each city (at least monument to get first culture pop for large cross).

Monuments are waste of resources,just research Writing and chop/whip library. Build cities near food resources so you can improve them without needing border pop.

 

[davelisowski]

Monuments are waste of resources,just research Writing and chop/whip library. Build cities near food resources so you can improve them without needing border pop.

Sure, you want resources in the first 9 tiles. But you don't always get that advantage of having every resource in the first 9 tiles.

Unless you have a cultural leader or are spreading a religion, you need a border pop for the full cross and all workable tiles. Library costs more , and you may want the border pop sooner than 'writing with a library build worth' of turns.

But yes, I'll concede, build libraries when available instead of a monument

 

[ArchGhost]

Monuments are waste of resources,just research Writing and chop/whip library. Build cities near food resources so you can improve them without needing border pop.

Sure, you want resources in the first 9 tiles. But you don't always get that advantage of having every resource in the first 9 tiles.

Unless you have a cultural leader or are spreading a religion, you need a border pop for the full cross and all workable tiles. Library costs more , and you may want the border pop sooner than 'writing with a library build worth' of turns.

But yes, I'll concede, build libraries when available instead of a monument

Libraries don't need to go in every city unless you're Creative and can get away with it. Libraries go in cities that get lots of commerce or have the food available to run scientists. 90 hammers is expensive in the early game and not always justified if the city only gets a couple commerce when all you want is a border pop to improve the city's standing; you may NEVER put a library in such a spot. Paying 30 hammers for a monument is entirely justifiable if you happen to have Myst and need it (such as in coastal cities with offshore fishing resources), or 40 for a Missonary if in OR, though I wouldn't focus on actually going for Myst or Mono just to intentionally do so.

Like so many decisions in the game, it's something you have to read into and adjust accordingly, though the common course of action is to just settle cities with first ring resources or let the AIs spread their religion to your cities for free border pops, and sidestep the issue altogether

 

[davelisowski]

And here I am building libraries everywhere!

 

[2popbulb]

Don't slow build libraries. Whip a granary first,then library. Or put some chops into it. I build library in every city. Why? I tend to run scientists very often,and I avoid building cities in places where there aren't at least 2 high yield food tiles. Corn+floodplains,deer+crab etc. It is very useful to me that I can run scientists while waiting for whip anger to wear off. Whip some axes or HA's and when anger builds up just run scientists and build wealth/research.

 

[TheMeInTeam]

BTS is significantly easier on immortal or deity than older expansions because AI gets fewer bonuses, but on lower difficulties where the AI always had less egregious bonuses the opposite is likely true.

Opportunity cost is a big thing in civ 4 so even if you're building something useful in a vacuum, it could be hurting you to build a library right now instead of a worker, if you need to improve tiles.

 

[TheWilltoAct]

Opportunity cost is a big thing in civ 4 so even if you're building something useful in a vacuum, it could be hurting you to build a library right now instead of a worker, if you need to improve tiles.

This was one of my biggest keys to ease the learning curve of Civ 4, back in the heady days of this forum.

It's still great advice, and the resulting level of nuance makes for better gameplay than is found in the later "civ" iterations.

 

[citizenofdoom]

pericles actually solved this :3

 

[ZeekLTK]

A lot of people are suggesting how to better play the game, but if you don't care about that and just want to focus on war here are some things to keep in mind:

Defenders have the advantage, especially on forests, hills, across rivers, cities, and worst of all cities built on hills across a river. So, try to stay in the forests or on hills as you advance towards them, so they can't counter attack you easily, and try to pick them off if they leave troops in the flatland or trying to protect their own farms or whatever.

Cities give defensive bonuses based on population. The bigger a city, the harder to take it. So sometimes it's better to siege than attack. If you are at war, then any tile your troops occupy is a tile that city cannot work. So, let's say you send 20 units to attack a city. Instead of putting all 20 units on the same tile, spread them out so that you have like 4 units on 5 different tiles. If you put the units on top of farms (especially resource farms, like wheat or cattle) then you can starve the city. After a while, maybe it will drop from 8 population down to 4 or something - and then you can finally attack it. Timing is key though, because the longer you wait, the more time it gives them to build units to defend with, so it's a balancing act... is it better to attack the city that has 8 population and 3 defenders? Or wait until it drops to 4 population by maybe has 5 defenders now? Just kind of have to figure it out as you play.

If you only care about defeating the opponent, instead of taking over their land, you can also have your troops raize the land as you attack. Destroy their farms, cottages, and roads to cripple them. Of course, if you are going to be running the city after you conquer it, you want to avoid destroying too much - but if you're "just passing through", then it is definitely worthwhile to take your time destroying resources before you actually attack the city. Then, even if they defeat your attack, they still have to waste time rebuilding everything you destroyed, giving you time to regroup and attack again.

 

[AcaMetis]

How much of a defensive bonus a city gives is based on culture, starting at 0% and going up by 20% for each level of culture the city achieves (the amount of needed per level is based on game speed). Settling on a hill/across a river/etc. helps of course, but that's technically not a bonus the city gives, rather the terrain it's on/near. Cultural defence can be decreased by bombarding it with siege units, and will slowly regenerate back to full after it doesn't get bombarded for a turn.

Trying to starve out a city by blocking it's tiles isn't worthwhile in this game. Starving the population won't stop the AI from whipping said population away into more defenders, and you'll have that much less population to work which when you take the city yourself. It cultural defence depended on population it'd be something to consider, but as is there's no real point to it.

 

[Fippy]

You can also use a Spy (or better 2-3 for backups) and revolt the city before attacking,
removes culture defense.
Can be good if you have no other plans for those EP.

Spies are also good for scouting while at war, they can be discovered but move freely.