don't know what to do in midgame

[red_ryder]

Hi all,

I haven't played Civilization 2 in years and now I've just started Civ 3. I got to the Mid-game stage, 1300AD. Made contact with the English, traded world maps and suddenly uncovered 3 other civilizations on other continents, all very well established.

There is no way I can set up new cities on their continents because the borders are pretty extensive. Other than military means, how do I expand my civilization? I would rather play peacefully and I've extended the limits of my own continent.

 

[Ramon]

what do you think? you just activate the underground building mode and you build your cities under theirs!

Dude! If you've played civ2, you should know what to do now.

As for a way to expand your civ peacefully when you don't have any terrain left, there isn't!:alien:

 

[Mike C]

You can't be timid when dealing with other civs. The land grab mentality in the beginning ensures that almost all the land is settled in the ancient era. If you aren't land grabbing yourself in the ancient era, you've already put yourself behind the 8 ball.

That means from the Middle Ages onward, any new territory is going to be through war. You can't simply buy cities up anymore like Civ 2.

In the game, I am trying to play a peaceful civ as possible and win through culture. But if other civs start taking cities away from others and starts to gain an advantage, its time to stop playing Mr. Nice guy.

Peace is a good endevour but when it comes down to living space for you people and keeping up with an expanding civ, you need to kick some ass :rocket:.

I know when I first started, I got my ass kicked because I was playing too nice. Remember, friendships are built on mutual self-benefit. If you aren't getting any benefit from friendships, its time to ditch it :ak47:.

 

[cort]

try this; bribe one of the civs against another and make them fight each other. whenever any of them captures a city of others, all cultural buildings are gone, so the borders shrink and unoccupied terrain will appear. Keep a handful of settlers & workers nearby, found cities, make your workers join those newly founded cities and build cultural building improvements as fast as you can, hopefully you will even be able to absorb invaded cities as well.

key point; expand cities to 6 (12 if fresh water nearby) by joining workers as fast as you can, so that you can build cultural improvements faster than your foes..

 

[zardoz]

You might have some minimal expansion by other civs cities joining you if you have sufficient cultural achivements produced...Wonders, Libraries, etc. near the border of the civilization you are trying to expand into. I have had some success there.....but if you are this far into the game it is time to get your military primed. I would keep like a 2/3/5 ratio going in my cities and see how that works for awhilel, at least until you get something going. By the way, 2/3/5 = wonders-culture/improvements-growth-happiness/military buildup. Worked for me in the first game won last night. Still didn't conquer all till 2006. By the way....if your playin the Persians (Iraqi's) , kick their ass good !! I did !! They were the more formidable of the four I was against - which included the Aztec, Iroquois, Zulu as well. The Immortal units are something to watch and try to get a unit to match them first.

Good Luck

 

[zardoz]

by the way, I was playin as the Americans

 

[Dearmad]

Best midgame strategy for me: go have dinner or lunch... -er- or that midnight snack... or go to bed, we DO need sleep once in awhile! Visit the toilet?