JoeHollywood
Warlord
- Joined
- Apr 23, 2006
- Messages
- 235
okay going to examine two concepts today in civ...and in doing so hash out my greece and japan strats. while doing so I will be discussing two concepts in civ...the first being "relative power" of units as discussing greece, and "using the organized trait" as japan.
I'm going to start with Japan since it's the less "complex" of the two.
I see two strats done with Japan. Both are viable.
The first is early penetration into Asia, aggressive battle with China fighting for position on the mainland and expansion up to Persia relatively early.
The second is peaceful colonozation of the archipilego down to australia and beyond.
The success I've had with Japan is DOING BOTH.
Many people have slammed the organized trait as being sub-par to financial because in the long run you produce much more commerce with financial.
Here's a secret...Organized is not about any financial ability at all, it's about PRODUCTION!!!
An Organized Civ can run 5 cities for the upkeep costs of 3 cities in a non-organized civ.
Lets look at our goals and assets/liabilities with Japan.
The greatest "enemy" the Japanese have to deal with is the largest, the biggest, the most daunting thing on the entire earth map...the pacific ocean. Circumnavigating first helps no civ more than the state of Japan.
Japans second biggest enemy is the turn timer...the only reason I don't like playing Japan is because most of my games are "blazing speed"...lately I've done a few "fast" games, and in that situation you can truly milk the power that is Japan.
Japans UU is a little on the weak side, but it is an upgrade of a "core" unit in the game.
Japan is actually easier to defend than England navaly, and asia is easier to land on that Europe is.
Japan does not have to deal with the Praetorian.
Japan will almost alway get early religeon...from india most likely.
Now onto the game!!!
Worker or settler first are both viable options...rather than deal with technique I'm going to deal with a more freeform type of strategy.
Japan will have 3 cities on "Japan Proper"
First will obviously be the capitol, second will be to the north of Kyoto, the third will be to the south. The first two will work towards the mainland, the third will work down the archipelego.
With enough time each turn micromanagement will make island development as well as the war with china doable.
Make mongolia your friend ( if it survives )
The war with China will be vicious if China is a competant player...I want to see OCC ( one of the best Japan players on the map ) and Antideluvian ( one of the best China players on the map ) square off.
Control the WATER...the invasion of China must be both by land AND by sea.
As Japan you want to outexpand and outproduce your neighbors. Whereas with england you adopt an "outtech" them all strat, Japan needs to focus on the production side ( don't worry, they stay high in tech all game as well ).
the key is having 5 cities outproducing their 3. If you're running at 100% you're not taking advantage of organized.
Drama is a very good tech for Japan...don't forget your culture slider. Remember galleys can travel on the ocean if within cultural limits ( for those of you thinking about dropping a great artist to make the early drop on america, you get a bonus point )
Japan will have the largest geographical empire ( including water tiles ) of anyone in the game, break it down into chunks, I like to use cntrl-S to put sticky notes on the map to remind me what my plan is, if you try to remember it all, you will forget.
From bulk axemen to bulk aircraft, never forget that the power of Japan is it's production ability.
Check your power graph regularily, you should almost always be at the top ( somewhere around persia and rome )...don't stop building military, just because you have a massive amount doesn't matter, asia is a big area to defend.
State property is the uber civic for Japan
Anything I left out, please ask
Joe
Greece will come later
I'm going to start with Japan since it's the less "complex" of the two.
I see two strats done with Japan. Both are viable.
The first is early penetration into Asia, aggressive battle with China fighting for position on the mainland and expansion up to Persia relatively early.
The second is peaceful colonozation of the archipilego down to australia and beyond.
The success I've had with Japan is DOING BOTH.
Many people have slammed the organized trait as being sub-par to financial because in the long run you produce much more commerce with financial.
Here's a secret...Organized is not about any financial ability at all, it's about PRODUCTION!!!
An Organized Civ can run 5 cities for the upkeep costs of 3 cities in a non-organized civ.
Lets look at our goals and assets/liabilities with Japan.
The greatest "enemy" the Japanese have to deal with is the largest, the biggest, the most daunting thing on the entire earth map...the pacific ocean. Circumnavigating first helps no civ more than the state of Japan.
Japans second biggest enemy is the turn timer...the only reason I don't like playing Japan is because most of my games are "blazing speed"...lately I've done a few "fast" games, and in that situation you can truly milk the power that is Japan.
Japans UU is a little on the weak side, but it is an upgrade of a "core" unit in the game.
Japan is actually easier to defend than England navaly, and asia is easier to land on that Europe is.
Japan does not have to deal with the Praetorian.
Japan will almost alway get early religeon...from india most likely.
Now onto the game!!!
Worker or settler first are both viable options...rather than deal with technique I'm going to deal with a more freeform type of strategy.
Japan will have 3 cities on "Japan Proper"
First will obviously be the capitol, second will be to the north of Kyoto, the third will be to the south. The first two will work towards the mainland, the third will work down the archipelego.
With enough time each turn micromanagement will make island development as well as the war with china doable.
Make mongolia your friend ( if it survives )
The war with China will be vicious if China is a competant player...I want to see OCC ( one of the best Japan players on the map ) and Antideluvian ( one of the best China players on the map ) square off.
Control the WATER...the invasion of China must be both by land AND by sea.
As Japan you want to outexpand and outproduce your neighbors. Whereas with england you adopt an "outtech" them all strat, Japan needs to focus on the production side ( don't worry, they stay high in tech all game as well ).
the key is having 5 cities outproducing their 3. If you're running at 100% you're not taking advantage of organized.
Drama is a very good tech for Japan...don't forget your culture slider. Remember galleys can travel on the ocean if within cultural limits ( for those of you thinking about dropping a great artist to make the early drop on america, you get a bonus point )
Japan will have the largest geographical empire ( including water tiles ) of anyone in the game, break it down into chunks, I like to use cntrl-S to put sticky notes on the map to remind me what my plan is, if you try to remember it all, you will forget.
From bulk axemen to bulk aircraft, never forget that the power of Japan is it's production ability.
Check your power graph regularily, you should almost always be at the top ( somewhere around persia and rome )...don't stop building military, just because you have a massive amount doesn't matter, asia is a big area to defend.
State property is the uber civic for Japan
Anything I left out, please ask
Joe
Greece will come later