First Post patch game impressions game

[Txurce]

What I've found hardest to deal with on Immortal is AI ICS. I have been at war with Greece almost the entire game, and half his strategy seems to be to walk up a hoplite with a settler near my territory and plant a city. They are so close together that I suspect it's a war strategy, rather than expansion as usual. If you don't have iron - I only just acquired it - good luck taking a size 1 city without a concerted effort... which you may not be able to mount if you're fighting the war at the "old" front, against an AI whose tactics have improved to "halfway decent."

 

[No_such_reality]

I don't see a 150 turn spaceship victory. very early science is greater b/c of the national college, but with GS's almost completely wiped out science overall will suffer immensely. also, the ics nerfs were slightly greater than I expected and the builder bonuses were significant. add in the greater difficulty/longer time investment of taking cities and you're looking at much more difficult/longer victories imho.

I haven't played very far in yet, just noted how fast the Ancient, Classic and Medieval techs were going. I forgot about the bulbing GSes, however I wonder if that'll get counter acted by a seemingly friendlier AI that will make more research agreement deals.

 

[Bibor]

If you want a conquest game, you really need to prep for it. It's not just the happiness. Policies, wonders, everything. The more you conquer the more other AIs will start to dislike you, so getting happiness resources and (now very important) tech agreements are going to be a problem. Once you start the conquests you better not stop, because "securing your continent" will not prevent the AIs from winning.

 

[qyll]

Playtested Inca for ~100 turns.

Their UA is excellent. Being able to walk through hills without movement penalty is huge, didn't really get to see their secondary bonus kick in very much (save $ on improvements). Terrace farms are also nice. Build one by a riverside mountainside hill and you get a 2f, 2h, 2c tile. Not bad. Unfortunately, terrace farms don't get +1f from civil service. Farms on hills by themselves is nice if you don't have help from a maritime CS. Oh, and the slinger. Decent unit. You can't count on him dodging, but when he does, it's awesome. I thought he only moved back, but apparently he can move sideways as well.

Didn't really get to play out Spanish very much, but I was the first to discover a natural wonder. 500 gold - instant settler.

 

[nokmirt]

So, I booted up a 1900 World Map and the changes in gameplay were noticable. For one, I'm actually able to sign defensive pacts which is new given that before, none of the AIs did that. Second, I'm seeing the AI....not moving its units around like idiots. Britain has two units on my Canadian borders and they've just been sitting there. Not dancing and crap.

But....standing there.

The Declaration of Friendship and Denouncement stuff is really working out. Diplomacy has greatly improved and international relations are more transparent. Russia declared war on Japan but I was able to see the political lead-up to it instead of it just being a random WTH moment like things like that use to be.

Where can I find this 1900 World Map?