God d**n AI won't build harbors!!!!

[Exsanguination]

and it SUCKS!!! I've never really been able to trade because the AI NEVER builds harbors!!! So everytime I don't get a resource, my game is essentially over. I played a recent game on Warlord level, and was way ahead technologically, but we were all at least into the medieval age... so they COULD build harbors...

I honestly think Firaxis should add another proposal to the diplo screen - build request. You give the civ something in return for them builing something they havent. I think it would be a good idea.

GOD D**N THE AI!!!

 

[Cerryl]

Strange, I haven't ever seen that happening. What skill level do you usually play at?

 

[Master Zealot]

About the build request, you could also use this to contract your civ's abilities to other civs, egs, they would contract you to build a harbor or anything else beyond their means.

You could also build road & rail for them (they would have to worry about mines & irrigation to keep things simplier).

I WANT TO BE AN ARMS SUPPLIER!!!!

buying & selling weapons (units) when im in danger, etc...

also, I feel that each civ should have a special unit in EVERY ERA.

eg, the Germans could have Uboats in the industrial age & a different special unit in the modern age.

 

[Wolfe Tone]

The poin about each civ having a special unit for each era is a good one but it is flawed. Some of the civs didn't make it to the modern era such as the Romans, Aztecs, Persians etc.

 

[rodgersmc]

If the AI won't build a harbor AND you don't want to go to war:

Find a hole in his borders along his cost.
Drop a settler in.
Rush a harbor in that city.
Connect it to his roads (which should only be a few tiles away if you build this in a hole in his borders).

Boom, you have trade. Even if you lose this crappy little city to him via culture, he now has a city with a harbor.

 

[SkyRattlers]

I say that harbours should be a requirement before you can build Caravels. I can understand galleys taking off and landing against the shore but caravels would need a harbor to build and launch. This would force the AI to build them and allow easier trading.

 

[Rhandom]

I would like the civs to have special units in each period too. I don't care if it doesn't follow historical requirements - we're playing a game where the aztecs can become the dominant culture on planet Earth, not modeling reality.

I'd like even more if there were x number of special units each period, and your civ could pick /one/ of them. that way, your civ would really be responding to their enviroment and your direction, as opposed to the germans always being the tank masters even when they have no iron or oil resources.

 

[History_Buff]

Exactly. You have to take or biuld a useless city on the coast, spend some cash and rush buy a harbour, then either keep it if you expect to go to war, and use it as a port, or simply give it to him, and he'll love you forever.

 

[WarKiwi]

There was an earlier post about each Civ having a special unit each era. One of the things I don't like about Egypt is that their unit, the Chariot, is near useless 1/2 way through the Ancient era, much like the Babylonian Bowmen, and Zulu Impi.

They should do something about this, and the special unit each era is a good start though what the Americans would have around the Ancient era would be purely fictional. The Germans are a good example however - the Goth hordes, then Lance cavalry, Panzer, and nowadays their infantry.

The Romans could have their modern day special unit as the Pope which is an old guy in an armoured car who can convert enemy units to your side.

 

[Cerryl]

The units somewhat represent the time period of each Civs golden age. I like it as it is, I find more value in the War Chariot than I do in the F-15.

 

[Moulton]

DId You look to see if they actually had NO harbors? The lack of trade might also be from lack of an available route. Yo can't trade accross ocean squares until you get navigation. Nevermind, that AI triremes can cross ocean squares safely carrying settlers... trade doesnt happen until you have a route available, and harbors to support it.

 

[Exsanguination]

Originally posted by Master Zealot
About the build request, you could also use this to contract your civ's abilities to other civs, egs, they would contract you to build a harbor or anything else beyond their means.

You could also build road & rail for them (they would have to worry about mines & irrigation to keep things simplier).

I WANT TO BE AN ARMS SUPPLIER!!!!

buying & selling weapons (units) when im in danger, etc...

also, I feel that each civ should have a special unit in EVERY ERA.

eg, the Germans could have Uboats in the industrial age & a different special unit in the modern age.

I agree with all that except for the special units. It's fine the way it is now. BTW, civ3 may not be entirely historically accuratet, but its pretty damn close. Actualy, evertything I know of is. The statement about the Aztecs is dumb, i think, because that is the entire point of this game!!!!

And ps - the build city thing is a good idea, but usually once i've discovered navigation/magnetism, trans-continental AIs have taken up every square of land - no kidding. EVERY SQUARE!!!!

And I usually play warlord/regent.

 

[LayZMan]

Originally posted by WarKiwi
There was an earlier post about each Civ having a special unit each era. One of the things I don't like about Egypt is that their unit, the Chariot, is near useless 1/2 way through the Ancient era, much like the Babylonian Bowmen, and Zulu Impi.

BTW, Impi are not worthless. Try them and build teams of 5-6 horsemen and 1-2 impi, even larger numbers than that if you want to go on a rampage. Talk about a hard to kill army.

 

[cameramano]

I too miss the Civ II ability to trade units. If I'm proping up a weaker civ against another large enemy this allows me supply military strength without endangering my technological superiority.

This was a bigger deal in Civ II when conquered cities gave up techs. However, when my ally sues for peace and gives the "Evil Empire" tank technology, I'm steamed.

 

[Ruffian]

The AI does build harbors. What you may be lacking is you have to have a clear route to them i.e. the territory must be explored from their harbor to yours. Trade for world maps to "explore" this territory without having to build the ships and map it out yourself.

DOH!! Someone already said that! Moving on....

 

[Moulton]

There may be a way to trade units. I gave a city to the French, and AFAIK the units went with it. They may have ended up in my capital... too many to count. It would be easy to check... just park a few there, and give it away, and see what happens.

 

[Karlsen]

Same thing happened to me. There was only 6 civs. I had explored 95% plus of the map and could set trade over all types of water. I could trade with everyone except the Babylonians because they had built no harbours.

They were sitting on a continent by themselves and had completely filled it by the time I got a settler near it to build a city of my own with a harbour.

It was about another 100 turns before they finally built a harbour and I could trade with them. I had oodles of spare luxuries and was very irritated about the lengthy wait before I could trade with them. They had the technology to do it, evidently just wanted to be insulated.