By mere happenstance I'm playing a game right now where I needed a lake at the end of a river to connect two cities. I did not have sailing and the connection was not there. I switched my research to sailing and the turn I learned it the connection was made. So sailing is definitely required to connect via lakes.
GOTM-02: Pre-Game discussion
- Thread starter ainwood
- Start date
Meatbuster
formerly Robo Kai
I would prefer Vicky over Lizzy, but yeah, I need to be schooled in the ins and outs of customizing Great People builds.
However, this is an interesting start. Making the capital as the GP city will be a totally new challenge for me.
However, this is an interesting start. Making the capital as the GP city will be a totally new challenge for me.
Gato Loco
Open to Interpretation
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2004
- Messages
- 347
Looks like a good spot for a GP-farm. At this point my biggest wish is for a good production spot somewhere nearby, followed by marble or stone. A good city order would be:
1 - specialist farm. If marble is present maybe even chop for the great library, though that would mean sacrificing some early settlers.
2 - high-production city to take up the slack for the hammer-poor start. Build either pyraminds or parthenon to take advantage of the specialists. A pyramids + forge + engineer combo could possibly be used to spawn a great engineer to rush the great library in the main GP-farm. Or maybe just chop for pyramids in city 1.
3 and up - cottage cities to take advantage of the financial trait. If I can get the great library that would mean multiple academies to further boost science production.
Of course everything depends on the strengths and weaknesses of nearby city spots. For tech I'd probably go for agriculture->husbandry->writing to get a library in the specialist farm and open the doors to techs like currency, CoL, or literature, with important side-tracks like BW or hunting/archery thrown in as needed.
Reigions anyone? I guess a polytheism beeline for a leg up on the parthenon wouldn't be entirely a waste but I suspect most of us'll be going for confucianism if anything.
1 - specialist farm. If marble is present maybe even chop for the great library, though that would mean sacrificing some early settlers.
2 - high-production city to take up the slack for the hammer-poor start. Build either pyraminds or parthenon to take advantage of the specialists. A pyramids + forge + engineer combo could possibly be used to spawn a great engineer to rush the great library in the main GP-farm. Or maybe just chop for pyramids in city 1.
3 and up - cottage cities to take advantage of the financial trait. If I can get the great library that would mean multiple academies to further boost science production.
Of course everything depends on the strengths and weaknesses of nearby city spots. For tech I'd probably go for agriculture->husbandry->writing to get a library in the specialist farm and open the doors to techs like currency, CoL, or literature, with important side-tracks like BW or hunting/archery thrown in as needed.
Reigions anyone? I guess a polytheism beeline for a leg up on the parthenon wouldn't be entirely a waste but I suspect most of us'll be going for confucianism if anything.
fbouthil
Occasional Mercenary
That looks like an interesting game. I am currently playing my first Prince level game and it is not too hard to beat, I think. I also played a financial leader and conquered my 2 closest rivals pretty early.
At that point, I had 12 cities and realized that even if I put research to 0%, I would have a small deficit!
Fortunately, I had over 300g at that point and could run research at 40% for a dozen turns. I already had lots of cottages and worked coast tiles to profit from the +1 commerce, but that was not enough. I had to build courthouses almost everywhere and go for calendar to have enough happiness to allow my cities to grow bigger than size 6 or 7 to support my expenses.
I don't know how the epic speed or the lake map will affect the game, but I bet I will run into the same kind of problem. I have never pop rushed anything in Civ4 yet, so lots of new things for me to experience! This is going to be fun!
As for the start, I think setting on the spot seems a good idea. Building a worker first seemed to help a lot in GOTM1, so I will do it again. BTW, I got 7 huts in GOTM1 which gave me 2 maps and 5 times gold, so hunting does not seem like a good idea. I will go for agriculture and/or animal husbandry to profit from the wheat and sheep as fast as possible. Considering the low hammer of London, I will probably keep the 2 forests in the plains, but will probably cut those on grassland for the first few settlers.
Without meditation as starting tech, we would have to go for Monotheism to get an early religion, so we are better to conquer one!
At that point, I had 12 cities and realized that even if I put research to 0%, I would have a small deficit!
Fortunately, I had over 300g at that point and could run research at 40% for a dozen turns. I already had lots of cottages and worked coast tiles to profit from the +1 commerce, but that was not enough. I had to build courthouses almost everywhere and go for calendar to have enough happiness to allow my cities to grow bigger than size 6 or 7 to support my expenses.I don't know how the epic speed or the lake map will affect the game, but I bet I will run into the same kind of problem. I have never pop rushed anything in Civ4 yet, so lots of new things for me to experience! This is going to be fun!
As for the start, I think setting on the spot seems a good idea. Building a worker first seemed to help a lot in GOTM1, so I will do it again. BTW, I got 7 huts in GOTM1 which gave me 2 maps and 5 times gold, so hunting does not seem like a good idea. I will go for agriculture and/or animal husbandry to profit from the wheat and sheep as fast as possible. Considering the low hammer of London, I will probably keep the 2 forests in the plains, but will probably cut those on grassland for the first few settlers.
Without meditation as starting tech, we would have to go for Monotheism to get an early religion, so we are better to conquer one!
remconius
Deity
Playing a test game with same settings and the Screenshot modeled in Editor, so London will be the same. Here is what I found:
1. Other civs are close! - if we are top north similar to what the screenshot suggests we could be facing upto 4 neighbouring opponents soon. I built one city east, and several south before I ran into enemy borders.
2. Upkeep rises fast - with 4 quick cities science was already down to50%.
3. enough hills on tropical - I did notice quite a few hills on this tropical settings. No problem there it seems.
4. London Health - London runs into health problems soon. Health is 6 (2 at prince, 2 for forests, 2 fresh water). Health gets better once you connect wheat and sheep with agriculture, wheel and animal husbandry. If you leave less than 2 forests health becomes limiting. I also noticed two forest growing in the London area early on. Could be freak luck.
5. London Happiness - Hapiness caps at 5 (4 at prince and 1 for palace), but extra pop can be used with slavery. The key for the early game here is a religion and a temple. But until then London can spend its time building workers and settlers.
6. Lakes are great for financial - giving 2 food and 3 commerce instantly. Most cities will have access to lakes so any time you need science boost, you can switch around to lake tiles and really boost science.
1. Other civs are close! - if we are top north similar to what the screenshot suggests we could be facing upto 4 neighbouring opponents soon. I built one city east, and several south before I ran into enemy borders.
2. Upkeep rises fast - with 4 quick cities science was already down to50%.
3. enough hills on tropical - I did notice quite a few hills on this tropical settings. No problem there it seems.
4. London Health - London runs into health problems soon. Health is 6 (2 at prince, 2 for forests, 2 fresh water). Health gets better once you connect wheat and sheep with agriculture, wheel and animal husbandry. If you leave less than 2 forests health becomes limiting. I also noticed two forest growing in the London area early on. Could be freak luck.
5. London Happiness - Hapiness caps at 5 (4 at prince and 1 for palace), but extra pop can be used with slavery. The key for the early game here is a religion and a temple. But until then London can spend its time building workers and settlers.
6. Lakes are great for financial - giving 2 food and 3 commerce instantly. Most cities will have access to lakes so any time you need science boost, you can switch around to lake tiles and really boost science.
LeSphinx
Bachogwa
English with Philisophical and Financial is a big advantage for a cultural/science boost.
but as we not start with Mysticism, founding a religion in the beginning seems hardest.
So I do not know if I will focus
- on military units in the beginning in order to conquest the first 1 or 2 neighboord and after focus on commerce
- or directly on commerce
it will depend on the game:
- civ near my starting location
- number of civ in the continent
but as we not start with Mysticism, founding a religion in the beginning seems hardest.
So I do not know if I will focus
- on military units in the beginning in order to conquest the first 1 or 2 neighboord and after focus on commerce
- or directly on commerce
it will depend on the game:
- civ near my starting location
- number of civ in the continent
hendrikszoon
Chieftain
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2005
- Messages
- 60
Elizabeth is my favorite Leader. I like it to farm Great People. With a philosophical Leader you can get the first Great Scientist very early. I expect to get the first one at 1425BC. Using him to build an Academy in London will boost science. Also the financial trait of Elizabeth will accelerate science.
With the starting position I am not so happy. It is the perfect place for the second city to become a Settler and Worker Factory. For the capital it is a little bit too "Hammerless" - especially after chopping all the Forest around. Also I will go the scientific way, not the religious one. So if there are no Gold, Gems or Silver close to the starting position, the maximum Population of London will be for a long time five Citizens. My hope is that one of the three Plain Hills in the South (because one of them is a Forest Hill, only for two of them there is a real chance) is a Gold Hill. In this case also the place of the second science center would be clear.
Nevertheless I will settle in place founding a Great People factory.
With the starting position I am not so happy. It is the perfect place for the second city to become a Settler and Worker Factory. For the capital it is a little bit too "Hammerless" - especially after chopping all the Forest around. Also I will go the scientific way, not the religious one. So if there are no Gold, Gems or Silver close to the starting position, the maximum Population of London will be for a long time five Citizens. My hope is that one of the three Plain Hills in the South (because one of them is a Forest Hill, only for two of them there is a real chance) is a Gold Hill. In this case also the place of the second science center would be clear.
Nevertheless I will settle in place founding a Great People factory.
LeSphinx
Bachogwa
hendrikszoon you can have your first scientif very early and you have to build the library first in your capital ?
hendrikszoon
Chieftain
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2005
- Messages
- 60
LeSphinx said:
My research path will be Agriculture - Animal Husbandry - Writing. After discovering Writing I will build a Library immediately. Because of the "foodrich" environment it will be possible to maintain two Scientist.
LeSphinx
Bachogwa
hendrikszoon Quote:
Originally Posted by LeSphinx
hendrikszoon you can have your first scientif very early and you have to build the library first in your capital ?
My research path will be Agriculture - Animal Husbandry - Writing. After discovering Writing I will build a Library immediately. Because of the "foodrich" environment it will be possible to maintain two Scientist.
So you do not go in the beginning for military purpose!
Originally Posted by LeSphinx
hendrikszoon you can have your first scientif very early and you have to build the library first in your capital ?
My research path will be Agriculture - Animal Husbandry - Writing. After discovering Writing I will build a Library immediately. Because of the "foodrich" environment it will be possible to maintain two Scientist.
So you do not go in the beginning for military purpose!
remconius
Deity
Just tried rush for writing, while building a worker and working a lake tile. worker took 25 turns just like agri and anim.husb.
After writing I did bronze working and using chop and slavery got the library around 1700 BC, great scientist in 1300BC. Afterwards I had enough research power to get judaism...
After writing I did bronze working and using chop and slavery got the library around 1700 BC, great scientist in 1300BC. Afterwards I had enough research power to get judaism...
I can just see it now. First writeup and 90% of the people beelined to writing and built 1300BC academies in London. I have to admit it's a very appealing strategy. So much for the bronze working first, chop chop chop dominant strategy.
Redbad
should have shaved
Is there any expectation to make, concerning chances of loading problems, like we had in the first gotm?
KevinTMC
Utopian
That's the beautiful thing about Civ IV--there is no one dominant opening strategy. You've got to pay attention to your starting position and other circumstances.Shillen said:
What we may discover through these GOTMs is the answer to a more difficult question: is there one dominant opening strategy for each single given set of circumstances? Or is the game sufficiently subtle and deep that even this is not true?
Can't wait to get this one underway!
-- Kevin
- Joined
- Oct 5, 2001
- Messages
- 30,080
Could you please generate a save file using the "no cheating" option and e-mail it to me @ gotm@civfanatics.net? I'll check whether I can load it - and that should answer a lot of questions!Redbad said:
Merum
Permanent Jet Lag
Jason Fliegel said:
This is the second inaccuracy I've seen posted about lakes maps. I just played one (As Elizabeth, fortuitous prep there, eh?) and there is world wrap AND lighthouse/harbors. Heck, Napoleon even built a galley, on a one-tile water spot, locked in by the polar ice cap.
This will be my first prince, though... so I'll probably get roasted, assuming my comp doesn't bog down with the standard map.
think i will be a little different and move the settler southish to build on a plains hill next to the river. explore just the immediate area with the warrior and research hunting first to pop out a scout...maybe 2 scouts. next research will depend on what I find to the south...probably masonary or bronze working. 2nd city will eventually be a chop rush settler located in or near the initial tile for a GP factory
i do lose two turns moving the settler and possibly run into bad terrain. the desert looks to be more west to me. might get 1-3 tiles of floodplain along the river. but i like the extra defense building on a hill and moving the palace south a little. hopefully my scout will uncover a couple of extra villages...maybe even pop a tech or two.
cas
i do lose two turns moving the settler and possibly run into bad terrain. the desert looks to be more west to me. might get 1-3 tiles of floodplain along the river. but i like the extra defense building on a hill and moving the palace south a little. hopefully my scout will uncover a couple of extra villages...maybe even pop a tech or two.
cas
Seraphinus
Chieftain
In my test game barbarians were very active and I can't defend myself just with warriors, so at least archers should be ready about 1000AD. Research path should be agriculture, animal husbandry and then to archery. If copper will be close around then pikemens should be enough.
Similar threads
- Sticky
- Sticky
