Great Plains Map

[John Lennon Jr.]

Hey everyone - I've run into a continuing problem when playing the Great Plains map. The AI is growing far faster (playing on Prince) in terms of cities, technology and subsequently militarily. I've tried playing as Imperialistic nations (Portugal seems the best for this map) but no luck. I don't have this problem with other maps, so what is likely the problem and solution?

 

[coanda]

The AI does better on maps with lots of land (and little water), maps with mediocre tiles (like plains), and maps with little to no jungle and limited forest. I haven't played Great Plains myself, but I'd expect the AI to be relatively good at it.

Post a save and people can probably give more precise advice.

 

[Sian]

and no ... portugal aren't a good civ for waterless maps ... you're effectively without UU and UB

 

[Killroyan]

Great plains is a map that I have played a lot. The thing about the map is either you get a very crappy capital or an enormous great one. You can get capitals with up to 8 cows in them. Needless to say that that is a production monster Best sides of the map are either left upper corner just outside the mountain range (so a little to the right) and a couple of cows or the upper right corner.

Easiest way to go through this map is a leader like Louis. Creative is good for quick cities and you will be able to get almost all wonders if you have like a 4 cows start. You will strugle a bit more economically though. Scout the mountains on the left to find some good sheep/precious metal sites and your economy will recover pretty quickly.

Another good hero is Kublai Kahn. 4 cow start = keshik rush.

If you start in the upper right corner just cottage the hell out of everything since it is all grassland there. Good hero there is julius since you can praetorian rush about 2 to 3 AI without problems.

 

[John Lennon Jr.]

I'm not at my home computer atm but I'll post one in a little while. The AI spreads like wildfire on the map - the north-central civ seems to get a lead, but Portugal with cheap settlers and extra health/workers expands pretty quickly, UU and UB aside. I was wondering what was up with the north-central civ always leading, but it sounds like a glut of cows might be the answer.

 

[Killroyan]

There are a few things that help the north central to NW corner of the map. Normally they will get a good capital with 3-4 cows, wheat and some hills. Then when you get to the mountain range you will find gold, silver, sheep and dye. The first 3 resources are very necessary since happy and health resources are hard to come by. On monarch I can easily expand to 6-8 cities there and still have room for more expansion as well have built at least5-6 wonders before 0 bc. All you need is a good production capital. I love Louis on this map for example. Creative for fast city expansion and industrial for wonderspam.

 

[dalamb]

In the Nobles' Club I now add a couple of AIs on high-land maps, of which Great Plains is one, because of this exact problem. The issue gets bigger at higher levels; unless you're lucky one AI or another gets a position where it can expand rapidly early on, pre-warfare.

 

[John Lennon Jr.]

The northwest has been alright as long as you do get those 3-4 cows. My current problem is finding the right pace for founding new cities and keeping gold production up. The way I've been playing it, I have been ruining my economy and subsequently my research by expanding too quickly. Yet when I focus on my economy, it seems I expand too slowly. Know what I mean?

 

[barbertje]

The northeast can be very good as well. I think this would beat nearly all cow starts. (I never saw more than 5 cows in the capital myself)

10 food resources for 4 cities.

 

[Loukoum427]

Another good hero is Kublai Kahn. 4 cow start = keshik rush.

Perdon me, nothing to do with the post, but I couldn't help but fall from my chair thinking of huns on cows...

 

[strijder20]

Angkor Wat can hire 7 specialists by just working the pig tiles. I'm a total noob at GP management, but that sounds like a decent GP farm.

 

[MarigoldRan]

With a map with lots of land, choose IND and combine it with ORG, CRE or FIN. So Capac, Roosevelt, or Louis. I'm not so sure about Prince difficulty, but on higher settings the barbarians are a menace on these huge-land maps and the GW is extremely useful.

EDIT: As traits go, IMP is one of the weakest. The worst one is probably PRO.