Help me avoid Seppuku~!

[Chinghis]

Hehe, well, I've been playing about a month, now, and after a few abortive starts and mucking around a bit on Warlord level, I'm well into my first serious game at Regent level.

Playing Japanese, random landmass (I think), maybe a warm, old climate. I chose the Japanese (had just watched Rashomon!), and ended up isolated on my own continent. The attached save from 1540 A.D. is my latest; I've succeeded in stomping the English into relative insignificance, and am working on the Aztecs. I've noticed that the Mayans and French are gleefully helping.... But, I'm not really certain where to go from here. Was thinking about taking another Aztec city or two on the other side of the English possessions. But am also wondering if I should just retrench and start working on peaceful means of winning. I'm kind of a warmonger, I guess, if that helps.

I also found an old save from 30 A.D., which I've attached for kicks. Yes, I automated my workers, for the most part - just not up to that level of micromanagement yet, I guess. From what I gathered in other threads, I also have too many barracks.... Anyway, have at me with advice, criticism, and strats I should/could pursue at this point. Many thanks!

 

[tR1cKy]

what version? vanilla, ptw or conquests? patched or not?

 

[Chinghis]

what version? vanilla, ptw or conquests? patched or not?

Dang, sorry, I knew I forgot something. Conquests, patched to 1.22 (the latest, no?).

 

[tR1cKy]

Yes, it's the latest. Alas, i don't own conquests, so i cannot help. But lots of people have it, and surely someone will give you useful advice. However, a screenshot can be useful in evaluating the situation.

 

[viper275]

1. You're behind in techs. The Arabs will be your key to the Industrial Age. Buy Physics and/or Military Tradition from somebody else, then trade it to the Arabs to get Banking (primarily.) Hopefully, after a few turns of no research, you'll have enough cash to steal. Edit: Ouch. You broke your rep! Don't do that again.
2. Try to stop automating your workers. Nearly every tile of your land is irrigated, cities have surplus but can't grow and aren't making shields. You built too many temples, cathedrals, and colosseums, too (just use the lux slider, marketplaces, and trading for luxuries.) I guess you could sell them. Also, no need for explorers and coastal fortresses. IMHO you have too much defense in your island, you need some, but it's not like everyone's landing troops there every turn. Build more workers (you have 13 workers and 26 cities) and transport the ones you have to the mainland to get it better. I kind of wish that the FP was at the main landmass, but oh well. Anyway, I guess my point is that starting at Regent, the AI is equal to you in building power, so you can't build everything and win. But barracks are good, any city that is building military should have them.
3. So, for a long-term goal, try to get Military Tradition soon, upgrade those Samurai, and attack someone fairly weak. If the AIs are really far ahead, do pointy stick. Get some settlers to secure that empty land you captured. I'd attack England to get ivory. You have a very good military which would be even better if upgraded. Just conquer the world, then. This would be tough, but it's winnable.

 

[Chinghis]

Many thanks, Viper275 - lots to digest there. I guess I still have many bad habits left over from Civ II. The whole notion of trading techs is hard to get used to - I'm so accustomed to keeping luxuries at a bare minimum, and science as high as I can...

Only had time for a couple of turns last night. I re-settled one of the Aztec cities that was razed by the French, and I bought (I think, it was kind of late) Military Tradition from the Mayans (?) before reading this. So, maybe I can still trade it to the Arabs tonight. The Mayans took Pasargadae (which I had my eye on) from the Aztecs on the other side of the English.

"Broke my rep"...? doesn't sound good. My repurtation? Yeah, I keep getting this from the AI, no one wants to do a RoP agreement with me. They say I broke one with the English and used it to attack them, but I don't remember getting an RoP agreement with them (heck, I just figured out what that was a couple of days ago!). Oh, sure, I did do a peace treaty and then attack them... more bad Civ II habits, I guess. The French and Mayans are now being awfully polite, other than that.

I'll de-automate my workers and start spreading on the other guys' continent.

Sorry, tR1cKy, no screenshot with me here at work. Maybe tonight~

Thanks for the advice!

 

[vmxa]

I would have also added that the moment you knew you were on a smaller island, you should have tightened your city placement. There is no need to automate workers on such a small land mass. They will be easy to manage and good practice.

 

[Chinghis]

Ah, yeah, I see that now. I didn't realize how long it would take (is taking) to get Hospitals. Now I see why folks build cities much closer together, and don't bother neurotically working every square.

 

[vmxa]

Yup, not to mention that for me Monarchy means warmonggering. I would not go to that gov, unless I was planning on being at war nealry all the time, whiich I often do at Sid or for fun.

The reason, is that you are loathed to give up the MP boost and hence HAVE to make extra units. Not like Republic, where you can go without garrisons and send most troops to the front when a war is coming.

So the increased unit support is not a gain, it is all eaten by MP's, that you would not need in Rep.

 

[Chinghis]

Just a quick update, if anyone's interested.

Haven't had much time to play, so I'm only up to about 1600 now. But the Aztecs, Chinese, and English are out of the picture. When I went to war against the Aztecs, the Iriquois and the French monkey-piled on them, and finished them off for me. Kind of bummed me out, because I was hoping to grab a few more of their cities... I decided to finish off the English, and the French and Iriquois (and now the Romans) helped out on them.... This brought the Chinese into the war viw MPP, and they got stomped by the Iriquois and Mayans.

Boy, this isn't at all like Civ 2.

Meanwhile, the Iriquois informed me that they weren't particularly thrilled with renewing our MPP without raising the cost a bit. Now I'm wishing I hadn't paid -- I want to go to war with them and take the Aztec and English towns that they own. No one will trade anything with me, so I guess I've already ruined my reputation... what's one more sneak attack?

Anyway, this is actually very fun - I have a fair-sized military force (finally got Military Leadership), and I know the Iriquois will come at me hard when I attack them, so it's fun to strategize and see if I can pull it off.

 

[vmxa]

I loved Civ2, but to me CivIII has so many things going for it. There are no more you can't lose exploits at any level in C3C, unlike Civ2.

You got a stack of Knights or Calvs at your door, but you have a wall and a single tank, no problem in Civ2. C3C, you probably will lose that city.

 

[Chinghis]

I loved Civ2, but to me CivIII has so many things going for it. There are no more you can't lose exploits at any level in C3C, unlike Civ2.

You got a stack of Knights or Calvs at your door, but you have a wall and a single tank, no problem in Civ2. C3C, you probably will lose that city.

Hehe, I think I'm about to find that out!

Since I'm at home and have the chance, here's my latest save. And a screenshot for good measure.

Whoops, looks like I've played to 1665. Hrm. I should be in the Industrial Age by now, shouldn't I?!

 

[vmxa]

You think you have enough irrigation? Many irrigated tiels that are not even being worked. You need shields to build industrial units and wonders. Speaking of wonders, you should have been able to build all of them or nearly all of them if you wanted at Regent, but you only have one and it is Ivory dependant.

It is too late for me to review the save, but I see a couple of Explorers, never have build one in three years. Send them some place and disband them.

 

[Chinghis]

Heh, remember, I automated my workers at one point... and didn't realize way back when how long it would take me to even think of growing a city past 12. Again - much different than Civ 2, and this is a learning experience. I obviously have a lot of bad habits to unlearn. And the only reason I have Zeus is because I captured it from the Aztecs. I'm not used to the idea of razing cities....

Anyway, started my war against the Iroquois. Blew all my gold on bringing the French into the war against them. I'm finding that diplomacy is a very cool option that you never had in Civ 2.

Actually, I'm using the Explorers to scout around a bit, and keep an eye on enemy troop movements. But now I realize that without Zones of control (Civ 2 again!), a cavalry would do just as well, really. Yeah, lots to unlearn.

 

[vmxa]

Sorry I forgot what had been covered. Just review your cities for problems and correct them.

Nara change a scientist to work coastal tile to feed the city and grow.

Sufsuma is starving, need to get workers to irrigate the mine on the plain.

Matsu is in disorder, yo uneed luxs. I do not know why you went to war and pick the area that you did, but the war should have been for a lux and hence keyed to a location with one or more.

3 workers on homeland and steamis not far away?

You can send some additional units from home as in Republic form you have no need for MP's. Just keep enough to defend and send the rest.

You do not want to be in war for long with only one lux to your name.

Another thing about the spot you choose is the terrain is not very good and needs a lot of workers to get it in shape. You will not wnat to be clearing tiles once you get steam.

 

[Chinghis]

An update: Slow going, only up to about 1700 now. Thanks for the tips so far.

Why did I go to war where I did? Um... I dunno! Seemed to make sense looking at the map - I'm still getting used to the idea of resources. Taking them over from someone is an interesting idea... the Mayans just put up a coal colony not far from my borders. I'm assuming that's their single source of it, so I might try to deny it to them.

I also just went to war because I'm still thinking in terms of Domination or Conquest wins. Strategically, long-term, I'm thinking it's going to be me and France in the end-game.

Anyway, just ruminating randomly at the end of the work day. Might not get a chance to play much until this weekend.

 

[vmxa]

If someone plants a colony near your empire, check your borders and see when they will expand and if that will encompass the colony. If if will, you will get the resource without a war.

If not plant a city near it that will cover it.

 

[Chinghis]

Well, it's all pretty irrelevant now. I took some cities from the Arabia and Rome, and was just about to settle into a nice period of peaceful growth and research after getting Steam Power.... when France suddently attacked me. And they're pretty much kicking my butt, so, time to retire, I guess. It was fun for my first serious game.

 

[vmxa]

When you start your next game post the 4000bc save and the 2190bc so ideas can be given while they are still be implemented.

 

[Chinghis]

Will do, thanks!