help on Emperor?

[Nagaash]

First of all, this forum rocks.

I'm having trouble in the early game on Emperor. I like picking any combination of financial/aggressive/organized to start. I usually go worker-->warrior---->settler, and tech Bronze. However, after that, I can never decide whether to go for monarchy (due to the cripplingly low city size) or alphabet to keep up with the AI in tech, or Iron to start fueling my war. Also, it seems like they vastly out expand me, so I know I'm going to lose by about 0 AD, with maybe only 2-3 cities built.
Any help? Should I be going for wonders or just settlers?

(oh, and my last game I was against skirmishers, quite possibly the worst neighbor UU to go up against in the game, it blew)

 

[futurehermit]

You should have more cities than 2-3 at 0AD. If you don't have someone to axerush then expand peacefully.

If playing BtS here is one tech order I recommend:

Go up through priesthood to monarchy and col. If you can land the oracle for one of these techs good. If not, that is ok.

Then tech to currency through alphabet (change with BtS).

When expanding peacefully just focus on cottages (grow vertically under HR) and courthouses in your commerce cities, which should be the bulk of your empire to pay the bills early. Make sure to have 1-2 prod cities to pump out the needed troops into these cities to help them grow and for defences. They should build units nonstop after barracks and granary.

Your commerce cities just need to focus on growing vertically as much as possible and should slow-build courthouse->granary->library->etc.

In short, if you have a close opponent do what it takes to prepare your military. If that means IW so be it. If you don't have a close opponent then pottery-monarchy-currency-col are huge priorities and getting your commerce cities growing vertically working as many cottages as possible while expanding horizontally as quickly as possible at a sustainable rate is the key to victory.

 

[Nagaash]

I'm sorry, I should have mentioned that this is vanilla Civ IV. I'm guessing everyone here will tell me to go buy warlords and BtS right now?

 

[futurehermit]

No need for warlords now that BtS has all the features. Just buy BtS. $30. Mow some lawns or something

My advice still applies to vanilla though. If you don't have a close neighbour you need to get horizontal and vertical as fast as possible, but at a sustainable rate.

HR is what pushes your cities vertical and cottages/courthouses/currency is what allows you to grow horizontally.

 

[Nagaash]

Oh, and I forgot to mention. I tried once agressively expanding more, but axemen barbarians started absolutely owning me (not on raging barbs setting). Do people research archery? I tend to always avoid it.

 

[futurehermit]

Barbs are a problem in vanilla/warlords (not so much in bts i am finding) when you expand too quickly without defenses.

To combat this you NEED to secure bronze or horses with your 1st city (after capital). This is NOT optional. If you don't have bronze or horses then you NEED archery as you will not usually survive to IW. Warriors fortified on forested hills go a long way against archers and warriors, but once barb axes start showing up if you don't have axes/chariots/archers you will get owned.

 

[ds61514]

Oh, and I forgot to mention. I tried once agressively expanding more, but axemen barbarians started absolutely owning me (not on raging barbs setting). Do people research archery? I tend to always avoid it.

GW is easily worth the $30 to buy BtS .

 

[Ruler]

First of all, even I'm peaceful builder in heart I always keep my finger crossed on Emperor games if there's a possibility for an early rush it make things 100% easier even it means to fight with skirmisher just bring enough units don't care anything about economy. In my opinion early war is always good choice.

Base happines on Emperor just kills you and you absolutely have to get more of it. Start is always struggling I don't think no-one can give good answer how to start Emperor. There many threads about Emperor+ isoleted starts I think one is currenty going by Yuming so I'm not going there. I think you missed one very powerful trait on higher level and it's Charismatic it's one of my favorite.

What comes to barbs if I'm not luck in copper I go always for archers it's always a gamble if you do it otherwise and don't worry to build too many archers as they help you later with Monarchy and your neighbours.