How Do I Get Leaders Fast?

[SPARTAN-117]

I have played several games of Civ 3 and I still VERY rarely get a leader. Am I doing something wrong? What is the quickest way to get a leader? I already know that leaders only come from elite units. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[PaulNAdhe]

How do you get leaders? Win battles.

Fast? Win more battles.

 

[Lt. 'Killer' M.]

Choose a militaristic Civ.
Go for early conquest. Build Barracks ASAP to gt elit units faster. Use the first leader for an army, make sure it wins it`s first fight. Build the Heroic Epic ASAP. Slow down your offensive to bring elite units to bear. Bombard with catapults to damage defenders so you`ll have higher chances to win with your elit units.

Remeber: an elit unit lost means: 1 chance at leader lost AND another unit must be promoted first so you can have another chance....

I try never to loose elite units.


Keep outdated elite attack units. They`re still good for mopping up exposed advanced attackers and hurt troops. You`ll get leaders there, too.

One more thing that may be wrong: I get the impression that when i use only one kind of troops (as I`m prone to do when playing Romans or Persians), that is I only have one type fighting, I get fewer leaders. If I have a few defenders or Horsemen fight, too, I get more leaders.

Hope this helps!

 

[Shabbaman]

What do you actually mean by 'very rarely'? I think the trick is actually capturing the enemy city with an elite unit. So sometimes you can beter wait another turn than to capture a city with a 'lesser' unit.

 

[Lt. 'Killer' M.]

Originally posted by Shabbaman
What do you actually mean by 'very rarely'? I think the trick is actually capturing the enemy city with an elite unit. So sometimes you can beter wait another turn than to capture a city with a 'lesser' unit.

It looks like that, but it`s not true. It doesn`t matter what kind of fight it is, you just have to win it!

 

[Park Ranger]

Militaristic civ's definitely yield a lot more leaders, but with enough warfare (and enough elites!) they will spawn, don't you worry. One thing though - and if anyone can confirm or deny, please do - is that it seems once I get a leader I won't get another until I use the first up. In other words, only one leader at a time. That's my theory, at any rate.

 

[Lt. 'Killer' M.]

Originally posted by Park Ranger
Militaristic civ's definitely yield a lot more leaders, but with enough warfare (and enough elites!) they will spawn, don't you worry. One thing though - and if anyone can confirm or deny, please do - is that it seems once I get a leader I won't get another until I use the first up. In other words, only one leader at a time. That's my theory, at any rate.

there`s a thread on this somewhere.

basically: as many armies as you like (one per 4 cities), but never two leaders. If you sue one for army or rushing you can get another in the same turn etc.

 

[Ironikinit]

The one leader at a time thing seems true.

Mostly getting leaders seems to be totally random, but there's one instance where it seems to be sure fire. That's when you take an enemy capital in the early game. I've seen it fail, but if I take their capital with an elite unit in my first war it seems I get a leader at least 9 times out of 10. Then I build the army and the Heroic Epic.

Even if you don't like armies much, a swordsman army really is helpful in the early going, IMO.

 

[jimmytrick]

I think Killer laid out the basics pretty well. Until we get some solid information I am discounting all the urban legends about generating leaders. As far as I am concerned its just a straight mathematical chance.

Along the same lines I assume that you can't get two leaders. To the point that I have ended wars if I had a leader I was not going to use for a bit.

The difference between militaristic civs and the others seems to me to be significant.

 

[Lt. 'Killer' M.]

AFAIK there`s no higher chance to get a leader when taking a caiptal - but I sure hardly ever wait 8 or 10 fights with elite for my first one! It seems it comes easier - unless in some games it comes never!

anyone from Firaxis here who could clarify that???????

My getting leaders in one of the first 5 fights is too common to be simply good luck - at least this is what it feels like! But maybe it`s just luck....

 

[SPARTAN-117]

Thanks for your help guys. I'll try these tactics tonight.