I knew that this 9-point list is basically a list of things not to do... But you forgot one important point:It's intended to ruffle feathers.
10. Build the Coastal Fortress asap (or even better: disband the upgraded MIs to get it faster...)
[C3C] How do people play one-city games?
- Thread starter Takhisis
- Start date
10. Build the Coastal Fortress asap (or even better: disband the upgraded MIs to get it faster...)
Definitely I would build the Hoover Dam (so long as I have a river), as it comes in the late industrial age when there are no other cultural buildings to build. I'd be hoping that I make it to the modern age before it completes, so it could be a prebuild for SETI or the UN, but that isn't very likely (especially on a watery archipelago at regent).
Interesting. Yes, it would help for a culture game; otherwise I'd settle for a hydro plant and just cranking out artillery/infantry. Also it would help in preventing the enemy from getting a massive production boost.
I'd only be cranking out artillery/infantry in a OCC if a war had emerged, and on OCC I would prefer that a war not emerge. Otherwise, it's a waste of money on unit support that could be better spent on science in most cases. Or a waste of shields that could be spent on a giant dam that generates culture as well as hydropower.
I agree with CKS's advice. I've played a few OCCs at lower levels (up to Regent), and the key in one phrase, as I see it is "science, culture, avoid wars". Shakespeare's is the best, and on OCC I will always be researching the top techs in the Middle Ages first, no point in rushing Cavalry or even Pikemen. There's just so much more science and culture on the top part of the tree.
I haven't done a military-focused OCC, which would be quite different, and IMO more challenging.
I agree with CKS's advice. I've played a few OCCs at lower levels (up to Regent), and the key in one phrase, as I see it is "science, culture, avoid wars". Shakespeare's is the best, and on OCC I will always be researching the top techs in the Middle Ages first, no point in rushing Cavalry or even Pikemen. There's just so much more science and culture on the top part of the tree.
I haven't done a military-focused OCC, which would be quite different, and IMO more challenging.
That's how I've been managing to just win diplomatic/space race victories at Emperor these last few weeks. I've begun a game in a huge map with 16 civs and boy is this terrible, even in archipelago there's massive landmasses for the AIs to fill up.
Okay! So, as posted here, I won a one-city challenge. Many thanks to well-wishers and advisors such as CKS and justanick.
So, while Pelo finds himself an edible hat, or at least some ketchup, I'll tell you. Peaceful-minded except at the very beginning, when I stole a worker off the Iroquois and then lured the two pursuing warriors into attacking my garrisoned capital across the river - my two warriors defended lethally against their two, then peace.
I followed the trusted path of accumulating money while doing Writing and then Philosophy, my valiant curragh explored everywhere and traded techs, and I managed to get the Colossus, then Lighthouse, then the Mausoleum (Golden Age!) then, of course, the Great Library, which ended up being worth "only" three or four techs, then I began to pull away in the tech race because I had a library and had started by a river (with a granary!) so I had the largest city in the world. Then I sidetracked to build the Knights Templar to take care of unit production and also stop anybody from having it, then proceeded to nail almost every wonder until my capital was a monstrosity that produced over 60 shields and 484 science and won with 20047 culture.
Dammit, after the wringer that has been playing normal games at Emperor, playing the once without the ridiculous discounts that the AI gets is almost exhilarating.
So, while Pelo finds himself an edible hat, or at least some ketchup, I'll tell you. Peaceful-minded except at the very beginning, when I stole a worker off the Iroquois and then lured the two pursuing warriors into attacking my garrisoned capital across the river - my two warriors defended lethally against their two, then peace.
I followed the trusted path of accumulating money while doing Writing and then Philosophy, my valiant curragh explored everywhere and traded techs, and I managed to get the Colossus, then Lighthouse, then the Mausoleum (Golden Age!) then, of course, the Great Library, which ended up being worth "only" three or four techs, then I began to pull away in the tech race because I had a library and had started by a river (with a granary!) so I had the largest city in the world. Then I sidetracked to build the Knights Templar to take care of unit production and also stop anybody from having it, then proceeded to nail almost every wonder until my capital was a monstrosity that produced over 60 shields and 484 science and won with 20047 culture.
Dammit, after the wringer that has been playing normal games at Emperor, playing the once without the ridiculous discounts that the AI gets is almost exhilarating.
Thanks!
And I didn't have to let the Colossus become obsolete. After playing with all the combination of penalties to me and bonuses for the AI, suddenly being able to build ANY wonder was exhilarating.
The AI is the same moron at all difficulties, but already its not getting a 20- or 30% discount was a help. Maybe I should try a run at it on monarch… and perhaps not with so little land surface and/or the AI weakened. But still, it did take some maneouvering, because holding oneself to one city when I'm used to running 30 cities just to keep a productive economy is a bit weird.
Also, the Byzantines *are* particularly geared towards this. Scientific means up to three free techs and also cheaper libraries and universities, which means a faster cultural victory and faster research. *And* starting with spearmen. Being Seafaring combines with the above to allow the very early construction of the Colossus as well as allowing for early-on exploratory Curraghs, and starting with Alphabet means that Writing is your first tech to research and thus you get a leg-up to reach Philosophy.
I also made the lucky right choice to steal a worker from the Iroquois to hinder them and destroy two of their warriors in the Battle Across the River when they still had one city.
It's weird how the AI's power meter ends up telling it that it's a good idea to land a lone swordsman or horseman next to a city that has a dozen crusaders, a trebuchet and a dromon just waiting for them. In fact I got the one elite crusader, but I never got enough combat to recruit a leader. Had I done so, I might actually have sent out an army to cut down the Iroquois, but as you can see from the screnshot (in the other thread) I just barricaded every single tile within the BFC and stationed crusaders and/or pikemen on them because that way the AI thinks an attack is too costly and I managed to get it on a debt track quite soon. I even let myself be dragged into wars by an MPP with them simply because it meant the Iroquois would fight on and on offshore and I'd never get invaded (sweet bonus!).
And I didn't have to let the Colossus become obsolete. After playing with all the combination of penalties to me and bonuses for the AI, suddenly being able to build ANY wonder was exhilarating.
The AI is the same moron at all difficulties, but already its not getting a 20- or 30% discount was a help. Maybe I should try a run at it on monarch… and perhaps not with so little land surface and/or the AI weakened. But still, it did take some maneouvering, because holding oneself to one city when I'm used to running 30 cities just to keep a productive economy is a bit weird.
Also, the Byzantines *are* particularly geared towards this. Scientific means up to three free techs and also cheaper libraries and universities, which means a faster cultural victory and faster research. *And* starting with spearmen. Being Seafaring combines with the above to allow the very early construction of the Colossus as well as allowing for early-on exploratory Curraghs, and starting with Alphabet means that Writing is your first tech to research and thus you get a leg-up to reach Philosophy.
I also made the lucky right choice to steal a worker from the Iroquois to hinder them and destroy two of their warriors in the Battle Across the River when they still had one city.
It's weird how the AI's power meter ends up telling it that it's a good idea to land a lone swordsman or horseman next to a city that has a dozen crusaders, a trebuchet and a dromon just waiting for them. In fact I got the one elite crusader, but I never got enough combat to recruit a leader. Had I done so, I might actually have sent out an army to cut down the Iroquois, but as you can see from the screnshot (in the other thread) I just barricaded every single tile within the BFC and stationed crusaders and/or pikemen on them because that way the AI thinks an attack is too costly and I managed to get it on a debt track quite soon. I even let myself be dragged into wars by an MPP with them simply because it meant the Iroquois would fight on and on offshore and I'd never get invaded (sweet bonus!).
Creating an army requires to have at least 4 towns. A tempered down version of the OCC is the four or five city challenge. 5 enables to build Wallstreet etc..
Well, actually no, because I checked and it only ends when every single Great Wonder has been built, but still.
Yes! I've seen those. I've recently been reading about the ‘5-settler wonder’, i.e. how 5 settlers is 150 shields up front but then costs from missed food (and so fewer worked tiles) and commerce (unit support!) effectively take it closer to at least the 200 shields of the cheapest wonders -sidenote: the Colossus might be the most underpriced wonder ever-. I might take one of those as a challenge at a higher difficulty. Might be interesting.
Last edited:
