How do You start out?

[Gaunt A. Rogue]

Possibly came up many times, and asking again, I may recieve a bit of Flame, but...

When you first start a new game of Civ3, what is you first strategy?


Since I now only use China as my main civ, and keep in mind I only have the original vanilla copy of Civ3.

Mine is very simple.

First establish capital, followed by setting to research to Construction (in other words starting from Bronze and Alphabet)
Second produce Barracks, then a Warrior to be the guarding unit of my capital.
Third Produce two workers

Next produce another warrior as my scout unit.
Begin construction of the great wonder The Pyramid.
With my only city out of commission i simply watch as my worker quickly sweep the surrounding landscape of 20 squares into mines and irrigation, accellerating the production speed of my pyramid.
By this time I should have Bronze work done, and Iron working done with.

Fifth I simply establish what will come into production after the pyramid is finished: 2 Spearmen (new guardians of the capital), then after that nothing more than Spearmen and Settler, Spearmen and Settler, Spearmen and Settler, Spearmen and Settler, Spearmen and Settler, Spearmen and Settler, etc.

Sixth establish cities in perfect (or as close) four square distance from capital, then from those cities anothe rfour squares distance apart, thus exploiting the full land around each city.

And that is how I start out, making contact is just another eay of deteriming where to go from there.

Now then how do You start out?

 

[lucashp]

Greece is my main civilization, It comes with Alphabet and Bronze working

Build athens, In the same turn switch science as high as it can go (earning 0 gpt) Switch to iron working, Build three hoplites defending your city, And one exploring for iron later.

Next, after you finally researched ironworking, go build a settler near iron, And build lots of other settlers with settler factory, and your expansion phase begins.

Search Writting, Philosophy, And philosophy (I know i spelled it wrong) gets you one free tech if your lucky, I usaully use it on Map Making or Code Of Laws. Begin game as usaul. Oh, and the iron, It gives swordsmen, I think hoplites are horrible on defence (Yeah, I know they have 3 defence, but theyre still horrible. archers are even better) Witch you can start a war or four with.

If anyone posts, Im going to try playing those civ's and try using theyre idea's. I'd like to see If I can play more civilizations then just greece.

 

[Aabraxan]

I play Conquests and play Rome a lot. The Romans start with Alphabet and Warrior Code. First, move the worker to the most valuable tile I can see (opens up a little map, just in case there's a cow hiding in the fog). Frequently plant the capitol where the settler stands.

Start researching Writing, Code of Laws, Philosophy. IIRC, vanilla doesn't have a free tech for being first to philosophy, but Conquests does. If I can pull off the slingshot, I can trade around and get quite a few of the Ancient Age techs.

First builds are a couple of warriors for exploring & MP duty, maybe a curragh if I'm coastal. Once the capitol can complete a settler, it does so. Start putting out settlers, planting towns, building raxes and training archers and horses.

 

[UnnamedPlayer]

i play all civs

my first move is to make my worker join the city

then i make a settler... and just keep making warriors and settlers ASAP

after that i decide how this game will end

 

[Jokeslayer]

My capital builds warriors until it's ready to build a settler (say, size two with three turns to grow and building a settler in five) then repeat at least once. After that, I might build something different in place of the warriors (archers, library etc.). The warriors before the first settler all move in roughly the same direction, exploring but able to come together in 6-8 turns in case I find someone I want to eliminate.

For research, my main goal is to get a strong monopoly tech. Generally, philosophy or currency (phil. is better in conquests for the free tech, although if I don't think I'll get there, I go for currency). I'll go for iron working at some point, probably after I get my monopoly.

My worker improves the land around my capital a little (generally, I only want three of the squares improving for now. The city won't be much bigger than that for a while).

Normally, I don't build any wonders until I have at least three cities building settlers and two capable of turning out workers and military units (I'm not that good at building workers and settlers quickly, so I go with multiple production centres). When I do build a wonder (GL, SoZ, maybe ToA) I nearly always prebuild.

My strategy works for most civs I've used it with. The trick is (IMO) to aim for a tech you have at least some of the prerequisites for.

 

[Rising Star]

My starting strategy depends upon terrain and what civ I am. You should NEVER, I repeat, NEVER, play as only civ all the time. I allows you to fall into comfortable patterns, which can come back to bite you later. I love Egypt, Religious mean no anarchy and cheap culture, Industrious means faster workers and increased production, and the War Chariot is a good early UU, so I never play as them. It would kill me at higher levels to only know how to use one civ. It would also be very boring playing as the same civ all the time.

My first move is to move the worker to the most productive nearby tile. If this shows a better early city site, move my settler there. Otherwise, found capital first turn. Build warrior for exploration. While my worker is improving nearby terrain, I send my warrior out exploring. My second build depends on the terrain. If I can crank out a settler quickly, do it. Otherwise, go for a granary if I have pottery, or something cheap such as walls if I don't, then a settler later. I try to turn one of my first cities into a settler factory. Ideally my early cities will be:

Capital; settler factory
Second City; worker factory
Third City; warrior factory

Obviously I mix and match these as the situation warrants. UP started a thread not long ago about not building settler factories, but simply building setters in every city when possible. I do that also, but I prefer to have at least one settler factory as well, just to keep them churning out regularly.

Immediately go for pottery if I don't already have it, writing if I do. After making contact with other civs, trade with them for their techs. Once I have writing, trade for contacts. Go for literature, trade it around since the AI shuns it, and from that point on set the science slider to 0% unless I'm shooting for another tech. I only have PTW, so the Philosophy slingshot doesn't work with me.

Use workers to link resources and improve tiles. It's not necessary to improve all of them. In the early game, I'll only be using six tiles at the most in each city anyway. Also make sure all of my cities are linked. Link to other civs asap, as it provides trading opportunities if they have resources I don't. Rush enemies early, taking their land, resources and workers. Make peace for favourable terms. Establish embassies as early as I can, so that I can form alliances and sell RoP. I like to sell RoP to distant civs, who have absolutely no reason or possible use for travelling in my territory, but the AI doesn't understand that. form a solid core. Then I worry about how to play the game from there on.

 

[Jokeslayer]

You should NEVER, I repeat, NEVER, play as only civ all the time.

Well, I know what you mean, but if you're only playing for fun there's no harm in it. Plus, I don't see why only ever playing as the persians (for example) would stop you from playing on deity or sid or whatever. I can't imagine you'd get there and then decide "hey, let's be korea this time"

 

[ALA Gator]

I generally found the capital and begin producing warriors until I can start a settler. I keep one warrior close by and send the others out exploring. My 2nd and 3rd cities I try to get "settler factories". Then build a good coastal city to build colossus. Iron working is one of the first techs I research, then usually up to literature, then to monarchy.

The best answer to this question is it all depends.

 

[ALA Gator]

Well, I know what you mean, but if you're only playing for fun there's no harm in it. Plus, I don't see why only ever playing as the persians (for example) would stop you from playing on deity or sid or whatever. I can't imagine you'd get there and then decide "hey, let's be korea this time"

I have a few civs that I do NOT use. I generally play Romans, Greeks, Germans, or Japanese. Germans and Japanese are my favorites. I really don't like the Greek golden age being so early...

 

[Taras Bulba]

i always see how fast i can build a settler, and how fast my city is growing. with some agricultural civs, i think i have gotten growth in 3 turns, and settler in 8, and i start on a settler right away... if it is growth in 5, and settler in 8, i build a warrior first, for exploration

on my usual game, however, it normally is growth in 5, settler in 8 or 15 i have found.

if:
growth-5
settler-8
i build a warrior, then settler (or scout if expantionist civ), while mining/building roads around capital

if:
growth-5
settler-15
i start production on a settler right away, while mining the tiles around me

i usually send my few next cities a good cultural distance away from the capital, for maximum expantion purposes, and build about 4-6 other cities, which become settler/worker factories, i try to make them settler factories

research is always set for the lowest costing tech (and set at 50%), to pop the higher costing ones, and it works almost 100% of the time on cheiftain, and probably 65-85% on Regent... i skipped warlord, so idk, and i just barely got to regent, so idk any higher

after i have my optimal cities outside the capital, i start a wonder/worker/temple/library (<if i need more workers, i build a worker><if i can build a wonder fast, i build a wonder><whichever is cheaper, library or temple, because i play scientific civs alot>)

then the game just runs from there... usually making my outlying cities build settlers, and my inner cities massing workers/libraries for expantion and industrialization... this usually makes me skimp on defensive units which i catch up for in the early/mid middle ages, and by the industrial age, most of my country has roads, and almost all the cities are producing well... and that leaves for good amounts to build railroads.... and my research technique usually puts me ahead, so by the time i get to the industrial ages, they still haven't gotten astronomy

 

[iambenben]

if scout available move him first to see part of land

build city in location

science at 100% until first tech is discovered

 

[Rising Star]

Well, I know what you mean, but if you're only playing for fun there's no harm in it. Plus, I don't see why only ever playing as the persians (for example) would stop you from playing on deity or sid or whatever. I can't imagine you'd get there and then decide "hey, let's be korea this time"

Man, I've been awake 33 hours, and I didn't think anything would make me laugh. Then I read this. You make a good point, but only playing as one civ takes about 23 24ths or so of fun out of the game. Although if I am planning on a particular win beforehand, I may pick a particular civ as opposed to random.

Example: My recent conquest victory by 0AD game. Huge map, Emperor level, planning on quitting and trying again if I didn't achieve my 0AD goal. I chose Japan, as they're the only civ to start with The Wheel. Cranked out some chariots before everything else, raped China, terrorised the neighbours, and built from that incredibly solid start. I think my Military Service was something like 20 years at the end, which is just ridiculous when I would have had a domination win if I hadn't turned it off.

Japan is probably the best civ for early war, due to horses already being visible. Likewise, Babylon's combination of Science and Religion (we all know those two don't mix - I was just watching The Family Guy episode featuring the "Super Devil" last night) makes them the best civ for cultural victories. But that's also a good reason NOT to pick them. What's more satisfying, scoring a cultural victory as Babylon, or a cultural victory as Shaka?

 

[civverguy]

I use mostly Industrial/Agricultural civs. I build two warriors, a settler, maybe a granary, and more settlers in my capital until I stopped expanding.

 

[Jokeslayer]

You make a good point, but only playing as one civ takes about 23 24ths or so of fun out of the game.

I agree with that. There's something quite special about playing America all the way to the modern era and then finding out the F15 really is that bad. I can't imagine playing as one civ all the time. It would just get boring for me, as there would be little deviation in the tactics needed.

I normally play as Persia, France, Ottomans, Greeks or Indians. But I had a great game a few days ago as the Zulu and the Maya were an interesting change.

 

[Rising Star]

*sigh* I wish I had Conquests. I want Agricultural civs dammit. Part of the reason I play mods so much is because of the different civs in them, but that doesn't change the fact that they still have the same traits.

 

[Taras Bulba]

... but only playing as one civ takes about 23 24ths or so of fun out of the game ...

im going to have to disagree... i mean, if you do it a few times in a row, yeah, but if you start getting into the habit were you only play as 1 civ, then it almost takes all the fun out of the game. when i first started playing Civ III, vanilla, i played as Russia, and i won a really good and fun game, so i did it again, and again, and again... etc... i began only playing as Russia, because i got so used to it, that i didn't even pay attention when i restarted the game if i got a bad starting location... and when i tried a few other civs once, i just got an unlucky hand, so i hated all of them but Russia... for about a year, i only played as them, and in the end, i just didn't want to see Civ III again.

Then i got Civ Complete, and man, it was like a whole new game. I played as the Byzantines, Dutch, Scandinavia, Maya, Inca (which i didn't end up liking), and i didn't really bother about the traits. I just played, and it was fun

 

[Scientia]

I usually play a random civ.

First, I build two warriors (or scouts if expansionist) and send them exploring looking for good settler pump sites. Then I build a warrior to guard the capital and make one unhappy citizen content. Next comes a warrior or spearman (escort) and then a settler.

After I pump out my first settler I switch my capital to producing a granary. I have the worker chop any nearby forests to expedite production. I have the capital produce spearman/settler until after I have researched philosophy.

First city will be a settler pump. Second and third city will produce archers. When founding new city I immediately have it produce a worker to perform local tile improvements. I try to put the second and third cities on the coast if possible and in that case will have them produce curraghs before worker and send them exploring along the coasts.

Fourth city is usually another settler pump, if possible.

Since I play random civs, the order of tech research varies, but I try to follow this order:

pottery
alphabet
bronze working
warrior code
writing (which I usually trade around for iron working and the wheel)
philosophy (usually take map making as free tech)
code of laws
literature

I usually avoid trading techs until at least 1 AI civ has it also, mostly to slow down the tech race and limit the AI's tech trading.

After philosophy I switch my capital to the Mausoleum, and then the Great Library.

I get ROP's with all civs except those directly next to me . . . I'm counting on going to war with at least one of them at some point . . . .

Once I'm at war, I stay at war until the late middle ages (when I'm ready for the switch to democracy). For that reason monarchy is my preferred gov't. I try to strategically involve the AI civs in the way that benefits me the most. The more fighting amongst the AI, the better!

Despite my early warmongering tendency, the victory condition I usually opt for is diplomacy. By the time the modern era rolls around I'm tired of all tedious city management and ready to start a new game.

 

[eldar]

It all depends on the starting location and Civ I'm playing.

Sometimes I'll build a few warriors to scout out the local terrain, then either a granary or a settler depending on the food situation.

Sometimes I'll see so much food around that I'll just build a settler right away. Stuck on floodplains is the usual situation: I want to get a city somewhere productive ASAP, no shields from floodplains!

Scouts are great, they give you a good idea of the nearby land and make the settler/granary choice easier to make.

If I'm obviously stuck on an island, I'll get some curraghs out ASAP.

Tech-wise I always go for the CoL->Phil->Rep slingshot on any level up to Emp; I rarely play higher but most of the time I'd just fly for Phil and pick up whatever.