How Easy/Hard is Emperor

[Zardnaar]

How hard do you guys find Emperor? So far Its been just about easy for me. Today I had my 1st win and 1st conquest victory. Roman legionaire rush I supose.

Anyways in my epic game I am currently Byzantine. To be blunt I think I'm now kicking ass. I haven't fought a war yet(cept a small one to get my GA), Have ROP with everyone and are importing 6 out of my 7 luxuries. Through tech trading and gpt deals I think I have virtually bankrupted my nearest rival while the 3 2nd tier civs now seem to be the ones offering 100-200 gpt deals each.
This is my 1st game as a seafaring civ and my 1st game on Emperor (Romans were game 2). I'm making 600gpt+ at 90% science 10% luxury.

Either

1. Byzantines are to good
2. Dromons are to good
3. I'm better than I thought
4. Emperor is easier than I thought.

To top it off I only bought Civ3 Gold and Conquests about a month ago and had only played vanilla civ with a regent diplonatic victory about 2-3 months ago.

So who here plays on emperor or above?

 

[Krayzeenbk]

Emperor was really easy to move up to, but Deity is hard as hell for some reason (maybe that extra settler has something to do with it - at least at this point, or the last time I tried it). I tried playing Demi-god in C3C but couldn't stand the idea of Feudalism and Fascism and whatever else they added, to I'm stuck with Emperor/Deity for now.

 

[JazzToucan]

You just naturally improve the more you play and think about strategy.

I've gotten a domination win on Demi-god and a Spaceship victory on Deity.

The production bonus the AI gets between Emporer and Demi-god and Deity is quite noticeable. Unless you're conquering the other AI, don't expect many Wonders.

 

[JazzToucan]

Additionally, Byzantium is really good civ to use on the higher levels. First, the bonus tech at the start of each age and second, the seafairing trait will get you into contact with more AI. Trading is crucial on Emporer and above.

 

[Zardnaar]

The AI does'nt seem to get any better though. They just seem to have more money/technology/better units. They also don't seem to try very hard to win- just get in your way.

Got a bit carried away. Now I've analyzed my early play I realised how good seafaring is on a non pangea map.

I think I may have done the newb equivilent of playing an ideal trait in ideal conditions. I think I'll play the next game on deity with random civ and terrain. I didn't realise how good seafaring could be. Sigh and I thought I was improving.

I've learnt how to tech trade though.

 

[Padma]

And one more thing: If you haven't installed the *beta* patch (v1.12), then you are benefiting from a GPT bug, which doubles the amount of gold you receive per turn through deals with the AI.

 

[sabo]

Like Krayzeenbk said, emporer seemed an easy move, I love to play emporer level with civs like Germany and English, the ones not normally easy on higher levels. Thank God they have a Demigod level now. Deity is tough, I win about 50% on deity but you have to play the game a whole different way than on Emporer and I don't think it makes the game play better, just harder. For instance on Deity I usually don't even try to crank up my science, I steal or buy or trade for all my techs, also I usually forget about building any wonders, they have to be stolen as well.

 

[saintly_saint]

none of you seem to be talking about Sid level, what's it like what kind of bonuses does the AI have?

 

[Zardnaar]

Originally posted by Padma
And one more thing: If you haven't installed the *beta* patch (v1.12), then you are benefiting from a GPT bug, which doubles the amount of gold you receive per turn through deals with the AI.

The title screen says 1.12 so I assume I correctly installed the patch.

 

[Padma]

Fair enough.

 

[wilbill]

Originally posted by sabo
Like Krayzeenbk said, emporer seemed an easy move...

For me the jump from Regent to Monarch was much tougher than Monarch to Emperor.

 

[JonathanValjean]

Originally posted by Zardnaar
a) I think I may have done the newb equivilent of playing an ideal trait in ideal conditions. b) Sigh and I thought I was improving.

a) Ideal conditions or not, you have a victory in the bag on emperor level, and you are still a self-proclaimed newb. Great job! You have obviously come a long way in a short time! (BTW, I don't consider you to be a newb if you are already winning on emperor! b) You are improving!

 

[Zardnaar]

Originally posted by JonathanValjean


a) Ideal conditions or not, you have a victory in the bag on emperor level, and you are still a self-proclaimed newb. Great job! You have obviously come a long way in a short time! (BTW, I don't consider you to be a newb if you are already winning on emperor! b) You are improving!

I haen't won yet. I am starting to build military units in case I don't get rubber/oil. Was aiming for a diplomatic victory but that may change.

The higher difficulty levels you need to be more aggressive it seems.

 

[troytheface]

33 hrs + but i have just won my first emperor- non reload -even if i made a dumb move in the wrong direction (i figure in real wars people make bone head errors too...) Used the Mongols. Now for Diety. I figure seafaring or militiristic are the best traits so i will play Scandanavia.

 

[cgannon64]

Monarch to Emperor isn't that bad. Once you get used to the happiness, there isn't that much of a difference. You just need well-refined expansion and warring skills.

I've been playing on Emperor for a few months and I have no real intention to move up...

 

[JazzToucan]

Sid level = kiss your but goodbye. I tried a one-city game with a good starting location... I was doing fairly well in the early Ancient Age having contact with multiple civs and was able to trade for techs. Unfortunately, the Iraquois decided I wasn't suitable to exist next to them...

The AI expands at an unreal rate... they averaged about 6-8 cities by 3000 BC.

 

[JonathanValjean]

Originally posted by Zardnaar
a) I haen't won yet. I am starting to build military units in case I don't get rubber/oil. Was aiming for a diplomatic victory but that may change.

b) The higher difficulty levels you need to be more aggressive it seems.

a) Oh, I thought you had won on emperor via a legionairy rush... my bad.

b) Absolutely right. It is difficult to win on emperor and above without aggressive militaristic play. Whereas on the lower levels, I can win via culture without a large military, just a defensive one at that, it is just about impossible (for me) to win on the higher levels without a huge military. Of course, that doesn't mean you can't win via culture on emperor and above (I have won once on demigod via 100K culture, but I had several aggressive military campaigns en route). Good luck as you finish your game!

 

[Zardnaar]

I did win on emperor. I took time out from my epic game for a bit.

 

[Wardog]

I won in Emperor but couldn't beat the AI on Deity yet, although I'm getting better game after game. It's very difficult to win on Deity without a settler factory in the beginning and without building The Great Library.