How is the INdian Civ

[allhailIndia]

Although I don't yet have Civ3 (i am pobably going to get it by the end of this month), I would like to know how the Indians fare as a Civ. Being a patriotic if not chauvinistic Indian, I would like to knw how you wouldrate the Indians in gameplay. I think they start as religious and scientific, a pretty good combo if I am not mistaken, and get the War Elephant, (to kick some metal butt).
Also, which do you think is th best special unit of all and the worst.

 

[Aeson]

The Indians are Religious/Commercial, which is a pretty good combination. The War Elephant isn't that good of a UU though, as it blocks the upgrade path of Horsemen. It also doesn't offer any advantages over Knights (other than cool graphics) if Iron and Horses are available. The Indians do very well as the AI from what I've seen, but as a played Civ they are somewhat lacking in power.

I would say that the Iroquois Mounted Warrior is the most powerful UU. The English Man-o-War and American F-15 are almost useless. Japanese Samurai, Indian War Elephants, Russian Cossacks, and Chinese Riders all block the Horse units upgrade path. I don't like them at all because of that.

 

[Feinder]

One of the keys to Civ3, seems to be to "make full use of the advantages that your particular civ has."

Religeous - This is simply nice, because you can build Temples and Cathedrals for much cheaper. You can also switch governments in 1 turn.

Commercial - You have better commerce in the square that is your city square, and less affected by corruption (don't get too excited tho, corruption is still VERY annoying).

You'll start with the Alphabet and Cerimonial Burial.

Your Unique Unit is the War Elephant, which is basically a Knight that doesn't need Iron or Horses.

Those things considered, it would be "most utilizing your advantages" to ...


Because of the reduced effects of corruption, you can more easily manage a more spread out empire. It will give you a -slight- advantage on large and island maps (more so the island maps). Like I said tho, don't get TOO excited about reduced corruption, you'll be very annoyed.

Your cheaper build of temples is always nice (since everyone builds them). Also, when you capture cities, you'll be able to more easily build that first temple (that starts adding your own culture, and quells discontent).

The 1-turn anarchy when switching governments isn't bad. Without it, you really need to be NOT in a war, and not have any rioting cities before changing governments (because doing so is 5 turns of anarchy, and anarchy in war will kill your (probably necessary) production, and cities in chaos are more likely to flip). You don't want to switch governments alot anyways (I usually go Despotism, Republic, Democracy).

Starting with the Alphabet, means your one tech closer to having "The Republic". If you swithc to the Republic (in 1 turn), coupled with your Commercial attribute, it will help keep down corruption.

Unfortunately, your Unique Unit is less valuable than others. As pointed out, it has the same stats as the Knight, it just doesn't need the materials. If you actually got in the Ancient Age, it would be wonderful, but you don't actually get it until the Middle Ages. Because you likely have a source of iron in your empire somewhere (which is necessary to build Knights), you're not really getting any advantage. Now if by some odd chance you DON'T have a source of Iron, it'll allow you to build your elephants. However, bear in mind that you will need iron to make things like Pikemen and Railroads.

I'm not going to say "India is WEAK! Play the whomevers!", because it's obvious that you simply want to play them. I say "Go for it, you'll be "challenged" by them!"

-F-

 

[gormtheold]

Actually, I have not done well with the Indians on generated maps, but they rule on the real earth. Download yourself a real world map and go to it. They are relatively isolated for initial development because the Chinese are relatively far away, the Babylonians and Persians have tough areas to develop, and the Zulus (always a pain) are way way away. There are lots of luxuries in India (I think even more in Barb Sataya's map than marla Singer's) to keep the folks happy. With your war elephants, you can take the middle east (both babs and Persians are weak on a real-world map) and have plenty of oil. And there's all of unoccupied southeast Asia to go after (with rubber). I fear that trying the Indians on a made-up world might be a trying experience, but on a real world map, they're great (the editor does not allow you to put civs in their right place but there are utilities to do this).

 

[Pantotalinios]

So far I've played quite some times with the Indians and I like them (not only because mahatma Gandhi is so cool ;-))

1) Their abilities Religious & Commercial are both very usefull
2) If you can't grap iron/horses you'll still have the elephants. But otherwise they are crap.

The second ability came in handy on my last Indian game, without the elephants I wouldn't have had any good attack units (lack of horses AND iron ffs).

 

[Zed-F]

One instance where India actually is a pretty good civ is if you are playing an OCC where you don't want to be the Babylonian Cultural Masters. I am playing an OCC in Monarch difficulty where I started with India in a reasonable if not great starting position (several hills and plains, a fresh water lake, and ocean access) and was able to get Pyramids, Great Library, Colossus, Hanging Gardens, Sistine Chapel, and Copernicus Observatory (so far) in Delhi. Next up, more wonders...

Advantages (for OCC): can easily get a cheap temple out 1st up before even building warriors. UU is not an ancient era unit, which helps avoid a golden age too soon. Commercial is not on every common wonder so you can avoid getting your golden age too soon, but it is on Colossus, Magellan's, and Adam Smith so it's not too hard to build one of those and get it before it's too late to matter.

 

[Troyens]

Originally posted by Aeson
The Indians are Religious/Commercial, which is a pretty good combination. The War Elephant isn't that good of a UU though, as it blocks the upgrade path of Horsemen. It also doesn't offer any advantages over Knights (other than cool graphics) if Iron and Horses are available. The Indians do very well as the AI from what I've seen, but as a played Civ they are somewhat lacking in power.

I would say that the Iroquois Mounted Warrior is the most powerful UU. The English Man-o-War and American F-15 are almost useless. Japanese Samurai, Indian War Elephants, Russian Cossacks, and Chinese Riders all block the Horse units upgrade path. I don't like them at all because of that.

Solving your problem:

Go into Editor and CHANGE some things. Increase the combat and movement values for the MOW. Lower the defense value for Elephants. Give the Americans and English the Longbowmen as a civ specific unit. Make archers upgradeable to musketmen. Alter the upgrade path to make improvements of units easier.

You'll have a better, more playable game with better realism.

 

[Richard III]

Well, all I can say is that I've played India as much as any other civ combined so far, and love them. Boo hoo about the upgrade from horseman - mine are usually worked to death in combat by that point anyway - and the War Elephant is packed with midgame entertainment value. Since you can build them without resources, it leaves you more in control of your destiny at a moment in the game when you'd rather be the one making decisions than have resource shortfalls make the decisions for you.

The civ specific abilities are well balanced. If there is a problem with them, it's not them but the fact that I am often placed beside China and Japan, who are both aggressive as all hell.

So, India rocks - in real life as in Civ life - if there is any distinction.

(I haven't tried them on the world map, actually, but will do so soon)

Richard III, Emperor of India.

 

[Nahuixtelotzin]

I like playing the Indians on a real earth map, not conquering nor settling any part outside of India. Or yes, I sometimes conquer but then make the conquered city a gift to some other, tiny, civ. Kind of English foreign policy, not let anyone become too powerful, especially close to me...

I love their religious CSA, it proves quite useful to my culture-based game-style. Commercial, well, that's actually not my fav. CSA, I'd prefer scientific or Industrious, but well...

The War-Elephant is very useful on the earth map I'm currently playing on, because India lacks Horses, Iron AND Saltpeter. That makes playing quite difficult, but it's OK though, because I at least have the Elephants...

 

[allhailIndia]

Well, it seems to me that it really depends on your particular strategy followed while playing. I play a defensive game in the beginning, try and build up a whole lot of cities midgame and go after my opponents once I get Mob. Warfare. I usually do this before my opponent even has metallurgy. I think this should work in CIV3. What do you guys think?

 

[Pantotalinios]

I'm afraid that won't work in CIV 3, because you can't expand mid-game the AI is a lot more agressive with expanding . In CIV 2 you could play peacefully until modern times and still be the nr 1 civ, but that won't work for me in CIV 3. But I'm usually able to live through the first ages as a peaceful small civ and get it running in the industrial age so I'm able to crush my enemy's with superior production.
But I'm not sure if the Indians are the best civ to play with in this case, imo the Babyolians or Egyptians would work better. Commercial isn't of real importance if you've got a small empire and the War Elephant isn't necessary if you're not agressive until tanks. But somehow I think you'll play with Indians anyways .

 

[WOPR]

Huge world map, 16 Civs. With competition for iron and horses so fierce, your chances of survival may be a bit greater...

 

[Shastram]

I have only played CIV3 with INDIA cause I LOVE 'em so much and they definitely rock. WHen at first i was trying out the game, i found that AI really is very aggressive in expansion. I was going with CIV 2 strategy and it got bombed. I realized the best way for me was to agressively expand as much as i could and get one of my cities to make the great library, this way, i can advance fast too.

In any case, currently, I rule on any map with India. They do have certain advantages, although I find the war-elephants useless. I am working on a INDIA-MOD making the game more India specific for those who like to play with India... maybe get some more Indian units in there, personalize the cruise missiles, or modern units to match the current Indian weaponry and add some more things. Lets see how things work out.

I do want another leaderhead instead of Gandhi .. no my personal choice...


Shastram
++++++
The REAL Indian King

 

[Beam]

I've played India a number of times and I like it. Not because of the UU by itself, if you lack the strategic resources to build knights you are in some sort of trouble, but more because of their abilities AND the fact that you can trigger a GA at about the time you should build both Sistine Chapel and Forbidden Palace!

So once you can build War Elephants, build a horde and go out for war. Sure one will trigger your GA. S. Chapel and F. Palace will go on the double and after 20 years you more or less have a happy, productive, wealthy Civ, ready to switch between Dem./Rep. and Despo.

Thats why I like the Indians!!!!!!!

 

[allhailIndia]

Now that I have played as India, I feel that there is no other beter than it. I am currretnly playing a game on large World map in the 20th century, I started in South Africa, destroyed the Greeks and Chinese and am turning my tanks on the Germans :tank:
I would like to know how to move faster technologically in the Early and Middle game.

 

[Black Waltz]

Originally posted by Aeson
The Indians do very well as the AI from what I've seen...

Not when they're playing me they don't. I was looking for some Lebendenraum, and they were expanding into my terortory... Then they said hello to my knights. *g*

Just thought I'd share.

 

[donsig]

I enjoy playing India. I think all the religious civs have a good advantage. The war elephant is a good special unit. It doesn't come too early and thus become obsolete fast.

 

[Beam]

Originally posted by Black Waltz


Not when they're playing me they don't. I was looking for some Lebendenraum, and they were expanding into my terortory... Then they said hello to my knights. *g*

Just thought I'd share.

Agree, you have to play'm well!

:rocket: :rocket: