How many days does it take you to finish a game?

[HamTard]

On a Standard size map and Normal speed, how long does it take you guys to finish a game?

Also, I need a few tips. Early on, should I make a lot of cities ASAP, or should I focus on improving ~3 cities? How many cities is optimal for Standard size maps? I never made more than 9 cities on Standard in Civilization IV, but I find myself producing far fewer cities in Colonization, probably because of my inability to quickly increase the number of colonists I have quickly.

Also, what is an optimal build order for some basic specialized cities? What buildings should I get first in a city with lots of Iron Ore for example, compared to a city with lots of Cotton. Should I make Warehouses first (I tend to do this) or should I go for production facilities first?

How do you guys save up enough money to buy a Galleon early on, I find my money never gets that high due to demands from the King.

When and how many pioneers should I have improving the land?

 

[dalgo]

How do you guys save up enough money to buy a Galleon early on, I find my money never gets that high due to demands from the King.

There is plenty of early cash available for your scouts. Visit Native Villages, Burial Grounds and Ancient Ruins. A seasoned scout is best. There is no reason to give money to the King if you don't want to. He gets mad but he still won't invade, you get to choose when to start the War of Independence.

 

[HamTard]

If you don't start by the end of the 100 turns they give you, does that mean you can't declare independence anymore and might as well quit? I accidentally missed the window in my latest game because I wasn't paying attention to the timer.

 

[Malkaviel]

In multi-player I win by independence in under 2 hours (medium or fast turn timer) or faster if I just kill everyone.

I usually only found 2 or 3 cities (total, not right away), preferably relatively close together unless an obvious money spot (like 4 mountains and/or a silver resource or 2 or 3 other resource types) might be 6-8 tiles inland.

I never give in to cash demands from the king.

To make money quickly, start trading with indians immediately with your first guns and tools off your starting soldier and pioneer, then use that capital to invest and re-invest in trade with nearby indians, guns, tools, trade goods, sometimes horses. I KNOW people will say, "that raises taxes too fast", yes sure, but you're asking about fast cash.

With this method your first 2 colonists can be in your first colony, one always in city hall, one alternating between hall and food as necessary, the political points and trade points (from selling to indians) net you minuit quickly, lower the cost of buying ships and experts in europe.

Don't forget to pick up a seasoned scout off the dock or any colonist on horses as a scout on your first trip back, or 2 if possible!

Usually the kings first 3-5% tax increase under this strat will be food party. Do it. You're not going to sell or buy food in Europe. Usually once you get minuit, take guys out of city hall and start getting lumber, send a guy or 2 to get trained by nearby indian villages and by turn 30ish (?) you should be pretty equipped with your own galleon (to transport treasure trains without the -50%) and you can start building your shops and other money makers, station some defensive units, and get rolling.

I personally would keep a merchantman busy pacing between Europe and indians for the trade points and capital, until all the indians are broke.

Try it. You'll like it.

 

[Malkaviel]

You might ask, "In multi-player what if everyone does this?". Well, honestly, it comes down to luck of the draw.

Your first colony location having 1 or 2 food resources and a plot with 6+ lumber is pretty important. If your first 2 indian trading partners are other than aztec or inca (as they generally generate the most cash) would be optimal. Build up your funds from trading, then find indians who prefer guns who have 4000 to 6000 gold on hand and your first trade with them, sell them 300 or 400 guns. After the first time you sell a particular good to indians, the value of that good (like guns) goes down quickly, so don't trifle with less than 100 to 200 of anything.

Other factors are.. length travel time to and from Europe, who chooses to build a navy, and when the crapola hits the fan, however many colonists you lose to opponent. For example, if you never have more than 2 colonists in 1 colony for opponent to take, that's a great way to keep potential loss down (you never really lose until you're completely incapable of producing competitive capital) but when the indians run out of money you better be ready to jump with those 8 soldiers/dragoons and 5 cannons (or more) on your dock. If you go navy, grab some dice and pray. I've seen 1 caravel kill 2 privateers in a turn.

 

[Malkaviel]

Played a game in multiplayer today on gamespy. Left everything unlocked so others could join if they wanted, but also for when I saved so there's no pw if others want to check it. No save and restore was done, it was played straight thru.

It's fast speed, conquistador difficulty, game is saved at the turn you can declare independence. I won this in 1593 with 8 dragoons left in my city.

Some notes : Again, timer's on fast so you need to know what you're doing in combat. Turning combat animation off for attacking helps alot, also grouping 2 or 3 units together at a time for fast clicking. Appropriating generals and assigning promotions will probably take the most time. Use dragoons to attack and kill any REF that land next to the city, there's only 1 city. There are extra guns and horses stocked, so when you declare select "all men are free" for a couple extra dragoons there, leave only 1 statesman in the city, guns and horses on the rest. Also as the fight goes on grab the FF that throws you 3 more indentured servants. There should be guns and horses for 2 of those. You do not need to kill REF ships to win, only defeat all landing ground forces.

Could I have done it sooner? Sure, I have a 1568 win but that was an anomaly with ridiculous amounts of gold from the first several huts/villages. This is just to show the game's very easily winnable with the procedure I detailed in the above posts.

 

[Malkaviel]

Sorry, I say "fast speed", it's normal game speed, fast turn timer. ^_^

 

[Malkaviel]

Played an ok multiplayer today against 2 other people on gamespy. Large map, normal speed, fast turn timer.

One guy (rather not type his name here, but a name's just a name, right) quit after like turn 10. Happens alot. Don't know why. People join games to play a few turns and leave. Shrug.

The other guy, Honheke (probably spelled named wrong, apologies) played England and settled right next to me. He did well out of the gate, I got Cabral, he got Minuit. I got my trade routine in gear as detailed above and left only those first couple colonists around New Amsterdam, in the event of a pre-emptive attack by him.

Surprise! He declares war turn 21 with a vet soldier and a cannon. I shrugged as my merchant fleet was in full swing with merchantman working the east side of the continent, galleon picking up treasures from 2 scouts and working the indians on the west coast.

Several turns later, I'd collected my scouts back up to Europe, upgraded them to Dragoons. With the 11k gold I had left, bought 4 cannons, another merchantman, picked up a bunch of colonists off the Europe dock and upgraded them to soldiers and dragoons. I like to have a few soldiers so when I land my attack force in a forest or on a mountain they get the defensive bonus, while my cannons bombard their defenses.

So I landed next to him with 14 units, took back New Amsterdam and knew he had next to nothing left, couple dragoons, another vet soldier and a cannon. The point is, he jumped the gun blowing his cash way too early to really take out an experienced player. While what he had was nice by that time, 3 colonies, a handful of military, and picking up FF's left and right, he'd spent all his capital and I was only making more money in the meantime for a decisive combat when I was ready, on my terms.

Attacking on turn 21 really isn't nice, but it's completely fair. I hope this illustrates tho how bad of an idea it is sometimes because once you spend your cash and think you're taking someone out, and you take a big risk. In this event he nobly surrendered and the mp game was effectively over.