How often do you win your games?

[King Flevance]

OK. The term "risk" is probably going to vary from person to person. But for the sake of the poll risk means "invest many turns into a strategy with the potential to have them all be wasted."

Here we are 4 or 5 years after Civ 4's release and I am still toying with strategies.OF course it isn't as bad as when I first started. I do have a tried and true method to play everyone sorta. (And not to mention I havent played as everyone yet long enough to count) What I mean by that is no matter who I play I can weight a "play it safe" strategy through the tech tree to ensure a good chance at winning at Noble-Monarch. But here's the thing, I hate playing it safe. Games are meant for challenge IMO. (And I don't play above Monarch so figure that out ) I love the movie Tin Cup to give you an idea.
So I probably kick my own ass alot of the time. I win about 50% of the games I play and probably half of that is because I chicken out and "play it safe". The other 75% of my games (with 25% being wins) I use extreme strategies to the max. (Holding only 1 unit per city not on the frontlines. Sometimes even only 1 on frontlines and my huge army on the field.) Or gunning for a tech-line I know is risky but pays off well. (Liberalism popping Constitution/Rifling) Just risking losing everything at a chance to get something really awesome working in my favor. BTW I wanna mention here going for the mids without stone or Ind is a gambit all its own.

Now, I am not greedy though so alot of times I will pull the reigns on it and cover my head backfilling needed techs or making a more defensive battle plan. But I still can't find where I should draw the line in some areas. Sometimes I pull back and I realize later I could have easily got what I was aiming for. That is annoying too I might add. But just as many, maybe more, I stick with it out of fear of this annoying thing. And it can hurt like a kick to the groin if it fails. (Not enough to cripple you but you sure won't be doing anything worth mentioning for a little while.)

So this all got me to thinking how many games do people win and how many games do people feel they risk in those games.

 

[stee]

I use the UN cuz im cheap... (and I save and reload a lot to. but common who doesn't.)

 

[Joshua368]

Fortunately I don't delete any of my final save files, so I can go through all my past games.

Vanilla: 3 victories, 1 loss
Warlords: 5 victories, 5 losses
BtS: 12 victories, 4 losses

I can play builder games, but I find my most assured wins are those where aggressively. Most of my losses come from peaceful games where an AI gets too powerful, sometimes I'd go back to a point and go military instead and win. (except for a few half-hearted early axemen rushes )

Also not all of these are actual losses, some of them are simply more insane rounds where things didn't go as well as I would've liked and I got bored of the whole mess.

But I'd say I'm improving overall, I do play normal games and I do play "riskier" games. One of my favorite matches was one of those Joao II "spin off the old world" games and was one of my favorite space wins ever, very close and interesting from start to finish. Not all my weird games have been so lucky though, such as an OCC where no unit ever left my borders... and an AI steamrolled over everyone else.

As for statistics, well I'd say I'm improving. 75% ratio right now in BtS, I'll take that. All in all it's 20-10, or 66%.

 

[King Flevance]

Hehe, I have a list of save games but they aren't all of them by far. I usually name my saves "Zach - (Aztec)" as an example. SOmetimes I will put the difficulty level in there if it is one I havent been playing lately. Like if I am on a 'Prince kick' any monarch or noble games I start will be saved with that info available so I know. And in MP games I always add the game speed. I honestly thought I would see more 90-100% votes here. But actually so far alot of the votes are entirely different than I expected.

TBH I have no idea if I am improving. I only play it safe about 25% of the time I play.

 

[Kiwi Tyrant]

I played Monarchy before hooking up with these forums; 75% win ratio.
After absorbing the tasty bits, immediately moved up to Emperor; now have 75% win ratio on that level.
Dabbling with Immortal; approx. 30% win ratio thus far. Damn, AI gets 2 free workers and if I get a medicore start it's hard to overhaul 'em!
Touched on Diety. Have been humbled. The ultimate micromanagement learning curve. A great start is mandatory, good luck helps too!

The timing of your 'risks' are everything. Always have a 'Plan B'.
If your risky 'Plan: A' fails (or is failing), fall back on 'Plan B' and keep thumbing through the cook-book.
If you don't have any other plans, move down a notch, you won't have the flexibility to handle the higher levels and win on different game settings....

 

[Modeltrainman]

I play on Warlord, I think I've only won one game. Ever.

 

[Darvon]

I save and reload a lot to. but common who doesn't.

Me?

(Except when I've clicked something accidently, eg. Declaring war on someone)

 

[Joshua368]

I use the UN cuz im cheap... (and I save and reload a lot to. but common who doesn't.)

I almost never do that either, at least not on a regular basis. Doing it regularly feels like cheating... it's an unfair advantage the AI doesn't get as far as I'm concerned, and I don't need it. Mind you I do save before every major decision (i.e. war) so if it goes terribly I can retry and take a different strategy... but it's not something I rely on.

Of course if I lose almost all of a seven man stack at >90% odds are have my great general die at 98.2%... I may quickly close the entire game in a hissy fit before being able to save... but that can't be helped.

 

[King Flevance]

Yeah, in my experience on the forums, not many people here reload often. I don't either.

The timing of your 'risks' are everything. Always have a 'Plan B'.
If your risky 'Plan: A' fails (or is failing), fall back on 'Plan B' and keep thumbing through the cook-book.
If you don't have any other plans, move down a notch, you won't have the flexibility to handle the higher levels and win on different game settings....

Would you call 'Plan B' a sort of 'playing it safe' plan or just a different plan altogether? My play it safe plans I mention above are more like general tech paths and/or defensive maneuvers. Not so much another plan all together.

 

[Lemon Merchant]

For me it's 85% on Warlord, and 15% on Noble. It's embarassing, but hey, I'm learning.
As for taking risks, I'm getting in touch with my "inner Warmonger".
Little by little.

 

[King Flevance]

Yeah, I would honestly say that this poll isn't about skill level at all. I am interested in everybody's vote. Including people that win 25% of the time on cheiftain. This poll is just really a vague idea of playstyles I guess. I just recently started a new SP game as Rome just because I haven't played them for a long while. My last random roll was Maya and I would like to give their UU a little more push before I continue that game.

Anyways, I don't think people can see what you vote for on this poll. And difficulty level is irrelevant. I don't even know what exactly it is I was am looking for in this poll. But it strikes a curiosity I have in me ATM.

 

[Iranon]

I win slightly less than half on Deity (normal speed and size, random maps, no special conditions), and don't seem to be improving much.
About half of the starts I lose felt either unwinnable or like they required foolhardy chances to establish a remotely competitive position. I think I've reached my personal threshold with this game, and down to anyone who can beat Deity with any regularity.

Incidentally, I like these odds and enjoyed playing with similar ones before moving up: Better chances than any individual AI so still more flattering than playing against equally (in)competent humans, but difficult enough to make me do a little dance whenever I win.
My only complaint is that I feel the choice of valid strategies is greatly diminished on this level.

 

[AmazonQueen]

Play on noble, win maybe 75% of the time, don't take many risks.
I keep intending to but I have a mental barrier when it comes to intercontinental invasions, easier to keep clicking end of turn rather than launch the armada, so I have won diplomacy, spacerace & cultural but never conquest or domination at noble.

 

[General_R]

I don´t consider it losing, when I have to start from a very bad position ... so I don´t really know - but I win most of my games. I also have to admid that I do safe and reload from time to time. There were a few games when I even used the worldbuilder (when barbarians are really going on my nerves. They are sometimes too strong too early).

 

[wannabewarlord]

I play a lot of games only halfway and never finish them. also because I don't reload and try another strategy from a mid-point (that might do me good, though). If something doesn't work or I get bored, I start completely new. I can't get myself to retry stuff half-way.

Often I simply click "go back to main menu" and start another game. sometimes when I played "properly" and I feel truly defeated, I click "retire" so I get an official loss entry. counting up those games I truly won and those games I declared myself defeated (either clicking "retire" or simply quitting in defeat) I would say I currently only win about 40% on prince, most on noble.

cheers,
wannabewarlord

 

[djvandrake]

100% on Noble and below.

80% on Prince.

I'm 1 win for 4 attempts on Monarch. Got a lot to learn on that level.

 

[King Flevance]

It seems for every person that does take big risks, there is someone else to match them or more that don't take big risks so far. Most people that win alot don't seem to take big risks. So I would guess I am kicking my own ass.

I think I have a hard time finding when "just the right amount" is to push forward somewhere in tech, military, wonders, etc. If I push with all I got, I leave weak points that I can't see alot of the time. (I think I do but then the AI gets slick and units come in from somewhere else.) Or the dreaded AI that has got to be 10-15 turns away from friendly says, "WTH were you thinking!?"
I don't fall for backstabs alot but the AI makes sure I feel it when they do... or maybe I just don't notice or care when I play in my safe zone.

I suck at guessing my odds of getting a wonder unless they are pretty much sure-fire. (I have the tech before anyone) But the 'mids and a few other early wonders are so tempting alot of the time. Oh but how I hate chopping 5 forests and being 1-5 turns from mids and losing them.

My only complaint is that I feel the choice of valid strategies is greatly diminished on this level.

This is why I probably will never go above Emporer. But my win rate on emporer has to be like 5% and only in Vanilla, I havent got up there on BTS.

Often I simply click "go back to main menu" and start another game. sometimes when I played "properly" and I feel truly defeated, I click "retire" so I get an official loss entry.

I should probably keep track of my stats by seeing where I see myself as defeated. I always go to desktop or main menu if I consider myself defeated just because its faster to start a new game. I need to clean out my HoF entries.

 

[Kiwi Tyrant]

Plan A is a risky move to get a momentary jump on the crowd. Hopefully this risk snowballs into a maintainable lead or position of power. This risky plan could be anything from trying to complete the Mid's (while not being Ind, with 18 other civ's), bee-lining a certain tech path, or attacking a neighbour.

If this risk fails, or will inevitably fail, then fall back on Plan B. This plan merely consists of what you would be normally doing to stay in the game if you did'nt take any asforementioned risks. This is the safe, keep ya head low, wait for developments, steady as she goes plan.

....and then if you grow impatient with things grinding along until the advent of modern warfare to sort everyone out, then a Plan C could be pulled out of the hat! lol

 

[CCRunner]

I win about 90% on noble. I take risks, but calculated ones that won't cause me to lose the game if they don't work. Things like attacking with my last attack unit with 50% odds. The way I look at it, I half the time I get something extra, half the time I was going to take peace anyway. I don't do big things like prioritizing early religions or relying on a wonder to win.

 

[Harry Potter52]

I won 5 noble and lost 3, so that puts me in 75% I guess