How to have an Empire by 1000AD

[Lord Parkin]

Mmm, but there's not too many agricultural civs and if you don't play with one there's no choice but to wait until Steam Power for large desert cities. Vast deserts are like large mountain ranges... not good for the actual city growth/production/commerce, but vital for securing necessary resources for later in the game.

 

[LordKestrel]

One of the things I didn't see mentioned was the Succesion Games. These are games where a number of players get together, and play a game by turns. Very interesting, and fun to participate in. However, the best thing about them, is that many of the players in these tend to be superb, and among the best on this forum. They are a GREAT source of info for players wanting to learn more about the game, and various strategies. I learned a lot, and it helped me move from Warlord to Monarch fairly quickly.

http://forums.civfanatics.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=67

 

[Tomoyo]

Originallly posted by Caveneau
So will cities built on deserts just generate commerce and shields?

Ummm... Isn't that what all cities just generate? Food just makes them generate more in th long run...

 

[Gengis Khan]

Nope, every city regardless of terrain will generate at least 2f/1s/2c(IIRC maybe it's 1 comm but I'm pretty sure it's 2), then different terrains/bonueses push these up even higher.

[Edit- Misread the question, I thought you were talking about the city center. I tend to avoid large barren deserts without at least a river running through it like the plague. Even if their in the middle of my territory, the AI can have them if they want. Them having those far off, small, generally worthless cities in the middle of my territory just brings them to their knees quicker when I start razing them.

 

[Lord Parkin]

Actually, when the AI build cities in the desert, you always know there's a resource there (Saltpeter or Oil). If you just let the AI have those cities, you won't get access to the resource, especially if you raze the city rather than taking it over. Large deserts are often my most dependable source of Oil, which is an absolutely essential resource.

 

[Caveneau]

Thanks

 

[Gengis Khan]

Nope, they can have them for all I care. Then once I get refining & actually need that oil city I'll take it then, knowing full well that the city will have at most a defender(normally outdated at that) or two because it's corrupt as hell & can't grow past size 2. They can have it till then, I don't need a worthless city that's mine whenever I want it throwing my OCN even more over the top.

What's a settler or worker(for a colony) when your you have rails everywhere, and size 12+ cities?

 

[Lord Parkin]

Still, holding that territory increases your empire size, your score, and therefore changes your rival's opinions of you. If you never build any cities in low-food areas, you're going to have one hell of a small empire...

 

[binyo66]

Originally posted by Lord Parkin
Still, holding that territory increases your empire size, your score, and therefore changes your rival's opinions of you. If you never build any cities in low-food areas, you're going to have one hell of a small empire...

True, if my settler doesnt have anywhere else to go, then I'll put it there. Otherwise I better put it somewhere else. Its easy to flip AI wont rush any cultural building, and if necessary, we could take it over easily. Once in my games, emperor, pangea, PTW, Mongol put 2 cities on the tundra next to my cities. One was flip, the otherone I took it by force. And my panzer just met a "spearman"