How to play as these civs

[civverguy]

I have played Civilization 3 for over a year and a half already, though I haven't played it much for the past two months, but surprisingly to me, I haven't played many of the civilizations in the game!
It is either I don't like their traits, UU, or their AI behavior so I don't play as them.
These are the civs I haven't really played as:
Germany
Zululand
Portugal
Korea
Hittites
Celts
Japan
Mongols
Incas
Is there any advice on how to succeed in playing as these civs? I will be starting a Germany game soon.

 

[Quintillus]

Well, the key really is to not be dependent on any one thing. Don't depend on Immortal rushes, getting the Great Library, having the Militaristic civ trait, having a food bonus by your capital. Take advantage of these things, sure, but don't become dependent on anything. Then there are no limits.

I don't even remember what the civ traits are for the most part. But notes on a few of the above:

*Germany is militaristic and scientific (checked the editor) and gets Bronze Working and Warrior Code. Very good for early wars with those two traits, so long as Greece or someone like that isn't your neighbor. After that it lags for awhile, but a Scientific focus can allow you to become powerful in the late Middle Ages or especially with Panzers.

*The Zulu, with their Impi, are great at pillaging improvements. The AI can drive you nuts with this, and you can do the same to them. Too many swordsmen attacking you? Send in three or four Impi to search out the Iron and pillage it. Works much better than Chariots or Spearmen.

*Portugal, with their Carrack, is awesome on the seas at the time of Astronomy. Basically it's an early Frigate that can transport troops - so I'd almost advise holding off on Magnetism and researching Navigation for the ocean-going part, thus allowing you to build lots of what are essentially cheap frigates.

*The Celts make for a dangerous offensive civilization with the fast and powerful Gallic Warrior. They're a popular choice in Always War and early war games.

*The Samurai of Japan makes for a great defensive unit as well as offensive. They can hunker down in cities to defend, and if a lone Longbow comes along, they aren't stuck with defence like a Pikeman but can go on the offensive and slaughter it.

 

[Bartleby]

To comment on the ones Quintillus didn't:

Korea is a good civ for fast research; Commercial gives you a larger effective core (plus head-start on Republic) and Scientific is obviously good for free techs (on lower levels, if you have other Scientific civs in the game, consider gifting them forwards to get their free techs too). Hwacha can be fun to work with (lethal bombard).

The Hittites are Commercial too, so you can also go with science here; expansionist can give you a very short Ancient Age on standard and bigger pangaea maps at levels up to Monarch certainly. The 3MC seems like a bad deal, though.

The Mongols, Expansionist again--get popping. The Keshik may prove to be useful on young (3byo) maps which are likely to feature mountian ranges. I'd say beeline Chivalry then go all-out for Conquest or Domination.

The Inca are also Expansionist, so you can speed through the AA here too (although the Chasqui Scout is quite expensive, it has an attack value so if you have a swarm of these popping huts, the AI will view you as powerful, and will be less likely to attack/more likely to give up towns for peace--quite a bonus if you can get a handful of AI towns for peace before 1000 BC). Also they are Agri, enough said.

You don't like Exp civs, do you?
If you are playing higher than Monarch, or on archipelago maps, then hut-popping may be a dead end (at high levels your hut-luck is less favourable, and obviously on an island you'll have limited huts), but you can still make contact with the other civs on your landmass easily (and trade trade trade) and find resources more quicky.

 

[civverguy]

Thanks for the tips guys. And no, I don't like the expansionist civs. I don't really want to take my chances with scouts and I'm playing on emperor so I don't think I'll have good luck with them.

 

[MAS]

Thanks for the tips guys. And no, I don't like the expansionist civs. I don't really want to take my chances with scouts and I'm playing on emperor so I don't think I'll have good luck with them.

What do you mean "chances?" They may not be as useful as industrious workers, but you can't possibly go wrong with them either!

Expansionist civ never pop barbs from huts, and scouts are usually able to outrun wandering barbs.
You may not have good luck with huts, but you won't get terrible luck with them either, the worst that can happen is that you get nothing from a hut. The earlier contacts are more important than huts at higher levels anyway.

 

[RFHolloway]

The celts also make for a great 100k culture civ (at least in C3C)

 

[DS_Legionary]

How could not have played as the Celts or Japan yet? The Celts are great for early blitz style warfare. The Gallic Sword has a use up until Tanks if you look at it. (Though they will be somewhat ineffective in the latter part of the Middle Ages). Early on they are awesome attacking units. The extra movement provides the ability to declare war and strike a city in the same turn. This is in an age when the AI has a poor road network, so that extra movement is hella good. Later on they are a mobile defense force, effective against even Cavalry. Not to mention being Religious and Agri. You can't go wrong.

Japan is also a blast, though a bit harder to play and a bit slower to start. Once you get the Samurai though it's all over. A Knight with the defense of a Musketmen. No reason to bother sending in defensive or even building defensive units. This mean you can focus solely on your offensive production without wasting sheilds on muskets to defend any conquered or newly built towns. Not to mention a very well timed GA. Tech just took a huge leap in cost, your cities could probably use some help cranking out those Courthouses or Libraries, and you're not in Despo anymore. The trait combo isn't the most synergetic, but there are far worse combos that come to mind.

 

[MAS]

No reason to bother sending in defensive or even building defensive units. This mean you can focus solely on your offensive production without wasting sheilds on muskets to defend any conquered or newly built towns

I would do that with normal knights just the same, the Samurai defense doesn't do anything for me.

 

[DS_Legionary]

Maybe I've just had a bad run with Knights seems mine always get taken down by Swords or even Horsies. Never had the Problem with Sams....

 

[Katyusha44]

Maybe I've just had a bad run with Knights seems mine always get taken down by Swords or even Horsies. Never had the Problem with Sams....

Same here. Samurai also seem to promote and create leaders better then any other unit (unless its my imagination).

 

[civverguy]

What do you mean "chances?" They may not be as useful as industrious workers, but you can't possibly go wrong with them either!

Expansionist civ never pop barbs from huts, and scouts are usually able to outrun wandering barbs.
You may not have good luck with huts, but you won't get terrible luck with them either, the worst that can happen is that you get nothing from a hut. The earlier contacts are more important than huts at higher levels anyway.

Good points, but I just don't want a trait that's pretty much useless after the ancient age.

And yes, I should play as the Celts and Japan but I just didn't for some reason.

 

[TheOverseer714]

Try Korea sometime, nice trait combo, fun UU, decent GA timing.

 

[Newbie civer]

i would have to say no specific way to play it differs from people but japan has a good UU 4/4 makes for a great defence and offensive unit and koreans have a nice starting combo for tech

 

[Mursi lives]

Same here. Samurai also seem to promote and create leaders better then any other unit (unless its my imagination).

They actually promote better ... at least like any unit of any militaristic civ

 

[Nergal]

The Celts are good for 100k cultural ... they grow damn fast. And its cheap temples and cathedrals. Germany is a first class warmonger from day one. I love Germany for domination or conquest. Just play them all and try. I think i've played most Civs now, to a win, Portugal is my only failing but I just dont like tham.

 

[PaperBeetle]

They actually promote better ... at least like any unit of any militaristic civ

Also, their extra DEF point makes them more likely to get counterattacked after their own successful attack (because a higher DEF makes them more likely to stay at the 'top' of a stack) and more likely to survive such a counterattack. That will count as two kills in one turn, which is an automatic promotion.

 

[Mursi lives]

Also, their extra DEF point makes them more likely to get counterattacked after their own successful attack (because a higher DEF makes them more likely to stay at the 'top' of a stack) and more likely to survive such a counterattack. That will count as two kills in one turn, which is an automatic promotion.

Nice point.