I must suck

[Vearod]

I may sound nooby, but what is the best to go for in the beginning of a game. Lots of cities, lots of city improvements or lots of military units. I can only win on chieftain or warlord. The AI kicks my ass in the higher difficulties. Even though I build lots of cities they have more, plus they have more military units, they are more tech advanced and builds wonders quick as hell. I am thankful for any tip.

 

[petey]

The best thing in the early stages of the game is to build lots of cities and capture territory. If you don't do this, you won't be able to keep up with the AI for the rest of the game, especially on higher levels.

Once you have 6-10 cities, start making military units and then kill whoever is next to you. Build the Forbidden Palace in their former capital and you'll have a good base of cities (both yours and theirs) to keep up with the AI for the rest of the game.

That's my general strategy and it's been successful up to Emperor. Hope there's somthing in it that helps you.

 

[Hagbart]

First expand your teritory like crazy. And then before you build military units, you should build some barracks to make them veteran. If you build up a huge army they maybe wont attack you.

I don't know, maybe you just DO suck......
just kidding!

 

[D. Boon's Ghost]

First off, try not to be too hard on yourself - heh. You will get better the more you play. Check out this site's War Academy. As many people will tell you, there are a ton of good pointers.

While hagbart and petey are correct in that you need to expand, you also must keep your unit size up. When an AI comes to you and demands tribute, they usually believe that they are stronger than you. You refuse, then find yourself having all of the civs declaring war on you.
This was usually my biggest problem, starting off. The reason for this, I found here at CivFanatics, was that the AI counts up all of your units (military, worker, and otherwise), compares those unit figures to its own, then decides if you are an easy target.
So, while expansion is a very important aspect, you must not forget to maintain a balance of growth and military strength.

 

[Emmet Samms]

D. Boon's Ghost,
Are you saying that the AI allows other civs to 'see' all my units but I can't see theirs? Maybe this explains why civs move around some of my more heavily fortified cities in favor of other, less protected, ones. If so, THIS SUCKS!!! I can only see the one defender when I check out one of their cities. They should also have such limited 'sight'. ES




.:alien: :alien: :alien: :alien: :alien: :alien: :alien: :alien:.
RESISTANCE IS . . . DESIRED

 

[Zouave]

Originally posted by Emmet Samms
D. Boon's Ghost,
Are you saying that the AI allows other civs to 'see' all my units but I can't see theirs? Maybe this explains why civs move around some of my more heavily fortified cities in favor of other, less protected, ones. If so, THIS SUCKS!!! I can only see the one defender when I check out one of their cities. They should also have such limited 'sight'. ES

It DOES suck. The AI cheats shamelessly and does things otherwise impossible.

I can beat it nonetheless all the time at Regent, but at higher levels it cheats SO much it is too annoying to play regularly. Civ 2 did not cheat that outrageously at higher levels.

 

[Lt. 'Killer' M.]

Originally posted by Emmet Samms
D. Boon's Ghost,
Are you saying that the AI allows other civs to 'see' all my units but I can't see theirs? Maybe this explains why civs move around some of my more heavily fortified cities in favor of other, less protected, ones. If so, THIS SUCKS!!! I can only see the one defender when I check out one of their cities. They should also have such limited 'sight'. ES

only after the first map trade, but then they know where your units are, not idividually, but like the unit seeps out strenght and they can see centers of strength....

 

[Vearod]

Ok thanx for the tips. I am playing a new map now and I manage pretty well. First I built GL, and discovered that I must meet other civs before I get their techs, i was alone on an island, so I sent out some galleys to explore, and eventually found other civs. So now I'm not far from them. Only Persia beats me in score.

 

[Carver]

Originally posted by Emmet Samms
D. Boon's Ghost,
Are you saying that the AI allows other civs to 'see' all my units but I can't see theirs? Maybe this explains why civs move around some of my more heavily fortified cities in favor of other, less protected, ones. If so, THIS SUCKS!!! I can only see the one defender when I check out one of their cities. They should also have such limited 'sight'.

When you're at war, try leaving a city (2-3 cities deep) in your territory undefended. I love watching the AI march a stack of troops toward the city. Then I move in a couple of defenders and they turn their butts right around. No it's not fair, but you can exploit it if you're opportunistic enough.

 

[Bchaeus Maximus]

I always expand towards my enemies, to resources/luxuries, and to stop gaps. I fill in behind after i had stopped the AI from walking through my territory. It can be difficult but 3-4 warrioes hear and there can keep the AI out. On emporer I can have an as big or bigger empire than anyone else even before I start a war by securing areas so only I can colonize there. Have to be fast though, because when the can build ships, they will come and settle that last bit of an opening you left them. Of course you don't have to let them land.

Another tip, if you're lucky, march 3 warriors near an enemy city, when they send out a settler, they usually leave their city behind pretty poorly defended. You can wackem, but this must be very early in game, and I don't recommend doing this to some tribes, like the Aztecs. They have strong ancient units.

Anyway, you don't suck, When I got the game I had to do the stinking tutorial!! I even read the instructions! now I win on emporer all the time. Too afraid of diety to try it though.

-Bchaeus Maximus

 

[Tassadar]

You can manage to attrack there main force far away there capital city by using this weakness( detecting your troop). Send a small task force( some bombard. unit, def and fast unit, about 10 units total, to A.I. extreme territori. you can even put a walled city there. So there main force will be attrack there and then you can do a major attack a few turn later on there core city, you will find almost only 2 def per city.

 

[Bchaeus Maximus]

Another thought: first major war I fought was a nightmare. I had archers and spearmen, but they had Swordsmen. I lost troop after troop fighting for some meaningless northern city until I realized "there's iron in them hills to the south. That's why they're killing me." So take their resources, cut their roads, etc...

 

[Switch625]

Originally posted by Emmet Samms
D. Boon's Ghost,
Are you saying that the AI allows other civs to 'see' all my units but I can't see theirs? Maybe this explains why civs move around some of my more heavily fortified cities in favor of other, less protected, ones. If so, THIS SUCKS!!! I can only see the one defender when I check out one of their cities. They should also have such limited 'sight'. ES

The game will give you generalized info on how your military stacks up against others. Go to the military advisor page, and you will see a drop down list of other civs. Select a civ, and your advisor will give you a short remark on your relative strength.