Is Earth18 Unbalanced?

GGracchus · Nov 20, 2011

AJ11 said:
Hence, my statement that "at lower levels, YOU are the one with the religions".

But why go for a religion when you can go for other things at an accelerated rate? Just because you're playing on easymode doesn't mean that you have to or even want to get religions. I could easily grab stonehenge on chieftan, but if I play on that difficulty chances are I won't because there are other things I could be doing(rushing).

flytopp · Nov 30, 2011

strijder20 said:
Japan isn't that crapped over in this map - They sometimes get a good colonial empire running in my games.
Sometimes...........

I'm currently having a great time, and far out in the lead as Japan. Historically, after industrialization, Japan committed militarily to the Chinese mainland, successfully fighting the Russians at Mukden, and then jumping off from Manchuria into China big time just before WW2. Island hopping is too much of a distraction with poor rewards.

Gamewise, this is the strategy I followed for Japan: Grab the Korean peninsula early (2nd city) so there is a jumping off point later for Manchurian invasion. Yes, China will be big, but a veteran Japanese Army from a successful campaign against the Aztec controlled Panama Canal and Belize will help. It also gets the Americans to love you, as you sandwich the Aztecs. You will need that to secure the uranium in Aztec controlled Canada, and the aluminum either in the United States or South America. All are easy pickings mid game.

While Japanese forces are in Panama, colonize Venezula, for the oil resource. Now the Japanese Home Fleet can extend military power quickly into the Atlantic if needed.

Korea should maintain a sizable Japanese Army, and a city where Seoul is gets a river defense bonus. China and the Mongols will hit you, but you can hold the Korean Peninsula, and walk away with more tough veteran troops.

When you have the ground force technology advantage, and the eliteness bonus, roll up the Chinese. Considering by then the Chinese will be one of the top empires in the game, the rollup sweetly propels you into first place.

Japan rocks! Just follow historical (industrial age) Japanese foreign policy and you will rock too, with the United States as your friend.

Edit: My third city was placed in Manila (Phillipines). Tokyo and Manila are isolated, and can produce naval and air units respectively, while Seoul produces the ground units needed for dominating the Asian landmass.

AJ11 · Dec 1, 2011

GGracchus said:
But why go for a religion when you can go for other things at an accelerated rate? Just because you're playing on easymode doesn't mean that you have to or even want to get religions. I could easily grab stonehenge on chieftan, but if I play on that difficulty chances are I won't because there are other things I could be doing(rushing).

Because winning in easymode is like getting water to run downhill. It is inevitable and there is no point in outright gunning for it right at the beginning. Easymode is for you to play with inefficiencies, try out new strategies, without threat of losing the game. Seriously, as I have said before, if you are really hard up about winning ASAP, just play Settler and rush. To me, though, that just seems boring...

strijder20 · Dec 1, 2011

Nice game, flytopp! Although you seem to have underexpanded a bit, having fun is the most important part.
And how did you manage to make 'friends' with the USA? They end up as a vassal of the Aztecs in 95% of my games...

Welcome to the forums, by the way

Dumanios · Dec 1, 2011

I made Mali lead by Sunni Ali, so they do much better, and haven't been a vassal in any of my settler level test games.

strijder20 · Dec 2, 2011

Dumanios said:
I made Mali lead by Sunni Ali, so they do much better, and haven't been a vassal in any of my settler level test games.

And exactly what leader is Sunni Ali in game?
I don't know any of his personalities, because of the mere fact he isn't in the vanilla game.

JujuLautre · Dec 2, 2011

Dumanios said:
I made Mali lead by Sunni Ali, so they do much better, and haven't been a vassal in any of my settler level test games.

How did Mansa fare in your settler level test games ?

Dumanios · Dec 2, 2011

strijder20 said:
And exactly what leader is Sunni Ali in game?
I don't know any of his personalities, because of the mere fact he isn't in the vanilla game.

He's a new Malinese leader. Personality is spoilered.

Spoiler :

In many of the Earth18 games I've played, Settler or otherwise, Mansa often fares boringly, and is often a vassal of whoever is the strong nation. I'm now playing another Settler test game, this time on marathon, as Carthage. I want to see who different Europe gets.

strijder20 · Dec 3, 2011

Wrong thread

G-Max · Dec 3, 2011

Civman33 said:
Is Earth18 Unbalanced?

Any map in which Rome starts next to an iron source is horribly unbalanced.

AJ11 · Dec 3, 2011

G-Max said:
Any map in which Rome starts next to an iron source is horribly unbalanced.

Actually, it is the two guaranteed huts nearby that tips it over the edge. In a normal game it is likely you are going to get iron anyway. Maybe not in your BFC, but it should be nearby. The two huts can mean BW to IW within 10 turns. THAT is game over in any difficulty.

flytopp · Dec 4, 2011

strijder20 said:
Nice game, flytopp! Although you seem to have underexpanded a bit, having fun is the most important part.
And how did you manage to make 'friends' with the USA? They end up as a vassal of the Aztecs in 95% of my games...

Welcome to the forums, by the way

Thanks!

I tend to underexpand so Japan can race up the tech tree with 100% research, concentrating early on buildings with the organized religion civic. The problem becomes those with major armies like to hit Korea, but I find that I can hold the Korean peninsula. Being friends with India, who is also under pressure from China, is a nice bonus. India needs iron, and the Phillipines give me my second iron, so it's an easy deal. It's a scramble to get horses though.

Financially I can generate gold to upgrade my units by selling technologies such as drama and music to everyone.

Once I get to navigation I upgraded my galleys to galleons, load up some troops, and head for N America, immediately going to war with the Aztecs, and gifting some technologies to the Americans. That's the race that is important to win.

Since I had under expanded, I needed my fewer military units to be more technolgically advanced than my opponent for easier promotions. The Aztecs fit that bill beautifully, and the Americans give me a base to operate cross border in times of Aztec-American peace, and to defend the border in times of Aztec-American war. It becomes all about body count.

That's when I noticed the shift, Montezuma is no longer declaring war on the Americans, they start declaring war on Montezuma.

The Belize area is easily held once Mexico City is destroyed. It's a one square hilltop pass from Mexico into the Yucatan peninsula. Jaguar warriors just don't do it.

Overall, with a smaller military I look for choke points on the map, areas like the Korean peninsula or the Yucatan peninsula, to channel the computer's attacks.

For example, as Greece my first city is at the site of Troy, not Athens, so I can expand into Asia minor, eliminate the Arabs, and occupy Persia. Then I shift my elite units back to Troy, and the Romans and Russian are destroyed at Troy's walls. The frontier with India and Egypt is narrow, and easily held IF either decide to attack. Generally, I find Egypt to busy expanding, and India to busy defending itself from China. When I have the tech advantage I go at the Romans.

Is Earth18 Unbalanced?

GGracchus

Tribune of Rome

flytopp

Chieftain

AJ11

Emperor

strijder20

Wallowing in irony

Dumanios

MLG

strijder20

Wallowing in irony

JujuLautre

Deity

Dumanios

MLG

strijder20

Wallowing in irony

G-Max

Deity

AJ11

Emperor

flytopp

Chieftain

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