Is using the same leader a good way to learn?

[Frodius]

I am a monarch level player, and I am starting to win more regularly at that level. I still use numerous save game points in each game, and I back track to earlier save points sometimes when I realize I have done really dumb things, or I want to try different ideas.

The question I have for the community is:

When learning how to play at a new level, do you think it is beneficial to focus on one or a few favorite leaders for each game, or do you think that it would be better to use random leaders in each game?

Whenever I try a new difficulty level I always try a few games with Augustus Caesar on continents until I win one. He seems to be the most effective leader for my playstyle, and his advantages are well known. Once I get the first win under my belt, I switch to random leaders, and a shuffle map with a random settings.

I have my favorite leaders, and I ceratinly wouldn't mind using them more, but ultimately my goal is to play effectively on the emporer level, and to win a fair amount on the Immortal level. Up to this point, I have been trying to keep things random, so that I could learn to "play the map" instead of falling back on the same old bag of tricks each game. However, I am beginning to wonder if I might actually begin to learn faster if I focused on using a favorite leader or a few favorites leaders all the time. I find it difficult at times to make a plan that takes advantage of each civ at the same time as taking advantage of each map.

I should also probably say that my favorite leaders are not amongst the consensus best leaders either, so I don't feel like I would be relying on a crutch. For instance, when I am in the mood for war, I like Victoria, Napolean and especially Justinian. When I am in the mood for building I usually play Roosevelt, Pericles or Pacal.

 

[Lemon Merchant]

I would think that playing the same leader all of the time would get a little dull after a while, but I do see your point. Getting a strategy perfected while changing the minimum amount of variables is a good approach in the short term. I think that using a larger core of leaders to play similar maps is a better idea, though. Each map is different, and what may work well for one leader may work even better or worse for another. If you always play on an Earth map with 18 civs, this may not be an issue, but I feel that in order to really learn the game, you need to deal with the semi-randomness it throws at you.

A variety of strategies learned well and incorporated into your skill set will take you farther with different leaders (IMHO) than perfecting those strategies with only one. You learn more by overcoming the strengths and weaknesses of your game by variety, I think.

 

[Learningciv]

When stepping up a difficulty level play with someone you are comfortable with. When mastering a difficulty play with random leaders (I even regenerate good starts so my starts aren't overpowered)