Islands?

[Dell19]

Is it just me or are island maps alot easier against the AI especially since C3C. If everyone is stuck on islands then the human tactics of blocking AI expansion can often be alot more successful it seems and curraghs can allow far more contacts to be made so that a human player can seemingly trade techs easier than on continental maps. I guess it could just be that starting positions are far more important on an island map but they do seem easier at least to me.

Poll for people's opinions.

 

[Theoden]

Since the AI doesn't use suicide galleys or even move out to the sea when they can see the other shore, they are limited for a long time. Because the human can use these tactics, you can get lots of contacts. So I agree it's easier, and the reason is that the AI is even more stupid than normal on this kind of maps

 

[TomOC]

I prefer continents. Islands tend to limit my expansion phase, not to mention resources/luxuries. Now... I not only have to build settlers/workers and warriors during the early part of the game , now Galley's too.

Continents allow for expansion and early contact via land, and later, by water. Also, trading of luxuries tends to occur more quickly by land.

 

[Pfeffersack]

In my opinion islands are easier, because it means your are with less AI civs on the same landmass - as long as the AI isn't able to make dangerous naval invasions, this is a clear advantage.

 

[The Last Conformist]

I never play other than Continents in CivIII.

I found Continents (corresponding to CivIII Pangaeas) the easiest in CivII, tho.

 

[Dell19]

I've been playing an island game tonight and it just seems so easy since I haven't seen any stronger civs suddenly arriving through another AI's territory. I've been able to build 3 wonders which suprised me since I usually struggle to build one on Monarch. I didn't even have to build the GL to keep up in tech as several civs are isolated from the main group. I have to thank the Carthagians for the Lighthouse...

It just seems so much easier, the only problem is trying to wipe out small island cities... Oh and perhaps there is a greater risk of missing out on a resource as I failed to get horses, so I've been using veteran swordsmen to great effect especially since the AI doesn't seem to have prioritised building their own barracks...

 

[Portuguese]

Just use a mod (or change it yourself) in which only workers and scouts can cross desert/tundra/mountains in the ancient times.

Just like Bigger Better Worls for example.

That will make it fairer, as you can be isolated in a pangea

 

[Jaybe]

I also play continents only. I also have galley-type units wheeled and oceans impasssable to wheeled so that I don't have such blantant advantage over the AI. (I play at monarch level).

 

[Khift]

I wish there was a true Archipelago type of map. Not this island crap. I want some 150+ islands capable of fitting no more than three cities an island. (On huge, of course.) Especially since they added Curraghs, that would be so fun and would actually add a naval factor to the game. Battleships would truly be the Queens of the Seas, not the queens of guarding transports.

 

[FábioPaim]

i like to play island because i feel that would be more interesting.

 

[Pfeffersack]

I wish there was a true Archipelago type of map. Not this island crap. I want some 150+ islands capable of fitting no more than three cities an island. (On huge, of course.) Especially since they added Curraghs, that would be so fun and would actually add a naval factor to the game. Battleships would truly be the Queens of the Seas, not the queens of guarding transports.

Yes, I would love to see this, too.I currently play on huge archipelago map with 60% water and its is in fact one big continent stretching over the entire east-west-axis of the map with a lot of peninsulas and sea arms - this means you cannot travel by ship from the north pole to south pole.

 

[Dell19]

My latest island map was pretty realistic, there were 4 reasonable big islands with only 3 of them holding starting positions, 3 or 4 more small islands that are gradually being colonised and several small islands. So the map has had quite alot of variety so far, its been especially interesting to play on a map where cavalry has appeared and yet the world is not fully colonised.

 

[Pfeffersack]

My latest island map was pretty realistic, there were 4 reasonable big islands with only 3 of them holding starting positions, 3 or 4 more small islands that are gradually being colonised and several small islands. So the map has had quite alot of variety so far, its been especially interesting to play on a map where cavalry has appeared and yet the world is not fully colonised.

The map you described sounds fairly good...what was the water-land ratio?
I think such extrem maps as I described one above are a result of setting land to 60% - I will avoid that in the furture, if I really want to play on islands...

 

[Dell19]

I'm not sure what the ratio was as it was a randomly generated map but it does have a lot of water so it was probably the minimum amount of land.

 

[TerraHero]

Since i play 90% of my games with the duthc, colonizing and building up an empire in an island map is alot easier for me, plus, a strong navy has a good use of interrupting enemy trade.

 

[Chieftess]

Islands are much easier on higher levels since it stalls the AI from meeting each other early and trading techs around. It also keeps them from invading each other as easily.

 

[~Corsair#01~]

Well, I've always found that I can expand at a ludicrously quick pace, and islands mean that a lot of map space can't be colonised thus, my greatest nemesis, the destroyer of the strong, corruption, reaches deadly levels.
Despite that, I LOVE navies, so even in continent maps, I always wind up about 20 Battleships floating around aimlessly with nothing to do...

 

[Khift]

I think that, once I get some time, I'll use the editor to actually make that map I was dreaming of. God that'd be awesome.

I might actually have to use strategy.

 

[Emp.Napoleon]

Islands are easyer, but continants are funner.