I have played some larger maps and barbs can be a pain. Sometimes it helps to add 1-2 ai. If your 15 tiles away from nearest ai that will be an issue. On marathon speed i am guessing the barbs have a longer period of activity. I think part of your issue is your playing such random settings. Most here play normal speed on a standard map size.
Albeit your last game had no such issue. If you are being attacked before 1000bc your unlucky.
Remember the ai needs 2 different attacking units before they go war mode. I assume you can see the red fists when they start planning wars. Are you using bug/bull.
I always play random - I feel it is more challenging. If I pick the conditions (outside which Civ/leader I play as, map size, and map time), I am able to win pretty regularly. If I do Ragnar or Shaka on a standard Pangea, I can pretty reliably win on Emperor. Marathon, Huge, and settings as random is a truer test of skill.
Where do you learn these things - that the AI needs 2 different attacking units? Is this in the Python source code? Is Civ4 written in more langauges than just Python? Because I barely understand Python, lol.
No set formula for that and completely situational. Depends on a lot of factors. Some leaders are obviously more inclined to go to war than others. In some cases you can prevent AI plotting on you simply by using good Diplo practices. Many leaders do not plot at Pleased.
In many cases it simply comes down to RNG if a particular AI plots on you. But it's generally safe to bet that guys like Monty, Nappy, Rags, GK, Alex are going to attack sooner than later if they are close to you.
If you are not familiar with this article, it is a great tool to understanding how leaders are coded. I recommend bookmarking it:
Know Your Enemy
There has to be a set formula - the entire game is a series of formulas, just saying.
Many leaders do not plot at pleased, except I think Catherine, right? I'll check that article out, thanks.
I think it's moot to try to fogbust hundreds of tiles. Just place some 3-6 units well and you'll be ready to deal with the threat much better.
I agree that fogbusting is tougher on bigger maps, which kinda makes it more important to do properly.
I explored my immediate vicinity and fogbusted the area of the core of my empire, and then sent a few warriors to guard the passage into that area. I think that was a pretty good approach.
https://forums.civfanatics.com/threads/king-younks-questions-thread.661080/reply?quote=16145714
I wonder if getting your fog busting right may also be more important on slower speeds. My memory from the bad old days of marathon is that it can be hard to recover if something goes wrong. You can’t quickly chop a warrior when it’s nine turns for a chop or quickly tech archery when it’s fifteen turns away. I may be wrong but perhaps this goes some way to explaining an unhealthy relationship with archery.
Marathon is the way to go. I actually intended to start playing with 18 civs on Huge, but forgot this game. More competitive and all.
Archery is the horsehocky. Someday I will slay you all with it. As Charlemagne.
The most important point here: warriors sitting in cities do nothing, until they are actually needed against unhappy.
In your Uruk pic this guy should move out and secure a city spot you want. Or they can try gaining some xp for promos (like wmII)
I've been gaining xp and GG points. I now have my first, as of this posting, in Prague, so I can build +5 XP military units. I am extremely tempted to research archery now and build about 20 of those bad boys, and focusing the rest of my cities on my economy, or possibly conquering the Aztecs. I am trying to find a balance between the two.
What do you think I should do with that - the most recent post I posted in here before this time?
Huge/Marathon pointer: If you've got copper hooked up, axes are much better barb defenders than archers. Archers may be able to defend your cities proper, but won't be able to prevent barb spearmen and axes from pillaging your land. A few axes will make mincemeat of barb warriors, archers, and spearmen and can get enough experience to reliably kill barb axes as well. (And can get at least 50-50 odds against barbs on flatland moving to pillage. And if you've built a barracks, they'll get a promo out of the box.) They're more expensive than archers, but much more versatile.
I have Axemen and Spearmen on line and conquering the neighboring Aztecs, though I'm not sure if I should go for the kill, or focus on my economy, since it is not doing so well.
Anyway, thanks for all your help so far, guys. I think I may take a break for the evening - if you would review my most recent game as Charlemagne, I think you'll find that I've followed your advice. So far so OK - not good. I mostly need to balance my economy and conquering the Aztecs.
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