Leaders

[hi_2k]

Does anyone know an easy way to get great leaders I play on cheiftan dificulty, but i generaly have plenty of wars and mostly use elite units. but in all the time i've played civ 3 (about 10 full games) i have never gotten a GL. does anyone know a good way to get them, or what the % chance is?

 

[Bamspeedy]

I had this problem, too. But I was playing mostly defensive and not using my units very well. Playing a militaristic civ helps (easier promotions, better chances of getting a leader, etc.). Luck also is a big part of it. The game I'm playing now I am the Germans and I have had two leaders from the four short wars I've had so far (1000 A.D.). I build barracks, so all units start at Veteren, then I'll mass troops against one enemy and attack. After you get some of them promoted to elite (I prefer the faster units, since they can retreat, and live to fight another day, helpful for keeping those units elite). Then comes the strategic planning of using them properly. If the city I'm attacking has a very good defender, I'll send the veteren units to weaken them (and also absorb the catapult attacks, so the elite don't) , then I send the elite to finish them off. I always send the elite against injured units and/or units that are in poorly defended areas, because this is a guaranteed victory most of the time (look out for that tank killing spearman, though ). Send all injured elite units back to cities to recover full strength before going back to the warfront to have another shot at getting that leader.

This isn't a perfect strategy or gauranteed but it seems to help the odds a little bit. And of course you have the problems of elites not killing an injured unit, but yet a veteran could have taken out a fully healed unit, etc.

 

[God]

Well i usually get a leader after i have quite a few elites.
Also i often manage to capture them from other civs.

 

[Grey Fox]

I've gotten more leaders on harder difficulties.

hi_2k:

- A little tip, don't play chieftain for too long. You won't get any better. Jump to Warlord or Regent for yor next game. It will help you "Evolve" your "skill level".

 

[infanta]

unless you got a militarisitic civ and go to war nearly constantly you got no chance really of spawning leaders

leaders are basically for war mongers, just the same as the militaristic civs are geared to them to

as war mongers gear production towards units they got little chance at producing wonders

capturing enemy cities and leaders the only real options for them to get wonders (to be honest leaders are best for making armies prior to the military academy as it allows you to maintian a warlike state)

 

[History_Buff]

I thouhgt you couldn't capture leaders. I've had them taken by the AI's and they die.

 

[Hurricane]

Leaders can´t be captured.

 

[Ripley]

You can't capture them, but you can most certainly kill them. Make sure you protect yours.

I've never had more then three in a game. I always assumed it was due to playing mostly at lower levels, up to and including regent.

 

[BillChin]

I second the suggestion to move up to Regent. There is a ton of information on how to play a decent game at that level and higher. It may be frustrating the first time or two, but with some tips in hand, it is more fun and more rewarding.

As for leaders, I average two or three a game (standard size map, emperor difficulty), and it seems pretty consistent. Save your elite units for attacking damaged enemies. Send in vetarans against fresh defenders to soften them up. When near the enemy, always travel in pairs to give your units a better chance against counter attacks. If you have an injured elite unit send them back to heal up to full strength before continuing. These suggestions will greatly increase the odds. The chance is 1/16 when an elite wins a battle. By preserving your elites, and only using them when they are almost sure to win, you get more chances.

One other quirk that I observed is that a great leader seems much more likely when capturing the original enemy capital. So I save an elite for taking out the last damaged defender. I do not know if there is any reality to this observation, but it has happened so many times, that I am superstitious about it.

Great leaders can also emerge from defense, so put elite defensive units in a place where they will get attacked and have a high chance of winning.

As to what to use a leader for, here is my list:
Forbidden Palace
Sistine Chapel or J. S. Bach
Build an Army
Universal Suffrage or Hoover Dam
United Nations

 

[eyrei]

I actually got 5 leaders in my current game as the Germans. Being militaristic helps a lot. Also, if you use your first leader to build an army that wins a battle, you can build the heroic Epic, which further increases your chances. I find the weakest civ on my continent that does not directly border me. I then pick a fight, make right of passage agreements with everyone else on the island (to keep them from entering an alliance against me), and then refuse to ever sign a peace treaty. As long as you didn't actually declare war, war weariness will not hurt to badly unless you use democracy. Every few turns an enemy unit will appear that you can kill with your elites. Eventually, you will get a leader.