Least Flexible Leader

[Scaphism]

To add to that, the Keshik, while not a bad unit, is not as strong as the samurai.

The unit they are based off of has a lot to do with that. We all know how to get the most out of Macemen, but Horse Archers are less of a sure thing.
So when each of them starts to "hit their stride", Tokugawa's hits harder.
I have trouble saying that really makes him "more flexible" but I think it gives him a better chance to fight out of a bad hole.

 

[futurehermit]

The warmongering traits are the least flexible because they suggest a certain style of play.

However, having an easier time of the wars of expansion is nothing to sneeze at. Most games need that in one way or another. The problem comes in that after wars of expansion, guys like Toku, Genghis, girls like Boudica, really suggest that you keep warring or else if you settle in for peaceful victories they don't really have much if anything to offer. Even Toku's UB suggests military production when taken together with the rest of what he has to offer.

Saladin though is also a guy that just seems unidimensional.

Basically, I agree with what's been said so far.

 

[TRJS]

I find Cyrus hard to play. Can't seem to make most of his UU despite a couple of attemps.

 

[futurehermit]

Charismatic and Imperialistic isn't a super-flexible combination but it has some nice synergy. Settle your GGs in your HE city and after awhile you'll be producing some pretty amazing troops. Of course this largely means military victory, which is not always ideal depending on the map/terrain/neighbours/etc.

 

[Gliese 581]

At least Saladin has one of the most flexible traits from midgame and on in spiritual. He can switch between peace and wartime civics wo penalty and can use it for diplomacy as well.
I agree with Genghis being the most inflexible.

 

[CivCorpse]

Cyrus with Charismatic and Imperialistic needs wars to shine, although I suppose hes better off than Genghis or Toku.

Ummmm, in all my "boudica fantasies" she is very very flexible

 

[CivCorpse]

Joao of the Portugese, late UB and a non-miltary UU. It can carry units for overseas wars without fear of retaliation, but by the time you have optics you will need like 20-30 Carracks to transport enough troops for a decent invasion. Not a great techer either. I find the fetoria pretty crummy when all the AI are running mercantilism. To use a spy to get them to change is tedious and you have to be in merc yourself to do it. Expansionist is a nice trait late game when health is an issue, but still a lower tier trait. With imp/exp he can rex quickly but lacks the early financial traits org/fin to support the rex. I only like playing him on terra maps wand belinging to optics to send a few troops to the new world to start taking barb cities. Liberating them as i go for a super vassal. Though terra maps are a warmongers paradise with everyone crammed on one continent. You can easily be a major force by the time optics roll about if you waged war early and often.
I think he is my least favorite leader of them all.

 

[Antilogic]

Half price Castles (clutching at straws)?

I think this is evident, given that you are reaching to castles, that Tokugawa is a strong competitor for the least flexible.

Any economic trait, I would say, leads to flexibility in selecting your victory conditions, while warmonger traits are more narrow in focus. The greatest flexibility is with a combination of the two, and I'd say the narrowest focus is on two warmonger traits.

Two warmonger traits with a late UB would probably be the recipe for least flexible. Tokugawa definitely fits these criteria.

 

[duende29]

I just hate Joao for being Joao. Like I hate Peter for being Peter. Off with thier heads.

 

[CivCorpse]

To add to that, the Keshik, while not a bad unit, is not as strong as the samurai.

The unit they are based off of has a lot to do with that. We all know how to get the most out of Macemen, but Horse Archers are less of a sure thing.
So when each of them starts to "hit their stride", Tokugawa's hits harder.
I have trouble saying that really makes him "more flexible" but I think it gives him a better chance to fight out of a bad hole.

You need to be sure to have put Toko in his place (your vassal) before gunpowder. The only thing keeping him from being more of a threat is his poor starting techs (especially if he has a landlocked start and his very late UB. If i have him as an AI opponent, i tech machinery before CS so i can have a few crossbows waiting for his samurai. Or beeline knights. I play a lot of marathon speed so his musketmen are in play for much longer. Luckily the Ai rarely uses them offensively. If you end up in a war in the time between gunpowder and steel, you can pretty much just turtle up and try and kill his stacks in the open field. Taking his cities is just too darned expensive. You need massive stacks of seige units to deal with the cheap walls/castles and then you have those mean ole CG3/drill1/combat1 muskets defending.
I love playing as him though, once i dig my way out of the tech basement.
Prior to gunpowder, Sitting bull and Charlie are the toughest civs to invade. Sitting bull in the early stages and charlie in the later part of the early game.

And how did I wander so far off topic.

I say HC is the least flexible leader. (i don't believe this but I want to tweak Mad's nose)

 

[Crazy Civ]

Tokugawa gets easily annoyed, doesn't like his neighbours, and leans towards being a domination type. However, he can be successful in some games.
If you play as him, you usually end up locked in war ... and winning! However, it's bad for people who enjoy Cultural/Diplomatic victories.

AI Isabella is the type who will get angry with you very easily, but in some games she can also be successful.
If you play as her she can actually be quite decent though ...

Saladin has poor goals and is too religion-based. You can easily conquer him if he's AI (I never conquered him myself, but he is an easy target).
If you play as him, he's just not strong enough! He's rather slow at researching techs too ...

The least flexible? Probably Saladin or Tokugawa.

 

[Julian Delphiki]

You're talking about how AI plays those leaders.

 

[duende29]

Consensus? Toku and GK, who can only thrive in the heat of the battle?

 

[CivCorpse]

Least flexible leadrs would be DaveMcW and Obsolete....just ask Obsolete to build a cottage or Dave not to and you'll see what i mean.

 

[The Rook]

Least flexible leadrs would be DaveMcW and Obsolete....just ask Obsolete to build a cottage or Dave not to and you'll see what i mean.

LOL!
..................

 

[futurehermit]

funny, funny, funny

 

[Florian]

War war war is an option too.

You forgot the "War war eggs bacon and war" option.

 

[King of Town]

I can't play Isabella, which is a shame because I really like that iberian penninsula. They need another leader. But her UU is okay, and her UB is maybe the worst. Saladin is decent, just fight religious wars and collect shrine income. You can tech just fine with that. I don't like Joao either which is a shame. Joao gets my vote he doesn't seem to get any kind of use except rexing.

 

[kakitadairu]

Joao and Mao are both awesome. They and Hauyna have the fastest starts in the game.

Joao gets a discount on his settlers AND workers, and starts with Mining. He is the fastest Axe rush in the game, and then he backs it up with tons of Great Generals.

Mao combines the cheap Granneries and Workers from Expansive with China's best starting techs in the game only civ that starts with both Agriculture and Mining. He is at least twice as strong as Qin, and Qin is no General Tso's chicken. On higher AI levels he is even more overpowering since the AIs automatically get Hunting and Archery as well.

I'd probably go with one of the Protective leaders as least flexible, Sitting Bull and Toku come to mind. You don't have too many options with Protective since you need to beeline to Feudalism/ Rifling ASAP. The leader that's Protective Organized, is it Hannurabbi or Charlemagne? would be there as well.

Cheers,

Dai

 

[AlessioCerci]

Least flexible leadrs would be DaveMcW and Obsolete....just ask Obsolete to build a cottage or Dave not to and you'll see what i mean.

Acidsatyr.
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Surely Julius Caesar is the least flexible leader. When you start a game as him you HAVE to attack, attack, attack with praetorians. (Well you dont have to but whats the point of being Rome then?)

Watch ppl disagree with me....