Losing Cities

[GoFstr]

I apologize if this question has already been asked/answered.

I purchased Civ 4 yesterday (to add to my collection of other ones Civ 1, 2, Call to Power and 3), I played it for about 4 hours (FYI I was hugely disappointed with it ).

I was comfortable winning the game, stronger than everyone else. The issue I had was I lost 4 of my cities to a rival civilization. I don't know how/when it happened I just realised I couldn't build anything in the cities. They didn't attack me, so it wasn't that, the strange thing was is my units were still defending the cities....THEIR cities.

Can anyone explain why this happened?

 

[Noobilator]

Maybe they took it over via culture.

 

[Zack]

The only explanation I can think of is a culture flip.

 

[JonathanStrange]

I lost two cities, lovely ones. And, vaster,
some realms I owned, two rivers, a continent.
I miss them, but it wasn't a disaster.

 

[Matthew5117]

I apologize if this question has already been asked/answered.

I purchased Civ 4 yesterday (to add to my collection of other ones Civ 1, 2, Call to Power and 3), I played it for about 4 hours (FYI I was hugely disappointed with it ).

I was comfortable winning the game, stronger than everyone else. The issue I had was I lost 4 of my cities to a rival civilization. I don't know how/when it happened I just realised I couldn't build anything in the cities. They didn't attack me, so it wasn't that, the strange thing was is my units were still defending the cities....THEIR cities.

Can anyone explain why this happened?

Culture, is the only reason I can think of. But everyone else said that!

Anyways, the reason why I posted this reply is my concern about you being disappointed with the game. Granted I haven't played the past games of the Civ series, but I think 4 hours isn't nearly enough the judge such a complex game like Civ IV. 4 hours is not nearly enough to play a game (except TMIT!), and since in one game, you can only play one way. It only makes sense that you haven't even begun the adventure of exploring the new game! The point is, there are SOOOOO many ways you can play Civ IV.

If your not convinced, read the ALCs, RPCs, KOTWs and all the other game guides (you can search them in the google text-box above), they ramp up your game all the more!

 

[Jamuka]

Culture, as noted above, is the obvious explanation. This would happen if they are boredering older more cultured rival cities. The game would notify you if a city flipped though...

Civ 4, btw, is pretty much entirely better than those games. It has way more strategy and depth than anything previous in the series, which you will see once you understand the game mechanics better. Science/economy and AI programming, in particular, got huge improvements.

 

[sydhe]

Another possibility is you may have gotten that little notice saying that "the people of Gotham City rightfully want to join the Muppet Civilization" and hit Enter too quickly. I've lost cities a number of times that way, and have to load the autosave to say "Hell, No!"

 

[Ramesses]

I lost two cities, lovely ones. And, vaster,
some realms I owned, two rivers, a continent.
I miss them, but it wasn't a disaster.

*snap* *snap* *snap* snap* *snap*

 

[Lemon Merchant]

"the people of Gotham City rightfully want to join the Muppet Civilization"

Ok, ok, I just have to know who the leader, UU, and UB are.

I'm thinking,

Miss Piggy.
Temperamental/Fashionable.
+2 + 2 For Market, Theater
+10 with other leaders
+ 10%

UU
Gonzo's Chicken Cannon
Special Ability: Bombard cities
+ 50% vs Gunpowder units
+ 20% Collateral damage from feather dispersion during bombardment.
Available with the Puppetry tech
Upgrades to: Bunsen Honeydew's City-Shrinking Ray

UB
Perfume Factory
Gives citizens the unique ability to speak "Perfume Bottle French"
+ 2 +3 -1
+4 with any French leader
Requirements: Drama, More Drama, and Dramatic License techs

 

[Zack]

+4 with any French leader

That's great.

 

[BigChiefLizzy]

As others have said culture seems likely, but am surprised you had so much trouble with culture at a low level of difficulty (what difficulty are you playing on btw?, and what expansion pack if any..)

Only other thing I can think of is if the cities were on another landmass - and you accidentally pressed the 'create colony' button in the city screen. This creates a 'vassal' state which while a separate civ, should remain friendly towards you.

 

[Spiceweasel]

Ok, ok, I just have to know who the leader, UU, and UB are.

I'm thinking,

Miss Piggy.
Temperamental/Fashionable.
+2 + 2 For Market, Theater
+10 with other leaders
+ 10%

UU
Gonzo's Chicken Cannon
Special Ability: Bombard cities
+ 50% vs Gunpowder units
+ 20% Collateral damage from feather dispersion during bombardment.
Available with the Puppetry tech
Upgrades to: Bunsen Honeydew's City-Shrinking Ray

UB
Perfume Factory
Gives citizens the unique ability to speak "Perfume Bottle French"
+ 2 +3 -1
+4 with any French leader
Requirements: Drama, More Drama, and Dramatic License techs

Good ideas. But here are some more options:

UU
Boomerang Fish Throwers
8 +100% plains attack
5% chance of civil unrest when stationed in a city with a theater
Requires: Fishing, Physics

UU
War Snuffleupagus
4
Gets no defensive bonus
Invisible to most units
50% withdrawal chance
Requires: Aesthetics

UB
Statler & Waldorf
+1 per 10% on slider