Maps and civics

[ahmedhadzi]

I usually play Terra map, because it looks to me as the most realistic. All the nations on one big continent starting together race to colonize New Land. It strikes me as little bit unrealistic to have nations all around the globe having accsess to the same tech tree. So I decided to try some different maps, and played Hemisphere last nite which brought some really interesting strategies and tactics (I never built such big navy) and I have to admit it has some charm to it.

My question would be what map type are you playing the most and also what is the choice of civics that you stick to most of the game and how often do you change it. Also I think some of them really make difference on different map types (economics and religion in particular) beacuse you cant accsess your empire that easy. I was spread on 4 big islands. So any thoughts how this affects the game and if there is some connection to this?

As usual thanks in advance...

 

[Charonicus]

The map rarely influences my civics, although obviously mercantilism becomes more useful than free market if you're isolated. I tend to stick with HR until Representation becomes worth it. Slavery until Caste System. OR until Free Religion. Beareucracy (sp?) as long as possible. And put off emancipation until it's a necessity.

As for maps, I'm trying them all out. I'm currently on a Great Plains map, which is a weird one. No world wrap is a change and a lot of 1 food flat land around. I'm wiping out Portugal so I can get their hills.
Pangaea I like, becuase I hate naval warfare.
And I recently got a kicking on a fantasy realms map with resource allocation set to "crazy". It really was crazy. I had gunpowder by the time a mined hill finally struck iron. Wars being fought with longbows for a long long time. And Ragnar kept joining in every war I was in and vassalizing my enemies at the last minute. Damn his eyes! I play with vassals off now because they've annoyed me enough.
Least favourite maps are those with islands and muchos water.

 

[Lemon Merchant]

I've tried a bunch and I like the fractal maps a lot. The hemispheres or shuffle ones are good too. I like to noodle around with a navy once in a while. There's a map script called "Perfect World" that I got from the dowloads section that's really nice. It has lots of choices for configuration and usually makes a pretty nice map (sometimes really tough, too).
My civics usually are similar, but I find changing maps really lets you try out new strategies.

 

[SheaD]

I find Old Word to be a bit like cheating. You know that you should set out to colonise the old world and how important it is, the AI don't however. Its an unfair advantage.
I like watery maps cuz I like to play as the Dutch and Portuguese and I enjoy colonising a lot and building up big empires with biig trade income.

 

[ahmedhadzi]

I find Old Word to be a bit like cheating. You know that you should set out to colonise the old world and how important it is, the AI don't however. Its an unfair advantage.
I like watery maps cuz I like to play as the Dutch and Portuguese and I enjoy colonising a lot and building up big empires with biig trade income.

Well I have admit that you have good point there, I mean they are usually there first, but don't expand that much, by the time I get there they have like one or two cities but then...

I've tried a bunch and I like the fractal maps a lot. The hemispheres or shuffle ones are good too. I like to noodle around with a navy once in a while. There's a map script called "Perfect World" that I got from the dowloads section that's really nice. It has lots of choices for configuration and usually makes a pretty nice map (sometimes really tough, too).
My civics usually are similar, but I find changing maps really lets you try out new strategies.

Yeah just trying out hemispheres, I think i was playing same maps for so long (Terra and Continents mainly). So I think that because of the isolation and fast paced colonization of different land masses some civics that I would never use or use very rarely, become more important, for example Hereditary Rule (which I use sometimes, but not that much if I have the mids = representation), or maybe even serfdom, when you need your new land up and running in short time. That's why I'm interested in combos of civics.

 

[Emiliano]

I like Fractal and pangeas very much... AI KNOWS how to play

 

[ahmedhadzi]

I like Fractal and pangeas very much... AI KNOWS how to play

Does this mean that you think that AI plays better on land then if there is a lot of sea/ocean?

 

[Ericino]

I usually play on Continents or Custom Continents because I like to have lots of room
As for civs.... i like SP, SP, SP and SP!!!!
Seriously it's almost always Universal Suffrage, Free Speech, Emancipation, State Property (yay!) and Free Religion. I don't like Environmentalism because it costs too much money. Pacifism can be nice but not if you see war coming. I don't see the point in Mercantilism because it's a matter of a few turn before you can get to Ecomonics and take up Free Market.

 

[Jewman]

try big and small temperature low sea level normal islands.
omg its beautiful
usually one randomly (and realisticly) shaped continent with a subcontinent with a civ on it and another random (or 2) other sub continents and islands randomly places.
great for all types of diff play.
always something new.

 

[macmert]

I used to play old world once or twice, and it is not that fun, beeline astronomy, load galleons with loads and loads of units, workers and settlers, colonize the entire continent...

I usually use big and small (BtS) or shuffle to spice up the game... I dont like water much but it is fun once in a while to spam galleons and destroyers

As for the civics, I used to choose every civic the bottom one (I used to think that the bottom ones on the list were best... Yea I call myself a civ player lol) but I learned to change my civics adopting my strategy... wartime, vassalage and the religion civic that gives +2 xp per unit... free market all the time... enviromentalism all the time hereditary rule most of the time, for peacekeeping in cities, also slavery early in the game to be able to whip...

 

[colony]

I normally play Hemispheres, Ice Age, or Archipelago. It's been a long time since I played a Pangaea map. Before BtS I basically just played Continents or Fractal, but I really like the Hemispheres map script now. My civics vary depending on the game, and particularly if I'm spiritual I'll make far more use of Nationhood and Caste System than if I'm not. I probably stay in Bureaucracy longer than I should a lot of the time though. The economy civics I use most are FM and SP, which one I use depends a lot on the map and how much the extra trade routes give me compared to the distance maintenance savings, as well as if I'm planning on using any corporations.

 

[ahmedhadzi]

I don't think that I ever used State Property or Enviromentalism, I just don't see the point in those

 

[bestbrian]

I don't think that I ever used State Property or Enviromentalism, I just don't see the point in those

Large, sprawling empires on huge maps were made for State Property. I once had Shaka on a Huge Great Plains map with 18 Civs and the only victory conditions were Domination and Conquest (had to practice my warring). Got a Domination victory with over 90 cities - State Property was my friend. That map also lends itself to Envrionmentalism as you really don't have the added health from Forests and Fresh Water, and added health ends up being a very precious commodity.

Currently playing a Tectonics map as Hannibal, and it's a great map. Started off with lot's of room to expand and got about 13 cities founded (about 10 coastal with GL and FIN; awesome). I was thinking I might've had a chance for a Space win (last time I played Hannibal I got my only Culture win - go figure). Anyway my neighbors were Ragnar and his vassal Napolean, and crazy Uncle Rags Dows me at Pleased 2 turns before Rifles come in (oops). This has turned into a HUGE world war that has all 18 Civs going at each other like cats in a bag. Ton of fun, and I'm loving the supercharged promotions that come with CHA. Looks like I'm going to be going with State Prop again, though.

 

[macmert]

Envirmentalism is a life saver cause after some time I just cant find enough resources to get health bonuses... Even the hammam cant save me