HooDoo
Warlord
At the request of Dom Pedro II, I am copying and pasting a post I made in Kinboat's "Egyptian Units" thread so that we do not clutter up that thread.
Gentlemen,
I, too, used to worry about how to utilize many of the great "flavor" units that are available to us. As my choices grew, it became increasingly more frustrating for me to try and play each civilization as new units became available for that civilization. A few months ago, I came up with a solution that works, at least for me. I use "minor civs" as resources. I play on a huge map, with sixteen civs. Setting the appearance ratio at 25 for each minor civ resource means that each minor civ will appear only 4 times on the map (I think). I currently have exactly 50 different minor civ resources, ranging from the Tunit in the Tundra to the Kush in the Flood Plain. Each minor civ resource has a specific improvement/small wonder that can be built only if the minor civ resource is within the city radius. The improvement/small wonder produces a unit unique to that specific minor civ resource. The build time varies between 10 and 20 turns. In this way, I can be playing the Iroquois, but I may end up with a military force that contains not only the great native North American units, but also may contain a fighting force consisting of Incan Slingers, Jomon Warriors, Lion Warriors, and Pictish Warriors fighting side by side.
They say that variety is the spice of life, and I can vouch that the variety the minor civ resources bring to my Civ game certainly has "spiced up" my enjoyment in the game. In addition to the various units, some minor civ resources also open up unique pathways in architecture, commerce, religion, etc. I no longer start with specific "culture groups". Every civ starts with basically the same "vanilla" architecture and tech tree. What architectural style, religion, improvements and wonders your civilization develops depends almost entirely on what minor civs you encounter and assimilate.
I'm sure that my mod of the game may make some historical purists blanch, but it is kind of cool to be playing as England and have your dominant religion be Hindu and your dominant architectural style be Meso American, or to play as Persia and have your dominant religion be animist and your dominant architectural style be Far Eastern.
Gentlemen,
I, too, used to worry about how to utilize many of the great "flavor" units that are available to us. As my choices grew, it became increasingly more frustrating for me to try and play each civilization as new units became available for that civilization. A few months ago, I came up with a solution that works, at least for me. I use "minor civs" as resources. I play on a huge map, with sixteen civs. Setting the appearance ratio at 25 for each minor civ resource means that each minor civ will appear only 4 times on the map (I think). I currently have exactly 50 different minor civ resources, ranging from the Tunit in the Tundra to the Kush in the Flood Plain. Each minor civ resource has a specific improvement/small wonder that can be built only if the minor civ resource is within the city radius. The improvement/small wonder produces a unit unique to that specific minor civ resource. The build time varies between 10 and 20 turns. In this way, I can be playing the Iroquois, but I may end up with a military force that contains not only the great native North American units, but also may contain a fighting force consisting of Incan Slingers, Jomon Warriors, Lion Warriors, and Pictish Warriors fighting side by side.
They say that variety is the spice of life, and I can vouch that the variety the minor civ resources bring to my Civ game certainly has "spiced up" my enjoyment in the game. In addition to the various units, some minor civ resources also open up unique pathways in architecture, commerce, religion, etc. I no longer start with specific "culture groups". Every civ starts with basically the same "vanilla" architecture and tech tree. What architectural style, religion, improvements and wonders your civilization develops depends almost entirely on what minor civs you encounter and assimilate.
I'm sure that my mod of the game may make some historical purists blanch, but it is kind of cool to be playing as England and have your dominant religion be Hindu and your dominant architectural style be Meso American, or to play as Persia and have your dominant religion be animist and your dominant architectural style be Far Eastern.
