Modifying SP strategy for MP games

[CrazyCanuck87]

I'm a decent (win consistently at monarch, sometimes at emperor) player in single player games looking for advice on modifying my strategy for multiplayer games. I think I understand the basics of the differences between SP and MP strategy, but the results of my attempts at MP games show that I need some help. Here are some specific questions I have, but any other advice is more than welcome.

1. I know that military stength is much more important in SP than in MP, but I need help balancing military builds and civilian builds.
2. In SP, I generally use a CE, but I sometimes try SE for variety and I am reasonably comfortable will both. Is one significantly stronger in MP and if so, why?
3. One of my biggest problems is managing my units in war with simulataneous turns. I am used to being able to respond to my opponents' moves on my turn, but in MP, if an opponent moves a unit near the end of one turn and near the beginning of the next, it's as if he or she got two moves in a row. How can I deal with this and use simultaneous turns to my advantage?
4. Are some units used more in MP than in SP? For example, in SP, I rarely use any archery units or mounted units before cavalry, and I often have huge stacks of macemen. Crossbows crush macemen, but since the AI doesn't build them, I don't worry about them. Is this, or any comparable example, something I should watch out for in MP?

I play vanilla 1.74, if this makes a difference. Also, kindly indicate if your advice pertains mainly to FFA or team games (I welcome advice for both).

Thanks!

 

[DaveMcW]

The biggest difference is that simultaneous games are capped at 120 turns. Sometimes an extreme warmonger strategy can eliminate a rival, but most games are won by the highest scoring player at the time limit.

So you need to farm everything for those precious population points. Once city can be cottaged for better tech.

Keep a wide sentry net, both by land and sea. Your rivals will try to sneak though the fog of war to attack you, so you must clear all the fog.

Expand as fast as you can, most players will be doing the same and not bother to attack you. But send scouts in each direction to make sure they aren't rushing.

 

[Indiansmoke]

The biggest difference is that simultaneous games are capped at 120 turns. Sometimes an extreme warmonger strategy can eliminate a rival, but most games are won by the highest scoring player at the time limit.

So you need to farm everything for those precious population points. Once city can be cottaged for better tech.

Keep a wide sentry net, both by land and sea. Your rivals will try to sneak though the fog of war to attack you, so you must clear all the fog.

Expand as fast as you can, most players will be doing the same and not bother to attack you. But send scouts in each direction to make sure they aren't rushing.

120 turns? Are you reffering to league games?

 

[cv431410]

The differences between SP and MP are huge. The most important difference is that SP is predictable, MP is not.

There are many things AI will simply not do:

(1) Choking;
(2) Attacking with overwhelming force;
(3) "Double-move" via turn;
(4) Hold 75% defense position (forest hill);
(5) Force your defense units attacking his stack by bypassing the front cities;
(6) Holding strategic positions so the two or more of your cities can be attacked simultaneously;
(7) Carry slavery to extreme;
(8) simultaneously N to 1 attack;
(9) Fast moving stack by building road (2 - 3 workers) just in time;
(10) Rushing via double movement unts;

...

To make a long story short, if you missed MP, you have missed half of this game.

 

[AlessioCerci]

To make a long story short, if you missed MP, you have missed half of this game.

Not really, Civ is primarily a SP game. Other games have much better MP

 

[Innawerkz]

Most of my experience comes from Team Games so my advice will have a slant to that, but I am familiar with FFA. I have never played a game like DaveMcW with the Turn maximum at 120.

• I know that military strength is much more important in SP than in MP, but I need help balancing military builds and civilian builds.

I disagree. I've pinned Ai's in their cities using only 2 archers fortified on Forested Hills as they turtle their workers and spam Archers that they never want to sacrifice against me. Effectively stopping their growth for many many turns.

Try doing this on MP and you will be overwhelmed as the human player will whip, chop and overrun you with his Archer stack (taking losses obviously) and maybe even push his now numerical superiority onto you. I have caught more than my share of 'developing' MP players with insufficient military.

• In SP, I generally use a CE, but I sometimes try SE for variety and I am reasonably comfortable will both. Is one significantly stronger in MP and if so, why?

I'd say on Blazing turn timers that the CE is the better option between the two. You simply don't have enough time when the wars start to micro each of your cities. CE allows you to focus on unit movement more. I prioritize food for whipping - not for Specialists.

• One of my biggest problems is managing my units in war with simultaneous turns. I am used to being able to respond to my opponents' moves on my turn, but in MP, if an opponent moves a unit near the end of one turn and near the beginning of the next, it's as if he or she got two moves in a row. How can I deal with this and use simultaneous turns to my advantage?

Just expect it and plan around it. Always be wary for it - especially with Mounted Units or the Zulu. When they boot 4 spaces in seconds you need to have a decent sentry net of scouts/spies/forward units in place to anticipate the attack and have the right counters in place.

As to using the double-move. Turn off Automatic unit selection and have the Minimize Pop-ups option ticked. Otherwise the next turn will whisk you away from the battle front - to order a worker to build a road or something - only to have the opponent move first and decimate your army.

• Are some units used more in MP than in SP? For example, in SP, I rarely use any archery units or mounted units before cavalry, and I often have huge stacks of macemen. Crossbows crush macemen, but since the AI doesn't build them, I don't worry about them. Is this, or any comparable example, something I should watch out for in MP?

On an Ancient Era start, I make it to Macemen about 15% of the games I play. I think I've made it to Knights twice and have never made it to Cuirassiers, let alone Cavalry. Archers I use right from the beginning to rush my opponent and stake claims in highly defensible terrain. I will often use a combination of the two units you DON'T use - archers to scout and pin and a sizable stack of mounted units to pound the weakest position of the enemy. Best in team games.