Monarch & above tips

[Chris Withers]

We need a thread focused on how to win at the higher AI levels.

I've found that switching from always winning at DemiGod on Civ3 that it is too easy to win on Noble & Prince in Civ4 so I bumped up to Monarch and am having a rougher time of it. It's too easy to fall into strategy & tactics habits at the lower levels that won't work at the higher levels.

Sorry that I don't have much to start it off with. One thing is I have noticed lots more roaming animals at the higher levels. This makes early exploration with the initial warrior much more risky. If that warrior that you start with dies it really screws you up. So I'm thinking it is better to take more care with this feller so he is sure to be safe to come back and meet up with your first settler. The animals don't seem to win the battle much, not sure why when they are 3's to the warrior 2, but if/when they do win a battle vs. your 1st warrior you are set back big time. You can always do more exploring later with stronger units. If other civs get terrain you have not explored then you can explore it once you want an open border. So I still explore with that warrior, but try to keep on defensive terrain, make a wide berth of any animals I see, and dont go farther than I hope to settle.

 

[Chris Withers]

So what I'm wondering is if there are some specific things one must do different on the higher levels - like in Civ3 where you had to go to ICS, lots of military action, etc. So far it seems to me that in Civ4 there are probably multiple options to victory even at the higher levels, vs having to force a win by lots of early game combat.

 

[AdonisFigure]

Chris,

I have been playing on Monarch, and currently have two different games going, one Arab and one Mongol, and both are default settings, i.e. medium continents 6 AI civs, etc.

I think the absolute key is strong infrastructure. Even with the Mongols, who have a good UU in the Keshik, and are aggressive, you really have to pick your spots. I go to war somewhat infrequently, but with clear intentions. Pick off a city or two from the rival civ, and send Horse Archers to pillage the hell out of the AI land.

Building early scouts to really understand the terrain is a nice bonus. So too is using workers to set up your core 3-4 cities with roads, cottages, farms, and connect resources. I myself like to cut down forrests as early as possible, especially so as to pump out two settlers quickly to stake claim to my land. So I build my capital up to 4-5 population, and then cut and send out new settlers.

I then acquire a city or two via an opportunstic war, preferrably suggested by an ally, and then ride that group of 6-7 cities deep into the game.

Never neglect your military totally. I also frequently refer to the F9 statistics, and see where I rank GNP, military, etc. Military I can be 6-7 for long stretches of game time, but make sure what military you have counts, i.e new units, powerful units, etc. Let the AI keep their armies of archers, as they can't use those for offense. You don't want to fall behind in population or GNP; you won't catch up very well.

I'm a big micro manager, so that helps, and I definitely rush bronze working for forrest cutting, and then cue up Alphabet, which is key; the sooner you can trade techs, the sooner you can catch up to the AI's starting advantage.

When in doubt, by the way, only go after a wonder you are almost sure you can get; I personally love the great library, which I can build in a capital city after being either first or second to research writing, and have marble to cut building costs (scout for marble early on, and don't be afraid to send a city out in the middle of nowhere for it, copper, horses, etc.), which becomes a powerful research tool especially with bureaucracy as government (50+ commerce and production in capital).

Don't get caught up in wonders, though, infrastructure and military are key, as is city growth, like granaries.