Monarch is too easy, Emperor is too hard

[indovinello]

Does anyone else have this problem? When I play on Monarch difficulty I almost always quit before it's over because I'm so far ahead the game isn't interesting anymore. When I play on Emperor it's no fun because either the barbarians eat me for breakfast or I rush to build up to fight them off and by then am hopelessly behind in terms of research. I can win on Emperor -- but only if I stack the deck by, for example, opting for William of Orange and an archipelago map. That seems like cheating to me. Turning the barbarians off also seems like cheating. Has anyone else experienced this dilemma?

 

[PieceOfMind]

I think I can say I'm in a similar boat. I find Monarch usually a bit easy, but at Emperor I fall behind in techs but in the mid to late game is when I'd normally catch up. If you are giving up before then perhaps you should try playing out these games and see if you can win from a start disadvantage?

The way the AIs are given bonuses at the higher difficulties makes them extremely strong at the start, but their bonuses are easier to manage as the game goes on.

For barbs, try building the Great Wall when you can - this wonder is most valuable at Emperor - at lower diffs barbs are cake, and at higher diffs barbs are less common because the AIs expand even faster.

 

[TheMeInTeam]

I think I can say I'm in a similar boat. I find Monarch usually a bit easy, but at Emperor I fall behind in techs but in the mid to late game is when I'd normally catch up. If you are giving up before then perhaps you should try playing out these games and see if you can win from a start disadvantage?

The way the AIs are given bonuses at the higher difficulties makes them extremely strong at the start, but their bonuses are easier to manage as the game goes on.

For barbs, try building the Great Wall when you can - this wonder is most valuable at Emperor - at lower diffs barbs are cake, and at higher diffs barbs are less common because the AIs expand even faster.

It's only sort of true. AIs actually get MORE bonuses as the game goes on. It's just that they use the new options like national wonders and specialization poorly, and the player tends not to do so. The era modifier DOES make the AI get stronger over time though, so the human had best mind it.

 

[PieceOfMind]

It's only sort of true. AIs actually get MORE bonuses as the game goes on. It's just that they use the new options like national wonders and specialization poorly, and the player tends not to do so. The era modifier DOES make the AI get stronger over time though, so the human had best mind it.

Yes well given the AIs get bonus units at the start (worker and a couple archers at emp is it?) this is a huge boost for them at the start, but the bonuses for the rest of the game are fairly constant, though as you said keep being readjusted (renormalized might be a better word).

I definitely find at Monarch though, the starting bonuses are not significant enough for the AIs to actually outpace me from the get go.

Do you have more detail on the era modifier or can you tell me where to look?

 

[smitsk00]

@ indovinello

I definately have had this problem too. My first emperor win was with HC on a pangea map, which is also almost like cheating. After losing many other games, I realized that the one reality of emperor and above is that you will HAVE to play catch up. Hence, I have been making myself play with leaders that start with a disadvantage (like Toku), so that I am forced to focus most of my long term strategy at pulling even with the AI by the industrial era. I still lose a lot (because Toku REALLY SUCKS at teching), but I have gotten much, much better at the early game.

Building the Great Wall does help a lot with the barbs, but it also gets you an early settled great spy, which can help a ton with back filling techs, or with careful tech planning since you will be able to see what most of the AI are researching by the start of the medieval era.

Also, I have started to extremely micromanage where and when I will be able to run specialists early. Cottages take too long to make an impact in the early game.

 

[Fei Kelei]

I don't have this problem yet. Prince is a guaranteed win, but on Monarch I still need a pretty good start because I'm not quite good enough to overcome mediocre land. From this topic it sounds like I'm not moving to Emperor any time soon.

 

[champ82]

I think I almost started a thread with the exact same title as this one a month ago.

I had the same problem. For months...until 2 hours ago.

The following thread, my own intelligence, and some luck helped me win my first Emperor game - I highly recomend it.

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?p=7744402#post7744402

In lieu of this, I find turning off space and culture on Monarch to be challenging. Random personalities with these options can also be challenging as some of the civs that tech well are also super aggressive, and you don't know how to prepare yourself for their personalities, at least not at first. It makes diplomacy much trickier.

If you don't like these options, you can try to play against "broken" combos - Darius of HRE, Boudica (I prefer Lincoln) of Rome, Elizabeth of Korea (she got fission in 1850). Again, doing this on Monarch.

Buy yeah, I can't recommend this thread enough.

Or, try to win as Justinian on Monarch. I really don't want people telling me how good he is, I've tried with him 3 times, IMO he ain't much, though his music is cool and ever since going to Istanbul I've wanted to win as him.

Or you can play me (I've been told I'm slow though.) Also I have barely played multi-player, I might not be a challange. My time zone is Athens.

 

[Cutlass]

I had the same problem for a really long time. And even now I've only won a couple of Emperor games.

 

[ChiefTonfa]

i moved up to emperor a couple months ago and have had a few wins. i admit though the most important part of my emperor strategy is to always build the great wall. i hate barbs so much it really helps them from destroying your improvements and having to build military plus gives u a great spy early on good for spying on your opponents. its not hard to get if u make it your first priority, i usually build it before any settlers, but then its easy to settle. i also go for bronze working so i can chop for it. im scared of playing multi because it would be harder to get i think but i would like to play some multi games though. especially earth 18, thats what i've been playing the most, i got cultural victories with china and france, space race with england, and domination with persia all on emperor and without ever reloading.

 

[LegionSteve]

I found monarch was getting a bit easy but I didn't feel like trying emperor, so I installed the Better BtS AI mod. It has made the game more difficult, and more fun. Though unfortunately also a bit slower from renaissance onwards...