My First Deity Game

[d_profesor]

I played my first deity game last night.. Here's the problem.

I cant race with AI in technology research, What should I do, In lower level, i always beat them.. I always set research at 80-100 % in the early game. Can it still work ?

What are the important things i have to do in the early game? (deity)

Help me please..

 

[Aceman101]

Well, I'm not the one to talk because I have never played a deity game before. But make sure your cities are producing lots of commerce. By switching goverments to republic or democracy cities produce more commerce. And build lot's of roads. You may have already known this but this is the best advice I can give you. Someone with more experience than me should answer this question.

And Welcome to the forums d_profesor!

 

[MAS]

You can outresearch the AI.

You just have to make sure you make enough beakers per turn. On Deity, the AI has a 40% advantage over you, so you will have to make 40% more beakers per turn than on Regent to be equal.

I assume you already know about commerce and roads, thus the only thing you could do to get more, is to get more land, and get more specialist farms.

If you are trying to beat a single Deity AI, you'll need to have an empire that is about 40% bigger than that of the AI to be equal.
To get this big, your only option is to expand, and the only way to expand after a very short time, is to expand with military force. So you'll have to be aggressive and conquer lots of land.

I hope you also know that the best research path is up, the AI will always first clear the cheaper tech before moving further in the tech tree, so you can ignore those tech and research deeper in the tree, then get a monopoly on a tech, and trade it to the AI for all their tech, that you missed.

 

[AutomatedTeller]

It's extremely difficult to keep up with a deity AI in tech at the start of the game. Deity AI's need fewer beakers to research a tech than you do, and they start with 2 settlers, and pop out more faster.

It's pretty disorienting to be so far behind - it gets worse. Maybe you build up 20 or 30 gold, to create an embassy - it's likely to get demanded from a nearby AI.

Of course, the AI gets out of despotism faster than you do, which just makes it worse.

That said.... you can overcome that. Find out what techs the AI won't generally research first and get those - writing, literature, math, currency - and use those in trade. Buy techs like horseback riding after everyone else has researched them and the cost is lower. Trade for techs that a couple of AI don't have, so you can use it for techs they have that you don't.

Keep growing, as fast as you can.

Pointy stick research - war on the nearest neighbor, take a few towns and beat up a bunch of their units and make peace for techs. Do the same for the next AI over.

Another strategy is to be scientific and not have other scientific civs. Your free tech will help you and the cheaper libraries will help a lot.

 

[Tone]

Another factor not already mentioned is the AI-AI trade rate, which means that AIs can pick up other techs for peanuts. This is one resaon why your choice of map can be critical. If you play continents, redress the balance by getting those contacts from the other landmass asap with suicide galleys. Playing 'pelago maps is even easier at the start as the AI has limited contacts, enabling you to research deep into the tech tree whilst they are researching the techs that others know. (Getting the Rep slingshot on this type of map is still pretty staightforward.)

I often find in the early game that I concentrate more on expansion than research and often switch research off at certain times. The trick is to research when there is a tech that the AIs are not so keen on and save cash when they will be researching all tech options. get those contacts and buying techs can be much cheaper than researching-particularly if you can find a backward buddy that you can then trade your new purchases with.

Be aware that players frequently find the Middle Ages a difficult time and it can often be a case of hanging on in there until the IA. If you are still within touch by then, the AIs obsession with Nationalism, Fascism and Communism can enable you to pick up ToE. Also rails can enable you to manouvre your smaller army to much greater effect. If you can do this the the game is yours.

The AIs main weaknesses are (as usual) their poor worker management and their inability to use the lux slider. Build your early cities close to each other to limit corruption, give into demands and keep your core working to maximum effect. Also be more prepared to use specialist farms.

Finally, as the other guys have already said, be more prepared to have limited early wars. Hit them hard and fast so that they are ready to talk pretty soon after you declare. If you don't use arty, seriously consider using them now. (yes, even cats!) Your win/loss ratio must be improved at this level to counter the building bonus they enjoy.

At first choose a map style that you are comfortable with a civ you prefer. Maybe even reject the less favourable starting positions until you gain more experience. Just remember that the AI is just as stupid at this level. They may have more units but they still don't know how to use them.

 

[d_profesor]

Thank for your answers... I really appreciate it, really. The Truth, My Brother (He is a fanatics too) challenged me to play a deity game. We both never win a deity game before. I must confess that he is a quite advance player than me. So that I need to learn from you.. Thanks God i found this site a few days ago. Indirectly, I think he chalenged you too , cozz he said that it nonsense to win a deity game with this criteria : C3C, Huge Map, Archipelago (Landmass bigger than water), 16 Player, Victory Condition : Cultural Domination and Conquest. He never believe someone can wins in this such kind of civ game Cozz He unable to do that . or Is he right ?? I said him, It must be there is a way, someone has done it outside. He laugh at me, and say No Way! Ok here I am, in a competition race to win. I am Julius Cesar of Rome going to prove it ..(btw He keeps playing too in his PC as Osman of Ottoman ) and The Journey of Cesar has just begun...

Let see my game, Sory I dont have its picture right now, but I'll post it later. I'm at 300 AD right now, with many cities in my control. Here's my journey from 4000 BB to 300 AD :

I was located at a pretty good area. There are three resources Cattle, Wheat, Whale.. but those resources are in the Plains and I dont have access to fresh water so the terrain can't be irigated.. but i though this area is good enough became my Settler Factory. not ideal but good. Settler can be produced every 5 turn, then rome is built, at 3950 BC. Ok Now.. I need Granary, so I researched Pottery at maximum as i can do. ( I knew it from an article from this site.)

I told warrior to uncover the land, built Curragh to explore the sea. I found I was alone in a island but this island was very bad except my capital location of course. Plains with river but no bonus resources and grassland with mountains and no river. Theres no luxury resources at all. In other hand, My Curragh found other nearby Civilization across my island. Small Island fully with Dyes... They are Korean. Thats not fair, I have to keep my people happy and Where is those luxuries?? Lucky me, My Capital can produce settler qucikly, I kept going, expand, expand until one day I realized that I need those Dyes, and technologically, Wang Kon Step ahead me I hate him for that fact.. Hmm.. Legionary.. I'll send them, 20 may be. War was the only choice and I prepared it. This was my plan: 15-20 Legions, 5 Galleys to transport my army. To do that, I must have Iron Working and Map Making. Firstly, I planed to trade or buy for getting those technologies. But To save my plan, I still researched it by my self . For sure, I built warrior, soon after i found iron working i'll upgrade it to Legionary. ( read from an article in this site )

Ok for now let be a friend , i trade some cheap technology with Wang Kon, then continue exploring the sea. Later, I found six other Civilization. Nobody wanted to trade technology with me. Cozz I had nothing for being traded anymore.. and Writing, Map Making aren't cheap.

For that reason, I had to wait for executing My Plan. Strike the korean. and building warrior was useless and wasting cozz i had time to create Legionary while I was waiting for Map Making. Meanwhile, I had no cash for uprade them .
At the early AD, My Invasion to Korea begun. I sent 20 Legionary first and kept build them in Barracked City supporting my war. At the end, 300 AD, I can control Koreans Island. I captured 7 korean city (Whole korean city at this island). it was a fast strike.. Wang Kon demanded a peace.. but he didnt have anything to offer..Poor me.. I wish that he had technolgy, but he hadnt..

during the war, I still contacted ohter Civ, buy some cheap techs. But I still a backward compare to them especially from Greece. Its scared me.

So.. Can I Still CONTINUE this game ? What should I do? It is 300 AD, I have much cash from golde age, no Civ Wonder, A lot of city but small, the bigger is 7, and I'm BACKWARD, I have one leader, There is Greece accross of My Ex-Korean Island, Can Legionary of Rome beat Hopilite ? Hopilite has 3 defense point. its scary. Isn't it? Legionary just has the same attack point, 3. But if i can hit the greece, i think, Technologicaly, It would be a benefit . I still in despotism government . There are about 8 other Civ that i still didnt know.. Can i CONTINUE or Just create a new game ????


Thanks...

 

[AutomatedTeller]

you can continue - you were able to take out a deity AI!

Legionarie is as good vs hoplite as archer vs. spear - in fact, the legionaries is still effective against pikes. And the nice thing is that when you land, they are good against counterattacks.

What I would suggest is:

Pick the civ that you can get to that is on an island with multiple other civs.
Make an army from your leader, but don't load it up with anything yet.
Declare war on greece (or whoever) and make an military alliance with someone else on their island.
Drop your stack in the mountains or hills - load the army with legions - move the stack to a nearby port city and take it. You'll need a lot of legions.

 

[RFHolloway]

Judging by the Hall of fame on this site this will be quite tricky - there are relatively few submissions. The one that is there used the Ottomans, which seems to be a favourite for high level games.

 

[AutomatedTeller]

oh, don't go by the hall in this - large maps and higher levels are much less populated on the hall, because they take a long time.

It's definitely an accomplishment to beat a deity opponent - I'm not trying to discount the difficulty, but it does look like he is on his way and perhaps not as far behind as he thinks.

Ottoman is popular because the UU is dominant late in the game and cause industrious and scientific are both powerful on deity. Rome is a little harder, but commercial is good and militaristic is ok on an arch map (cheap harbors are very useful), and he's past the expansion phase.

Post some screenies and you can get some advice.

 

[civverguy]

I'm not sure if anyone said this, but I started playing an emperor game to see how fast I would lose. I was really backwards but when I built the Great Library, I caught up to the AI. I put my research on 0% when I got the Great Library and was able to lead the AI in tech in the middle ages. So the advice is to build the Great Library.

 

[AutomatedTeller]

The problem is that building the GLib can be tricky on deity - the AI researches very fast and will demand literature from you if you get it first.

You very much need to use a prebuild

 

[d_profesor]

Ok, these are some screenies,

Advice please...

 

[AutomatedTeller]

A few things:

You have cities creating wealth in your GA. Stop that. Have them make legionairies, libraries, aqueducts, harbors, barracks... not wealth.

You have cities making spears. Stop making spears. With legions, you don't need nor want spears - legions are better defenders.

You don't seem to have enough workers - I only see 3 in your core, with a lot of unimproved land.

I might make a granary in rome and irrigate that cow and set rome and the other two cities with cows to be worker/settler factories for awhile - you can use more cities, more improvements, more workers...

can you buy monarchy? it would be useful - if you can't, you might want to think about researching republic - it might be a useful tech to trade.

 

[d_profesor]

I can buy monarch. Rome already has granary. Yes that cow mus be irigated.

What about war with greece? can i star it ? when ?

 

[Aceman101]

What color is Greece?
I am unsure of where Greece is located. I would first start off wiping out the civ's that are on your continent. Judging by your cities, your gold and your miltary it looks like you are going pretty good.

 

[d_profesor]

What color is Greece?
I am unsure of where Greece is located. I would first start off wiping out the civ's that are on your continent. Judging by your cities, your gold and your miltary it looks like you are going pretty good.

I am alone in a islands. (1st screen), I captured 7 korean cities in other island (2nd screen), Theres Thessalonica ( greece) across the sea. i need many galley to transported legonary there..

Yes, but i need to hit the greece, quickly. They are technologically advance than me. If they invented "Knight", i think.. My legionary would be useless..

 

[Aceman101]

You should get a territory map of them and see how big their empire is.

 

[d_profesor]

A few things:
can you buy monarchy? it would be useful - if you can't, you might want to think about researching republic - it might be a useful tech to trade.

Yes, the golden age will be end a few turn. Greece sell monarch for 48gold/turn, Silk and whole cash i have. Its mean that when golden age ended, i cant afford the revolt. Thats the problem.

 

[Aceman101]

And also, you can increase the luxury slider to make your citizens happy.

 

[d_profesor]

You should get a territory map of them and see how big their empire is.

We unable to trade a map yet..

i think they are pretty happy... i need money for supporting the army