My first monarch level win.

[Divaythsarmour]

I'm one of those people who has been struggling at Noble level in BTS for months now. I'm probably making the same mistakes over and over again, somehow expecting different results.

So I was surprised when about a month ago I had my first win on Prince level playing as Boudica, Marathon speed, tiny balanced map. It was a conquest victory at 180 B.C.

So more recently I wanted to try the same thing at Monarch level. My AI opponents ended up being Mansa and Hannibal. I didn't begin my wars until after I completed Stonehenge, the Great Wall and the Oracle.

I foolishly chose Horseback Riding as my free tech. At the time, I thought that the horsemen would help me in my war. But there were elephants in Mansa's capitol, and I should have gone for mathematics or something to get to construction more quickly.

So I took Mansa's capitol, burned two cities but kept two others. Then I immediately re-grouped and went after Hannibal. Eventually I got to construction and was able to build a pretty good army of catapults, elephants and galic warriors.

When I popped great generals, I used them for building armies (specifically a lot of medic promotions). That way I could keep a good offensive stack going.

The teching was very slow, not just for me, but for the AI too. My most advanced unit at the end of the game (1380 A.D.) was macemen. And a funny thing about that, was that my gallic warriors were much more likely to survive attacks against cities then the macemen were. It's true that the gallic warriors had more promotions than the macemen, but I still expected the macemen to do better.

It ended up being a domination victory. Hannibal still had one city left at the end.

I know that the combination of variables, i.e. tiny map, marathon speed, playing an aggressive, charismatic leader like Boudica.. probably doesn't seem like much of an accomplishment to some. To me it represents the first win at Monarch (without having to reload). It gives me a little more confidence.

I would say that my greatest obstacle continues to be a tendency to fail to think ahead. I'm often realizing after the fact that I would have been better off doing this, or not doing that etc.

 

[KMadCandy]

I know that the combination of variables, i.e. tiny map, marathon speed, playing an aggressive, charismatic leader like Boudica.. probably doesn't seem like much of an accomplishment to some. To me it represents the first win at Monarch

pshaw! any first is a major grats

I would say that my greatest obstacle continues to be a tendency to fail to think ahead. I'm often realizing after the fact that I would have been better off doing this, or not doing that etc.

i think we all do that *giggle*. but at least you do see it after the fact, so next time you'll have it in mind

 

[madscientist]

COngrats on the win. The key is that you enjoyed the game.

Boudica is a formidable war-monger and I am not surprized to see well promoted Gallic warrios outperform Macemen. Against cities Gallics are actually 6.6 because of the standard 10% bonus to city attacks. Give them just one extra city raider promotion (III, +30%) and they ar ebetter than a CR II MAceman providing the defender is an archery unit, not a melee which maces get +50% bonus.

Why do you prefer tiny maps? Is it the computer ormore manageable foes. If it's the latter it will help to get better by having multiple foes on different continents (6 on a standard game).

Being an agressive war-monger, it's not a surprise Hannibal and Musa teched slowly.

Good Job

 

[vormuir]

Hey, congratulations. I have won just two games at Monarch (out of maybe twenty attempts) and I'm pretty pleased with them. So, good on you.


Waldo

 

[Divaythsarmour]

Why do you prefer tiny maps? Is it the computer ormore manageable foes. If it's the latter it will help to get better by having multiple foes on different continents (6 on a standard game).

I wanted to go with a tiny map, so that I could destroy the AI opponents more quickly. I figured that it would be easier that way.

I plan on trying other game approaches in Prince and Monarch. Maybe I'll try a small map with Elizabeth or something like that. I've had considerable success with her at Noble.

What I'm noticing (about my play style, game knowledge etc.) is that I need to spend more time thinking about each turn. The larger a map and the more complex a strategy, the more time I need to spend managing everything (i.e. city screens, workers actions, build cues etc.).

I could envision it taking me weeks to complete a game on a standard map - as I also have to juggle a wife, a 4 year old son, a job, a yard, and of course the Red Sox in the world series now.

I've noticed that you really good players do a lot of planning and timing. You'll plan on having this build completed, by the time you get that tech and so on.. And you know how to squeeze the most out of everything.

For me it has often been the case that when something is going really well, it's been by luck, rather than planning. I'm trying to change that. It's really kind of exciting.

 

[KMadCandy]

don't juggle your wife and son! that's dangerous! the yard tho, that might be a good idea. put your back out, hopefully get painkillers so you don't suffer too much, and then you have an excuse to skip the job for a while and play more civ

 

[madscientist]

I wanted to go with a tiny map, so that I could destroy the AI opponents more quickly. I figured that it would be easier that way.

I plan on trying other game approaches in Prince and Monarch. Maybe I'll try a small map with Elizabeth or something like that. I've had considerable success with her at Noble.

What I'm noticing (about my play style, game knowledge etc.) is that I need to spend more time thinking about each turn. The larger a map and the more complex a strategy, the more time I need to spend managing everything (i.e. city screens, workers actions, build cues etc.).

I could envision it taking me weeks to complete a game on a standard map - as I also have to juggle a wife, a 4 year old son, a job, a yard, and of course the Red Sox in the world series now.

I've noticed that you really good players do a lot of planning and timing. You'll plan on having this build completed, by the time you get that tech and so on.. And you know how to squeeze the most out of everything.

For me it has often been the case that when something is going really well, it's been by luck, rather than planning. I'm trying to change that. It's really kind of exciting.

I have a wife, a job, kids, and a house. I'm a Yankee fan in NYC so I have lot's of time on my hands now

Marathon speed, standard size, monarch level. Takes me about 5 days to play a game (sucks when to lose diplomatically 10 turns before your spaceship lands). Maybe 3 hours a day, I am a fairly detailed micro manager. We have 2 computers in the office so I can watch my teenagers on the internet on the 2nd computer while I play BTS.

As far as luck, I generally get my bad luck/terrible start early on. I also play a leader continually until I win. It's not unusual for me to start 5-10 games in a row with someone like Victoria until I get a good start.

 

[madscientist]

don't juggle your wife and son! that's dangerous! the yard tho, that might be a good idea. put your back out, hopefully get painkillers so you don't suffer too much, and then you have an excuse to skip the job for a while and play more civ

I just stopped doing it. ONce the grass was about a foot high the wife agreed perhaps we should get a lawn company.

 

[Divaythsarmour]

I have a wife, a job, kids, and a house. I'm a Yankee fan in NYC so I have lot's of time on my hands now

Marathon speed, standard size, monarch level. Takes me about 5 days to play a game (sucks when to lose diplomatically 10 turns before your spaceship lands). Maybe 3 hours a day, I am a fairly detailed micro manager. We have 2 computers in the office so I can watch my teenagers on the internet on the 2nd computer while I play BTS.

Do you often play marathon speed? I've read so many negative opinions (in these threads), i.e. suggesting that it's a crutch etc. I suppose it's easier. It's just another parameter.

I'm sorry to hear about Joe Tore (sp?). Inspite of the legendary rivalry between the Sox and the Yankees, we can still recognize brilliance. This year, toward the end of the season, you guys were really gaining on us. Given another week and we would have been the wild card.

My wife doesn't understand civilization at all. She watches reallity TV and stuff like that. I manage to play from the time my son goes to bed, about 7:30pm until 10:30 or so. I guess that's about equal to your 3 hours a day. Well, there goes that excuse.

At work I go on to this website. I'll print out threads and strategy articles, and sit and read, while everyone else is talking about last night's TV shows. I think they think I'm a dork. I probably am.

 

[Divaythsarmour]

don't juggle your wife and son! that's dangerous! the yard tho, that might be a good idea. put your back out, hopefully get painkillers so you don't suffer too much, and then you have an excuse to skip the job for a while and play more civ

You're right in that it's through the yardwork that I get to play more civ. But it ends up being a little different from the above scenario.

You see, it's about my wife. Even though I have offered to share the technology with her, she refuses to trade making pancakes to me for my techs of riding the lawn tractor, operating the hedge trimmer, operating the chain saw, using the leaf blower, and snow blowing the driveway.

So usually, when it's time to negotiate for peace, I can get equal time yardwork for equal time at the computer playing civ.

Oh and my back is a disaster. But now days, they send you to the gym for that.

It seems to be a case of specialization. My wife's strengths are clearly in units of food. My strengths are definitely in hammers. I would like to eventually improve our commerce situation. The time period, unfortunately, is the middle ages (wink).

 

[CivCorpse]

Do you often play marathon speed? I've read so many negative opinions (in these threads), i.e. suggesting that it's a crutch etc. I suppose it's easier. It's just another parameter.

Marathon on duel/small/tiny maps is somewhat easier. I play marathon on huge maps. I try to scale the game speed with the map size. If you are winning that fast on your first try on a higher level then you are at the wrong speed for the map. You're not developing a civilization but rather are just seeing how fast you can build swordsman.

 

[madscientist]

I have played marathon speed since I got Civ IV (well, a month after I upgraded the computer) so I relly don't know if it's a crutch or not. I find the shorter speeds (even epic) too short and the eras run by too fast. Seams like I went for rifling way too fast and never really experienced the middle ages. Marathon speed with huge maps are a good balance but I have shifted back to standard maps because BTS choked my computer during the modern era. I now find the standard size maps are more fluid and enjoyable, with alot of different options and more unpredictable. Huge maps almost always ended in space or back-doro diplomatic victories, with domination a "huge" effort.

The biggest jabs against marathon I have read is that the units are double the cost while speed is triple. Also golden ages are double length rather than triple (BTS is much better though). Another is games lasts for days, impossible to complete in one sitting.

SO marathon is a bit easier, but more enjoyable, at least to me.

 

[Belisar]

You see, it's about my wife. Even though I have offered to share the technology with her, she refuses to trade making pancakes to me for my techs of riding the lawn tractor, operating the hedge trimmer, operating the chain saw, using the leaf blower, and snow blowing the driveway.

So usually, when it's time to negotiate for peace, I can get equal time yardwork for equal time at the computer playing civ.

I had to laugh about that paragraph.
Try sharing a religion (RL translation: a shared interest), this works with Izzy and most real girls

 

[Divaythsarmour]

The biggest jabs against marathon I have read is that the units are double the cost while speed is triple. Also golden ages are double length rather than triple (BTS is much better though).

Just to make sure that I understand it:
the speed is the number of years per turn - hence normal speed is 3X years (compared to marathon speed)?
Therefore in regards to unit cost, one would expect units to take 3X turns to build in marathon, than normal? But it's actually 2X?
And similarily, one would expect golden ages to be 3X turn in marathon compared to normal? But it's actually 2X?
It sounds like you would get a really good deal on unit production, but loose on golden ages.

Am I understanding it correctly?

 

[Carabodes]

I had to laugh about that paragraph.
Try sharing a religion (RL translation: a shared interest), this works with Izzy and most real girls

If they share the religion of Civ, he'll never see another pancake (and will have an UU to do the lawn)

 

[Divaythsarmour]

I had to laugh about that paragraph.
Try sharing a religion (RL translation: a shared interest), this works with Izzy and most real girls

That would seem to be a good idea and I actually did try it. But it appears to be taking even more time away from playing Civ. Now I'm the drummer in the praise band, on the board of trustees... More time being spent away from the computer...

But it would seem that the benifits of "organized religion" still out weigh the cost (i.e. 25% decrease in civ play time vs. 25% increase chance of very costly war).

 

[madscientist]

In my household we have evolved to the Free Religion civc, lot's of happiness and meaningful discussions (that 10% boost in research). Running Free Market helps also as the income increases, allowing appeasement in all aspects of the Free relgion (church coffer still nee to be filled). However, regarding the labor civic we still are at the slavery civic and long for emancipation (taking out the trash, painting, cleaning, dishes) although the more the empire grows (teenagers) the less oppresive slavery becomes as the work is distributed more. We have Heritary rule (no, I am not the king, we have a queen), but the Beuaracracy keeps that in line somewhat (See Free MArket).