no replies so far... let me clarify my issues.
Ive played two games now. the first one was a disaster with no real strategy. The second I tried the one city NC but lost by around turn 85. I had similar tech, but was overtaken by a large Perisan empire east of me.
Is it better to use the 1 city NC rush or 2 city NC rush (or 3)? or shoud someone new like me stick to a ICS stategy? also, are archers and catapults completely worthless ealry on?
or any other suggestions are welcome, for example early techs besides writing and IW, and wonders like stonehenge. the first game, i think 4 out of five players were trying to rush stonehenge...
thanks
You are right about wonders. Many tries early ones and failed to get them(making people rage quit as well...
). But they are not necessary. Focus on expansion early while going for IW with a little detour to an extra luxury tech if you don't have happy mines around. You can do 3 cities Tradition with a focus on enlarging capital faster or a 4 cities Liberty with a more production focused civ.
Build warriors meanwhile and upgrade to sowrds when you sit or work iron with your last city. If no iron, build some spearmen and beeline to civil service. Place your cities tight enough with some hills and forests in front to manage a good defensive wall with parked units fortified(but let them fortified with the F button instead). Fully fortified warrior in a forest can resist to a swordman.
But if you see that you are ahead in soldiers or see that a neighbor has built a wonder, you can always attack him ASAP since you know he just invested hammers in other things than military.
NC need to be build somewhere before turn 70. The 4 cities Liberty is from my experience a very strong path. I can usually get 4-6 sowrdmen before turn 45 with the possibility to build NC before turn 65. Coupled with the Piety branch, some early golden ages are always welcome with large enough empire. Oligarchy is good but not necessary when you know what you are doing. Piety offers golden ages, which i think is the most powerful tool around(build wonders under GAs, they offers over 40% more production after all, and for EVERYTHING). I usually manage to get 3 golden ages before turn 100, making production high enough to build enough military stuff, buildings and a shitload of gold.
If you feel you are going to resist very well to a neighbor with swords only, a beeline to education before steel can be devastating for opponents later on. Buy a university in cap while building Porcelaine Tower in a golden age, and feel the beakers fly away. If you can generate over 100 beakers before turn 100, you are going to steamroll your opponents in the long run with rifles and infantry some turns later.
Check my ''The Mighty Darius'' thread for some examples of this strategy.
