Newbie Questions: Ask here and get answers!

[Hygro]

About cruise missiles on multiple continents.

1st, I love it that you use the missiles, as most people seem not to and they are really cool.

Here's the deal, using a units FULL MOVEMENT for that turn, they can board offshore ships. So if they are on a land tile, next to a water tile, they can move onto that water tile, if there is a transport to hold them. So while cruise missiles cant load onto a transport, they can walk onto one. Also, cruise missiles are not able to be airlifted i dont think.

 

[mad-bax]

Newbie question.

I am playing my fourth game of Civ3 ever. I am about to "take" the Germans who have a tech lead.

When I capture their last City, will I get the tech advances that they have and I don't?

The reason I ask is that I will have to take on the Zulus immediately and Berlin has two armies stationed in and around it. If I get the techs then it will be worth the losses (maybe), but if I don't then I will take on the Zulus first.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Lt. 'Killer' M.]

mad-bax: no you will not get any technologies.

 

[mad-bax]

Lt. 'Killer' M. : Thanks for the immediate reply.
You confirmed my suspicions. Pity though....

Sorry, but I just can't let this go. In real life would anyone else expect that a conquerer would capture at least some of the research and development undertaken by the victim?

Last comment probably not appropriate for this thread. My apologies to the moderator.

 

[Lt. 'Killer' M.]

In real life, would some barbarian horde that plunders a faraway villae be able to carry of 5% of your state treasury - 25 times in a row?


Civ3 is not about real life - the no-tech-learning (as opposed to Civ2) is in there for a good reason! Can you imagine puting all the time and money into research only to have a tiny city run over and the other guy now knows how to build nukes?

And another thing: if there is a high chance of aquirirng a tech then it is with culture flips, not during wars

 

[aga]

Before you are going for the final kill, demand all the techs of the enemy culture and all the money. The AI will give you anything
for a peace treaty.
Of course, you will have to break the treaty for the final kill.

It does not hurt to let the last city of a civ survive. Just make
sure you attack it until the city has a low population.
It will join your culture soon enough.

 

[Shabbaman]

As you mentioned, you do get a reputation hit. Besides that, as long as you keep the conquered civ alive, the chance exists that conquered cities flip back.

 

[mad-bax]

Again, thanks for the replies.
I haven't played CIV2 or any other RPG. I was introduced to CIV 3 10 days ago by a work colleague who was full of himself for getting into the top 50 on some PTW World ladder, and now I'm hooked. Because I am so new to this I naiveley tend to make decisions based on real life experiences, but I am well aware it's "just" a game.

What has washed out of this is a beleivable strategy for getting the German techs without losses.

1. Bombard Berlin 'till the pop reduces to a low level
2. Demand the techs in exchange for a peace treaty.
3. Leave the last German city in tact (for 20 turns)
4. Use the tech to build mech infantry and attack zulus.
5. Wait for Berlin to culture flip.

I believe the zulus have a large number of offensive units but a relatively small number of defensive units. They demanded tribute for the second time a few turns ago. I have no intention of paying again.

Do I stand a better chance if I attack the zulus pre-emptively or just allow them to declare war when I reject their next tribute demand?

I have a democratic government. In my last game when I declared war in democracy the population did not like it one bit.
I am culturally much stronger than the Zulus but their forces are greater than mine. They are spoiling for a fight. I do not need the Zulus land to win (histographically anyway).


Just as a side issue...How do I find out how many culture points I have? If the answer is RTFM then I will understand perfectly.

 

[Shabbaman]

Originally posted by mad-bax
Do I stand a better chance if I attack the zulus pre-emptively or just allow them to declare war when I reject their next tribute demand?

I have a democratic government. In my last game when I declared war in democracy the population did not like it one bit.
I am culturally much stronger than the Zulus but their forces are greater than mine. They are spoiling for a fight. I do not need the Zulus land to win (histographically anyway).


Just as a side issue...How do I find out how many culture points I have? If the answer is RTFM then I will understand perfectly.

If you let the zulu's attack you, you'll find that war weariness is less of an issue. In this case, you'll find that WW is even reduced (i.e. more happiness...). Bizarre, but true.
You could change your government to republic, or even communism before you go to war. These types of government are better suited for war, since WW raises slower.
On the other hand, you should take the initiative. The attack is the best defence, some wise man once said.

What you could do, since you're on a learning curve: save now, attack the zulu's. Once you're done, reload (from this point) and look what would have happened.

You can find out how many culture points you have from the cultural advisor (F5, I believe) If you want to know how much culture your opponent has, check the histograph.

That was a RTFM-q btw, but that's what's the newbie thread is for (but you could read the faq, of course)

 

[mad-bax]

Thanks for eveyones help.

It's great that a newbie like me can get high quality advice from more experienced players without being ridiculed.

We'll have to see how I get on in the next GOTM. It may provide some amusement for some of you guys.

At the risk of becoming irritating........

If Barbarians ransack a poorly defended City I would expect them to take from it whatever there was to take. The CIV3 "simulation" does not allow you control over where and how much of your reserves are kept in a particular city. The player could therefore manage the risk himself.

IMHO the simulation would be more accurate if the player had control over how and where his reserves were kept. Furthermore, it would be more accurate if the victim could spend gold or sheilds in order to cover up his research therefore being able to limit the number of techs given up to the victor.

Whilst what has been said about Civ2 is true, and having all the
techs transferred is unrealistic, I believe (for what its worth) that
in CIV3, having NONE of the techs transferred is equally false.

In the latter stages of the game war is very expensive and appears to me to be rarely worthwhile (from reading peoples experiences on this site). If capturing a City leads to the POSSIBILITY of a new tech or two then it would encourage a different style of gameplay.

Techs can be stolen via espionage after all, and although this is expensive it is probably cheaper than staging a war in the modern era.

This doesn't have to be hard coded in the game, just an optional flag that can be switched on and off by the user (like diplomatic victory et al).

I don't expect a (polite) reply to this. I just wanted to air a viewpoint. The game has far more strengths than weaknesses and I am in no position to highlight its weaknesses.

 

[Grille]

Originally posted by mad-bax


1. Bombard Berlin 'till the pop reduces to a low level
2. Demand the techs in exchange for a peace treaty.
3. Leave the last German city in tact (for 20 turns)
4. Use the tech to build mech infantry and attack zulus.
5. Wait for Berlin to culture flip.

...just keep in mind that aga meant by
"It will join your culture soon enough." that
you will crush Germans by capturing their last city later in the game (at least 20 turns later). Berlin won't culture-flip to your civ, as it is the capital - so do not wait too long.

 

[heikeott]

I'm sure this comment should be posted somewhere else rather than here, but it was brought up here...

I think that the amount of money each city makes each turn (over and above that city's maint. cost) should be assumed to be in that city, and the rest should be assumed to have been moved to the capital each turn. Don't "excess" funds get paid in as taxes each year or five, or at the very least get stored in the federal reserve bank, or Fort Knox?

So for example, if Alexandria has a positive cash flow of 5gpt and gets sacked, the barbs should only get 5g, since last turn's 5g has already been shipped to Thebes. If they sack the capital I'm in big trouble... but then again, who's ever let their capital get sacked, unless it's in the first few game turns...?

This would prevent the player from having to micromanage one more thing that could get rather annoying, but would also prevent barbarian uprisings in backward provinces from making off with an unreasonable % of the national treasury.

 

[anarres]

Originally posted by heikeott
I'm sure this comment should be posted somewhere else rather than here, but it was brought up here...

Yes, this is the wrong place to post it.

Why not post it as a new thread in GD if you want to generate a discussion. This tends to be more yes/no/do-it-like-this kinda thread, I don't think you'll get much of a debate here...

If you do post it, I will reply to it there

 

[Turner]

Originally posted by mad-bax
Thanks for eveyones help.

It's great that a newbie like me can get high quality advice from more experienced players without being ridiculed.

. . .

I don't expect a (polite) reply to this. I just wanted to air a viewpoint. The game has far more strengths than weaknesses and I am in no position to highlight its weaknesses.

We strive to not flame new persons to the game, as we were all newbies once ourselves. I look back on how I played Civ1, and it almost shames me. . . But we learned and gained experience, (and most of us, an obcession! ) and are willing to pass that on.

Sure. . . you can air your viewpoint. And you are in a position to highlight the weaknesses. . .after all, you bought the game, no? That, in my mind, gives you the right to complain about it. Lord knows, never stopped me. However, some of the weaknesses (and I'm thinking this is what you're referring to) are purposeful, and it's not until you've seen the game for a while, or have read from others who have, as to why that is.

Welcome to CFC. . . Hope you enjoy your stay here.

 

[Maverick069]

Do anyone know how to install downloaded untis into the game? Or plz give me a link where I can find a guide or something.
Thanks in advance!

 

[jeannie]

Originally posted by Hygro
About cruise missiles on multiple continents.

Here's the deal, using a units FULL MOVEMENT for that turn, they can board offshore ships. So if they are on a land tile, next to a water tile, they can move onto that water tile, if there is a transport to hold them. So while cruise missiles cant load onto a transport, they can walk onto one. Also, cruise missiles are not able to be airlifted i dont think.

Thanks - that worked just fine! And you're right - they can't be airlifted. Maybe they can ride on an Aegis cruiser, but that requires a very late advance. (I seem to remember something like this in Civ 2)

 

[Turner]

You have to mod the Aegis crusier to carry them, it doesn't do it by default. . . it would be nice. . .

 

[Bose]

I see PTW is finally coming here to Australia. And will cost AU$49.95, which roughly converts to 2 Pounds or US$0.14.

 

[MTheil3508]

14 cents WOW!

It might be cheaper to buy it there and ship it here. But you would have to pay $15 for shipping anyway...

 

[Bose]

Is it just me, or do elite units get their arses kicked more often than veterans? I know they're supposed to better, but they seem to lose fights more often. Really gets my goat.