Newbie struggles

[Critt3r]

First of all I need to point out that I have never played a Civ game before Civ IV. Not only that but I have never played a turned-based game before.

With those particulars out of the way, here is my dilemma. I am playing on Warlord and for 6 games now I have been unable to win.

I know there are multiple ways to win but my problem is always the same.

War. Someone always picks a fight with me and I am unable to rid them once and for all. It drags on for centuries. Just when I think I am going to squash them into eternity, my opposition always seems to get some units to sack a satelite town and it just drags on forever. The constant war drains my tech research and I end up getting passed by another civ.

Any help and strats to fight or to quickly end wars would be greatly appreciated.

 

[KAuss]

If you're trying to win a conquest victory, then yes you'll have to crush everyone...

If you're not, then there is no way you're going to win in Civ if you focus so much on war if war is not the path you choose to win with...

Just because someone starts a war with you don't mean you have to kill them because they're bad people... You can have a war with someone, and eventually with enough luck and work, get them to side with you enough to trade you later on in the game if they're still alive... (or better yet attack someone else)...

If you find yourself in a war situation, and they initiated it... Just fend off the initial attack squad, then send your troops to capture key cities (make sure they're all border cities or else you can't defend it nor grow) or raze improvments...

Eventually, if you pose a deep enought threat, the AI will ask for peace... They'll sometimes do it if they feel you're on the losing side too to try to extort something out of you... You can do the same if you show up with a huge stack of mixed soldiers in front of his/her capital...

Once peace is restored, just make sure your cities are well defended (should be no problem now since you got all those units you built for war) and just work on your cities again...

You'll have to also know how to pick friends... Stick with a civ that is liked by all, and expect no help from them... Stick with a civ that is hated by all, and see them help you a little bit because you're their only friend, however expect the world to turn on you also...

Once you picked a side, stick with it... Yes to your friend (if you can even call them that) and no to everyone else...

Don't try to kill everyone off in Civ... As the old saying goes... "An enemy of your enemy is your friend..."

 

[DaemonDivinity]

Either aim for conquest/domination victory, or don't fight offensive wars. Fight them defensively. Make sure you're well enough defended to break the first attack, then take 1-2 cities in counterattack, and extort some tech from them in exchange. It'll keep the cost low and your gains won't be more of a setback than anything else (trying to keep every city will kill your treasury and research).

Also, depends on your tech period. Early 2 archers in a city is fine. Later 4 longbowmen, then 4 riflemen, finally 4 mechanized infantry (at the borders, internally less). Have a few mounted or armored units to get at the ones in the field that are more pillaging then attacking. And if you can get a Defensive Pact with a powerful neighbor who you're not gonna go after, go for it. The AI generally won't war with greater powers if their AI, and when they declare war on you they'll have two titans to take down.

 

[KAuss]

I generally never build more than one city defense type unit... One archer / long bowmen are enough...

The bulk of your army should consist of horse archers / elephants...

Once you fought off the first wave, you'll be ready to pillage to your heart's content with your fast units...

The AI will never sacrafice a stack attacking a well defended city... They'll walk around it pillaging everything... If you're fighting on your own turf, you'll most likely be losing a lot more money than anything else...

So you better stock up on a ton of rider type units because once you see war is on, YOU gotta attack or else you'll lose out more rebuilding improvments and having units in cities that won't do nothing...

If you have calvary type units, they can come from another city while you make the ones in your current city attack... This way you can try to soften up the enemy before they reach your improvments and still have a city defended by a city defender and a whole ot of place holders (more calvary) that can act either as the finishing blow, or the counter attack...

4 archers / longbowmen is WAY too much for any city... Where are you going to garrison your attackers?

 

[Critt3r]

Thanks for the advice fellas.

I played a game last night in which the Greeks attacked me. I followed the suggestions given and they were repelled and asked for a cease fire.

All is well, right?

Right after the cease fire Saladin declared war. WTH? He is a spiratual leader, correct?

Anyways I ran into the same problems, wave after wave of attackers that I repelled for centuries. He just wouldn't give up. Finally he asked for peace but was extorting technology for the cease fire. I said no and the waves kept coming.

With no end in sight I just resigned and will have to try again.

Grrrr.

Thanks for the tips fellas, I'll keep working on it.

 

[GenocideBringer]

It's not that you shouldn't fight offensively, but war is not a very good way to win. It IS a good way, however, to get ahead. Build a few troops and capture some of their cities, and demand tribute for peace if you can't finish it. Or, if they are still giving you problems, bribe another civ into declaring war on them.

 

[turdish]

Alternatvely, think about WHY they are attacking you. Is it because you have a weak army, if thats the case you need to focus much more on military (without foregoing research) from the getgo. Or is it because you have certain resources of luxuries the AI want a hold of? You said that after you declared peace with the Greeks the Arabs attacked you. That tells me that you definetely have something the AI wants, be it good land or luxuries/resources.

And also the best defense is always attack. Even if you dont have the units to take cities off the AI get a couple of mounted units and pillage the crap outta them, that way you can get money to keep up your research, and will make the AI think twice about continueing an ongoing war which would also be draining on their economy.

 

[Dakhor]

A good way to have better relations is to not adapt a state religion. Sure it has some penalties but at lower difficulties it dosnt matter.

Also keep checking the Statistics help - or the one under the Civilopedia button in the upper right corner. Look at what position ur at in the soldier count. If ur last ( and u prob are ) thats a good reason why the AI attacks you - cuz ur military is just plain too weak.

And yes - building too many defencive untis is something I keep reminding myself not to do also.

/DaK/

 

[Greencardman]

Check to see why Saladin is mad by mousing over his name over on the right. There are probably a few reasons why he doesn't like you (besides war). Also, the AI has been changed, and its much more opportunistic these days. So if Saladin is the leader in points and big militarily, he just might be attacking because he wants to take over your cities, and he things you're weak. Very often a civ attacks you when you're at war with another civ because you leave your borders weak. They're evil! Also, think about pilliaging thier territory, which makes them lose money fast, and getting other civs to help you fight them.

Lastly, and this is the "oh duh" check, make sure you don't have aggressive AI checked in your game options, it means all civs don't like you very much and are more likely to stay at war with you.