[BTS] Now I can play at Noble!

[SkyMarshal]

Hi,

I am new to this forum even I read some topics to improve at Civ 4, a game I have played a lot back when it was released but never seriously enough to be a good player.

I wanted to understand and use all the tools available, and to fight against real AI, and I am now on the path to victory for the first time at Noble!

The game had been really fun and interesting, far more than in Warlord.

I am playing Germany (Bismarck), because I wanted to build fast and also because panzers look great.
Two neighbors, Holy Roman Empire on the east, English on the west.

By chance, a small corridor of land separates me from the Holy Roman Empire, so we quickly set the border.
On the west, the English are growing fast but, also by chance, they are neighbors with the Ottomans and with... the Japanese!

Of course, what had to happen happened, the Japanese (+ the Ottomans) declared war against the English and I joined the Japanese (weaker at the moment) to keep the English behind me in score.
A few turns later, peace for everyone.

Now I'm first, I managed well my cities, have a good science, make money, have a good army, everything goes fine.

Then, war again, the Japanese declares war against the English. But this time, since the English have already lost a city, and despite a very bad diplomatic score with them, I declare war against the Japanese.
US style like in 1944, I liberate two of their cities and give them back. Then I keep going pillaging the Japanese territory until they make peace with the English, wich took a long long time.

Peace again, and now I am even more ahead.
I begin to harass the Holy Roman Empire with spies. He is the second behind me and I want to keep him behind.
Thanks to my culture, (I am building wonders so fast with marble + Bismarck), I take control of one of its cities, and do the same with the English.

Now, the English Empire is my vassal, so I have my buffer against the Japanese.

For the modern era, I have two options.
1. To terminate the Japanese with a blitz of panzers
2. Or to attack Mansa Musa, the civ leading a little bit in tech and on an island, with my panzers, to become first everywhere.

I will tell you later

 

[SkyMarshal]

Here the next of the story.

Finally, I attacked Mansa Musa because he was a technological threat.
I did it savage and dirty, obliterating his empire with nukes before burning his cities with my panzers.

I was playing on a tiny map with 5 AI.
He was the only one on an island, around 20 squares long by 6 large.
I used around 15 nukes on 5 cities. This war didn't last long

But remained Charlemagne who annoyed me quickly colonizing this doomed island.
I had to send settlers to avoid him from gaining many resources.
Then, he began to try the scientific victory, something I couldn't allow

So, here again, but just to keep him back while I was ending my cultural victory.
I captured his city on the former island of Mansa Musa, and nuked and captured his closest from my empire, before making peace and squeezing out some money too.

A few turns later I won, best culture on Earth, people love me

Definitely, Noble difficulty is fun. Even first, I had to stay focused to remain on top and to plan my attacks.
Only after nuking Mansa Musa I became the uber-emperor knowing no limits.
But next time, I might be the one bullied

 

[Donald Duck1]

I like the subtle and diplomatic way in which you handled potential competitors. It clearly demonstrates your highly developed cultural superiority! Congrats

 

[SkyMarshal]

Babylonian Space Victory

• SkyMarshal
• Jan 16, 2021

Intented but unexpected space victory at noble with 4 cities (rather 2 for space production)...

Another game at noble, another victory. Seems like I'm getting good at this difficulty level.

Also a tiny map (I don't like the late game on big maps, too many units, techs, buildings...), with 7 AI.

From the beginning, I had the Greek west from my empire and the Mongols on north.
Playing the Babylonian, I used my unique units to quickly conquer the Greeks . It allowed me to have enough city for the rest of the game.
If I hadn't conquered them, I would have been stuck with my capital since I started on the coast of the continent.

Then, first I decided to go military and got ready to invade the Mongols, but they were my only friendly civ and powerful, so the war would have been too long.
I cut in my military expanses, took Pacifism, and specialized my two main cities into Science. A lot of specialists, all the useful buildings, a lot of Great Scientists.
This specialization allowed me to catch on the Americans (the most powerful and rich civ, thankfully pleased with me), and during modern era to be ahead.
I also signed a defensive pact with the Mongols, more to prevent him from attacking me than to get any help during a war ^^

Then I run for the Science Victory, focusing on the techs to build this spaceship.
I feared a nuke attack but during a UN Council nuclear weapons were banned

While I was building my spaceship as fast as Tesla build rockets, Sitting Bull conquered the small Vikings Empire.
During the game, the Japanese attempted many wars but always failed. Always fun to see them lose
By the time my spaceship reached Alpha Centauri, the Americans had just built one module.

A totally unexpected victory, moreover because I had all the strategic ressources (3 uranium, I could have nuked everyone ) except aluminium.
It was like the game knew what victory I was aiming for.
I think I may choose the option aggresive AI next time, because even if I was quite isolated close to the south pole, if Lincoln or Sitting Bull had attacked me, I would have been forced to deal with a lot of firepower.