Now what?

[Rodgers]

I'm on a pretty easy game (2nd level up - Warlord?) at a fairly early stage (about 120AD). I've conquered most of the French and taken a few towns from the Indians and Egyptians. By now the tech levels are getting so that a legion cant just walk into my enemies' cities (ie they have walls, but then I have catapults) anymore. The other 4 Cvs on the board have all signed pacts to "contain English aggression" so I reckon it's time to dig in and halt the expansion.

The territory I've conquered is relative compact in it's layout and is nicely connected with roads and irrigation etc. I've stolen Trade during my victories so I think this is the best "next step" -

1. Build marketplaces everywhere

2. Crank up the trade until i'm as rich as can be

3. With the money start jacking up the science output (I already have Great Library)

4. On the frontiers keep probing at the enemies, maybe taking the odd city or two if possible but nothing too flashy

5. Once I have the money and the science to gain an "edge" on the other side then begin attacking once more.

BTW - I have Great Wall (which advance neutralises this??) so defence is looking OK at the moment.

Is there anything I've overlooked here? Is there anything I should be doing on the diplomacy front?? (this seems a bit pointless as they've all resolved to oppose me). Which wonders should I be building? (I thought Leonardos as it will upgrade the military units ready for my attack. I already have Sun Thingies Academy and didn't think the "happiness" ones were wortgh it considering how much luxury I'll soon be producing)

Finally - I'm on Monarchy but have access to Republic if needed.

 

[mgeary]

I've got a game going now that is like what is happing to you. I've got the other 6 civi's pact together against me. I've got about 55 cities. What I'm doing is fighting 3 fronts at 1 time, but keep building trade. You need that for your science and gold.

 

[ElephantU]

Republic is a good government for peace and trade; Democracy is better, but tougher to manage when your civ is large. Neither of these governments has any "auto-support" for military units, so check out how your military units are supported before you try a switch. Only one military unit is allowed "away" per city before they start making citizens unhappy. The advantage of Democracy is that your units and cities cannot be bribed and you can set the Tax/Lux/Sci sliders anywhere you want.

Have you tried bribing enemy cities and units yet? The price depends on distance from their capital and such variables as whether they are in disorder, but they can be a much better deal than trying to attack, losing several units and city population, and then winning and having half the improvements destroyed.

Metallurgy is the tech that obsoletes the Great Wall.

I like getting MarcoPolo early so I can keep track of the other civs research and treasuries...

 

[gr8ful wes]

First, crack a brew and relax.
now that that's taken care of, consider swiching to republic and hiding behind those walls for a few turns, after you increase luxury. After your citiec grow to the level you are happy with, go back to monarchy and go exploring.

Or, stay in monarchy and explore, explore, explore. Several of those huts will yield cities/or settlers. Build more cities. Get diplomats out and start bribing the cities of your rivals or bribing units. Build markets/banks and get many trade routes.

Chances are on warlord, you can win the game without ever changing governments from monarchy, by being militarily aggressive. Tech toward the crusader. and then toward gunpowder.

 

[Dark Ascendant]

Consolidate your position and ward off conterattacks. Sue for peace and try to break up that four way alliance diplomatically. Get a tech lead over the other civs and invade with ironclads and musketeers. That should let you take the coast after you break up the alliance, assuming your rivals have no gunpowder-era units or frigates & ironclads or coastal fortresses. Take them down one at a time so they don't gang up again.

 

[funxus]

I'd trade a lot, find a fairly large land to expand on peacefully. I'd make myself ready for republic. Bribe cities instead of attacking them. I like having a foot near my enemies to grow strong and launch attacks from in the future, so maybe capture one city close to some enemies. Always Mike's and JSB, and then in to democracy ElephantU says democracy is tougher with larger civs, I think democracy is best with larger civs I hate corruption, large civs also have many black guys, who are needed for celebration. Then celebrate your cities large.
I'd also take one civ at a time, and those close I take first.
I usually don't conquer early, because I like having a strong civ first and I also like the empire-building-part of the game

 

[Marlos]

I agree with funxus that democracy works well with large, far-flung empires due to the lack of corruption and the trade bonus. You'll also get plenty of "We Love The President" days if you have Mike's and JSBach, so growth will be phenomenal.

You may consider switching to democracy to just to keep from being bribed! The AI will stay after you, regardless of how much you gift them, just because you are so far ahead. Switch to democracy, enjoy the trade bonuses, and continue to build up your infrastructure!

 

[ElephantU]

Democracy requires lots of city happiness and tax/lux improvements in each city if you are going to let them grow beyond the first 8 citizens.

Oh, you are in Warlord level - that's a bit easier...

 

[Ace]

Even at Deity level with over 55 cities (or 200 for that matter), Democracy is the way to go. Just be sure to have Mikes, and JSB and have marketplaces in all your cities, and set Lux at 20-30% and your off to the races. (You will have to build most of the happiness generating wonders, but its well worth it), The celebrations in your cities will grow them at an unbelievable rate (as long as the food holds out), and with lots of trade you will be rolling in coins.

Fight, why? Dips and spys are cheaper and more effective. The most dangerous unit in the game is a veteran spy with pocketfuls of coins!!! And when you bribe a city, you get the city intact, with its units too. No rebuilding improvements AND if you have the right wonders, you can sell unneeded improvements like granary, police station, cathedral, and power plants...extra coins! The only time you should have to fight is to take an enemy capitol, they cannot be bribed, or to deal with barbs.

 

[Rowan]

Yes,Ace I am just startring to find out what you already know[democracy];and as you say with trade,away you go!

[dance]

 

[Rodgers]

Well, in the end I went for the trade option but my opponents were so crappy I was still able to completely destroy three civs with the resources available to me at the time.

Now, the tech is doing well and the money is through the roof. There are two civs left to deal with and both will require a bit more force - plus, one is "overseas" so i will now have to build a navy.

I want to end up taking one out of the game almost complertely by nuking it's capital and parachuting units into it all in one turn, then mopping up the rest of the cities one by one.

The fact that I can decide how to deal with them and do so at my leisure makes me think I need to move up a level.

 

[gr8ful wes]

Yeah, why not move up a level. I play mostly at King, but go up or down depending on my mood. I like to test tactics/strategies on quick low level games.

 

[Rodgers]

Well, I'm guaranteed to win now. Just deciding how to finish off those suckers - probably nuke their capitals and parachute troops in to both of them in the same turn. That should do nicely

 

[funxus]

You could
I really don't like nukes , all the pollution and the negative diplomatic effect, so I'd use vet stealth fighters and then parachute.

 

[Sultan Bhargash]

Hmm, so this is where YOU GUYS hang out when you aren't in OT.

I miss Civ2. Just kibitzing: Rodgers, definitely take the game to King level. That is the best balance of challenging but not deadly.

Ahh, I don't know if you guys also have Civ3 but it sure sounds sweet doing moves like the (now impossible) nuke/parachute.

 

[Rodgers]

It's pretty cool move and I'm looking forward to using it on those pesky Persians!

Shame they dont have "Chemical weapons" as an option in Civ2 - imagine they dont in Civ3 either?

 

[Sultan Bhargash]

No chemical weapons. In fact the closest thing I can think of - poisoning the food/water supply with a spy- is also not an option in Civ3