I should just say that this is so my favorite game ever. I bought it when it first came out, still have the original box and still play it regularly. Although I bought Civ 2, I just didn't like the interface, so never bought any other new versions. Civ 1 is just gameplay - plain and simple.
And how can you beat the look on the advisors faces when another civilization tries to spoof you? 'Hi, we're a weedy little race, but we're going to pretend we're big and tough, so you insolent dogs, pay us tribute' but suddenly all their grim expressions turn into comically sheepish grins. Worth sticking with Civ 1 just for that!
Anyway, playing it again and have come to a major decision time. It's 620AD, there are three main land masses with me on one with 8 cities, of sizes 6,7 or 8. Frankly, I think I am looking pretty good with all cities well chosen for terrain potential, well defended (which always keeps the raiders away), everything well irrigated and a good road network. Ships on good trade routes, trading links with some of the top cities and some spare triremes and militias have mapped out all the basic land and found where most of the other civilizations are, including the Mongols and Americans which seem to be the top dogs on the other two main land masses.
(Incidently, I long ago solved the problem of keeping track of my world by two things. First, a pad of typographers layout paper, which is approximately A2 and has a grid of 50x70 squares, each about 9mmx9mm, which is very nearly the size of the Civilization world, which I then map out as it expands. The second is a sheet with a matrix on it where I fill in cities down the left and can tick off city improvements, trade links, etc. as well as resource shields so I know which are my powerhouse cities.)
About now, with cities in the 6,7, and 8 size range, I would be thinking about going to Monarchy soon as there are enough workers in each city to counter the loss in shield production, while the economic benefits really let me increase the lead over the rest of the world.
However, the always untrustworthy Mongols keep making sneak attacks on my caravans and the Americans have started doing the same. The Mongol land mass is largely unknown at the moment, but the American one has the Germans - who appear to be very small - on the corner nearest me and would make an easy foothold if I decided to expand that way.
So, I have some choices. I can sit where I am, go to Monarchy and wait till I get battleships and bombers and then blast the rest of the world to bits - which is really good fun. Or I could go on an all out offensive now before any other civilization gets a chance. Or I can just keep producing caravans, hope some of them get through (trade links are a must as the game progresses) and see what happens. (I don't usually bother going to Alpha Centauri so ruling the world is my normal goal, as I was saying to Bill Gates only the other day!).
So my fellow megalomanics, how would you proceed from here?
And how can you beat the look on the advisors faces when another civilization tries to spoof you? 'Hi, we're a weedy little race, but we're going to pretend we're big and tough, so you insolent dogs, pay us tribute' but suddenly all their grim expressions turn into comically sheepish grins. Worth sticking with Civ 1 just for that!
Anyway, playing it again and have come to a major decision time. It's 620AD, there are three main land masses with me on one with 8 cities, of sizes 6,7 or 8. Frankly, I think I am looking pretty good with all cities well chosen for terrain potential, well defended (which always keeps the raiders away), everything well irrigated and a good road network. Ships on good trade routes, trading links with some of the top cities and some spare triremes and militias have mapped out all the basic land and found where most of the other civilizations are, including the Mongols and Americans which seem to be the top dogs on the other two main land masses.
(Incidently, I long ago solved the problem of keeping track of my world by two things. First, a pad of typographers layout paper, which is approximately A2 and has a grid of 50x70 squares, each about 9mmx9mm, which is very nearly the size of the Civilization world, which I then map out as it expands. The second is a sheet with a matrix on it where I fill in cities down the left and can tick off city improvements, trade links, etc. as well as resource shields so I know which are my powerhouse cities.)
About now, with cities in the 6,7, and 8 size range, I would be thinking about going to Monarchy soon as there are enough workers in each city to counter the loss in shield production, while the economic benefits really let me increase the lead over the rest of the world.
However, the always untrustworthy Mongols keep making sneak attacks on my caravans and the Americans have started doing the same. The Mongol land mass is largely unknown at the moment, but the American one has the Germans - who appear to be very small - on the corner nearest me and would make an easy foothold if I decided to expand that way.
So, I have some choices. I can sit where I am, go to Monarchy and wait till I get battleships and bombers and then blast the rest of the world to bits - which is really good fun. Or I could go on an all out offensive now before any other civilization gets a chance. Or I can just keep producing caravans, hope some of them get through (trade links are a must as the game progresses) and see what happens. (I don't usually bother going to Alpha Centauri so ruling the world is my normal goal, as I was saying to Bill Gates only the other day!).
So my fellow megalomanics, how would you proceed from here?
