One of the more frustrating games!

[rajwhitehall]

I was Greeks, standard temperate world, random water/landmass, max opponents, Monarchy difficulty.

I started in an area with very few resources at all (one horse and one game in the territory covered by 5 cities, and one lake so at least I could irrigate, but no river. Maybe I should have restarted, but I decided to see what I could do. I'd never played a game where gold income was so limited. It was so bad I had to keep science output in the 10-20 percent range just to stay solvent.

I explored and quickly found out I was on an H shaped continent, with me on the right and the Romans on the left side (which was about twice the size as my "side"). I managed to occupy the land bridge between me and the Romans but they immediately declared war and that city was fought over for a millenia before we can to an uneasy peace. Although I managed to keep the city, the Romans' production potential was far greater than mine, and I was worried. I knew one day I'd have to destroy them, but how? I researched Ironworking but no Iron appeared. Trading....trading...no Iron anywhere.

I Built the Great Lighthouse and began exploring outlying continents and discovered several uninhabited Islands scattered around the world..with Iron! I think all the Iron available was on those Islands! So I rapidly built a fleet adn settlers and sent Settler/Hoplit pairs all over the world. I managed to found 5 Iron-settlements and began building harbors which was a slow process because of the lack of Gold to speed them up. I made it a point to NEVER trade maps with anyone else, so I still don't know how they were discovered..but I'm getting ahead of myself.

I reinforced some of the outposts with workers and more units, and finally got some Iron when I saved enough to rush the first harbor. I had 4 more harbors at iron sources very close to completion and was already planning how I'd trade iron with everyone but the Romans and really clean up...when the Romans attacked me! They organzed the best archer blitzkrieg I'd *ever* by the AI seen (note, this was in AD 500, showing how the worldwide Iron shortage effected the game) by both attacking the land bridge with massive force (capturing it in 2 turns) and simultaneously attacking all my other outposts. I hadn't had a chance to build city walls and was totally unable to reinforce them because of the attack on the mainland.

I played it out a couple of more turns then resigned in utter disgust. And I can't figure out, how did the Romans find out?

 

[IbnSina]

The AIs start knowing the whole map: resources, islands, everything. Choosing not to trade maps with them only hurts you.

On the other hand, you had horses, and before 500 AD you must surely have had horseback riding. Why were you fooling around with iron? Charge! When you are in that situation where your nearest neighbor has a much larger natural expansion zone than you, then your highest priority must be crippling that neighbor. Making five weak outlying settlements takes valuable resources away from that important objective, and makes your defense more difficult. Perhaps claiming one of the iron resources was a good idea, but next time let the others be, and spend your efforts trying to gain supremacy on your home continent.

 

[striq]

I agree completely. Build horsemen in all cities with barracks. If you knew the romans had no iron why didn't you attack early before they aquired it? Legions are tougher than archers, not to mention the GA. Your 1st priority should be national security.

 

[DaveDash]

My most frustrating game:

I started a MP game last night with 3 humans and 3 AI.

My initial starting position was China, I had 4 BG's around my capital, grasslands, wheat, and hills.
On turn 2 I popped a settler from a goodie hut with my worker.
On turn 4 I had double everyone elses points.
I can't remember the exact turn, probably around turn 20 I had three warriors exploring, 2 guarding, and had just popped my 3rd settler out

Just then one of the guys drops out and the game crashed with an out of sync msg and booted us back to the lobby, no save

 

[rajwhitehall]

The AIs start knowing the whole map: resources, islands, everything. Choosing not to trade maps with them only hurts you.

I had no idea. Little cheating !@#$.

On the other hand, you had horses, and before 500 AD you must surely have had horseback riding. Why were you fooling around with iron? Charge! When you are in that situation where your nearest neighbor has a much larger natural expansion zone than you, then your highest priority must be crippling that neighbor. Making five weak outlying settlements takes valuable resources away from that important objective, and makes your defense more difficult. Perhaps claiming one of the iron resources was a good idea, but next time let the others be, and spend your efforts trying to gain supremacy on your home continent.

Hmm, I may just load an early save, and replay it. I just naturally fall into a rapid peaceful growth pattern in the early game, but in this case it really was getting me nowhere. Thanks!

 

[CIV34ME]

I had no idea. Little cheating !@#$.



Hmm, I may just load an early save, and replay it. I just naturally fall into a rapid peaceful growth pattern in the early game, but in this case it really was getting me nowhere. Thanks!

It is very hard to win a game above regent using the "peacful growth" strategy. If you spend too much time trying to secure resources and upgrade city infrastructure, and therefore forget about expanding you empire and building your millitary, the AI WILL attack you once they notice your small empire and small millitary. They love and easy target, especially when that easy target is controlling a much needed resource.

I once did this, and I had only five cities like you, and I ended up not having any resources, not even horses. I didn't think much of the millitary, and most of my cities were defended only by warriors. The AI demanded a tech from me, I refused, they declared war, and America (me) no longer existed after two or three turns.