Opening Strategies

[Marlos]

As far as trading techs is concerned, sometimes I will research non-military advances (heading toward monarchy ) and trade for military advances (like warrior code or the wheel). This strategy works especially well when you have a militaristic neighbor, like the Mongols or the Russians.

 

[duke o' york]

I avoid them like the plague until I have to research HBR for polytheism, the Wheel for Engineering and Warrior Code for Theology (eventually). I will stop for as long as possible with Bronze Working for the Colossus and then use dips to bribe barb units. I wouldn't bother building them myself!

 

[Philosopher12]

ICS!! ICS!!! [dance][dance][dance]

 

[Kev]

I wonder if Zulu is even around still to check his/her thread...

Anyway, there are so many different factors that go into the way any game is played that it's really pretty tought to use one that applies to every situation. A smaller map may mean more military early while large and/or island maps may allow you to develop a bit more in peace. Barbarian settings can make a difference, the amount of other civs, and, of course, the difficulty level. At deity, happiness is an issue first and foremost while at King you may not need to have so much in the way of martial law at the outset.

Heck, in some cases a starting plan may go awry after hitting the first hut. I've bailed on several a game where the first hut I popped had barbs in it and killed my second settler. Urgh.

In general, I have some goals that I try to reach at the very outset of the game.

1. Get to Monarchy: You'll need to get alphabet, code of laws, and ceremonial burial to be able to study Monarchy. Often, you will also have to discover one other additional tech which I try to make writing or bronze working or something. The drive to Monarchy is so important that I will sometimes hold off on popping a hut until I reach it. Too often I get something dopey like warrior code which does nothing for me other than delay my time to get Monarchy. From there it's a beeline to Philosophy if possible.
2. Expand, expand, expand: I know that my second settler (if given) is a "NON" settler, but early expansion is such a key for my style that I will use that one ASAP as well. Build queues for my city will usually be warrior, settler, warrior, settler and then maybe temple (if deity but still sometimes not), wonder, or even another settler. I WILL rush or partial rush at ANY time possible. A bit of micromanaging in terms of cash buying and worker allocation can save many, many turns in the long run.
3. Get the SSC established: Hopefully, there's a good city spot with water/rivers along with 3 or 4 specials. This city MAY build one settler in the beginning, but I prefer to start it right away on a wonder so that I can guarantee that this city gets the Colossus. Then, this city gets everything possible - supported by the surrounding cities. This city will be cultivated at every opportunity and will not build units or any other settlers as long as I can help it.
4. Try for the wonders I like: In deity especially, the wonder race will be quite heated in ancient times if you have 7 civs involved. I can usually count on 2 or three of these, so along with the Colossus I'll try to get the ones I like. At deity, I prefer the Hanging Gardens if there is ANY way to get it. After that, usually the Pyramids - perhaps even Marco Polo's (not really ancient, but still early). I'll usually find that that's about all I'll get in ancient and then concentrate on the next wonder goal of Mike's Chapel.

The rest of the game is then based on how everything went during the startup.

One of the nice things about the game is that it offers so many ways to play and to eventually win. My method above leans to my style of aggressive expansionism and tech superiority. Militants may do some things that are drastically different while perfectionists will be different from both.

Try them all and see which style gives you the most enjoyment. You may find that there's more than one...

 

[kmad]

I build my first city with as much trade squares in the city production area as possible (within 2 or 3 moves), then I research horseback riding. I'll pre build something like a settlers, so when I get HBR i can switch and built it. I use that to hut hunt and then pump out settlers while going for the monarchy

 

[gatomarado]

Expand and kill everyone in your continent!
You can then concentrate on colonising, developing and researching this continent. AI attacks won't be very effective as they're stupid when they have to transport their troops over see.
As you get democracy youl have a technology boom and then you'l attack your enemies (usually still in stone age).
For islands do the same but conquering enough islands so you can rule the world!

 

[watto]

i usually build a few phlanxes and explore and conquer the continent while reasearching stuff like more units

 

[Pongui]

Kev: "The drive to Monarchy is so important that I will sometimes hold off on popping a hut until I reach it."

Me too. I'll pop maybe one or two huts before monarchy, and then only distant ones because I don't want mercenary support to hinder my settler production.

 

[Zulu]

When building the ultimate max of cities without care for overlap or anything else....

How do you fight off enemies? What if you're on an island?

Do you still go for PDS? What is the strategy once you've built tons of cities?

Hmm, I still can't figure out how some people are getting all the techs before the ad. I tremendous amount of cities is probably a prerequiste...but it never seems that simple! There are always enemies in the way.

Thx for the replies folks.

-Zulu

 

[Nebula Dragoon]

I usually build Barracks, Phalanx, Settler, Phalanx, Marketplace, Library and then either the Colosuss or the Pyramids. I use the Settler to improve the eight(?) squares surrounding my city and then send him off to build a new one. Research goes Bronze Working, Currency, Alphabet, Ceremonial Burial, Mystisism, Code of Laws, Monarchy, Literacy, and then Philosophy. Hope at least some of that helps.

I rarely build more than eight or ten cities.

 

[funxus]

Originally posted by Zulu

Hmm, I still can't figure out how some people are getting all the techs before the ad. I tremendous amount of cities is probably a prerequiste...but it never seems that simple! There are always enemies in the way.

I think the one who has the record of landing on AC first, had a small empire of 10 cities, and concentrated on trade with the AI. He landed somewhere around 1000 AD.

 

[Nebula Dragoon]

That's a pretty good record........

Anybody gotten Gunpowder at 1500 B.C. (or earlier)? I'm guessing so but I was just wonderin'.

 

[AnarchyBoy]

One thing I find helpful as far as my neightbors goes is to build more barraks and units in the cities closest to them. There's no sense filling a city up with military power when it'll take them 30 turns to get to the nearest enemy city.
As for my beginning startegy, I build settlers non-stop until 3200 BC. By then I usually have 10 or 12 cities, and I can start the important wonders (pyramids, colossus) if the game is going poorly, and build all 7 ancient wonders if the city is going well. I then use the cities on the outside edges of my little civ to explore and expand like mad. Everyone else on this thing is right: if you have another civ on your start continent, they must be exterminated.
I've found that how good a game I have is usually a function of how good my starting position is. If I start in the desert, the mountains, swamp, or on a small island, the game starts off porrly and never really takes off. For this reason, I quit a lot of games around 2000 BC and start over. Just my two cents...

 

[ElephantU]

Originally posted by Zulu
When building the ultimate max of cities without care for overlap or anything else....

How do you fight off enemies? What if you're on an island?

Do you still go for PDS? What is the strategy once you've built tons of cities?

Use the Search function to look for the acronym ICS, which stands for Infinite City Strategy (or Sleaze...), and read the threads on CFC and Apolyton.Net. The max number of cities is based on exploiting a trick with Hanging Gardens and unhappy citizens. You actually have to move defenders OUT of the cities to make it work. When you've got that many, it doesnt matter if the AI or Barbs grab a few - sometimes they are cheaper to buy back...

Hmm, I still can't figure out how some people are getting all the techs before the ad. I tremendous amount of cities is probably a prerequiste...but it never seems that simple!

One "trick" you have to use to get massive tech early on is giving it away. There are several BC game logs posted on different threads, and the GamesOfTheMonth are all posted the next month. Look at some of the games, and you will see players exploiting the AI civs by giving them techs, which makes the AI happy at you and lowers your research costs. You can manipulate the AI to research things you dont have, then trade them something else to get it when they are done. You can do it even if you are small - the One City Challenge is a common way to keep yourself "under their radar". If you are listed as "pathetic" it can actually help in getting tech trades and gifts of gold. The key to this is often called the SuperScienceCity, where you build all the science Wonders and Improvements in the same city to multiply their effects. Add three good trade routes and sit back and rake it in.

 

[Tundera]

Zulu: Increase your taxes 20-50% when you have more than 15 cities. ‘We love the (title of the leader) Day’ is the key to growth quickly.

 

[Zulu]

Tundera, you mean luxuries, right?

Hmm...I haven't heard about ICS. Sounds like a great plan. I'll look into it. Thanks!

-Zulu

 

[Zulu]

BTW, the Search engine seems to be disabled...can anyone post a link concerning ICS?

BTW, can you combine strategies like PDS, ICS and SSC?

-Zulu

 

[funxus]

What's PDS, I have never heard of it?

 

[Old n Slow]

PDS -- Presidents Day Sale (see the War Academy) aka exploiting WLT__D. For Republics & Democracies, be happy & grow.

SSC -- Super Science City (also in War Academy & elsewhere) -- combine Cope’s, Issacs’, preferably Shake’s & Colossus, (I like to add KRC in there as well); add a library, university, research lab (or SETI somewhere), stir well, add a dash of three trade routes+ and viola: great advances. Might as well add a Marketplace, Bank & Stock Exchange as well.

ICS -- Infinite City Sleaze -- the strategy is to build more cities, cram them closer together. When the cities overlap dramatically, four things are noted: 1) the distances shrink -- for camels, and help (a minor plus) 2) the “settler” gets a ‘double’ benefit -- instead of being one square worked as a citizen, by founding a new city, the city square comes along as a bonus, so early on, more squares get worked -- and the city squares come fully developed -- a major plus; 3) by having smaller cities, unhappiness pressures are reduced; and 4) if the cities are maintained until late in the game, some infrastructure needs are reduced -- by having only four or five spaces for citizens, the farmed grassland works just fine for high population scores, yet a sewer won’t be needed.

 

[Zulu]

Old n Slow,

I'm thinking of trying ICS. If I do, PDS and SSC are out of the question right? Or can I combine them?

A few things still aren't clear to me. How do I go about things? Build ONLY settlers and take 2 steps in any direction and build right away?

What if I encounter enemies? Is there a thorough guide explaining this somewhere?

Thanks!

-Zulu