Optimized production strategy

Tabarnak

Cut your lousy hairs!
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Hi all. After some games online, i found some ways to boost production high enough to build almost everything i want in a short range of time. Since production is the bread and butter of multiplayer games(instead of gold for singleplayer), i will explain some things to help your civilization to get enough production through the game.

*** : Quick speed setting

Policies

Take Legalism then Landed Elite. Then Monarchy. You need to build settlers the hard way. This is the worst thing about it. But in 4-6 players FFA, you have usually enough time to settle good sites around your cap. If a culture ruin is discovered, you can use the LE bonus to boost settler production. Last settlers can be built in 6 turns or less.

*Other future policies are questionnable. I like Piety because it adds more happiness and accelerate the 1st golden age from the happiness bucket. With theocracy later, you can grow up your cities larger without extra happiness buildings, and/or keep/annex more cities.

Build Order

Scout--->worker--->warrior--->settler--->settler--->unit/worker/granary--->settler(iron)
2nd city build warrior-worker-library
3rd city build warrior-library
4th city build library

Capital should start first settler between turn 13 and 17. Go either pop3 or 4 depending of what you can do.

Landed Elite will boost population fast enough to gain more production. First citizen should work a 1f/2h or 0f/2h tile and growing. Steal a worker from a city state if you can. If not, build a 4th worker from your cap. Each cities settled should have a worker inside ASAP. Prioritize luxuries improvements if you can because your happiness will drop very fast.

**A nice thing about LE is you can actually continue to grow in unhappiness. Useful when your city goes from pop1 to pop3. This allow you to delay luxuries techs and their improvements and focus more on production.


Tech Order

Animal husbandry--->Mining--->luxury tech--->Bronze Working--->Iron Working

After approx. 35-40 turns the 4th settler should be on his way for iron or a good site if you have iron already in your territory.

Iron Working--->Pottery--->Library--->luxury tech--->(minor techs)--->Metal Casting

Post 40 turns

All your money should be used for warrior upgrades. If no one dies, you can upgrade up to 4 swordmen. This is your main defensive army. You can add 1 or 2 spearmen along the way or if you have a rich hammered cap you can build 1-2 swordmen as well. Finish all libraries then see if you can add some cities.

Optimal # cities : #luxuries +1.

If you can improve 5 unique luxuries, then try to build 2 more cities but not from your capital. Capital should build the National College while you build 2 more settlers. The extra cities can build extra military or simply start granary. When Metal Casting is discovered, change production for workshops except in cap(building NC). When NC is done, start workshop. The first city with workshop finished should work an engineer slot for further use(Himeji castle :rolleyes:). Put allocation specialist at manual. When in unhappiness you want all your citizens work tiles. When all 4 main cities have workshops, you can start markets/happiness buildings if you can or build more defense.

From that point, you can do what you want at high production speed. After 70 turns, if you reach over 60 hammers per turn, you are on a roll. You can build 2-3 turns swordmen easily upgraded to longswordmen or simply build LS the hard way and keep cash for other useful things. With markets online and universities later, around turn 100-110 you can get over 150 bpt and lot of gold. Rifles around turn 105-110 is a good range. With high pop cities, you can run 2 scientists after the first great engineer (or before but wait for the great engineer spawn before reaching the birth point). Use them to propulse you to artillery later. Industrial Era opens 2 great policies : 15% building discount or 33% army maintenance. These 2 policies are huge for big empires. You don't have to be in anarchy since the Liberty tree will be ignored.

With good settings, you can have multiple cities at 8-10 pop and make cash from trade routes before turn 100.
I can be on top or close to top soldiers anytime and still build almost every building i want with this strategy. We can add attachements now so i will add some screenshots in next days to show you exactly how it's done.

Hope it helps!
 
* : added future policies after Monarchy (march 18th)

** : added some infos about Landed Elite properties (march 21th)

*** : quick speed setting (march 21th)

Minor corrections and little more infos (march 22th)
 
I spun this up on Deity with Siam and it's not a bad opening. I ended up about thirty turns further behind in :c5science: than I usually do (and trending worse), because I couldn't exploit Research Agreements with many civs early on. On the plus side, I had a ton of population (four cities, all 8+ pop) and builds finish quickly as advertised. The Wats finished about ten turns behind when they usually do due to the high :c5production: output.

Unfortunately, I got crushed by an unexpected DoW from the Mongols around turn 105. I kept buying them into wars, but they took some early territory from Tokugawa, expanded aggressively, DoW'd me despite already being in a war and just buried me in Keshiks. A half-dozen Longswords are going to get rolled by twenty Keshiks every time, and cities just can't deal with Keshiks in late Medieval.

I think that you'd end up with a winning position in most Deity games, though. In a normal game, you should be able to either win on Science or warmonger your way to a win. If you're struggling to beat Immortal, you definitely should play this approach.
 
Thanks for the reply Martin. I tested this strategy on Deity with some good results. But only a few games tho and not played over 120 turns(quick speed).

Here is an example of a multiplayer game. King level, pangea 6 players FFA. Default city states and barbs. I didn't host that one. I picked Egypt. Burial tombs ftw and discount on some useful wonders(good for faster NC since with 4 cities you need more hammers). I killed romans army with my swords around turn 45 to get Antium. Got Steel around turn 61. Upgraded swords and built one LS. I killed second army then he quit.

Didn't have time to take pictures in first 50 turns...with barbs around it was not the time. Didn't want to lose time between turns(...i like to micro manage citizens...very important if i want to be optimal). Then i went to war. Finally took pictures for turns 90, 125 and 135. For the first 70 turns i think i will play a single player game.

Turn 90. I conquered Rome's capital, then i sit down and built stuff until artillery.
Spoiler :
Screenshot-19_03_20112_26_38AM.jpg

Demographics
Spoiler :
Screenshot-19_03_20112_26_53AM.jpg

Policies
Spoiler :
Screenshot-19_03_20112_27_10AM.jpg

Capital(weird colors :confused:)
Spoiler :
Screenshot-19_03_20112_27_31AM.jpg

Tech tree
Spoiler :
Screenshot-19_03_20112_28_47AM.jpg


Situation at turn 122. I discovered Artillery. Going to knock Russia.
Spoiler :
Screenshot-19_03_20113_20_36AM.jpg

I took 33% discount for units maintenance from Autocracy at turn 125.
Spoiler :
Screenshot-19_03_20113_28_34AM.jpg

I'm going farther in ennemy territory
Spoiler :
Screenshot-19_03_20113_28_47AM.jpg

Final situation at turn 135 before quitting. Pictures of 4 main cities as well(Screwed things a bit. Check next post for pictures)
 
Main land
Spoiler :
Screenshot-19_03_20113_48_50AM.jpg

Russia's land
Spoiler :
Screenshot-19_03_20113_49_10AM.jpg

Demographics
Spoiler :
Screenshot-19_03_20113_49_28AM.jpg

Thebes(wonders and specialist buildings)
Spoiler :
Screenshot-19_03_20113_50_01AM.jpg

Thebes(buildings)
Spoiler :
Screenshot-19_03_20113_50_14AM.jpg

Memphis
Spoiler :
Screenshot-19_03_20113_50_27AM.jpg

Elephantine
Spoiler :
Screenshot-19_03_20113_50_41AM.jpg

Heliopolis
Spoiler :
Screenshot-19_03_20113_51_02AM-1.jpg
 
I never played civ online. I have some few questions:

1- How many players usually play a single game and what is the game settings(usual)? continents?pangea?small?standard?
2- How good my internet service must be? I have a 15 megabits ADSL.
3- AI play as well?
 
I never played civ online. I have some few questions:

1- How many players usually play a single game and what is the game settings(usual)? continents?pangea?small?standard?
2- How good my internet service must be? I have a 15 megabits ADSL.
3- AI play as well?

1-duel-tiny-small maps work fine(2-4-6 players) at quick speed. Any map.
2-I have 8mb and it's well enough
3-Yes. But you need to contact them manually if you want to trade. They will never come to you.
 
Well this one worked very well. I just stomped my enemies (emperor difficult). I rarely allied a CS and did no use of SPs at all, but I got Order during the game.
 
Well this one worked very well. I just stomped my enemies (emperor difficult). I rarely allied a CS and did no use of SPs at all, but I got Order during the game.

Onward to Immortal diff for you !!

This strat is fun and quite different from my usual Immortal science oriented strats where use the Liberty Tree and Patronage left side and Rationalism left side (maybe also :) from U's if really needed) and Freedom for :) from Spec.

I'd never played Monty before but figured he'd be fun for this start since I certainly will be war-mongering. I spawned in a hilly forested area (huh..I'm not Irequois I'm Aztec) and this slowed me up so I made two scouts (5 turns each and then carried on)

A barb camp where none was before meant that my initial settler couldn't build for a while since I had to recapture him.

Anyhow... 4 total cities and I've blown Ramses away now and have the entire western side of the map to myself. This is game over, since nearly everyone else hates Sully who is still the strongest east of me and their are fighting him.

Fun stuff and increasing my knowledge of the game ...thx so much... neilkaz ..
 
I played in quick speed. I will try on normal speed and see how I am doing. I may play Cathy due resources bonuses.

edit: Played as the arabs.
Emperor, continents, small, normal speed.

science victory at turn 319.

Somethings went different. My 4th settler were very late, I already had iron working when I built him. I start in a continent with just Monthy that dow me with a lot of warrior, but my swordman just killed him and later my LSs finish him off.
I had a bad time with hapiness and money due no other know civs to trade extra luxuries and etc.
I went rationalism and just save a total of 5 GSs to the end of the game. I just bulb my way to rocktery+plastics once I got eletricity.

Was a good game at all.
 
I'm happy that this strat helped some of you guys. In fact, you are sort of beta testers for the singleplayer mode! :)
 
I did this with Songhai on Epic / Emperor and it worked extremely well. I play Epic a lot and never before got the amounts of production that this strategy enables. The build times felt like a Standard speed game to me. I was able to churn out Mandekalu Cavalry and anything else I needed to wipe out Alex and his smug attitude from the world stage; He survives as an RA trade partner but poses no threat to me now with his arctic city lol. When I was hurting for cash at one point due to my rapidly growing military, I was able to build Markets quite rapidly and was back up to normal and growing. The warriors in your build order helped me feel safe, especially once they were upgraded, and I was able to keep growing and construct my libraries and NC fast enough to beat Babylon to the Medieval era. I used to like gpt more, but now I like the feel of high production and I don't think I can quit. I'll have to try this out on some higher difficulties now that I'm comfortable with this strategy. Thank you Tabarnak.
 
Heh my last game went very well. (6player ffa, France, small, Pangaea)

Had a nice start on a hill tile, 4x deer in 3tile radius, 1x gold, 2x spices, all covered with forest.

Build order in capital: Scout Worker Granary Warrior Settler Library National College Worker Settler Stable Settler Horseman
Build order in 2nd city: Water Mill, Stables (captured 2x worker from CS near this city)

4 cities total.

Policy strategy: Quick LE -> Monarchy -> Theocracy (culture ruin accelerated the LE to turn 14-15)
Tech strategy: Pottery Mining Writing AH (revealed 2x horse near cap!) Wheel HBR Mining IW (revealed 6 iron by capital) Metal Casting Steel -> Currency -> Education -> Chivalry -> Gunpowder

Got longswords by turn 52, puppetted 4x city state near me. DoW'd everyone for the challenge. Had ~75 production around turn 50, 120 by turn 75. Great Engineer'd Himeji Castle the moment Chivalry was done, which was helpful for my 3 front war. Masses of Knights and Longswordsmen eliminated Aztec turn 82, which prompted a chain of surrenders.

War status: Persia on Eastern border with mix of Immortals, Swordsmen, Catapults. Strategy: Holding action with 2x longsword (1 died eventually), 1x knight, 2x horsemen
Aztec on Western border with mix of Horsemen and Longswords, low longsword count (2 iron). Strategy: Invasion with 4x longsword, 3x knight, 2x horseman
Egypt on NW border with ~6 longswords. Strategy: Holding action with 3x longsword, pikeman, 1x horseman, 2x knight.
 
Nice one Smote!

Early NC can be tricky but yeah with LE very early you can produce faster. You were not afraid about an early rush i presume. Your capital was a beast.

Dow'ed everyone for the challenge...epic :lol:

Edit : Legendary start settings? I think this option is even more powerful for the LE approach compared to others.
 
Last game: Tiny/Continent/France

My last game was one of my fastest science games. Turn 109 foreign legions. 3 wheat/river start, went worker -> granary -> NC stayed one city. Culture ruin turn 2 -> LE turn 13. NC at turn 26. Got 4 Great Sci + Oxford for the infantry slingshot. Immediately bought 2 foreign legions and started producing. Worked like a charm, was up against longswords and rifles, which were sliced by Morale/shock 2/great general foreign legions like a knife through butter. Got Hydro Plant/Rocket artillery some turns later, to sink my opponents Caravels :)

Policy order was quick LE -> Monarchy -> Aristocracy -> the 25% discount Commerce one -> Scientific Revolution

Built the terrific trio: Stonehenge, Great Library, Oracle, and then even Hagia Sofia and Porcelain Tower.

Capital was next to mountain, and managed to Great Library Astronomy and build observatory.

Tech strategy was Pottery ->Writing -> Mining -> Wheel (for the water mill) -> beeline education -> Astronomy -> Iron Works -> Infantry.

Had an earlier war which I managed with 2 longswords, a crossbow, and a pikeman. The crossbow and pikeman were supplied by a friendly CS, who liked me for killing a barbarian encampment. The worker -> granary start was enabled by a turn 5 clearing of a barbarian encampment (lucky I take 4 damage, Brute takes 6 damage battle @ turn 3).
 
Turn 109 foreign legions. 3 wheat/river start, went granary NC stayed one city. Got 4 Great Sci + Oxford for the infantry slingshot. Immediately bought 2 foreign legions and started producing. Worked like a charm, was up against longswords and rifles, which were sliced by Morale/shock 2/great general foreign legions like a knife through butter.

In a multiplayer game? 1 city only? Plz more details!
 
Supplied. Its not a very repeatable strategy, but was undertaken because the location/opponents gave such opportunity (No other opponent went for wonders, which is usually wise -> Building wonders before turn 60 or so is typically a weak strategy, unless you can manage things like Great Library [Astronomy] ;) Also, no opponent did large-scale aggression vs me, which would have forced me to use great sci for faster musketeers. I wasted a lot of potential production to achieve a large tech lead (education before metal casting and iron works, for example)

The stategy was undertaken because my capital's land was high quality (est 16-20 river/fresh water tiles, plains/very hilly). Surrounding land had no rivers or good resources. This condition causes one city to be better than multiple cities, when the capital is the only location with great land.

It was very entertaining watching a 1hp/shock 3/morale foreign legion kill a full health knight that attacked it.
 
Just reached 350 hammers/turn by turn 120 in an abundant resource game. Did a 2 phase expansion, first to 5 cities then to 9 cities. There were probably at least 20 pastures in my empire ;)

The reason for the 2nd phase is to build some extra universities and science specialists. None of these cities should get past pop 2-3.
 
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