Pirates! Mod Scenario

[LaCiencia]

Did you try loading the scenario directly from the map file? (If Yes, please ignore this post)

If not, go to the scenario's mod folder before launching Warlords. Then, go into the mod's PublicMaps subfolder. There should be a map file labeled (Pirates!.CIVWarlordsWBSave). Double click on the file name directly and let the game load itself.

Hope this helps.

I did this as well, but in my case it didn't work.

Looks like I have problem with the Philips (Spanish) leaderhead, but I didn't tried version 1.2 yet. So will see.

At least I'm not the only one with the problem. pheau!

 

[Balam]

This is a fantastic scenario. It's refreshing to find a really good scenario for Civ4 that doesn't require downloading or installing one or more background mods (something I miss from the Civ3 world).

Some observations: I've played the Pirates and the Spanish, and I have to say the Pirates are a lot of fun. The Spanish are invincible as long as they can survive the first 50-100 turns of bankruptcy. I haven't played anyone else yet, but it seems like the English--and perhaps the Dutch--have a decent shot. As it's set up, though, the French are just BEGGING to lose the game (as the Pirates, I took their nearby cities in the first few turns) to someone. Can they win?

The only thing I'd like to see more (and by no means is my opinion any more valid than anyone else's) is a willingness on the part of the AI to declare war on each other, the pirates, or the Spanish--the European AIs don't really do much and are primarily passive and seemingly happy to lose. I don't know how this would be done, but its hard enough to catch all the galleons as it is, so maybe this isn't a priority. But a GREAT scenario, best I've played for Civ4!

 

[Dogbeard]

Thanks for the props, Balam. Glad you liked it.

 

[Zherak_Khan]

Hi,

That was actually a rather fun mod/scenario, though I'm not sure how playable it is with the non-Pirate factions (Spain seems to easy, for instance).

I picked Pirates, conquered the nearby French/Spanish isle and the Spanish one west of it, then buildered awhile and raced through the tech tree. Getting sloops of war, I did no longer have to do quite as much suiciding against the Treasure Galleons, and after having gotten a bit of infrastructure, I went whip/draft crazy and conquered 75% of Spain, including Panama. Then it was 100% gold, Golden Age and 100.000 in 1700. Most of my income was pure slider, but the Galleon money was great for some heavy rush-buying.

My only suggestions for improving the mod would be to make the other factions play out as well as the Pirates (I think Netherlands could get a good trade-route economy going, but they have a hard time gaining land with those -10% City Attack muskets).

Thanks for a fun play-through!

 

[Viperace]

Thanks for a great fun scenario... Used up my 6 hours

I played as pirates in Noble diff. Manage to win at before 1700, most of my gold (~80k) come from the full-blown cottage, not from treasure galleon.Gold from treasure galleon only made up 20k.

Suggestion: I don't see many neutral ships sailing around, would like to see more of them so that the pirates can sink and plunder them. Hitting merchant ship should be a pirate source of income.

PS: More music from SM Pirates! won't hurt. They are much better than the default civ4 music.

 

[jimmygeo]

Wow! What lights the fire under the Spanish about 1700? Playing as the pirates (Henry Morgan was a distant ancester of my wife), I was fortunate to ambush several Treasure Galleons and had, by 1700, 47K gold. Then the Spaniards literally took off and went from a couple of thousand to 30k+ in a matter of 3-4 turns!!! They had been able to get a treasure fleet through, but that's just ridiculous. What gives???

jimmygeo

 

[Yeekim]

Wow! What lights the fire under the Spanish about 1700? Playing as the pirates (Henry Morgan was a distant ancester of my wife), I was fortunate to ambush several Treasure Galleons and had, by 1700, 47K gold. Then the Spaniards literally took off and went from a couple of thousand to 30k+ in a matter of 3-4 turns!!! They had been able to get a treasure fleet through, but that's just ridiculous. What gives???

jimmygeo

That question has been asked several times - check the discussion before.
I'd say that by this time the Spanish reach the end of tech tree and turn the slider to commerce only. Provided they still have their mainland cottage-fields intact (+ their three national wonders - storage warehouses or smth), it is entirely plausible. You simply have to be quicker than that

 

[Dogbeard]

Yeah, Spain's 1700 runaway has been an issue throughout, but I think it's been progressively diminished with each revision. I didn't want to handicap Spain to the point where it's just a doormat for the player.

Thanks for the kind posts above. I'm glad that in general it's an enjoyable scenario.

 

[jimmygeo]

Following advice I got on this thread, I finally won as Henry Morgan! I attacked the French on Hispaniola on the very first turn, taking out both their cities in two turns. Then I cruised around to find an undefended Spanish city to take easily. This was Puerto Principe on Cuba. So, in the second year, I had three more cities. I built tech straight toward Article of Agreement while also building up my fleet. By mid-game I had taken several enemy/barbarian sloops, Santiago and Santo Domingo, and took to sea raiding with flotillas of three or four sloops of war. This allowed me to capture every single Treasure Galleon Spain sent out, and to take the fight to the Spanish colonies in So. America. You just have to rush them or you're sunk! Most of the other powers will leave you alone, esp. if you are on friendly terms with the Brits. Here's a screenshot at game's end.

 

[jimmygeo]

I have now won playing Spain on Noble level. Not much of a challenge once you get through the period of bankrupcy, and make sure you escort the Treasure Galleons. A final screenshot is attached below.

Now that I've played both pirates and Spain, I have some comments/bug(?) reports. First, the city screen resource gaphics are all mixed up (e.g. pig for cow etc.) Second, there is no collateral damage from bombardment by Flag Galleons (and others?) Third, production at Puerto Bello is too low to ever get around to building a Treasure Galleon there (this, of course, may be intentional). Fourth, pirate AI is a real wimp, they were almost no threat to Spain whatsoever. Most of the time they just sat in Tortuga inactive. And finally, non-pirates don't seem to ever be able to use gold to hurry production. This may be intentional, but once you adopt Emancipation, there is no way to hurry any building, and all you can do for units is to draft (which more often than not improves the conditions in the city!)

I made some slight mods to the WBS file to beef up the Pirates, and would u/l it here if there's interest. The AI still doesn't take advantage of those changes but a human player may be able to if he's agressive.

 

[Karhu]

this mod sounds great! Will it work for Multiplayer as well?

 

[jimmygeo]

Helloooo! Is this thread dead or what? The last post was a week ago and there hasn't been any comment on my bug(?) reports.

jimmygeo

 

[Dogbeard]

Maybe not dead, but certainly dormant.

First, the city screen resource gaphics are all mixed up (e.g. pig for cow etc.)

Probably happened because of the custom resources; I never noticed actually.

Second, there is no collateral damage from bombardment by Flag Galleons

An oversight by yours truly.

Third, production at Puerto Bello is too low to ever get around to building a Treasure Galleon there (this, of course, may be intentional).

Semi-intentional...Puerto Bello was the chief port through which gold was sent back to Spain, but it wasn't a particularly large or prosperous one.

Fourth, pirate AI is a real wimp, they were almost no threat to Spain whatsoever. Most of the time they just sat in Tortuga inactive.

Yes, they do tend to be rather wimpy. My attempts to make the pirate AI more aggressive haven't born much fruit.

And finally, non-pirates don't seem to ever be able to use gold to hurry production.

This is intentional. The pirates are supposed to be able to use their unique civic to their advantage.

this mod sounds great! Will it work for Multiplayer as well?

It wasn't designed to, no.

If I get a chance in the near future, I'll make some more tweaks to the scenario. Out of curiousity, anyone who has played the earlier versions, do you think that version 1.2 was a significant improvement?

 

[MusX]

really great scenario! thank you

 

[jimmygeo]

Thanks for the reply, Dogbeard. I really enjoy this mod and look forward to any improvements or an updated version. Great work, matey!

jimmygeo

 

[Ambreville]

If I get a chance in the near future, I'll make some more tweaks to the scenario. Out of curiousity, anyone who has played the earlier versions, do you think that version 1.2 was a significant improvement?

It's been a while since I last played this mod. I ran the updated version and played the French (which was not such a good idea). As a result I could not really see a major improvement. I think this had more to do with my choice of CIV at the time than the mod update itself. The trading with over CIVs seemed to work better. I got into a series of sea battles with the Spaniards trying to mess with my fisheries. Sent lots of woods to the bottom. Mine and theirs. It was pretty fierce.

The AI stinks when it comes to the Pirates though. They tend to stay put, and there's nothing much you'll be able to do about it, short of turning CIV4 into a tactical wargame. I had a similar issue in another mod I designed, and eventually dropped the project as result.

Overall, I think this mod is the very best as long as you play the Pirates! So...
Stand and deliver, matey!

 

[Abegweit]

Overall, I think this mod is the very best as long as you play the Pirates! So...
Stand and deliver, matey!

I agree!

The pirates at playable at levels up to Immortal. I think Deity is impossible for several reasons. The Spanish are easy enough at Noble but absolutely impossible above that because your economy will tank before a treasure galleon gets to its goal. In any case, they are BORING. The other European civs maybe doable but they sure aren't fun. I find it hard to find a treasure galleon unless I am playing the pirates.


Some issues:
Despite the civilopedia, flag galleons and fast galleon cannot be captured.
A Great Merchant trade mission doesn't work.

 

[lamppost4]

I thought this was a great scenerio but the AI never really seemed to use its navy other than the Spanish and their galleons. But maybe I just need to use a higher diffiiculty level.

 

[Abegweit]

Even at higher difficulties, there is no difference. The initial step for the Pirates is to grab the two French towns in Hispaniola. If you stay at war with them, they will eventually get their fleet and dump two musketeers beside some naked town. Sue for peace and they will give you everything they have instead of staying at war and raping you silly.

Edit: even so, it's a lot of fun. I like the race against time without having to worry about managing a million cities like the Spanish have to.

Edit2: the mod is all about a race against the clock and I haven't seen much difference between how the various levels play. Really, the only difference is that higher levels are much less forgiving of errors. For example, the first step is always to research Sextant and get out around 3 sloops to take down the first treasure ship, which will fund your research for the rest of the game. At Monarch and below this is easy. At Immortal it is very hairy. It requires a tight balancing act between research, upgrading, whips and tracking. At Deity, you simply won't get to Sextant on time. Period. This means either that you get very lucky with your initial sloop and pinnace or you research at 50% (against a Deity AI) until the next one comes along. This is only one of several reasons that I think that Deity is impossible.

 

[Abegweit]

A question.

How exactly does bankruptcy work in this mod? According to the civlopedia, cities refuse to build units and buildings. Furthermore, units and building may be disbanded to pay for the shortage.

I have experimented with playing the Spanish in this mod and deliberately going into bankruptcy. In one game I played at Noble and left two TGs in Pirate waters to see if someone would take them out. Nobody even tried. Eventually, of course, my economy tanked. My money and my research went to zero. I started to lose units, first naval (including TGs ) and then workers. It seemed like there was no escape from the hole.

I've got a game going on as the French. At one point, I had taken out every one of the first five TGs and the Spanish economy must have tanked. Since the French are not locked at war, I could talk to him and see his techs. To be expected, he had none. OTOH, he did have money. You can see that from the score screen in any game. How that happen? And why couldn't I reproduce it when playing the same civ?

It seems that bankruptcy does not affect the AI in the same way that it does the human.

Throughout this time, I saw almost no Spanish warships except for TGs. I began to think that every one they made got deleted to pay for the deficit. (But why not the TGs; playing the Spanish, I lost them too) Then one day, I somehow wound up at peace with Phillip after the end of one of the many Europeans wars. He offered me 630g for Divine Right. I accepted. I mean what good it THAT gonna do you, dood?

Well, it seems that it did him a lotta good because he started to learn some techs and his science rate grew too. Is there somebody who can explain this?