Pixelbuddha's Help Thread

[lymond]

post current saves too, so we can check your game and understand the timings of things. As you get used too, you will come to understand the general timings of where you should be in terms of tech and stuff. It's not exact science mind, as there are so many factors. But, for example, not having Currency, and I assume Alpha shortly before this at this stage is not particularly good.

(Don't be afraid at all to run 0% research/100% tax...build up the bank so you can then pay for 100% research.)

Also, since you are just now about to get currency at 425AD, that a lot of extra commerce you are missing, as well as trading resources for gpt, trading techs for gold, or even building wealth. You want Currency much earlier than this. Also, I suspect Alpha was rather late, which means a lot of missed ops to trade techs. In fact you should have been able to trade for Currency much sooner - it is pretty important tech. (Note: You don't even necessarily have to tech Alpha or even Currency yourself, but you need to position yourself to be able to trade for them as soon as the AI gets. However, on Emperor level, AIs can often be a bit slow to Alpha, so it might be good to do it yourself.

A big thing is understanding techs that the AI often prioritizes such as Machinery which I'm guessing you teched yourself (I see the xbow in queue) These are things that you will generally trade for...like Iron Working or Fuedalism...AIs are ALWAYS gonna tech those things.

Buildings? All you need is a granary, library in cap, and anyplace else that will give bang for buck, maybe a lighthouse where needed...rest is all situational. If you are just building other buildings just for the sake of it, it probably means you shoulda have been doing something else...like killing stuff.

 

[jorissimo]

The quoting function stopped working in the middle of preparing my post, but anyway:

I defended his first wave, but the second was twice as big and I wasnt prepared.

We can't see the size of the stack in the screenshot, but if it's really that big it could be game over. Dealing with AI DoWs is a whole chapter on its own. I don't recall right now if you're using Bug Mod or BUFFY, but these show a red fist when the AI is plotting. Some AI can't plot on pleased, some can. You can try to get them to pleased somehow and then, if they can plot on pleased, you can bribe like 10 gold of them and then they can't attack for 10 turns.

(whipped forges everywhere in a few turns, amazing!!!

Not sure in that was a good call at that stage of the game, because forges do little early and you have low happy cap.

I saw you used a GE on Machinery, I don't think there was any good reason to do that. You could have used it on a good wonder like Great Library, or saved it for a golden age running Paci and Caste to get some GS out.

Also leave those dry plains tiles alone until you have at least Chemistry for strong workshops. All riverside should be cottaged unless the city has no bonus food resources, then you can farm.

Generally you lack focus, which is normal for a beginner, as the sheer number of possibilities is overwhelming. I would advise you to look into the meta strategy of the Cuirassier rush (there have been many shadow games on that) and stick to it until you have it down. You ideally need a repertoire of strategies, but that one is a good start.

 

[Fippy]

Small correction on buildings, granary & library are both A+ with Pyras.
In good cities you want one for Rep. Scientists.
If a city cannot afford running them (each costs 2 / turn), no library is needed.

Defending vs AIs shouldn't be much of a problem
Maybe you just need some tips & tricks for dealing with that.
They will suicide stacks vs. well defended hill cities (or maybe vs. walls before catapults).
Warmongers like Toku more than peaceful AIs, their units have a higher "courage rating".
So you can set up traps, and once they lose their stacks they usually agree to peace (maybe with an added tech demand which is fine).

Toku doesn't sign open borders at cautious..but any other AI does, and you can keep an eye on where they build up stacks.
If an AI demands something (tech, gold or a resource) and you refuse that usually results in plotting.
They will come up with either blunt threats or sometimes funny lines, you can identify it by your reply option.
"We reject your empty threats!" shouldn't be clicked without thinking over the situation.
"Sorry but it's no rose garden here either" means you can refuse without worrying about war (it's just -1 diplo points).

 

[Izuul]

"We reject your empty threats!" shouldn't be clicked without thinking over the situation.
"Sorry but it's no rose garden here either" means you can refuse without worrying about war (it's just -1 diplo points).

After all of these years I'm still learning new things

 

[floydmcw]

After all of these years I'm still learning new things

I was just about to say the exact same thing!

 

[floydmcw]

I've played the first 100 turns (thanks for the save!) The opening is not too hard: Expand to the fairly obvious spots and chop the Pyramids.

Some of the advice earlier in the thread seems a little drastic (at least for Emperor). I was able to tech AH (there are 3 very nice animal tiles), get the Mids by T78, and finish Alphabet and Currency before T100. The economy was a little stalled, but Rep scientists and some Great Wall failgold pulled me through.

The real decision point comes later. It's very unclear how to break out as our near neighbors aren't exactly pushovers. I'm tempted to tech to Gunpowder and unleash some Janissaries.

 

[pmarc]

I've played the first 100 turns (thanks for the save!) The opening is not too hard: Expand to the fairly obvious spots and chop the Pyramids.

Some of the advice earlier in the thread seems a little drastic (at least for Emperor). I was able to tech AH (there are 3 very nice animal tiles), get the Mids by T78, and finish Alphabet and Currency before T100. The economy was a little stalled, but Rep scientists and some Great Wall failgold pulled me through.

The real decision point comes later. It's very unclear how to break out as our near neighbors aren't exactly pushovers. I'm tempted to tech to Gunpowder and unleash some Janissaries.

I agree with the point that you probably need AH first here (because of the production problem if you pass over cow and need boats). I disagree that there aren't key decisions early on. In particular the initial post's turn 30 state suggests a tempo problem based on the worker having little to do (farming floodplains in an already food-rich capital). So even with the general plan, there are a lot of important micro-decisions on the execution.

Here's what I did for the same initial 3 cities. Teching AH first, I think you could argue for the first settler at size 2 (corn + cow) or size 3 (with fish). I decided on size 3, so AH then Fishing, worker improves cow then corn. Fish is improved same turn as capital turns size 3. While waiting for settler, my worker had time to road a tile on forest 2NE (in order to connect pig/stone later) and then road all the way to the horse. Connecting your second city right away is 2 commerce per turn, and the Ottomans' excellent starting techs are basically why we can afford this production-greedy opening.

Edirne is founded turn 35 (picture in spoiler below), worker can start on corn same turn, while capital now builds 2nd worker. Note that I switched over the corn to Edirne right away, there is no reason to finish the worker before BW is ready for chops (in 5 turns, because I need to turn the slider off 1 turn here). Plus, working a floodplains in the capital instead of unimproved corn in Edirne produces another commerce, and every bit helps.

Spoiler :

There is a risk of more barbarian troubles with that kind of opening where we can't fit any warrior to fogbust. (I put some turns into barracks before Fishing was researched.) Still, turn 40 Bronze Working with horse means we can whip an emergency chariot if needed.

In any case, I revolted to slavery as BW finished on turn 40. After that worker, capital trains another settler for pigs/stone, which the new worker accelerates with one forest chop NE. It's founded turn 47 (picture below). At size 3 Edirne can start working on a settler (with first worker now chopping in Edirne to help) while capital builds a workboat, so the 4th city will probably go SW to use the clams. Pottery after BW is the right choice I think, then Masonry of course for Pyramids.

Sailing is not a priority, it can be gotten from trading later. After Masonry I would beeline Writing->Alpha.

Spoiler :

 

[Izuul]

Just noticed after playing a little bit that barbarians are turned off. I'd probably do things a little differently had i known that from the beginning. RIP chariot hammers.

 

[pmarc]

Good point. I also saw a hut where the horse is, but didn't pop it, I suppose an AI scout did.

 

[Fippy]

I wanted to add that earlier, boats for clams isn't great early.
As wise Sampsa wrote several times..those 30 go poof for 1 tile
Fish is more tempting. Maybe in poor cities clams are as well.

No barbs turned on makes work boats better thou.
The city governor AI loves switching into full mode for boats, if activated.
Good for laughs but should ofc be stopped.

 

[Izuul]

Seafood starts are always tricky. I didn't bother doing any math on this one.. I went with my gut and opened with worker first and AH > Mining > BW > Fishing to solve the hammer problem first. You do have to wait a bit for BW after improving the corn and cow. I used those turns to road to 2nd city. I think I went settler at S3 to finish a warrior, but if I had known there were no barbs I think I would've just started the settler immediately at S2 just using cows and corn. I built a 2nd worker after the settler and chopped a boat for fish.