Playing the Americans

[ZeroM]

I usually play as either Washington or Roosevelt. I like playing against the other leaders more than playing as them and I prefer to build and grow and only war when necessary. I'm using Vanilla. I'm on Noble and starting to manage my game totally by myself. I'd like to hear how other who play as those leaders go about their games in eneral, best tech paths, wonders etc.

I'm playing a game right now that is giving me fits. it's on a Huge Great Plains Map. I've founded 3 religions but have only one shrine so far in the Early AD's. I'm behind most of the other civs tech wise, I can't find a good mix of growth and commerce, and am abysmal at GP's and wonders. The AI keeps getting them a few turns ahead of me seemingly knowing I am close. I can post a save or two. Should I do that here?

Thanks.

 

[RRRaskolnikov]

I can post a save or two. Should I do that here?

I am sure you will get more input if you put the save and/or screenies...
i am not really a "pro" of the american leaders, but you sound like too much attracted by "shiny" stuffs: 3 religions isn't really necesary if you are not going cultural (as religion lets you build culture multipliers), and worse, it makes the AIs more likely too love each other (because they have more chance to be of the same religion as you founded many), trading between them and more likely to attack you... Focus on worker techs early on, make production cities where you build troops and commerce city where you work cottages. Try to have one with wonders or specialists enabling buildings (cheapest are the library and temples) and generate some... and most important thing, grab as many resources as you can get without crashing your economy .
Roosevelt tip though: he can 2 pop whip courthouses (tx to organized trait), which let you expand at a good rate (it halves the city maintenance).

As I said post a save or two and you will get more precise and usefull info

Cheers,
Raskolnikov

 

[Bandobras Took]

Usually with the Americans I don't go around founding religions unless it's accidental. Even pursuing religious wonderspam with Roosevelt, I try to only found one and let the AI found others. Of course, Noble being what it is, sometimes avoiding founding more is impractical.

Roosevelt's best strength is the Great Lighthouse with lots of coastal cities, but a Great Plains map isn't going to give that to you. Since you're organized, you should have your courthouses in every city fairly quickly, and if you been paying enough attention to either cottages or specialists as a source of research, you shouldn't be having tech problems -- what size is your army and what are you using them for?

I can't remember Vanilla Washinton's traits, offhand, but I think they were Financial and Organized. In that case, his game is fairly basic:

Cottage spam. Nobody should have a better economy than Washington if he has those traits. Pursue the techs that improve your commerce throughput and put most of your cities to working cottages.

Either way, founding three religions may mean you've simply made inadequate tech choices; which three religions have you founded?

 

[Bigv32]

You need to expand and war with the Americans. Just war once or twice to weaken your enemies and keep them in place. As far as growth and units building. I sugest build one building and build two units. In the long run, having every building in every city is not worth it or neccesary.

As far as the Americans, I only play with them when I start late in eras. overall read the war academy for advice.

 

[ZeroM]

I am sure you will get more input if you put the save and/or screenies...
i am not really a "pro" of the american leaders, but you sound like too much attracted by "shiny" stuffs: 3 religions isn't really necesary if you are not going cultural (as religion lets you build culture multipliers), and worse, it makes the AIs more likely too love each other (because they have more chance to be of the same religion as you founded many), trading between them and more likely to attack you... Focus on worker techs early on, make production cities where you build troops and commerce city where you work cottages. Try to have one with wonders or specialists enabling buildings (cheapest are the library and temples) and generate some... and most important thing, grab as many resources as you can get without crashing your economy .
Roosevelt tip though: he can 2 pop whip courthouses (tx to organized trait), which let you expand at a good rate (it halves the city maintenance).

As I said post a save or two and you will get more precise and usefull info

Cheers,
Raskolnikov

I didn't plan on 3 religions. I did go for Mysticism for Stonehenge, and founded Hinduism to get Organized Religion for the building bonus. I popped Theology from a Goody Hut getting Christianity, and just stumbled into Judaism.

Here are two saves my initial and where I am now. I haven't warred as of yet beside barbarians, there has been not much war at all yet, probably from the religions like you said. It looks like I do need to go at it with Caesar.

 

[ZeroM]

Usually with the Americans I don't go around founding religions unless it's accidental. Even pursuing religious wonderspam with Roosevelt, I try to only found one and let the AI found others. Of course, Noble being what it is, sometimes avoiding founding more is impractical.

Roosevelt's best strength is the Great Lighthouse with lots of coastal cities, but a Great Plains map isn't going to give that to you. Since you're organized, you should have your courthouses in every city fairly quickly, and if you been paying enough attention to either cottages or specialists as a source of research, you shouldn't be having tech problems -- what size is your army and what are you using them for?

I can't remember Vanilla Washinton's traits, offhand, but I think they were Financial and Organized. In that case, his game is fairly basic:

Cottage spam. Nobody should have a better economy than Washington if he has those traits. Pursue the techs that improve your commerce throughput and put most of your cities to working cottages.

Either way, founding three religions may mean you've simply made inadequate tech choices; which three religions have you founded?

I am totally landlocked, I have notice better success in games where I have coast. I am in a good area production wise, a lot of forests, but I may be chopped too much early on for a couple of wonders I missed out on.

I have been reading the War Acadamey quite a bit, along with the various walkthroughs, they are invaluable.

Edit: I just went in and was Dow'ed by Montezuma. He has Horse Archers, I have no hope of getting horses anywhere, so I am going to abandon this game. This map is interesting so I am going to start over.

I still like having Stonehenge early on, should I continue to make Mysticism my 1st tech to go after?

 

[Skallagrimson]

The biggest harm in founding religions is in two areas:

1) It distracts from higher strategic priorities
2) The more of them you found, the more religious lovefest blocs you'll have to deal with among the AIs, since they'll have fewer religions amongst them. Conversely, the fewer you found, the more diversity of religion there will be among the AIs, so they will be more divided against each other, offering more diplomatic opportunities of "divide and rule".

1 GPT for spreading a religion, think about it. That's a river cottage on turn 1. BFD.

 

[mirthadir]

The biggest harm in founding religions is in two areas:

1) It distracts from higher strategic priorities
2) The more of them you found, the more religious lovefest blocs you'll have to deal with among the AIs, since they'll have fewer religions amongst them. Conversely, the fewer you found, the more diversity of religion there will be among the AIs, so they will be more divided against each other, offering more diplomatic opportunities of "divide and rule".

1 GPT for spreading a religion, think about it. That's a river cottage on turn 1. BFD.

Actually, no. Its 1 GPT in your WS city that is independent of slider. A highly spread religion can allow you to run 20% higher slider; running mass merchs or priests (preferably with AW) in WS can often let you rock and roll with 100% slider.

 

[Skallagrimson]

At the cost of burning GPPs on a GP, and hammers on monasteries and missionaries that could have gone into axemen.

 

[mirthadir]

At the cost of burning GPPs on a GP, and hammers on monasteries and missionaries that could have gone into axemen.

Or into the AP resulting in a net gain, the ability to vote yourself territory, and generally kick the crap out of axes on a cost/return basis.

A 3 religion Holy city from Judaism, Christianity, Confucianism, and Taoism is pretty viable with an oracle shot. If you can chop the Oracle in your first (and only) expansion city you can get an insanely large block (as the numbers dictate that holy cities are founded anywhere but your cap) and run mass missionaries. Even better, you can spread religion to the AIs.

Frankly though with certain AIs, they will spread a religion regardless of state religion, which means that for the cost of one piddly missionary you several towns worth of gold.

Let's not even discuss the advantages you get with EE.

 

[ZeroM]

Does Fog of war aplly to Goody huts? Meaning, will a hut have a better chance of spawning barbarians if not cleared? I just popped a hut that isn't totally cleared and 2 barbarians came out and wiped out my only warrior.

 

[Bleys]

I popped Theology from a Goody Hut getting Christianity.

I thought you couldnt get a tech to found a religion from a hut? What level are you playing?

I used to found religions when playing at Prince, and even early Monarch. But I learned quickly that leaving those religions for the AIs increases the chances they wont get along and will eventually be at war. A religious block of AIs is the most difficult to stop. If you DoW on one, the others will jump in almost every time. Not only that, but they will share techs all day, and can jump out to an enormous tech lead with their "You tech this, I'll tech that, then we'll trade!" thing.

 

[RRRaskolnikov]

Is this a vanilla save? I don't have it

 

[ZeroM]

Is this a vanilla save? I don't have it

Yes. I'm playing on Noble.

 

[ZeroM]

I thought you couldnt get a tech to found a religion from a hut? What level are you playing?

I used to found religions when playing at Prince, and even early Monarch. But I learned quickly that leaving those religions for the AIs increases the chances they wont get along and will eventually be at war. A religious block of AIs is the most difficult to stop. If you DoW on one, the others will jump in almost every time. Not only that, but they will share techs all day, and can jump out to an enormous tech lead with their "You tech this, I'll tech that, then we'll trade!" thing.

I think you are right, now that I think of it. I got something else and then Bulbed Theology. My bad.