plz...some help with playing in prince difficulty

[Freeman89]

I have been playing civ4 for a while already, I've managed to win in each difficulty until prince, when I started playing prince after I reached about 1000 A.D I was starting to fall behind in technological develpment and as the game moved on it became worse, it happend because my economy fell apart and my science percentage was only 10% .but I managed to stay alive because of the game's bugs(without patches) that the other civs gave me all their secrets for peace only..
then I installed the patch and i discovered that i couldn't do that thing again, and it became totally impossible for me to play...for example while I had knights they had infantry
so my question is how do I keep my economy and science alive in prince level?
(or maybe i should consider reinstalling the game and playing without patches but that's quite cheating and not interesting)

 

[sandman_civ]

Read some of the other threads, there's many that have the same problem with a failing economy after early war. In short, the most common problems and methods of fixing them are:
- build cottages early and they turn into towns that give you a big boost
- choose your best science/commerce city, usually your capital, and put improvements in this. I usually take at least one other lower production city and load it with cottages and improvements like market, bank, and all science improvements
- courthouses reduce maintenance cost by half - this is a BIG help until midgame which is your problem
- in desperate situations sometimes found in intense war, either choose to raze cities that you can't manage, or throw "wealth" or "research" into them

 

[Freeman89]

I always automate the workers I guess they build enough cottages
I always improve my capital with all possible improvments
i have always a second devolped city aside from the capital
when i discover code of laws i build courthouses everywhere as soon as possible
i will take your advice about razing cities because i usually don't do that
some other advices plz...

 

[stormii]

I think you should post a typical game so we can analyze it and come with some help. It's quite hard to help without knowing what you're doing wrong

(push reply and attach a save-game)

/Storm

 

[EL_OSO]

I always automate the workers I guess they build enough cottages
I always improve my capital with all possible improvments
i have always a second devolped city aside from the capital
when i discover code of laws i build courthouses everywhere as soon as possible
i will take your advice about razing cities because i usually don't do that
some other advices plz...

1. Control your workers. Letting the AI decide what and when to improve is a big NO-NO on levels above Noble. I wouldn't even do it on Noble level.

2. Don't build every improvement. Customize your cities depending on their surrounding location (i.e., if it is a high commerce city a forge is a waste of time; 25% of 4 harmmers is only 1 hammer). I believe Alphabet, Currency, and Music allow you to build something other than improvements.

3. Razing cities provide instant cash. Also pillage the enemy's improvements. If you don't raze a city, you have to pay the maintenance. Some of the cities you will want to keep and raze the rest.

4. Keep wars short. Take or raze a few of the AI's cities and then sue for peace. If they won't talk to you, continue to pillage their improvements until they cave in. Then use this time to heal and consolidate for a new war and strike again. Rinse and repeat.

 

[Freeman89]

I think you should post a typical game so we can analyze it and come with some help. It's quite hard to help without knowing what you're doing wrong

(push reply and attach a save-game)

/Storm

ok.. if it will still go wrong after all these tips next game I will play I will save and post it...Tnx

 

[Freeman89]

1. Control your workers. Letting the AI decide what and when to improve is a big NO-NO on levels above Noble. I wouldn't even do it on Noble level.

It is just so annoying to order every worker what to do that's why I automize them, but if it hurts the development I think I will do it on my own.

 

[crashnation]

Automate worker is ****. They always try to change town to workshop or farm. If you feel annoying, try option, "worker leaves exist development". it will save you.

 

[rcoutme]

2. Don't build every improvement. Customize your cities depending on their surrounding location (i.e., if it is a high commerce city a forge is a waste of time; 25% of 4 harmmers is only 1 hammer). I believe Alphabet, Currency, and Music allow you to build something other than improvements.

I realize that 25% of 4 hammers is 1 hammer...but don't you need a forge in order to get an engineer producing the extra 2 hammers?

Otherwise, I agree with your assessment here. I suppose I am not the best one to listen to, though, since I am still playing Prince level (and don't always win... I get beat out in the space race because I am too timid to take on the tech leader )

 

[EL_OSO]

I realize that 25% of 4 hammers is 1 hammer...but don't you need a forge in order to get an engineer producing the extra 2 hammers?

Otherwise, I agree with your assessment here. I suppose I am not the best one to listen to, though, since I am still playing Prince level (and don't always win... I get beat out in the space race because I am too timid to take on the tech leader )

IMO the jump from 4 hammers to 7 hammers still isn't worth the effort in a commerce city. I would much rather use a specialist as a scientist or merchant to reap greater benefits. It may be worth the effort in a high food city as that one will be generating great people. Of course there are certain exceptions to this method of playing as if you have gold to burn and the right civics or traits you can put buildings where you like. If you are playing a OCC then you might want to build every improvement.

Taking on the tech leader can be an intimidating situation especially if separated by a body of water. I'm finding the best way to do this is to use the other civs to gang up on each other while you sit the war out. If you haven't prepared for this by making key friends early on then you'll have to attempt it yourself which will be costly. Best option there would be a raze and pillage strategy to damage their economy targeting their key resources and cottages.

 

[Desert-Fox]

I try to found 1 or 2 religions, after the shrines are built I can make enough gc to maintain these costs.