questions after my 3rd game

[hamster]

Well I've finally finished my third Civ3 game. For the most part, I get the ins and outs of Civ3 by now. But there are still some quirks I don't understand:

1. Whats the point of helicopters? Has anyone found any use for them? I really dont see the it point since it can only carry one non-mechanical unit, and it's transport range is so limited. Same goes for the paratrooper. I mean, by the time I get Advanced Flight, I already have airports capable of airlifting any unit in all my major cities.

2. How does the marine work? I mean how is it different from the plain ol' infantry, other that being weaker in stats?

3. Why is it that at the start of every game, the AI is very willing to trade luxuries for luxuries fairly. But later on, the AI starts demanding insane requests. For example, in the last game, towards the end, in order to acquire Germany's furs, I had to give gems, silks, spices, and 15 gold per turn. Thats not a fair deal, but he won't trade otherwise.

Appreciated, thanks.
Dan

 

[Bamspeedy]

1. I agree with you on this, I never waste my time building helicopters.

2. The marines can attack immediately from unloading from a ship(the only thing possible for taking those 1 square island cities). I also believe I read somewhere they get an attack bonus for an amphibious assault, so it's actually better than the stats say in this case.

3. You might be the only civ they can trade with so they just take what they can get early on. But as their trade routes expand to other civs they have more of an option. Many wars have been fought because I traded my gems to one civ and not another. I can certainly understand price increases (inflation) as time goes on, but why won't the AI give me one luxury, when I offer 3 he doesn't have

 

[Greadius]

Helicopters are pseudo-useful to move workers around if you have an island nation (of course transports will do the same thing...)

Like was mentioned above, you can't take those 1 square island cities without Marines. Usually they're pretty useless and its just simpler to get them as part of a peace settlement.

As far as luxury trading goes, I'm confused to. I have a monopoly on the worlds supply of wine, yet I won't get offered more than 15 gold a turn for it. But the Indians & the Chinese want technology, money, and wine for silks. So much for competition lowering prices.

 

[Zachriel]

Originally posted by Bamspeedy
. . . but why won't the AI give me one luxury, when I offer 3 he doesn't have . . .

Maybe they don't like you.
Seriously, if you don't have good relations with other civs, then of course, they won't want to trade with you. I trade with other civs in the late game (in some games anyway) for luxuries. Other games, they won't trade at all.

Does anyone know how to check your reputation?

 

[Psychlone]

Seems to me that ither civs jack up the exchange on luxuries if you're doing well. They know that the luxuries will help you do even better, so they make you pay through the nose for it.

 

[hamster]

Originally posted by Zachriel


Maybe they don't like you.

that might be it. towards the end of the game, most of the other civs were annoyed at me.

 

[zebomba]

Psychlone is right.

I do as the AI does all the time. I charge little or give things for free to help smaller civs, but I refuse to trade things to big civs. Even if all the gems in the world are mine and they stay there instead of giving me 100-200 gold/turn. Think, give 3 or 4 happy citizens to every city of your greatest rival for only 15-30 gold/turn?