Quick Answers / 'Newbie' Questions

[Aabraxan]

1) Go to the F4 screen, click "Details" and click on the Aztec leaderhead. In the box to the right, you'll the the active deals that you've got going, and the turns remaining. Something like "Military Alliance vs Maya (4)." That means that you've got 4 turns remaining in the MA. If no numbers appear, it's run its course and you can cancel without a rep hit.

2) First of all, if there are still turns left in the MA, I'm pretty sure you'll take a rep hit if you make peace with them before the 20 turns are up, especially as the MA was backed with per-turn goods (horses), if I understand you correctly. Consider just riding out the duration of the MA, then going for peace. If there are no more turns left, or if you want to end it and just take the rep hit, enter diplomacy with the Aztecs. Tell them you want to propose a deal. Then, at the bottom of the diplomacy box, you'll see "New" and "Active." Click on "Active," and that will call up any active deals you have going. You can then click on the deal that you want to work with, and take it off the table.

 

[BavariaValkyrie]

What version are you playing?

It's called version 1.22 and I think it's conquests but as it's the "full package" I thkn I have PTW as well?

I've heard that religious civs might pull a second switch, but I rarely play religious civs and the thought of 7 turns of anarchy when I've got 175 cities is downright painful.

175 cities!!!!!!!!!!!!! what size are you playing? I usually go for small as the game doesn't take ages then (impatience is my strength)

You can successfully warmonger with a variety of civs and civ traits. In addition to Bartleby's comments on the Ottomans, Persians and Indians, take a look at the Iroquois. Agricultural and Commercial, but they're one of the most popular civs on this board.

When I tried the Iroquois in Chieftain mode I didn't do too well as the Vikings came with their berserkers and gave me hell. But that's a while ago and maybe it's time now that I am at Regent Level to try that civ again.

Thanks for your help.

 

[BavariaValkyrie]

You don't need to be a Militaristic civ for warmongering; look at the UU's. Ottomans and Persians have excellent warmongering potential, and so do the Indians. China is still very attractive though.

I actually really like those Dromons that the Byzantines have. But I guess that's cause the leader is a woman

One single piece of advice I would give you if you want to improve your game, is build more workers.

Actually that is one of the simplest but best pieces of advice I have recently had. THANK YOU! (also for reminding me that it's actually not just about how many immortals or what not I have).

 

[Aabraxan]

It's called version 1.22 and I think it's conquests but as it's the "full package" I thkn I have PTW as well?

Sounds like you got "Complete," which includes Vanilla, PTW and Conquests. For future reference, if you're playing 1.22, that's Conquests and should already be fully patched.

175 cities!!!!!!!!!!!!! what size are you playing?

Standard map.

When I tried the Iroquois in Chieftain mode I didn't do too well as the Vikings came with their berserkers and gave me hell. But that's a while ago and maybe it's time now that I am at Regent Level to try that civ again.

You should. But you should probably be prepared for a semi-early war, as the UU (Mounted Warrior) is a horseman replacement.

 

[MAS]

When I tried the Iroquois in Chieftain mode I didn't do too well as the Vikings came with their berserkers and gave me hell. But that's a while ago and maybe it's time now that I am at Regent Level to try that civ again.

The biggest factor in success or failure is the human factor. The influence that traits and UU have on your game is relatively small in comparison.

If you are not far ahead of the AI when they reach the middle ages in chieftain level, then I'd say you are making some big mistakes in empire management. And having a good UU or traits is not going to make you do any better.

Please don't get me wrong on this, I've once struggled on chieftain level!
All I'm trying to say is that it may be better to first develop your understanding of empire management and conducting war with normal units, before getting into deeper stuff such as, what the influence of traits or UU's are on your civilization.

So yes, do try again:
The Zerk has an awesome attack rating of 6, but a def rating of only 2. The Mounted Warrior has an offensive rating of 3 and a movement of 2, thanks to this, you should be able to attack the zerk with the MW before the zerk can attack, the MW will then have a big chance of winning. Zerks coming from galleys over water is a bigger problem, but this can be solved by attacking their galleys with your own galleys, possibly after bombing down their galleys from the shore with catapults or trebs.
Doing it this way, the AI doesn't even has a chance to use that 6 attack.

 

[batke_p]

Hello, just joined, started with civ at jhu ca. 1990, now civ 3 conquests.

I have a problem with c3c on my vista laptop. I get a white screen crash occasionally, most recently when launching the spaceship. That crash did not recover. I can however continue to play be not building the last component.

The laptop cannot go back to xp says toshiba.

Would appreciate help or a pointer to an existing thread on this.

thx, Peter batke_p@hotmail.com

 

[Aabraxan]

Welcome to CFC, batke_p! You might try browsing the Civ 3 Techinical Support Forum.

 

[Jokeslayer]

Hello, just joined, started with civ at jhu ca. 1990, now civ 3 conquests.

I have a problem with c3c on my vista laptop. I get a white screen crash occasionally, most recently when launching the spaceship. That crash did not recover. I can however continue to play be not building the last component.

Are you trying to build the spaceship? (Just guessing from where you said about building components.) The space launch video seems to cause more than its fair share of problems.

 

[firepeoplebb]

I was just wondering what the "culturelly linked start" meant?

 

[Jokeslayer]

I was just wondering what the "culturelly linked start" meant?

Civs fall into different cultural "flavours" e.g. European (England, Germany, France etc.) American (Aztecs, Maya, Iroquois) and so on (I think there are five overall, not sure though). They get slightly better relations with each other and use the same graphics for cities and stuff.

Culturally linked starts makes civs in the same culture start near each other. That's all.

 

[Aabraxan]

I think that's the way it's supposed to work, but I also think I've read that the "culturally linked start" option is broken somehow. Unfortunately, I can't recall how it's broken.

 

[Abegweit]

If you turn it on, you always get American civs no matter what your own group.

 

[TheOverseer714]

Yep, uncheck that option for every start, unless you like to look at all those ugly mugs. Abe Lincoln is the worst looking leaderhead of the bunch, followed closely by parachute packer of the Inca.

 

[Nate1976]

If you turn it on, you always get American civs no matter what your own group.

To clarify what couldx be a confusingh post - ihad to read it twice, andi know about the bug - which Cult. linked starts on, the american civs are ALWAYS put into random slots, no matter what. It takes away some of the fun of setting random, becuase you know that Inca, Aztec, Maya, Iroquois, and USA are always in the game, and to get any other type of random you need more than 5 opponents.

-Nate

 

[Jokeslayer]

To clarify what couldx be a confusingh post - ihad to read it twice, andi know about the bug - which Cult. linked starts on, the american civs are ALWAYS put into random slots, no matter what. It takes away some of the fun of setting random, becuase you know that Inca, Aztec, Maya, Iroquois, and USA are always in the game, and to get any other type of random you need more than 5 opponents.

-Nate

Interesting. Makes me glad I always turn it off.

BTW, nice avi

 

[splunge the 2nd]

Forestry question:
I read that clearing a forest space adds 10 shields tot he nearest city. I have a widespread empire with lots of 100% corrupted cities (all shields wasted but 1) and workers to waste. I thought a good way to build units/imfrastructure would be to set workers to plant/harvest/repeat. It doesn't seem to be working. Occasionally I get the "10 shields added to ...", but not as often as my foestry teams clear forest.

Any ideas? I can afford to waste effort on Chieftan, but I'm trying to learn good strategies for when I move to higher difficulties.

Thanks!

 

[sercer88]

Forestry question:
I read that clearing a forest space adds 10 shields tot he nearest city. I have a widespread empire with lots of 100% corrupted cities (all shields wasted but 1) and workers to waste. I thought a good way to build units/imfrastructure would be to set workers to plant/harvest/repeat. It doesn't seem to be working. Occasionally I get the "10 shields added to ...", but not as often as my foestry teams clear forest.

Any ideas? I can afford to waste effort on Chieftan, but I'm trying to learn good strategies for when I move to higher difficulties.

Thanks!

The 10-shield bonus is a one-and-done ordeal. Either chop the forest and plant a new one, or plant-chop-plant...and those will yield 10 shields. But if you already had a tile give 10 shields from a chop, you cannot get that bonus again.

Edit: oh, and why would you want to build infrastructure in 90% corrupt cities??? it's a waste.

 

[MAS]

... I have a widespread empire with lots of 100% corrupted cities (all shields wasted but 1) and workers to waste. I thought a good way to build units/imfrastructure...

Any ideas? I can afford to waste effort on Chieftan, but I'm trying to learn good strategies for when I move to higher difficulties.

I have to agree with sercer88 here. A good strategy involves looking at "return of investment" or "ROI"

The only basic resource that isn't effected by corruption is food, so I'd say, focus on that! Irrigate the land around these highly corrupt cities and use the surplus food to support specialist citizens (tax collectors or scientist) The output of specialist isn't effected by corruption either, nor is it effected by city improvements. So don't build anything in these cities, it will only cost maintenance. Just build wealth. Or build settlers and workers from these cities.
(Exceptions: specific strategic purposes, such as barracks/walls/harbors, maybe airport. And when you go for a 100K culture victory, but then you'd pop-rush temples and cathedrals)

To get the maximum out of the land, place cities as close to each other as possible in the corrupt area's of your empire.

If you really want and empire of metropolises, then you can opt switching to communism. I don't advocate this as a good general strategy though. Just saying the option is there.

 

[splunge the 2nd]

The 10-shield bonus is a one-and-done ordeal. Either chop the forest and plant a new one, or plant-chop-plant...and those will yield 10 shields. But if you already had a tile give 10 shields from a chop, you cannot get that bonus again.

Edit: oh, and why would you want to build infrastructure in 90% corrupt cities??? it's a waste.

OK, so if I plant/chop/plant, iI can't then chop for more shields-correct? If I move to another tile and plant/chop, I can get the bonus there, or is it one per city?

I'll do the "specialist farm" stategy for now, but I got a milatary leader and am saving him for a Secret Police station when I hit industrial age and go communist. I read that communist is good for a sprawling empire and since I'm religous, the anarchy won't be too bad. I'm gambling the unit support will be better, being able to pop rush in my totally corrupt cities will save me money, and the corruption will be better than I'm facing in Monarchy.

Any feedback appreciated

 

[Jokeslayer]

The chop bonus is per tile. So you can do it more than once per city or more than once per project, but not more than once per tile.