Quick Answers / 'Newbie' Questions

[Ghpstage]

So it it says I'm trading gems 1of 4, that means I had 3 extras? And in order for all cities to use them, they all have to be linked together through a trade network?
I have roads between all my cities, but everytime I look at my city map, it shows that my trade is only with two of them. How come they aren't all connected? It is the first two cities I built though, I think

Not sure exactly what you mean, but it sounds like your misreading the city screen.

In the pic below the cities named in the red box I marked are trade routes. These give and run along trade networks, they are limited in number by various factors like tech (here I have Currency). They are not however the limit of your trade network and aren't relevant to your resources.

The area I marked with yellow is part of the city resource box, it shows all the resources this city has access too. If you want too see if your trade network is allowing your cities to use your resources, then this is what you should check

Spoiler :

 

[Brian5150]

Wow, Thanks
That definitely helps
Brian

 

[SuperSaxon771]

Are there any mods that level off inflation in the endgame? It's ridiculous that the inflation rate continues to increase even when cities are maxed out.

 

[nfw]

I usually play custom game, continental or hemisphere maps. What can I do to get rid of those annoying one square islands, some of them is just a peak with 2 fish next to it.

I don't mind large islands that can be set up as a colony

 

[Abegweit]

Pressed coastlines is the right option to prevent this in Pangaea. Check to see if the option is available in your preferred map types.

 

[Lord Parkin]

Are there any mods that level off inflation in the endgame? It's ridiculous that the inflation rate continues to increase even when cities are maxed out.

How late in the game are you talking about? If you haven't reached the end of the tech tree, there should still be things to aim for (like buildings) that will push your economy ahead faster than inflation can reel it back. Plus, you can always build units and go to war to claim some new land. Inflation shouldn't be the main source of drag on your economy at any point of the game, though.

If you're talking about long after the tech tree has ended, then I guess you're probably not playing a particularly standard game (since in a normal game you should have triggered a victory before this point). I'm sure there's probably a simple way to level off inflation after a certain point, I'm just not sure how to do it myself. Perhaps try looking around or asking in the Creation & Customization forum.

 

[SuperSaxon771]

Yeah I'm talking past the end of the tech tree.

 

[TheMulattoMaker]

Okay, it's my understanding that siege units can bombard fortresses just like cities. I have a stack parked next to an enemy city, but it's inside my culture (it's basically my front-door stack in case sneaky ol' Rags decides to try and invade again). If I build a fort under my stack, will the cats inside his city be able to bombard it every turn without worrying abut taking any damage?

 

[Danelius90]

Okay, it's my understanding that siege units can bombard fortresses just like cities.

It was my understanding that you can't bombard forts...

 

[Ataxerxes]

Okay, it's my understanding that siege units can bombard fortresses just like cities. I have a stack parked next to an enemy city, but it's inside my culture (it's basically my front-door stack in case sneaky ol' Rags decides to try and invade again). If I build a fort under my stack, will the cats inside his city be able to bombard it every turn without worrying abut taking any damage?

I think Danielus is correct. Besides, what can he bombard? The fort has no cultural defenses to take down. He can get collateral damge when his siege units attack the fort but a lot of them will get killed and you still get the fort defenses. I do wonder if a spy could be used to destroy the fort "improvement".

 

[Danelius90]

I think Danelius is correct. Besides, what can he bombard? The fort has no cultural defenses to take down. He can get collateral damge when his siege units attack the fort but a lot of them will get killed and you still get the fort defenses. I do wonder if a spy could be used to destroy the fort "improvement".

(correction )

I'm almost sure I have used a spy to destroy one, after all it's just an improvement. Can't remember if you can bomb it?

 

[TheMulattoMaker]

I think Danielus is correct. Besides, what can he bombard? The fort has no cultural defenses to take down. He can get collateral damge when his siege units attack the fort but a lot of them will get killed and you still get the fort defenses.

Yep. I'm still such a noob at warfare that I was confusing bombarding defenses with collateral damage. Forgot you can't do both with one shot.

 

[Lord Parkin]

I'm almost sure I have used a spy to destroy one, after all it's just an improvement. Can't remember if you can bomb it?

You can most definitely bomb Forts. I've used this fact to great advantage in past multiplayer games. The % chance of the Fort being destroyed, as with any other improvement, is calculated in a somewhat obscure and confusing way (and is not displayed in-game). However, it will typically take about 3-4 bombing runs with a Fighter or 1-2 with a Guided Missile (for instance). I can look up more exact numbers for different units if anyone's really interested.

 

[SuperSaxon771]

Are AI civs able to tell how big my military is? I know if I have open borders with them then they can send scouts in and see how many units I have, but I'm more asking if they the AI just "knows" how powerful I am.

Seems like if I am significantly weaker than a neighbor then perhaps it would be best to not have open borders with them to disguise my weakness. Not sure if that's how it works though.

 

[Sisiutil]

Are AI civs able to tell how big my military is? I know if I have open borders with them then they can send scouts in and see how many units I have, but I'm more asking if they the AI just "knows" how powerful I am.

Seems like if I am significantly weaker than a neighbor then perhaps it would be best to not have open borders with them to disguise my weakness. Not sure if that's how it works though.

Assuming you're playing with the Beyond the Sword expansion pack, the AI will definitely devote enough espionage points against you to at least see your demographics, which thereby reveals your power rating (just as you can, with enough EPs, see theirs). So closing your borders won't help disguise your weakness. In fact there isn't really a way to disguise it. The solution: don't be weak.

 

[Luthor_Saxburg]

Is there a maximum level of experience for units?

 

[Psyringe]

Is there a maximum level of experience for units?

Not that I know of. But even if there were, you'd never hit it because each level-up takes more experience than the previous, so if your unit already has a high levels, it requires many victories to earn another one. My units tend to reach level 6 - 10, but I had some at level 15 as well.

Note that a high level does nothing for a unit by itself, the only advantage it provides is a new promotion slot. Extremely high levels don't make units extremely strong - the units just collect more situational bonuses, which sometimes are even mutually exclusive. Theoretically you could probably raise a unit's level ad infinitum, but once it has acquired all promotions, it wouldn't even benefit from further levels.

 

[TheMulattoMaker]

Is there a list or a guide somewhere showing the probability of buildings being destroyed when I take a city? I'm playing as the Inca, conquering the Vikings. (And I don't get around to fighting many major wars in my games, which is why I don't know this yet.) I razed the first three cities I took because they were stupid and useless, but Nidaros has the Great Lighthouse, so I'm keeping it.

Now, I read somewhere that cultural buildings are destroyed, and the rest have a chance of survival. When I took Nidaros what was left was TGL (which works but no +6), an Academy (which works but no +4), and I think the Barracks. What confused me was that his Granary survived and became a Terrace (my UB) but has +4 (which would make sense, normally +2 but doubled because of 1000 years). Why would some of the buildings produce culture but not others? And is there any way to guess or predict which buildings will survive? Thanks.

 

[Ghpstage]

Is there a list or a guide somewhere showing the probability of buildings being destroyed when I take a city? I'm playing as the Inca, conquering the Vikings. (And I don't get around to fighting many major wars in my games, which is why I don't know this yet.) I razed the first three cities I took because they were stupid and useless, but Nidaros has the Great Lighthouse, so I'm keeping it.

Now, I read somewhere that cultural buildings are destroyed, and the rest have a chance of survival. When I took Nidaros what was left was TGL (which works but no +8), an Academy (which works but no +4), and I think the Barracks. What confused me was that his Granary survived and became a Terrace (my UB) but has +4 (which would make sense, normally +2 but doubled because of 1000 years). Why would some of the buildings produce culture but not others? And is there any way to guess or predict which buildings will survive? Thanks.

Culture producing UBs of buildings that don't usually give culture are able to survive at the same rate as the non-unique versions.
Off the top of my head I think only Terraces and the Greek Colliseum UB are like this.

 

[Ansive]

Always get razed:
- culture producing buildings (UBs don't count)
- national wonders
- walls, castle, stables, barracks, airport, (drydock can survive), public transportation

Never get razed:
- wonders
- shrines
- corporate HQs
- academies

All other buildings have a 33% chance of getting destroyed when you conquer the city.

In ..\sid meier's civilization iv beyond the sword\Beyond the Sword\Assets\XML\Buildings\CIV4BuildingInfos.xml
tag <iConquestProb>

I'm not sure if taking back a city would raze more of the buildings.

There are also other rules if a city revolts or is traded.
http://forums.civfanatics.com/showpost.php?p=4933258&postcount=11