Quick Answers / 'Newbie' Questions

[ChazFox]

Alright, thanks for the prompt reply

 

[Roland Johansen]

If I down load units (which are awesome, thanks to all) onto a cd and try to get them into BTS, what is the best way to accomplish that?

Thanks again

That's a modding question. Best place to get those questions answered is the Creation and Customization subforum.

 

[Lord Parkin]

The extra option is the religious symbol. It only lights up or appears when you are in a city that would potentially accept your religion (NB there is always a chance of failure); when you try to spread religion in a theocracy the symbol is dimmed out.

I disagree with the "always a chance of failure" part - as I recall, there's a 100% chance of success if the city has no religions already present in it.

 

[Sim_One]

Is there a supposed diplomatic difference between formally declaring war using the diplomacy menu vs. just marching your army into someone else's territory to trigger war?

 

[buffalo6542]

how do i take screen shots in BtS? and can Atk Subs be seen by regular destroyers?

 

[JujuLautre]

Is there a supposed diplomatic difference between formally declaring war using the diplomacy menu vs. just marching your army into someone else's territory to trigger war?

Absolutely not

how do i take screen shots in BtS?

Press the print screen button of your keyboard. And then search for a folder called screenshots in your BTS installation (don't remember the exact path, sorry)

and can Atk Subs be seen by regular destroyers?

Yes, destroyers can see all kind of subs

 

[texasnightowl]

OK, very newbie question...how can you re-read the "challenges" or missions you are given? The ones like 'you have been tasked to build x number of units by this time'. I was given a challenge and thought I was about to meet it but have seen no messages either that I did or did not do it. Where can I find the mission info?

I searched on missions and challenges but didn't see a relevant topic/post.

 

[JujuLautre]

these challenges are called quests. On the main screen, you have a button on the top left of the screen, under the sliders. It ill give you access to logs, including quests logs.

 

[RulerOfDaPeople]

What happens if you reduce another civs vassall to the point where they either have to accept capitualization from you, or be annihalated? Can they then become your vassall instead? Or is the only option either to destroy them or vassallize their master?

I think it would be cool if you could liberate a vassall. At least realistic. If a capitualized civ that doesn't like it's master gets liberated by you, then it should become like a colony; a friendly vassall that has great diplo relations.

Is any of this in the game?

 

[Lord Parkin]

What happens if you reduce another civs vassall to the point where they either have to accept capitualization from you, or be annihalated? Can they then become your vassall instead? Or is the only option either to destroy them or vassallize their master?

I think it would be cool if you could liberate a vassall. At least realistic. If a capitualized civ that doesn't like it's master gets liberated by you, then it should become like a colony; a friendly vassall that has great diplo relations.

Is any of this in the game?

No, that's not in the game.

The thing is, it's only "liberation" from your point of view. Think about how the poor vassal feels, having its cities marched upon by a fearsome foe.

Seriously, what I'm trying to get at is - why should a civ suddenly become happy with you due to the fact that you're rampaging through their lands, even if they're a vassal that doesn't like their master? That seems a little unrealistic to me.

 

[Sisiutil]

No, that's not in the game.

The thing is, it's only "liberation" from your point of view. Think about how the poor vassal feels, having its cities marched upon by a fearsome foe.

Seriously, what I'm trying to get at is - why should a civ suddenly become happy with you due to the fact that you're rampaging through their lands, even if they're a vassal that doesn't like their master? That seems a little unrealistic to me.

I think what the OP was getting at was that you're rampaging through the master's lands. So I agree, it makes sense if:

1. The vassal capitulated to its master (i.e. it wasn't a voluntary vassalization);
2. The vassal is anywhere from "Furious" to "Cautious" with its master;
3. You damage the master to such an extent that the vassal is able to break free;

Then yes, you should at least earn a diplomatic bonus with the former vassal for "Liberating" them.

But no, to the best of my knowledge, it's not in the game. Which is too bad.

 

[Mknn]

Didn't know where else to ask this ... in a lot of the games posted here (Aelf's, the ALC, etc), it looks like people don't promote their units immediately, but wait to do so. Why is this?

 

[Sisiutil]

Didn't know where else to ask this ... in a lot of the games posted here (Aelf's, the ALC, etc), it looks like people don't promote their units immediately, but wait to do so. Why is this?

I'll pretty much immediately promote units whose specialization is pre-determined--City Raiders, for example, or Spearmen/Pikemen (Combat I, II, and then Formation to enhance their anti-mounted specialization). But with my "active defense" units--usually mounted units that venture out of my cities to attack units the AI sends against me--I'll hold off on promotions for 2 reasons:

1. Promotions help heal damage, so it can be a quick way to help heal a unit.
2. But the main reason is that promotions are all about specialization. I don't know if I want that Cavalry unit to get a Combat, Pinch, or Formation promotion until I know what type of opponent it will be fighting. This gives me the chance to give that unit the best odds possible of winning and surviving a battle.

 

[doctorb]

If I build a city on a resource, do I lose the resource?

 

[Roland Johansen]

If I build a city on a resource, do I lose the resource?

No, in fact, you will gain immediate access to the resource once you invent the resource enabling technology.

However, resource tiles improved with their resource enabling terrain improvement are often very profitable tiles. If you build a city on top of a resource, then the tile is often just the same as every other centre city tile or maybe a little better (depending on the base tile output).

So by building a city on top of a resource, you do not lose the resource, but you do lose a profitable tile. Sometimes however, the lay of the land almost forces you to do this.

 

[Lord Parkin]

I'll pretty much immediately promote units whose specialization is pre-determined--City Raiders, for example, or Spearmen/Pikemen (Combat I, II, and then Formation to enhance their anti-mounted specialization). But with my "active defense" units--usually mounted units that venture out of my cities to attack units the AI sends against me--I'll hold off on promotions for 2 reasons:

1. Promotions help heal damage, so it can be a quick way to help heal a unit.
2. But the main reason is that promotions are all about specialization. I don't know if I want that Cavalry unit to get a Combat, Pinch, or Formation promotion until I know what type of opponent it will be fighting. This gives me the chance to give that unit the best odds possible of winning and surviving a battle.

I personally don't usually promote city raiders until just before they're about to attack, since promoting them to city raider will not help in their tile defence at all, and it also allows the possibility of healing if the unit happens to become damaged (for instance, by collateral damage from a Catapult). The exception would be if I want to upgrade to a non-city raider unit... for instance, a Maceman to a Grenadier, in which case I will apply the city raider promotions before upgrading.

 

[ChazFox]

Quick question regarding multiplayer.

Is it possible for you as a player to become a Vassal State (Voluntarily or involuntarily) with another player, or is the Vassal system only available on single player games? Silly question maybe, but the stupidest question is the one you don't ask, so I thought I'd find out

 

[Roland Johansen]

Quick question regarding multiplayer.

Is it possible for you as a player to become a Vassal State (Voluntarily or involuntarily) with another player, or is the Vassal system only available on single player games? Silly question maybe, but the stupidest question is the one you don't ask, so I thought I'd find out

In single player games, the option of becoming a vassal is only open to the AI and not to a human player. I guess that means that it isn't available to human players in multiplayer either. The code to become a vassal as a human player just isn't in the game.

 

[Gwynnja]

Does anyone know how long the "the world considers you a villain" penalty lasts (on marathon?)

 

[JujuLautre]

If it's from the UN, it lasts until you vote for a UN resolution that passes.
If it's from the AP, it's something like 20 turns on normal, so my guess is around 60 turns in marathon, but I couldn't say for sure...