Quick Answers / 'Newbie' Questions

[CharlieM]

When you get attacked, the game automatically picks the best defender to counter the unit that is attacking you... So you don't have to think about it at all.

Actually the only time you have to think about it is when making troops at your cities. If you know what the enemy will be using make sure to build counter units.

Yep, I know... when you are being attacked, the game will automatically pick the best defender.

Now what about my example: I want to counter-attack from my city to an enemy AI stack. Am I on my own in finding the best OFFENSIVE unit in this situation?

 

[Silu]

Yep, I know... when you are being attacked, the game will automatically pick the best defender.

Now what about my example: I want to counter-attack from my city to an enemy AI stack. Am I on my own in finding the best OFFENSIVE unit in this situation?

Selecting the whole stack and alt+hovering on the enemy will show you the best chances of the best unit (withdraw chances mess this up somewhat though). It still doesn't tell which unit that actually is but you can either look for the unit by selecting individual units and alt+hovering, or simply attack with the whole stack selected. If doing the latter, be wary about your stack attack setting in the options, if it's enabled, your whole stack will attack instead of just the dude with best chances

 

[IAM]

Yep, I know... when you are being attacked, the game will automatically pick the best defender.

Now what about my example: I want to counter-attack from my city to an enemy AI stack. Am I on my own in finding the best OFFENSIVE unit in this situation?

Plus the 'best' unit to attack with isn't always the best unit to use. You may want to soften them up with seige or use mounted units with flanking promotions. Mounted units won't get defensive bonuses and the flanking promotion is only useful in attack.

 

[r_rolo1]

You don't get any diplo bonuses for gifting units (...)

Spoiler other C wall :

void CvUnit::gift(bool bTestTransport)
{
	CvUnit* pGiftUnit;
	CvWString szBuffer;
	PlayerTypes eOwner;

	if (!canGift(false, bTestTransport))
	{
		return;
	}

	std::vector<CvUnit*> aCargoUnits;
	getCargoUnits(aCargoUnits);
	for (uint i = 0; i < aCargoUnits.size(); ++i)
	{
		aCargoUnits[i]->gift(false);
	}

	FAssertMsg(plot()->getOwnerINLINE() != NO_PLAYER, "plot()->getOwnerINLINE() is not expected to be equal with NO_PLAYER");
	pGiftUnit = GET_PLAYER(plot()->getOwnerINLINE()).initUnit(getUnitType(), getX_INLINE(), getY_INLINE(), AI_getUnitAIType());

	FAssertMsg(pGiftUnit != NULL, "GiftUnit is not assigned a valid value");

	eOwner = getOwnerINLINE();

	pGiftUnit->convert(this);

	[B]GET_PLAYER(pGiftUnit->getOwnerINLINE()).AI_changePeacetimeGrantValue(eOwner, (pGiftUnit->getUnitInfo().getProductionCost() / 5));[/B]

	szBuffer = gDLL->getText("TXT_KEY_MISC_GIFTED_UNIT_TO_YOU", GET_PLAYER(eOwner).getNameKey(), pGiftUnit->getNameKey());
	gDLL->getInterfaceIFace()->addMessage(pGiftUnit->getOwnerINLINE(), false, GC.getEVENT_MESSAGE_TIME(), szBuffer, "AS2D_UNITGIFTED", MESSAGE_TYPE_INFO, pGiftUnit->getButton(), (ColorTypes)GC.getInfoTypeForString("COLOR_WHITE"), pGiftUnit->getX_INLINE(), pGiftUnit->getY_INLINE(), true, true);

	// Python Event
	CvEventReporter::getInstance().unitGifted(pGiftUnit, getOwnerINLINE(), plot());
}

In short, yes ,giving units influences the diplomacy. The issue is that the coder made it in a way that, unless you give a whole army, you will not see a diference ( and this is probably for the best ). So , in general, giving units will not give you any visible merit/demerit in most games... the rate is to consider the hammer count of the units divided by 5 and consider this ratio as if it was a gold gift, so giving a 100 hammer unit is equivalent in diplo terms to gifting 20 gold .

 

[Roland Johansen]

Yep, I know... when you are being attacked, the game will automatically pick the best defender.

Now what about my example: I want to counter-attack from my city to an enemy AI stack. Am I on my own in finding the best OFFENSIVE unit in this situation?

Selecting the whole stack and alt+hovering on the enemy will show you the best chances of the best unit (withdraw chances mess this up somewhat though). It still doesn't tell which unit that actually is but you can either look for the unit by selecting individual units and alt+hovering, or simply attack with the whole stack selected. If doing the latter, be wary about your stack attack setting in the options, if it's enabled, your whole stack will attack instead of just the dude with best chances

When you mention all of that, I feel the need to add a small paragraph or two about siege units and collateral damage that many of us know, but maybe not the newer players.

Siege units, like catapults, trebuchets, cannons, artillery, mobile artillery and also bombers and some unique units can do so called collateral damage. What this means is that the unit on a direct attack will also damage 6 to 8 other enemy units for some 10% damage whether the main attack is successful or not. Often the main attack will not be successful as the siege unit itself isn't such a strong attacker, but the 10% damage to a selection of units from the enemy stack can be more than worth the loss of a single siege unit. It will give all of your next units significantly better odds in the next battles against the wounded units. One unit dies for the good of the many.

Whether this sacrifice is worth it or not usually depends on the odds of your best attackers. If they're low, then you will probably want to sacrifice some siege units before you attack the stack with your main attack units. If they're good, then the need for sacrifice isn't there.
Because collateral damage damages many units a little, it's mainly useful against larger groupings of units.

 

[Roland Johansen]

Spoiler other C wall :

void CvUnit::gift(bool bTestTransport)
{
	CvUnit* pGiftUnit;
	CvWString szBuffer;
	PlayerTypes eOwner;

	if (!canGift(false, bTestTransport))
	{
		return;
	}

	std::vector<CvUnit*> aCargoUnits;
	getCargoUnits(aCargoUnits);
	for (uint i = 0; i < aCargoUnits.size(); ++i)
	{
		aCargoUnits[i]->gift(false);
	}

	FAssertMsg(plot()->getOwnerINLINE() != NO_PLAYER, "plot()->getOwnerINLINE() is not expected to be equal with NO_PLAYER");
	pGiftUnit = GET_PLAYER(plot()->getOwnerINLINE()).initUnit(getUnitType(), getX_INLINE(), getY_INLINE(), AI_getUnitAIType());

	FAssertMsg(pGiftUnit != NULL, "GiftUnit is not assigned a valid value");

	eOwner = getOwnerINLINE();

	pGiftUnit->convert(this);

	[B]GET_PLAYER(pGiftUnit->getOwnerINLINE()).AI_changePeacetimeGrantValue(eOwner, (pGiftUnit->getUnitInfo().getProductionCost() / 5));[/B]

	szBuffer = gDLL->getText("TXT_KEY_MISC_GIFTED_UNIT_TO_YOU", GET_PLAYER(eOwner).getNameKey(), pGiftUnit->getNameKey());
	gDLL->getInterfaceIFace()->addMessage(pGiftUnit->getOwnerINLINE(), false, GC.getEVENT_MESSAGE_TIME(), szBuffer, "AS2D_UNITGIFTED", MESSAGE_TYPE_INFO, pGiftUnit->getButton(), (ColorTypes)GC.getInfoTypeForString("COLOR_WHITE"), pGiftUnit->getX_INLINE(), pGiftUnit->getY_INLINE(), true, true);

	// Python Event
	CvEventReporter::getInstance().unitGifted(pGiftUnit, getOwnerINLINE(), plot());
}

In short, yes ,giving units influences the diplomacy. The issue is that the coder made it in a way that, unless you give a whole army, you will not see a diference ( and this is probably for the best ). So , in general, giving units will not give you any visible merit/demerit in most games... the rate is to consider the hammer count of the units divided by 5 and consider this ratio as if it was a gold gift, so giving a 100 hammer unit is equivalent in diplo terms to gifting 20 gold .

Wasn't jdog in the betterAI mod looking into this?

 

[r_rolo1]

BBAI already changed this in v 0.82 IIRC

 

[DukeofDokken]

Is there a way to play co-op online multiplayer? My brother plays civ and I was trying to figure out if there was a way to play together. Playing with two people sounds pretty fun even on one terminal. He used to tell me back in the day his friend and him would play civ 1 while one person was taking notes.

 

[Silu]

Is there a way to play co-op online multiplayer? My brother plays civ and I was trying to figure out if there was a way to play together. Playing with two people sounds pretty fun even on one terminal. He used to tell me back in the day his friend and him would play civ 1 while one person was taking notes.

Yes, it's very possible simply by connecting normally by whatever means (LAN, Direct TCP/IP, GameSpy or whatever) and setting the teams as same for the human (and AI) players. I got into Civ4 via this method (playing 2v2v2v2v2v2 in co-op against AI teams on Large, or 2v2v2v2 on Standard), and I can say it's perhaps the best way to get into the game and bypass the usually long "newbie stage" for new players, if the ally is more experienced. Even if both are already Civ veterans playing together improves the skill of both by a lot.

AIs handle team gaming surprisingly well and I consider 2-player coop to be only ~½ difficulty levels easier than solo, mostly due to the fact that there are 2 people observing the events and making suggestions, though some mechanics slightly favor team play. Anyway, it's loads of fun and I still play a big portion of my games this way.

If you meant multiple players playing as the same "player" (same Civ), that I don't think is possible.

 

[bestbrian]

BBAI already changed this in v 0.82 IIRC

Do you know what it was changed to, rolo?

 

[TCoZ]

How come sometimes when I capture a city, it automatically razes and I don't get the option to keep it?

 

[Roland Johansen]

How come sometimes when I capture a city, it automatically razes and I don't get the option to keep it?

IIRC this occurs when the following 3 conditions are met:

-City has never been above size 1
-City has no border expansion
-The 'no city razing' start game option isn't used

 

[CharlieM]

When you mention all of that, I feel the need to add a small paragraph or two about siege units and collateral damage that many of us know, but maybe not the newer players.

You use the phrase "on direct attack".... let's take a Catapult for example. If I just attack with the capapult you mean (right click into enemy), as opposed to BOmbard (left click on that button)?

Could someone spell this out precisely? Exactly WHEN do siege units do Collateral Damage? When you attack directly? When you Bombard? Both?

 

[Sisiutil]

You use the phrase "on direct attack".... let's take a Catapult for example. If I just attack with the capapult you mean (right click into enemy), as opposed to BOmbard (left click on that button)?

Could someone spell this out precisely? Exactly WHEN do siege units do Collateral Damage? When you attack directly? When you Bombard? Both?

Bombard does no damage to units. It can only be used to lower the defenses of a city. The bombard button shouldn't even be active unless the unit is immediately adjacent to an enemy city.

Attacking with a siege unit as you would with a regular unit will cause collateral damage provided there is more than one enemy unit present on the tile being attacked. Enemy siege weapons, however, do not receive collateral damage for some weird reason (game balance, I guess); you can potentially damage them by way of mounted flanking attacks.

Generally, the best way to attack an invading enemy stack is: (1) air units then siege weapons to cause collateral damage; (2) mounted units to potentially flank attack enemy siege weapons; (3) mop-up attacks with standard units--use the strongest counter unit available to the healthiest surviving enemy unit.

 

[dalamb]

Edit: oops, city razing already answered.

 

[r_rolo1]

Do you know what it was changed to, rolo?

Making faith in the BBAI 0.82 thread, the bolded line in the code I quoted was replaced by this:

        if( pGiftUnit->isCombat() )
	{
		GET_PLAYER(pGiftUnit->getOwnerINLINE()).AI_changePeacetimeGrantValue(eOwner, (pGiftUnit->getUnitInfo().getProductionCost() * 3 * GC.getGameINLINE().AI_combatValue(pGiftUnit->getUnitType()))/100);
	}
	else
	{
		GET_PLAYER(pGiftUnit->getOwnerINLINE()).AI_changePeacetimeGrantValue(eOwner, (pGiftUnit->getUnitInfo().getProductionCost()));
	}

This makes the value of the gifted units to the AI atleast 5 times bigger than it is in normal BtS ( even more if the unit has a good combat value ) in terms of diplo impact.

 

[r_rolo1]

IIRC this occurs when the following 3 conditions are met:

-City has never been above size 1
-City has no border expansion
-The 'no city razing' start game option isn't used

You recall incorrectly Only conditions 1 and 3 need to be filled ( a legendary city with pop 1 that never had grown more than that will raze on capture ... believe me, I already tested it )

 

[Roland Johansen]

You recall incorrectly Only conditions 1 and 3 need to be filled ( a legendary city with pop 1 that never had grown more than that will raze on capture ... believe me, I already tested it )

I wasn't really that sure about it so I answered a bit cautiously with the IIRC. Thanks for correcting me, I don't wish to give false information to the new players.

 

[s.bernbaum]

Playing BTS with the default no flip of captured cities to the original Civ, I just had a Roman revolt in Rome. Previously, I had captured it from the Roman empire, shortly before Julius capitulated to me and became my vassal. Is the no flip rule void for vassals or does the no flip rule allow revolts but not flips?

 

[22bebo]

Does the Apostolic Palace ever select a new resident? I built it and lost to Mehmed, but now that the other candidate would be Frederick, I think I could win. I was wondering if it would ever give me the chance, though.