Quick Answers / 'Newbie' Questions

[Ataxerxes]

Funny - I burn a LOT of GP for Golden Ages. Most games, at least 3 GP, occasionally 6, and once, ten.

But YMMV. I play on a lot of huge maps and tend to have big, sprawling empires by the time I get to the Rep/Free Market/Free Religon/State Prop/Emancipation civic decision tree. If I'm not playing a Spiritual leader, avoiding anarchy during midgame civic changes can be worth more beakers than a Great Scientist would bulb, on its own. And that's not even considering:
- the doubled GPP production, which leads to a replacement GP faster
- the additional and from the Golden Age itself.

With this in mind, I make a point of getting Mausallos if I can.

I like to time my golden ages for a civics switch. I will often save a GA for this. I agree, that's one of the biggest advantages of a golden age. It's also usually the best use for a GA.

GE's I usually use for wonders. Maybe a personal preference.

If I have a holy city for a well spread religion, the Shrine goes into a city for later commerce city. Despite the value of golden ages, when the cost goes up to three different GP's, I find the price higher than I'm willing to pay.

Mausollos goes pretty fast. For your strategy it's a good build and synergizes with Taj.

 

[Lithuanian!]

When I attack enemy city and succeed, sometimes I can't choose to between "Install new government" and "burn" city burns it self. Why this is happening, how to avoid this?

 

[Derakon]

You can't capture cities that only have 1 population point. They automatically burn.

 

[Abegweit]

Not quite right. They burn if they have never had a population more than one.

 

[Ataxerxes]

Not quite right. They burn if they have never had a population more than one.

I remember this one playing Earth1000 as the Aztecs. Camp outside the city with your Jaguars until the city grows. If the city is well placed, it saves the cost of a settler.

 

[Sisiutil]

The city will auto-raze, as Abegweit said, if it has never had a population more than one and if it has never had a border pop. If either of these occur (growth to two pop, border pop), the city will not auto-raze when you capture it even if its population has dropped to 1 (or never exceeded it, in the case of the border pop).

 

[Abegweit]

The city will auto-raze, as Abegweit said, if it has never had a population more than one and if it has never had a border pop. If either of these occur (growth to two pop, border pop), the city will not auto-raze when you capture it even if its population has dropped to 1 (or never exceeded it, in the case of the border pop).

The rule is as I described it. The only criteria is that it never had a population more than one. A lot of people seem to believe that a border pop will prevent auto-razing. It doesn't. I think that this myth arises from the fact that your rule was the one used in Civ III.

 

[Darth Fred]

When there isn't going to be a "long term" in the game, it's an easy decision to burn 1, 2, or even 3 GP to start a Golden Age.

Saving 2 or 3 turns of anarchy can equal 3000-6000 beakers all by itself. Which is about what a bulbed GP will produce.

A settled Great Scientist, even under Rep with +175% multipliers, only produces 25 beakers per turn. So if you settle... you won't see a 3000 beaker benefit until 120 turns pass. Better to have those beakers sooner rather than later, IMO.

Good points! Here's what I don't like about it though. Sitting on a GP. That is, say I get a Great Scientist. YAY! Ok, now sit here and do nothing until I get another.

See what I mean?
F

 

[Ansive]

Also if you're taking back one of your cities, the population will not drop another point.

If I attack a barbarian citiy with 1 population will it get razed? (no culture)
If yes... I think I'll let it grow a point.

 

[Sisiutil]

The rule is as I described it. The only criteria is that it never had a population more than one. A lot of people seem to believe that a border pop will prevent auto-razing. It doesn't. I think that this myth arises from the fact that your rule was the one used in Civ III.

D'oh! Thanks for the correction. It's a very pervasive misconception--one I've had for the past 4 years for some reason!

 

[Abegweit]

Good points! Here's what I don't like about it though. Sitting on a GP. That is, say I get a Great Scientist. YAY! Ok, now sit here and do nothing until I get another.

See what I mean?
F

If your purpose is bulbing then you have to sit on it until you are ready for the right tech. No point making Math with your GS. That's just a waste.

 

[Derakon]

If I attack a barbarian citiy with 1 population will it get razed? (no culture)
If yes... I think I'll let it grow a point.

Yep, it'll raze. You also get more money from capturing cities the longer they've been around, so if you don't need the site, it can literally pay to let the barbarians sit there for awhile.

 

[Darth Fred]

If your purpose is bulbing then you have to sit on it until you are ready for the right tech. No point making Math with your GS. That's just a waste.

I don't usually do the bulbing thing. Though after being part of this discussion, I'm going to put it in my bag of tricks. Which leads me to my next stupid question...
F

 

[Darth Fred]

If you've got a city in revolt, for any reason, and a worker near by chop chop choping down trees to give production to that same city, do the hammers show up right away or when they're done pitching a fit? (My guess is the latter) Also, in this same instance, does the city still get the full hammer value of the trees that are being chopped down?
F

 

[Derakon]

I don't know off the top of my head, but you can store up chopped hammers in a city basically indefinitely. Try setting a city in a forested area to build wealth/research (which can't be chopped), then chop all the forests around it, and switch it to build a wonder or other big-ticket item.

 

[kcd_swede]

When I attack enemy city and succeed, sometimes I can't choose to between "Install new government" and "burn" city burns it self. Why this is happening, how to avoid this?

I don't think it has been mentioned yet... but if you have previously owned the city, you cannot raze it when you capture it back.

 

[Lithuanian!]

Washington is my neighbour and he is winning against me in score and size and when game shows list of ''most powerful empires'' Washington is in a lot better position then me. But after wiping Bismark out of game I have veteran praetorians army (some of them have 3 city rider bonuses) with some catapults while Washington cities defend by a couple axemens and archers. Should I try to attack. I'm a bit behind in research because of my war with Bismark. Should I try to attack?

 

[duckstab]

Washington is my neighbour and he is winning against me in score and size and when game shows list of ''most powerful empires'' Washington is in a lot better position then me. But after wiping Bismark out of game I have veteran praetorians army (some of them have 3 city rider bonuses) with some catapults while Washington cities defend by a couple axemens and archers. Should I try to attack. I'm a bit behind in research because of my war with Bismark. Should I try to attack?

The power rating is calculated based on a number of factors, including population, buildings, and technology as well as actual units. If you've scouted out his territory and are sure he doesn't have a massive stack hiding somewhere you are likely in good shape. Just make sure you have enough cats to take down his city defenses so you're not just sending your praets on suicide missions.

 

[Carl5872]

Washington is my neighbour and he is winning against me in score and size and when game shows list of ''most powerful empires'' Washington is in a lot better position then me. But after wiping Bismark out of game I have veteran praetorians army (some of them have 3 city rider bonuses) with some catapults while Washington cities defend by a couple axemens and archers. Should I try to attack. I'm a bit behind in research because of my war with Bismark. Should I try to attack?

Also check if he has anything worth taking. If you break your back fighting the most powerful guy in the game, make sure you get some nice wonders or a religious holy city for doing it. Otherwishe your lagging economy will go down further from the expansion. If hes got nothing look to see if a weak neighbor has lots of wonders or a religion you can swipe. This will bring up your research and level the field against washington.

 

[ArenaMan]

A little behind the scenes kinda question, but is there a way to set it up so the Buffy mod loads by default when I start a normal Civ4BtS game?

Thanks in advance to anyone who can answer.