AI does flip on/off their desire for open borders for me too, but I assumed it was because of fluctuation in my relationship with them depending on tech lead. Either way I don't mind it too much in itself...
That's exactly the cause. I'll make AI more reluctant to break existing open borders. Flip-flopping based on changing power/tech will still be there, but overall I'm testing right now and it feels more consistent. Definitely not sign this turn, break next.
In general however I have mixed feelings about open borders tech transfer and might play with it off (and tech trading on?) in an experimental next game. It makes revealing civs way too important (and somewhat harms you if you're playing in slight isolation). It also honestly doesn't make sense to me unless with a eurocentric, post-antiquity point of view. For instance China realistically had open borders with almost noone for most of its existence and yet was more technologically advanced than Europe till 1400-1800 (depending on how you look at it).
Not quite. In Civ 4 terms, China actually had open borders with half of the world for most of its history - the Silk Route is a testament of active trade that was going on; China itself just wasn't very interested in actually
going anywhere. And through that, it definitely propelled the technological advance of the rest of the world. Given unlimited time and resources, I'd make a much more nuanced system for tech spread, but the one we have right now kinda works and produces more or less historical results.
Sheep Pasture is underpowered. I believe any medieval farm w/o Serfs or Monasteries actually make more food and don't cause Epidemics. Seeing as the English and Flemish had a rather large wool and cloth economy in the medieval era, maybe a
or
with Guilds for sheep would be fitting, as this kind of medieval industry is not really represented atm. Or just move some of the +2
from sheep to their pastures.
Which is kinda true - a farmland can provide more food than a sheep pasture on the same territory IRL (that is,
if the territory is suitable for farming). Sheep are a useful resource though, and doubly useful in latter half of the game.
Is it intentional that the logging camp for Prime timber is severely weaker than the lumber mill? It provides 1
more with sawmills, but lumber mills at the period provide so much more
. Probably a trade-off, between a potential trade good and more
, but I don't really get the logic. Maybe logging camps not only +1
but also +1
with sawmills.
Again, here you have a trade-off that historical rulers also had - reserve prime wood for shipbuilding and other strategic purposes or allow locals to use it for fuel and construction. I am quite satisfied with timber - it is an important resource that doesn't feel overpowered, offers meaningful choice and the real usefulness of which significantly fluctuates with time.
Totestra doesn't spawn hot springs, hampering the Germans somewhat. Is it possible to change that?
I'll see what I can do. Totestra is a bit arcane in its workings.
Or have their Caravels gain unrestricted cargo space? (So not only 1 of Explorer/GP/Spies, but any unit like the Armoured Carrack)
Which, by the way, is already true. Spain has a huge headstart as an early colonizer, especially since conquistadors are great at establishing beachheads at otherwise barbarian-filled new continents.
The UB Castrum of the Romans is obsoleted by their distinctive Arsenale. I believe it's intentional that it loses its bonuses, but it should probably still give +1
for Despotism. Romans lose this otherwise, and it makes Despotism weaker for them.
Unfortunately civics work by building class, so I can't allow their particular asenal to cause happiness without every single one of them doing the same. OTOH, this, to me, brings a nice flavour to Roman civ, as by the time of Italian Renaissance it firmly drifts away from despotic forms of government.
The Romans also lack the classical Shock-type Infantry. It's obvious that role is to be taken by their Marian and Imperial Legionary, but they are both Heavy Infantry and gain +15% cost each time they are build. Very interestingly the %
-cost is counted separately for them, but Marian Legionaries cannot be built when the Imperial Legionary is unlocked. This ironically gives the Romans less Infantry to work with, as the cost for the same number of Units rises faster and tbh the Legionaries are not really good enough to justify very much higher cost. (Unless of course you game a bit, and build as many Marian Legionaries as you can but never upgrade them, as the Imperial Legionaries start with 0% cost)
Well noted. I'll allow their legion lineup to incur half the cost penalty, given they have one melee line where others have two.
I thought the Chinese UI the Canal unlocked with Civil Engineering was an early solution for irrigation and gaining later on the ability to provide
/
for flatland cities. Turns out, it can only spread irrigation with Irrigation Systems. A bit of a bummer, still like it, but is it possible to allow it to spread irrigation earlier?
Again, engine limitations unfortunately. A tech can allow everything that carries irrigation to do so, or not at all.
Civil Service is unlocked early, and has a special but expensive Colosseum Wonder with slavery (which I happily used last game
) giving those +1
(+1 in city of the wonder) but other than that, is just a medium upkeep +10% for buildings only. In all other cases w/o the means for the Colosseum, it would be plain stupid to switch into it, loosing happiness (and health) at an awfully early date. Civil Service is unlocked very early but really doesn't provide anything at the time (for the cost, compared to TC or RoF), making it a bit unnecessary.
As civil service probably means low scale government by civil servants and not some random warlord or baron, I think adding a +25% Worker speed would be a fitting and useful little buff, which doesn't really change the balance of Civil Service later in the game (where it is much better). (And maybe if you are feeling particularly generous change the +10%
to +15%
, as I still feel the worker speed would not make it a viable alternative to TC, RoF and Plutocracy except for the Civ with Colosseum.)
True, it always felt quite bland to me. Worker speed also doesn't sound too exciting for me. I'll consider some additional mechanics that would make early civil service a viable option (after all, it's something both Rome and contemporary China had, so it has to be cool).
Archer Guilds Doctrine and Longbows in general are the AIs absolute favourite. Unfortunately, AIs promoted their units quite well and if the big AI manages to snatch Archery Guilds, in the beginning of the medieval period, their cities become near invincible, as they get Immunity from FS while getting 5-7 FS themselves. This makes warfare extremely tedious for a player and quite impossible for other AIs. Problem is, Longbows become available reallly early, and are only obsolete when Grenadiers enter the battlefield. Longbows in cities shred Fusiliers and becoming invincible from the early medieval to mid-late renaissance is not fun. Please remove the Immunity from FS from Trained Archers 3, give it a strength bonus or sth. Alternatively, make Archery Training available later by having it require Feudal Contract or sth similar. (Although I really prefer the removal of Immunity from FS)
Hm, I think you're right. I'll take away the FS immunity. It's far too powerful.
Throwing in some redundant requirements here:
Light Infantry requires Cavalry Tactics, but Flintlock Musket already requires Cavalry Tactics.
Merchantman requires Navigation, but Naval Engineering already requires Navigation.
Thanks, will be fixed.
Thanks for your answers. Seems like it's the case that Work Boats can't enter ocean tiles at all, even though they could in vanilla Civ4 after Astronomy tech. What I wanted to do was to make work boats at my main land and cross the ocean to work on my new colonial cities which have much more important stuff to do than spend 20 turns on building work boats.
Such a shame, no use in settling small islands. Might as well delete the Caribbean Islands altogether.
That is definitely not intentional. I double-checked and the ability is definitely there. I guess it's just the long legacy of RI, as this was likely introduced in BtS, and by then RI was an established mod - so we just didn't port this feature. I'll fix that ASAP.
) I feel the Town-Spamming and +2
I probably have too much with avg. ~9% 
in capitol , bigger cost of maintain for city (+10% ? +20% ?)
