Regent - Help!

[Licentia]

Hey all!

I do pretty well on Regent difficulty but I want to do better. I always am ahead of the AI in tech at the beginning because I trade after I discover each new tech. I don't find it hard at all to stay ahead, at least in the ancient age.

The problem is balancing strength with building temples and the awful conversion to Republic which often will leave me behind one or two AI. AI like the Incans often go in to Republic and have a better economy then me, while maintaining a larger army. This is my trouble spot. I need a smother transition, enabling me to be stronger while not ruining my economy.

Does the AI use the luxury slider? I have seen in spying on the AI that they build temples, aqueducts and market places. In order to get happiness out of that they would need to give luxuries. In Civ 3 I have avoided giving luxuries while I always had to have luxuries set to 20% in Civ 1 and Civ 2.

Anyway, any tips on how to enter Republic and the Middle Ages while maintaining a large enough army to keep the AI away and while not destroying my economy?

Thanks!

 

[Aabraxan]

. . . . The problem is balancing strength with building temples and the awful conversion to Republic which often will leave me behind one or two AI. . . . .

My first question is: What's your VC? If you're going for a culture win, that's fine. If you're going for conquest, forget the temples. You don't need temples for killing AI troops.

. . . . AI like the Incans often go in to Republic and have a better economy then me, while maintaining a larger army. This is my trouble spot. I need a smother transition, enabling me to be stronger while not ruining my economy. . . .

Switching to Republic, as you've noticed, involves some growing pains. Luxes, markets, roads and trimming the military always makes the transition easier. Run some searches through the forum. There are a few threads on how to make the transition smoother, but as I said: luxes, markets, roads and trimming the military.

. . . Anyway, any tips on how to enter Republic and the Middle Ages while maintaining a large enough army to keep the AI away and while not destroying my economy?. . . .

I usually play for the military VCs, & I play C3C, so bear that in mind in evaluating the following: In C3C, Republic has 1/3/4 support, so expansion means more towns. More towns means more troop support. So the early expansion during despotism and preparing, from very early in the game, for the switch to Republic is very important.

Getting towns to go to size 7+ also increases unit support. Markets add money and happiness. Disband all those obsolete regular warriors, because they have no MP effect. And last, but certainly not least, roads, roads roads. As a general rule, no worker leaves a tile without putting down a road.

Also, vmxa has written a tutorial for struggling Regent players that you might find useful: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=296512

Last but not least, can you post a save? That'll help in getting specific advice on your game.

 

[TheOverseer714]

Build lots of towns out where it gets very corrupt, these can become specialist farms. Grow your core towns(6 population or less) to cities (7 population and above) to improve your unit support. Make your military lean and efficient, you don't need to defend everything and the Republic doesn't have military police. Avoid defensive units, except near borders. Build roads on all tiles being used, and have plenty of workers.

 

[Licentia]

My first question is: What's your VC? If you're going for a culture win, that's fine. If you're going for conquest, forget the temples. You don't need temples for killing AI troops.

I play I guess mostly for Spaceship, but if I should happen to get lots of culture I can get the odd culture win.

The thing that bothers me is that the Inca can often have more Culture, more Military, and be more Advanced then I am entering the Middle Ages. Now, I guess that can be due to a golden age as well. Sometimes the Celts can really boom into the Middle Ages and then they often grind to a halt.

Switching to Republic, as you've noticed, involves some growing pains. Luxes, markets, roads and trimming the military always makes the transition easier. Run some searches through the forum. There are a few threads on how to make the transition smoother, but as I said: luxes, markets, roads and trimming the military.

I am thinking that it is huge to get barracks and replace regulars with veterans to appear stronger to the AI as I go in to Republic.

I usually play for the military VCs, & I play C3C, so bear that in mind in evaluating the following: In C3C, Republic has 1/3/4 support, so expansion means more towns. More towns means more troop support. So the early expansion during despotism and preparing, from very early in the game, for the switch to Republic is very important.

Getting towns to go to size 7+ also increases unit support. Markets add money and happiness. Disband all those obsolete regular warriors, because they have no MP effect. And last, but certainly not least, roads, roads roads. As a general rule, no worker leaves a tile without putting down a road.

Markets add happiness? Only if you use your slider, and so what do you put your slider to?

Also, vmxa has written a tutorial for struggling Regent players that you might find useful: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=296512

Last but not least, can you post a save? That'll help in getting specific advice on your game.

Can't post a save right now, at the Net Cafe. Thanks for your response and I will check that thread.

 

[Optional]

Markets add happiness?

They strengthen the effect of luxuries, but that only starts with three luxuries. So if you have only one or two luxuries, you will see no happiness effect from markets.

 

[Aabraxan]

I play I guess mostly for Spaceship, but if I should happen to get lots of culture I can get the odd culture win.

The thing that bothers me is that the Inca can often have more Culture, more Military, and be more Advanced then I am entering the Middle Ages. Now, I guess that can be due to a golden age as well. Sometimes the Celts can really boom into the Middle Ages and then they often grind to a halt.

To be honest, I have only a few spaceship and culture wins to my name. The overwhelming majority of my victories are conquest & domination. With that said, my thinking is that you should don't need many temples for SS victory. You might build a few here and there in cities that seem particularly cranky, or maybe to grab a whale or two. At Regent, libraries and a few unis should provide enough culture to stave off the flips and you should be able to build enough military to, umm, "assist the AI in placing its cultural boundaries in a suitable position." (Read: "crunch AI cities that bother you") If the AI is building more culture, more military and is out-researching you, my hunch is that you've probably choked your economy by building lots of temples (or maybe other structures) that you don't need.

It sounds like you shoot for space, but may stumble onto a culture victory from time to time, so I'm going to suggest taking a more pointed approach. Play a game in which you pick your victory condition at the start. Then approach everything, from worker moves to build orders with that victory in mind. If you don't enjoy micromanagement, you may find it tedious, but I think you'll see that you can out-manage the AI and that victory will come faster.

I am thinking that it is huge to get barracks and replace regulars with veterans to appear stronger to the AI as I go in to Republic.

I'm not sure how important the "appear stronger" aspect is, because I don't worry too much about the AI DOWing me. I'm generally going to war with them one way or the other. But replacing regs with vets is big. Regulars are fine for MP and for barb hunting at this level, but vets survive wars against the AI better. Besides, it's one less promotion that they have to get to become elites, & hence, gain the opportunity for MGLs.

Markets add happiness? Only if you use your slider, and so what do you put your slider to?

As for markets and happiness, see Optional's comment, above. It's dead on. As for where I set my slider, well, as low as possible. What that is depends on my lux situation, but I will go to war for a lux if need be. Even when I'm in a fairly war-heavy (but not AW) game, I usually run somewhere 0-30% in Republic.

 

[vmxa]

You may find some useful things in here, at least I intended it to address these issues.

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=296512


If there is anything I could address that I did not please let me know.

 

[Spoonwood]

With that said, my thinking is that you should don't need many temples for SS victory.

This all depends on how many total luxuries you have native/traded for, as well as how many tiles your cities will eventually work. At Regent (in a Republic) if you have 2 or fewer luxuries, you probably want temples and cathedrals before sanitation, even if you have the luxury slider on a bit. That's only 4 content citizens without any luxury tax, so maybe size 6 or 7 with a 10% luxury tax. You might want those buildings even if you have 3 or 4 luxuries. Probably not if you have 5 total luxuries native/traded for. *Once* you have sanitation if you have cities that will work a full 20 tiles or thereabouts, you'll want temples and cathedrals in almost all cases (a city with Shake's comes as the exception I have in mind).

 

[Northern Pike]

Regarding the growth of your towns, once they've reached size seven (or even before, if unit costs are really hurting you), natural population growth is far too slow. You should acquaint yourself with the technique of settler/worker factories and merge workers into your major cities until they're the maximum size you can keep content.

 

[Spoonwood]

I agree with Northern Pike about merging in workers.