[BTS] Relative strength?

[King Younk]

Just a quick question,

What does the number (0.7 or 1.3) in red or green next to the bicep mean? Is that how strong one's military is relative to another country?

I also want to thank everyone who gave me advice on the other threads. I've won a few games in part due to your advice, and also due to using BUG. I don't think it articulated that clearly.

 

[Zavior]

I think it shows your power rating relative to theirs, that is not straight up military units, but counts barracks and other military buildings as well.

 

[AcaMetis]

What does the number (0.7 or 1.3) in red or green next to the bicep mean? Is that how strong one's military is relative to another country?

Pretty much, though keep in mind that it's not necessarily an accurate assessment. A technologically backwards AI with a large navy and masses of outdated units can be soundly crushed by a landlocked player with few technologically superior units, but your power ratings might not accurately reflect that. Not on the first few turns of the war, at least .

 

[Harv]

Welcome back! I have a game where I’m sitting at a red 0.5. I understand this to mean that according to Jane’s, their military is twice as strong as our military.

I think it might be tied to the number of soldiers in Demographics. I saw an article on how that is calculated. It might be tied to “power” in the power graph. I don’t know how that is calculated.

Anyway, welcome back!

 

[Fine_Distinction]

Welcome back! I have a game where I’m sitting at a red 0.5. I understand this to mean that according to Jane’s, their military is twice as strong as our military.

I think it might be tied to the number of soldiers in Demographics. I saw an article on how that is calculated. It might be tied to “power” in the power graph. I don’t know how that is calculated.

Anyway, welcome back!

I did not have 100% certainty on this, but one game I closely tracked mine and a couple AIs power in demographic screen, it was exactly the (rounded) ratio of soldier numbers ( I do not remember what exact rounding was used, in civ it is usually rounding down, but here a mod (Bug mode?) does it)

So as with demographics screen, disclaimer as above apply: tech, pops, buildings and units all contribute. Ideally, if it is a high-stake game it is best to have a better idea what is the reason your target AI is getting the score it is getting (details of demographics explain here https://forums.civfanatics.com/threads/the-inner-workings-of-the-demo-screen-explained.163098/)

If you want a simple rule of thumb:

green (>1) GOOD, the higher the better
red (<1) bad, the lower the worse

But remembering it is an AI, human player would typically still prevail even with a red score - maybe up to 0.5? Again, it depends. Of course, it is much safer to attack if you dominate (high green score) which I normally do

Early in game, this score can be rather misleading, since some techs like BW - or even not clearly military techs like The Wheel and Math -
contribute a lot. For example, Wheel+Math+BW is equivalent of 6 (!) archers or 4 War chariots and a warrior.

 

[elitetroops]

If you want a simple rule of thumb:

green (>1) GOOD, the higher the better
red (<1) bad, the lower the worse

Not necessarily. During peacetime a similar size AI should typically be way ahead of you, otherwise you're probably wasting a lot of resources on unnecessary units. The higher the level, the more behind you should expect to be. Maybe on some lower level you can stay ahead just through teching and expanding.

When you go to war it's usually quite safe to declare even if the AI has twice your power rating.

 

[Fine_Distinction]

Not necessarily. During peacetime a similar size AI should typically be way ahead of you, otherwise you're probably wasting a lot of resources on unnecessary units. The higher the level, the more behind you should expect to be. Maybe on some lower level you can stay ahead just through teching and expanding.

When you go to war it's usually quite safe to declare even if the AI has twice your power rating.

I meant that high score means you have more power, since the question was what is the meaning of this number. I did not mean that the goal is to keep the ratio "green", good point. I agree that during peace time having a huge army is not a good idea unless you expect to be attacked or attack somebody soon. On the other hand, during the game, if you make progress, this ratio will naturally improve as you become more technologically advanced, etc. Although it is true that on higher levels there is nothing wrong with being in red, it is typically that way in early game and human army has normally better composition and is better managed than AI, so between 1.0 to 0.5 (AI theoretically 2x as strong) as you agree it is probably winnable for the human.

I am playing on lower levels, currently even a Warlord BOTM, on lower levels you often get in green even during peace time and without trying, just from technological supremacy (unless you give AI techs to cultivate them as tech partners, which many people do, but I usually don't).