Revolution: what's your experience?

[jackelgull]

I think monarchy could use less of a local instability penalty, maybe +1 local instability instead of +2? Either that or it could reduce the instability penalty from distance. It is supposed to be the civic for large empires, but the instability penalty means that empire size is constrained. It doesn't have to be something huge like -50% to instability from distance, but soething =30% or -25% would be appreciated.

 

[Vokarya]

I'm playing a game on Noble difficulty/standard speed/standard size now. It seems to be okay for revolution now but I feel was forced to beeline Athletics and found Hellenism. Getting a religion to spread seems really important to keep revolutions in check. I'm not sure if the AI boosts in the Ancient Era are enough to keep a player from beelining an early religion. I would like that to be possible if the player focuses on the early religion totally.

 

[<Nexus>]

I also feel a bit confused about this 'Bribe' option. Whom am I bribing, anyway?
I'd like to see a different approach. For example:

-Behead the leaders of the revolutionary elements
Reduces level of revolution in the city but revolution per turn will increase faster. Revolution increases faster in nearby cities too.

-Execute anyone related to this revolution
Greatly reduces level of revolution in the city but also decreases population and happiness by 10%. Revolution increases faster in nearby cities too.

-Give gifts to the citizens
Slows down revolution per turn (or even reverts it). No effect on nearby cities.

-Strengthen the local law enforcement
Converts the cities and into rev stability for the next X turns.

 

[thegreekweegee]

I also feel a bit confused about this 'Bribe' option. Whom am I bribing, anyway?
I'd like to see a different approach. For example:

-Behead the leaders of the revolutionary elements
Reduces level of revolution in the city but revolution per turn will increase faster. Revolution increases faster in nearby cities too.

-Execute anyone related to this revolution
Greatly reduces level of revolution in the city but also decreases population and happiness by 10%. Revolution increases faster in nearby cities too.

-Give gifts to the citizens
Slows down revolution per turn (or even reverts it). No effect on nearby cities.

-Strengthen the local law enforcement
Converts the cities and into rev stability for the next X turns.

You're onto something. I've always disliked revolutions because how vague they were inside the box, and making a Revolutions mechanic (bribing) more clear would help make it less vague in one area.

 

[Vokarya]

You're onto something. I've always disliked revolutions because how vague they were inside the box, and making a Revolutions mechanic (bribing) more clear would help make it less vague in one area.

I find it's very common among modders to cram in as many modifiers as possible and then not be very clear about them. For example, the bribery formula uses your average economy for the last 4 turns to compute part of the bribe requirement. Civics have 14 possible modifiers to affect the Revolution Index. I think this is something where we can at least provide a bit more clarity.

 

[Pongui]

I don't suffer from revolutions, but I check status often and play by its rules. I find that more interesting than playing to citizen happiness.

 

[TaylorItaly]

I have no problems with this part of the mod.
I usually pay one time gold for that city and with enough troops garnisoned the index go positive.
It is very interisting to see great empires split and grow again.

 

[nionios]

IMHO,Revolutions has become a core mod for ROMAND,so you can't omit it.

 

[Vokarya]

IMHO,Revolutions has become a core mod for ROMAND,so you can't omit it.

You can turn on No Revolutions in the Custom Game screen. Once the game is started, you can't turn Revolutions off.

 

[nionios]

You can turn on No Revolutions in the Custom Game screen. Once the game is started, you can't turn Revolutions off.

Maybe I didn't use the correct word:I just wanted to say that Revolutions is an essential mod that you can't ignore.

 

[Rezca]

Maybe I didn't use the correct word:I just wanted to say that Revolutions is an essential mod that you can't ignore.

I ignore it plenty of times, like when I want to have a more laid back game where I can expand and conquer at my own pace. The only real drawback to having it off is that Tax Offices become overpowered since they drastically reduce maintenance costs but without Revolutions have no downside to them whatsoever. My opinion is they should be disabled when No Revolutions is checked.

 

[Vokarya]

I ignore it plenty of times, like when I want to have a more laid back game where I can expand and conquer at my own pace. The only real drawback to having it off is that Tax Offices become overpowered since they drastically reduce maintenance costs but without Revolutions have no downside to them whatsoever. My opinion is they should be disabled when No Revolutions is checked.

Tax Offices should not be buildable if No Revolutions is on. If they are, then there is a bug.

I just tried it myself and Tax Office does not appear if No Revolutions is checked. The XML uses <NotGameOption>, so the No Revolutions option must NOT be checked for Tax Office to be available.

 

[nionios]

Do you feel that without Revolutions the AI is more competitive for a given difficulty level?I'd like to see a stronger AI on noble difficulty.On the other hand I don't feel like rejecting Revolutions.It's a dilemma for me.

 

[Rezca]

Tax Offices should not be buildable if No Revolutions is on. If they are, then there is a bug.

I just tried it myself and Tax Office does not appear if No Revolutions is checked. The XML uses <NotGameOption>, so the No Revolutions option must NOT be checked for Tax Office to be available.

That's good then. I just seemed to have recalled being able to build it a ways back without Revolutions enabled, but if it's not like that now then all's well.

 

[aggri1]

I tried Revolutions at some point and found it so hard that I never use the option anymore. I quickly built my three early cities and then found that I couldn't do a damn thing anymore. That wasn't fun so I haven't gone back.

 

[TaylorItaly]

I was in the same situation , 3 cities and a lot of problems.
So I try a new strategy.
And for that I love this game and this mod.
I don`t want to play every session like the 100 sessions before.
So, come on . Try something new and beat the ai.

 

[<Nexus>]

I never had such problems but could always handle the situation. True, I always start my game on Settler and let it climb up to Deity.
What's your difficulty?

 

[45°38'N-13°47'E]

I always play with revolution, starting at noble but with flexible difficulty for me and AI, I usually play most of the game between monarch and immortal, and I'm not a warmonger. I also usually trim up revolution handicap to factor 5 under BUG options. Very seldom I consider myself in deep troubles and I never had to quit a game because I was already defeated. So I wouldn't say revolution is too hard. Granted, if you only want to expand without taking care of anything else, you'll run into troubles: that's how revolution option is supposed to work.

 

[Rezca]

I always play with revolution, starting at noble but with flexible difficulty for me and AI, I usually play most of the game between monarch and immortal, and I'm not a warmonger. I also usually trim up revolution handicap to factor 5 under BUG options. Very seldom I consider myself in deep troubles and I never had to quit a game because I was already defeated. So I wouldn't say revolution is too hard. Granted, if you only want to expand without taking care of anything else, you'll run into troubles: that's how revolution option is supposed to work.

Every few games I've played have always been the same for me. Early game is always the toughest, with the AI getting three to five cities and not a rebellion in sight while my two or at most three cities are near-constantly crippled by anger and revolts. If I expand slowly, the AI starts planting cities on my borders and eventually declares war with units half an era ahead of mine. If I expand quickly like they do, just add "permanently crippling revolts" onto that but otherwise it's the same deal. My handicap is at 5.0 from what I can see, but I might try lowering it since I'm clearly not good enough to handle the Early Game Revolts

The problem for me is that the early game is too hard, and the midgame is too easy. Once you have a few good core cities, Revolution is more a nuisance than a threat. Sure I'll need to fight to keep border cities, conquests, and overseas colonies in check but my standard empire's pretty much golden. Then I can race to try and regain pace with the AI's technology progression and empire expansion just fine unless something goes horribly wrong. Sometimes, things do go horribly wrong. In reverse, the early game is an uphill struggle that feels more like trying to scale Everest than climbing a hill.

 

[Vokarya]

Every few games I've played have always been the same for me. Early game is always the toughest, with the AI getting three to five cities and not a rebellion in sight while my two or at most three cities are near-constantly crippled by anger and revolts. If I expand slowly, the AI starts planting cities on my borders and eventually declares war with units half an era ahead of mine. If I expand quickly like they do, just add "permanently crippling revolts" onto that but otherwise it's the same deal. My handicap is at 5.0 from what I can see, but I might try lowering it since I'm clearly not good enough to handle the Early Game Revolts

The problem for me is that the early game is too hard, and the midgame is too easy. Once you have a few good core cities, Revolution is more a nuisance than a threat. Sure I'll need to fight to keep border cities, conquests, and overseas colonies in check but my standard empire's pretty much golden. Then I can race to try and regain pace with the AI's technology progression and empire expansion just fine unless something goes horribly wrong. Sometimes, things do go horribly wrong. In reverse, the early game is an uphill struggle that feels more like trying to scale Everest than climbing a hill.

I agree with this, but I can't think of anything that would help other than reducing the revolution index changes from the early game civics.

I counter revolutions in the midgame with Paved Roads everywhere and combat stacks separate from garrison forces. Once those are set up and aren't attacking another civilization, it's pretty easy to quash a rebellion, and it's good for milking XP for Great Generals/Field Commanders. I think the biggest stage where revolutions drop off is hitting Liberalism/Democracy/Railroad. Running Liberal and Democracy as civics is good for reducing the RevIndex in general, and Railroad really cuts down on the distance modifier.