Setting a target - it's only a number

[RJM]

As part of my play style, I like to set my self strategic objectives. For example, by AD 1 I would like to have 5 cities, to be generating 100 (or more) , to have built the Great Library and to have discovered currency. Today I managed all to achieve all these objectives at Emperor level for the first time. I find this sort of objective helpful as a guiding principal, but it has issues. For example there is a temptation to found city number 5 in a poorer location, simply because it is an objective.

In my current game, I got to 100 because I was able to build an Academy on the final turn. This was possible because I starved my capital in order to generate the Great Scientist one turn earlier. It cost me a lot of food and thus delayed the next population growth by a few turns. Would it really have mattered if my GS was born in AD 25?

Do other players set themselves targets like this? And do you strain your empire to achieve them?

 

[Framesticker]

Such "goals" are only relative to the game you're playing. Just as it might not be worth to build the Great Library in all games (and, despite it being an awesome wonder, it sometimes isn't worth it) it might be useful to get to 100BPT on 1AD. The point is, play the game (that is - the map, the leader and the opposition) instead of trying to stick to some true-tried strategy.

So, having 5 cities, 100BPT and the GLib on 1AD is not essential to winning (which is the point of this game, aside from having fun). Despite that, there are a few "rules" that help both novice and advanced players alike reach their decided winning condition:

1) On SOME (probably most) map scripts, 6 cities by 1AD (if there is lots of land available, possibly more)

2) 60-100BPT by 1AD

3) About 1.5 Workers per city (that is, 3 Workers for every 2 cities)

4) Oxford University built in your best science city by 900-1200AD (in heavy war games you may decide to not build at all)

There are plenty more I suppose, but these are general ones which I like to refer people to. But all of these (as well as any true-tried "rule" someone's been trying to teach you) fall apart completely when the map dictates. Can you rush Shaka, who has huge amounts of land to expand into, in order to eliminate him as war threat later on? Then screw 100BPT by 1AD!

 

[fathertuck]

I think it's good to have certain goals in your games, but the goals themselves should change from game to game. Play the map is a better rule I'd say.

 

[Paperbag_Hobo]

@ Framesticker:

I just noticed you're from Israel. <Insert joke about your government not realizing walls are obsoleted by rifling>

And @ op so I'm not totally derailing the thread: I try to have 6 cities by 1AD in every game, usually I have more though.

 

[Framesticker]

@ Framesticker:

I just noticed you're from Israel. <Insert joke about your government not realizing walls are obsoleted by rifling>

And @ op so I'm not totally derailing the thread: I try to have 6 cities by 1AD in every game, usually I have more though.

I actually went on a trip the other day and we saw this wall we had to go above and one of my friends told us its story: "During the British Mandate there was a high threat of Nazi invasion of Israel, so the British trained special forces, called the Palmah in Hebrew (assault battalions, literally translated), who prepared Israel for an invasion... thus, this."
And I was all like, "So they built a wall to stop the Nazis?"

Odd.

Anyway, on topic, 6 cities by 1AD is actually a rule that follows most map scripts, though if you can, say, build TGW to make your life a heckuva lot easier against barbs and still get 6 cities by 100AD, then that's a bad rule.

 

[kossin]

1AD:

as many cities as possible
as much AIs met as possible - with open borders
as much religion spread as possible

Wonders that are nice to have:
TGL
GLH
Parthenon
MoM
Pyramids
Oracle

Techs:
Music+Calendar+Currency+CS

In numbers:
200 beakers/turn
7+ cities

If you want to see a crazy example, this is from our SGOTM11 game...

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showpost.php?p=9306307&postcount=1138

 

[RJM]

1AD:

as much AIs met as possible - with open borders

I like this as an objective. As worded, it doesn't quite work because you don't know how many AIs it is possible to meet. But a slight reword will make it OK.

- to explore the complete coastline of your home continent and any islands connected to it by coastal waters.

 

[mirthadir]

RJM:

Actually by 1 AD you can have optics and being pushing out to circumnavigation. It is quite possible to have had it for far longer (with a very strong start you can oracle machinery which minimal tech with a bulb option).

I haven't done this in ages, but does anyone recall if you can trigger contact with a sentry chariot on a galley?

 

[Grashopa]

I prefer to have won the game already. Hell by 2000 BC I should know whether I've won the game already. That means exploration so I know where the resources and AIs are - because what I really mean is you have a plan and know exactly how things will work out. Next time you have 200 bpt at 1 AD take a look at where its coming from and go back to your 2000 BC save. Did you know you'd hit 200 bpt?

Post your games on forum and ask people to check in at 1 AD. Think about who really is ahead and why.

 

[RJM]

I prefer to have won the game already. Hell by 2000 BC I should know whether I've won the game already. That means exploration so I know where the resources and AIs are - because what I really mean is you have a plan and know exactly how things will work out. Next time you have 200 bpt at 1 AD take a look at where its coming from and go back to your 2000 BC save. Did you know you'd hit 200 bpt?

Post your games on forum and ask people to check in at 1 AD. Think about who really is ahead and why.

At the moment, 200 bpt at AD 1 seems like a target way beyond my ability, but I'll give it a go. Can you suggest a target for 2000 BC?