"First Strike" is a system which simulates the advantages of ranged units such as archers. If a unit has this ability, it can make a "First Strike" against another unit before the combat actually begins, giving it an advantage.
Note that Artillery units such as catapults attack like normal units, although they can bombard cities.
Here are the different map sizes: Duel, Tiny, Small, Standard, Large, Huge and of course, Random. There are no restrictions on the number of Civilizations you are allowed to play with on a certain map size. You can have all 18 Civs on a Duel map.
Settler, Chieftain, Warlord, Noble, Prince, Monarch, Emperor, Immortal, and Deity are the available difficulties now.
The Hall of Fame screen not only remembers every game's statistic under your profile (you can create different profiles in Civ4). It remembers Difficulty Level, Game Speed, Victory Achieved, Starting Era, World Size, Finish Date, as well as the Score Itself and more. It also saves every game's replay so you can look back to any previous game which you have finished and watch how you developed. The score, by the way, is broken down in a detailed manner in-game as you move your mouse cursor over your name (the score is broken down to Population, Land, Technologies, Wonders, etc).
UN:
Free Trade - Free Trade removes all trading restrictions in the world between all Civilizations. It basically functions as if all Civilizations have open borders - No matter what their real diplomatic relationship may be.
Nuclear Non-Proliferation - As Thunderfall's article has mentioned already, adopting this means that no nukes may be built, however existing nuclear weapons are not destroyed. Note that if this resolution passes before any nuke is built in the world, it means that the game itself will proceed without nukes appearing. This may be a benefit to you if you're playing against aggressive Civilizations.
Universal Suffrage - All Civilization's civics are changed to Universal Suffrage (+1 Hammer from Town; Can spend gold to finish production) no matter if they have the required technology for that specific Civic (this counts for all UN Resolutions relating to Civics).
Free Speech - All Civilizations adopt the Free Speech Civic (100% culture in all cities; +2 gold from Town).
Emancipation - All Civilizations switch to the Emancipation Civic ((100% Growth for Cottage, Hamlet, Village; Unhappiness for civs without that civic).
Environmentalism - All Civilizations adopt the Environmentalism Civic ((+6 health in all cities; +1 happiness from jungle, forest).
And finally, Free Religion - All Civilizations Adopt this Civic (No non-state religion spread; +1 happiness per non-state religion in a city, +10% science in all cities).
Spies:
Building Spy units is possible just like in Civilization II (they now have a movement of two and cost 80 Hammers). The player is limited to the number of Spies you can have in the game. Before construction the player must have the following: Communism and the Scotland Yard National Wonder, meaning every Civilization may build its own (500 Hammers; +1 Great People Points; More likely to generate a Great Scientist). You are allowed to have a maximum of four spies at any one time. They are invisible to other Civilizations just like Submarines. These units cannot be attacked or interacted with, however they can be exposed by rival Spies (you are able to expose enemy Spies as well). Other abilities of the Spy unit include:
Investigate City - This is rather basic. It allows you to have a peek inside an enemy city and see all its properties (what it is producing, Culture amount, what unit it has, etc, etc).
Destroy Production - If you order your Spy to destroy the production of whatever a city is producing (and if successful), half of whatever is being produced is destroyed (therefore slowing down dramatically production of, say, a Great Wonder). However, if the Spy fails, it is killed.
Sabotage Improvement - If a Spy is ordered to do so, and if successful, a terrain improvement will be destroyed (such as a valuable Oil Well). If unsuccessful, the Spy will be destroyed.
Steal Plans - First of all, the Spy has a much better chance of having success at this if the action is taking place in a City which contains either a Palace (therefore the capitol of that Civilization), a Forbidden Palace, or the Versailles Great Wonder (Requires Divine Right; Reduces Maintenance in nearby cities; City in which it is built in is more likely to generate a Great Merchant; Doubled Production speed with the Marble resource).
The above actions need gold. Success depends on the amount of units the other Civilization has in the area of where the action is taking place. Nearby enemy spies also decrease the amount of success your Spy unit has.
American Navy SEAL (Gunpowder Unit. Replaces Standard Marine):
24 Strength, 1 Movement, 160 Hammers
This unit requires Industrialism & Rifling.
The unit's special Abilities are: 1-2 First-Strikes; +50% Attack vs. Machine Gun; +50% Attack vs. Artillery; Starts out with Amphibious & March Promotions. Also note that this unit is not upgradeable to any other unit.
Arabian Camel Archer (Mounted Unit. Replaces the Standard Knight):
10 Strength, 2 Movement, 90 Hammers
This unit's required technologies are Guilds, Horseback Riding, and Archery.
The Camel Archer's unique abilities are as follows: Immune to first strikes; Doesn't receive defensive bonuses; Can withdraw from combat (25% chance). The unit can later be promoted to the Cavalry.
Aztec Jaguar (Melee Unit. Replaces the Standard Swordsmen):
5 Strength, 1 Movement, 40 Hammers
The Jaguar requires Iron Working. The following are its special abilities: +10% City Attack; +25 Jungle Defense. This unit is upgradeable to the Maceman later on.
Chinese Cho-Ku-Nu (Archery Unit. Replaces the Standard Crossbowman):
6 Strength, 1 Movement, 60 Hammers
Machinery, Archery, and the Iron resource are required to construct the Cho-Ku-Nu. The Cho-Ku-Nu's special abilities include all of the following: 2 First Strikes; Causes Collateral Damage; +50% vs. Melee Units. The unit may be upgraded later on to either the Rifleman, or Grenadier.
Egyptian War Chariot (Mounted Unit. Replaces the Standard Chariot):
5 Strength, 2 Movement, 25 Hammers
Before construction on the War Chariot can proceed, it requires The Wheel and Horses. The following are all of its unique abilities as the Egyptian Unique Unit: Immune to First Strikes; Doesn't Receive Defensive Bonuses; May Withdraw from combat if losing (20% chance). Since this unit may be constructed early, it also may be upgraded later on either to the Horse Archer or Knight.
English Redcoat (Gunpowder Unit. Replaces the Standard Rifleman):
16 Strength, 1 Movement, 110 Hammers
The Redcoat only requires the Rifling Technology to begin construction. All of the following are the unit's special abilities: +25% vs. Mounted Units; +25% vs. Gunpowder Units. The unit is also upgradeable to the Infantry which is available later on in the game.
French Musketeer (Gunpowder Unit. Replaces the Standard Musketman):
9 Strength, 2 Movement, 80 Hammers
This unit requires the Gunpowder Technology. The special abilities of the unit are simply that it has a movement of two instead of one (don't underestimate this!). It can later be upgraded to the Rifleman.
German Panzer (Armored Unit. Replaces the Standard Tank):
28 Strength, 2 Movement, 120 Shields
Industrialism, Rifling, and the Oil resource are required for the tank's construction. Here are the unique abilities of the Panzer: Doesn't receive defensive bonuses; +50% vs. Armored Units; Starts out with Blitz promotion. The Modern Armor replaces the Panzer later on when available.
Greek Phalanx (Melee Unit. Replaces the Standard Spearman):
5 Strength, 1 Movement, 35 Hammers
The unit requires the Hunting technology, and the Copper and Iron resources. The Phalanx's special abilities are as follows: +25% Hill Defense; +100% vs. Mounted Units. The Phalanx may be upgraded to the Pikeman.
Roman Praetorian (Melee Unit. Replaces the Standard Swordsman):
8 Strength, 1 Movement, 40 Hammers
Iron Working as well as the Iron resource are needed in order to construct the Praetorian. The Praetorian is unique because it is two strengths more powerful than the unit it replaces (the Swordsman), but yet, its cost is the same. This unit will later upgrade to the Maceman Melee Unit.
Russian Cossack (Mounted Unit. Replaces the Standard Cavalry):
18 Strength, 2 Movement, 120 Hammers
The Cossack requires Military Tradition, Gunpowder, Horseback Riding, and a Horse resource. It's special abilities: Doesn't receive defensive bonuses; Can withdraw from combat (30% Chance); +50% vs. Cannon; +50% vs. Mounted Units. This unit upgrades to the Gunship.
Spanish Conquistador (Mounted Unit. Replaces the Standard Knight):
10 Strength; 2 Movement; 90 Hammers
This unit requires Guilds, Horseback Riding as well as the Iron and Horse Resources. Finally, the special abilities of the Conquistador are: Immune to First Strikes; +50% vs. Melee Units. The Conquistador upgrades to Cavalry.
something real publishers can learn from.
I'm looking forward to play it!
