sid on pangea

[Amask]

Hello.
I'am interested in how people beat sid on large pangae maps with maximum opponents. I know that it is very much possible to beat sid on archipelago, or on pangea maps where you have a lot of room to expand (you can do that by having less than maximum rivals), and I have done it myself a couple times. All you have to do is expand fast. On maps with lots of space it is a lot easier to catch up to AI, because it is better to have 20 cities to its 30, than 10 to its 20, and if there is a maximum number of rivals, then there is just not enough space to build those 20 cities and you are left with 10 at most up against 20-30 of his.

So my question is what do you do in those hopeless situation where you can only place 5-6 cities and are immediately surrounded by the AI? I don't know if this happens on huge maps, but if you just play a game on a large map and set the number of AIs to maximum, chances are that with an OK start you will find yourself in a situation like that. So what do you do?

 

[Theoden]

You give up doing ridiculous things like trying to beat sid on pangaea

In fact if you look at all of the master players sid games they usually dont play sid on pangaea. My only advice is to restart if the starting position is not the best you could ever imagine (you could probably guess that)

Another advice would be to use the outside in expansion strategy as described in the war academy. It can help you grab more land in pangaea games.

Theoden

 

[Tomoyo]

Another advice would be to use the outside in expansion strategy as described in the war academy. It can help you grab more land in pangaea games.

If you do that you'll end up with an empire in the shape of a bull's eye or no empire at all.

 

[boogaboo]

The best way to learn large pangea in Sid is to look at SirPleb's great game thread-
http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=81424

 

[Greebley]

Actually, more opponents can make things easier rather than harder. The reason is that the chances of a backward civ is higher which means you have greater chances for 2-fers, and stealing becomes a "better deal" as compared to research.

My advice is to start with at least +5 food for your capitol. The hardest part is that if you fall too far behind at the beginning, it is very hard (impossible) to catch up.

Also look for an opportunity to attack one civ with the help of another. The two SID wins I participated in had earlish wars with a civ already at war with another civ leading to vital gains of land.

Here is a link huge SID SG that will soon be a spaceship win if you have interest:
Huge Pangea SID Succession Game going for a Space Victory

 

[bingen]

I agree with Greebley that large maps tend to be easier because of the greatly increased trade oppurtunity.

Any mapsize: You do not really need very many cities, but stil,l the more the better. +5 food bonus is really great to have. If I get the Great Library I can usually earn so much money (used mainly for rushbuilding infrastructure) that I can achieve a winning position. I usually start some conquering with knights and trebs or cavalry and cannon and with military alliances. If you make it to the industrial age in decent shape the late game should not be a problem.

Larger Mapsizes: It is usually harder to get TGL but it is not as essential as I like to play scientific civs. Trading through the ancient age is not too hard with enough contacts except for getting the government techs. Scientific will get you the government techs for sure and usually bring you pretty close to knights.
I prefer playing the Sumerians, Greeks, Koreans or Hittites.

Smaller Mapsizes: Quite winnable with TGL and less competion building it. However if you try for it and miss you are usually lost. The alternative approach is a dense build, going for an early war with catapults and a good UU. Celts, Iroquois and Persians are quite suited to the latter approach. You can hold your own even against knights but if you have not achieved dominance before cavalry it can be very tough.

Capturing the TGL is always a nice option. This is usually only feasible if a not too strong neighboring civ constructs it though. If you are willing to commit ROP rapes it becomes a lot easier to capture, though I generally follow the succession game crowd in not doing ROP rapes.

 

[Tomoyo]

Boogaboo, haven't you beaten Sid on a Pangaea? Tiny?

What a pathetic 1,500th post.