So, who are the new "runaways" in G&K?

[Crossed_Sabers]

For me it's usually Greece, the Inca, or Siam.

 

[S.K. Ren]

If the AI played the Mayans the way I play the Mayans, they would win all the time, every time. Thankfully the AI is still dumb in some aspects and doesn't. I.E super REX + ICS with Messenger of the Gods Pantheon and Pagodas. On any difficulty where the AI gets a bonus those cities would become monsters.

 

[gunslinger6792]

ethiopia is a hit and miss for me also. Ethiopia usually only has 2 or 3 cities in my games and always gets invaded. In a few games though I've seen them conquer half a continent. Austria is also very situational. they typically only have a few cities but in a few games ive seen them spam cities like crazy and control huge chunks of land before another AI put them down. I also usually see austria declare war on city states often which seems odd due to their UA.

 

[SS-18 ICBM]

The Iroquois have always been runaways in every game I met them. My current game is no exception. Same deal with Greece, aggressive against AI and for City States.

 

[DutchJob]

When Nappy, Hiawatha or Pachacutti are in my games they allways do well.

 

[fuzzatron717]

After thinking about runaway civs greece and ottomans always backstab in everygame and always either try expand a lot of cities or try conquering.

 

[smallfish]

Ethiopia

 

[sizesixteens]

Askia has a perfect record of gobbling up all the land he possibly can in my games. Then my first G&K game featured Sweden obliterating his entire continent, eliminating single-handedly the Netherlands, Carthage, the Huns, and knocking on Ethiopia's capital without razing anything and still building his own cities like a crazed Washington, and somehow maintaining high levels of happiness. Gustavus literally never ceased to be at war during the entire length of an epic-length game.

It was only on Prince, show some mercy...

 

[bryanw1995]

Post g+k I've only seen the mongols actually "run away", and fortunately they were on my continent so I could keep them in check. I've seen the germans, mayans, and austrians expand like mad as well, but those guys at least waited a little while before getting big... Thus far, I haven't encountered a single AI that was too dominating for me to compete with up to immortal, though I have rage-quit twice and lost to an early rush a couple of times on immortal.

 

[Necrotaur]

The only ones I have consistently seen do well are the Iroquois. If they are on another continent, they almost always take the entire thing over. Polynesia are in second place in my games, I guess that early embarkation helps them expand easily.

The flip side are the Americans. I have never had them become a superpower, in fact, most of the time they are reduced to 2-3 cities in late game after being kicked around by everyone else. There was one game where I was in serious danger of being taken over by them, but after I fought them off a bit it seemed like the AI gave up and stopped trying. Soon enough I had riflemen while they just had knights.

 

[danieladler]

The problem with a thread like this, about some civs "always" getting huge and imba, is that we all have different experiences. it depends on a wide range of factors, plus pure chance.

 

[Drawmeus]

The problem with a thread like this, about some civs "always" getting huge and imba, is that we all have different experiences. it depends on a wide range of factors, plus pure chance.

There are definitely ones which are more likely to run away with it though, because of their start bias, their unique traits, and especially their AI personality. Catherine doesn't literally always spiral out of control, but if you see her in your game, you had better be ready for it...

 

[Lyoncet]

^ This. Also, factors like scaling up with difficulty-related AI bonuses (especially Darius with his ultra-golden-ages and the enormous AI happiness boost) combine to make some civs overachievers at particular levels.