Some advice on city expansion

[Stratti]

Ok so I've been playing civ since the original block graphic game. I've recently gotten into Civ5 . Currently I've moved up from King into Immortal difficulty level. I play Alexander more to do with my cultural heritage as opposed to any strategic consideration. I also play normal play speed.

Ok now to my question ... I have been using the strategy akin to a OOC situation building up a super city and settling a second city around 90-100 turns .

Doing this I'm usually able to build a very productive city and rushing to renaissance - industrial ages well ahead of others. Im usually able to defend against the first DoW and quickly take them out with superior tech .

In my current immortal game it is also working but my huge concern is it doesn't sit right with me. It seems to me to be the wrong way of doing things and I am concerned it will not work in Emperor or above.

I'd love to know what people at my level and above are doing as an opening 100 turns strategy. Am I doing something wrong. I've found it easy to build a very tall empire with very little cities that outdoes the AI. Perhaps though I need to learn to widen it up a bit .

It isn't unusual to win a game with only two or three settled cities right up to king level. I'd love to get some ideas or feedback from others. Do I indeed need to be able to settle more cities or is it a case of it isn't broken don't fix it.

 

[gozpel]

Build a couple more cities to grab resources, I usually start out with 3-4 cities to claim nice spots.

THEN, I start focus on science, you don't need NC that early if you have a game where you're surrounded by land to take. In a spot where you're surrounded by AI, you're plan is the better.

Every map is different and make a choice AFTER you discover what's around you, not at the first settling. Well you still can go for domination from turn 0, but it's not what the game is about.

Have a look around, fine I can settle 6 cities here, piss off Rammy I got these lands first and so on.

 

[The_Quasar]

Sounds like you have a good strategy for higher levels...

Don't ever build cities for the sake of it, only build them in good places, you don't need a lot to win, but it does very much depend on the map you're dealt with... you don't seem to have that very far out.

Best thing really is to try at the higher levels, and refine your technique as you gain experience at them... but you seem to have a game that will take less adjustment than average.

Good luck!

 

[gozpel]

Everything is map dependent, if you're blocked in and can't build any cities of value, go for NC.

If you have land to expand to and with valuables, do so or don't, you can build nice cities over there....but if all what you look for is conquer, don't bother.

You have to make a plan around turn 50 at the latest.

Expand, you might be a sitting duck or a very strange civ with defenders.

Do not expand, you can take everything later. But ususally the AI plants their cities in the worse places, so if I had to choose, I pick my first choice. Which is to expand to 3-4 cities and arm them.