Something I've NEVER seen in a Civ Game!

[Richard III]

I have never seen stacks of over a dozen, but 75+ units does not seem odd to me. My first big industrial-age war, I felt real proud of myself and counted up my forces, and it totaled 168, of which about 140 went into action on turn one of the invasion. The advisor said that I was weak relative to my target (France). So, these numbers don't seem so crazy; if I could build that many, why not them?

I think humans tend to be more aligned to build improvements than the computer, which may be one reason for the large armies the computer accumulates.

R.III

 

[Endureth]

You think 78 is cool, check this out. In the game I recently quit to start anew there was a computer player with an army of over 100 units. I counted. This was spread all along his border. After he took 3 cities of mine his war machine slowed to a halt as my army was finally holding him back.

Suddenly on the other side of my country he landed about another 50+ units by boat! I was shocked.

By the time I finally quit, I did one last count of the computers units (that I could see) and there were over 200 units. This was on Monarch.

Endureth

 

[3amCiv]

Originally posted by dogen
Searious speaking, 78 is more than the total number of units I have. I am wondering how the AI build so many units.

If you're playing on Monarch or higher difficulty, the AI gets free units when founding a city (see http://www.civfanatics.com/civ3infocenter.shtml#levels). Some of the AIs masses of units come from that; you can tell by looking for gobs of obsolete units. In addition to these freebies, however, the AI really does build a lot of units.

 

[PaulNAdhe]

Originally posted by dogen
Searious speaking, 78 is more than the total number of units I have. I am wondering how the AI build so many units.

When you get the Intelligence Agency wonder built, take a look at some of the AI's non capitol cities. They're devoid of improvements. Only a Granary and Temple, maybe a Barracks but not much else.

I don't know how they keep up in science w/o the Library & University. But, they do. They keep pumping out settlers and that makes up for the lack of Cathedral, Collisseum & Marketplace.

It's just not a style I enjoy playing. I'm trying to build a ... Civilization!!!

 

[3amCiv]

Originally posted by PaulNAdhe
When you get the Intelligence Agency wonder built, take a look at some of the AI's non capitol cities. They're devoid of improvements. Only a Granary and Temple, maybe a Barracks but not much else.

I don't know how they keep up in science w/o the Library & University. But, they do. They keep pumping out settlers and that makes up for the lack of Cathedral, Collisseum & Marketplace.

It's just not a style I enjoy playing. I'm trying to build a ... Civilization!!!

I think that depends on different civ's attributes, however. I would think that expansionistic civ's would certainly use that style of play but I have definitely seen other culturally focused AI civs, though.

 

[Rydbeck]

Thats really fascinating..

I play on regent level for the moment, and managed to wipe out 13 English Cavalary units stacked together. Quite a nice feeling.. isn´t it?


I really wounder why the stack so many offensive units togehter without any good defense units in the stack.

Great AI i Civ 3? Im not sure...

 

[dannyevilcat]

I really wounder why the stack so many offensive units togehter without any good defense units in the stack.

Great AI i Civ 3? Im not sure...

For the same reason I do-- why hamstring the rapid mobility of cavalry with support for infantry? I've seen the A.I. wage a successful seige upon one of my naval bases.. blew it apart then took it with inferior troops. Since the city was also a coal source I was understandably mad, but grudgingly impressed. Don't get me wrong, I've always beaten the A.I., I just think it's a great improvement.

I dunno, any time I see 78 units marching off to war, at least I know they mean business.

 

[Sparrowhawk]

There's no point in maintaining the mobility of cavalry if they don't live to see action. I can see using them unsupported in an attack on a city or unit, but to simply wander through enemy territory undefended is not very smart.

 

[scorch]

you know what? the AI suprised me on civ3.


The romans had some troops that had entered my territory, and i was getting a bit nervous, so i ring up ceaser, and give him 20gold, and tell him to get his troops out. he says, 'yeah sure, thanks dude, our mistake, we'll get them out straight away!'.... next thing i know a big sign comes up 'the romans have declared war on us!'....

 

[Gruntboy]

With the Japanese snapping at my scientific heels I decided on a bit of gunboat diplomacy. I dropped a small army (4 cav, 4 cannon, 4 musketmen) off one of his coastal cities, took it rapidly and camped out in the surrounding hills. The Japanese counter attack was fierce, say 4 cavalry, 10 swordsmen, 10 muskets, twice (with the musketmen upgraded later to riflemen). My reinforced enclave still hasn't got the capacity to carry out successful offensive operations against the huge number of conscript riflemen appearing. My army marches around until it is worn down then I retreat.

Stopped his research though.

 

[bonscott]

In my most recent game on Regent level playing the Egyptions I have seen mega stacks by the Russians. They had two stacks of 35+ units. Being that I've been playing since the game came out I have figured out how to keep up with the AI. Instead of building wealth when there is nothing to build, build MILITARY. Believe me, you will need it.

I had a city on their border on the other side of a mountain range. I had over time built two fortresses in the mountains and had one artilliary, one infantry and one Calvary in each. I also had at least 12 artilliary in the city along with at least 10 infranty defending and lots of calvary. The Russians declared war and marched on that city. My preparation paid off. They only attached the fortress once and took one, but not the other. The infranty in each fortress took a pot shot at each unit in the stacks as they went by. I then shelled the stacks like crazy with my artilliary. They never attacked the city because most units were hurt by the time they got close. They pulled back to heal but I kept shelling them.

They then decided to move part of the army to our other border on the other side of the lake. Being I had railroads by then I moved a lot of my sizeable defense force over to that front and did the same thing. In the meantime we are fighting lots of single units as she tries to invade with Cossacks to get slaves and do damage. I am able to hold the Russians off, begging for them to attack my cities where I know I have the advantage.

Now this is where the AI impressed me. Knowing it was a stalemate and they couldn't advance without getting shelled to death, they sued for peace. In a brilliant move, they actualy GAVE the French their city that was on one of our borders so that now the French were a buffer between me and the Russians. We now have only one front if they decide to attack again.

I promptly made better friends with the French and we now have a Mutual Protection agreement and Right of Passage. The Russians have been unwilling to mix it up ever since I did that. The French and I are now at war with the Greeks and English, but the Russians are staying out of it so far.

Best game I've had so far!

 

[Moulton]

Well, maybe it is true--and the AI can learn strategy from us

When I finished my last game I had 89 cities, 1 infantry or mech infantry in each plus an old unit--swordsman, archer--units that don't upgrade. I know I don't need to leave them in an interior city, but it was as good a place as any, and with rails I could mome them anywhere. And the AI would not see a massive force in any one city. but count them up. I had 17 battleships, 6 carriers -- loaded -- 7 subs, 6 destroyers, a few leftover Men-Of-War, 8 transports, 121 infantry, 29 mech infrantry37 tanks, 19 artillery, a handful of cavalry and old foot soldiers. It is not hard to imagine the AI doing this, since they do build high levels, and I only build them when I think I will need them. Most of my big cities stayed on wealth most of the time my military maintenance cost (which the AI graciously paid) was 763 gold.

 

[Sarcastro]

I have to say, if I saw a stack that size, and I had a nuke nearby, I'd use it.

 

[Gruntboy]

Give that man a medal.

I like your thinking.

 

[eyrei]

In my current game the egyptians have a fleet of 50+ frigates. They stay in smaller fleets of 15 or so, one of these smaller fleets comes at my coast to do some bombardment every turn, gets severely battered by my 20+ artillery, and goes home. I have to bombard 15 ships every turn. Kind of annoying, but kind of funny too. Soon I will have destroyers though, and then there will be no more frigates. I don't understand why the AI insists on building that many of a unit that will be obsolete so soon. I know they have coal because they do send the occasionally ironclad, so why don't they build ironclads. At least these can put up a fight against more modern warships.

 

[Rymiss]

This is probably because the AI thinks numbers mean everything.

 

[Agent Roo]

yeah - the AI doesnt seem to believe in upgrading - heck, every time i go to the trade screen the AI is broke *again*.
I'm playing Americans on a Pagena map - 2 continents, 4 civs, all start on same continent. since starting, my tanks have crushed the Aztecs; and i'm now using Modern Armour against a Zulu/Greek alliance... and keep finding Musketmen and Hoplites defending cities, even when the AI has acess to Riflemen.
i own the small continent, and approx. 50% of the main continent. says it all, really, doesn't it?

why field military units? settlers rule! more settlers = more cities = more workers = more roads = more techs = more powerful civ!

destroying 78 units in 2 turns requires only 39 attackers btw.

 

[pagh80]

In my last game i played at emporer level. I was at war with the japanese and the fight was going pretty bad( ive lost 2 cities before i managed to make a peace treaty with them).
After some time to recover i decided to punish them for my loss of 2 cities(they started the war). But i had to need backup....
I bribed all the other civs(there was about 10) to make an alliance agains the EVIIIL Japanese and so they did.. All civs declared war against the japanese but there was one thing i did´nt thought about.... They all had to go through my territory... and so they did.
At one time i counted about 500 - 600 units at one time trampling through my territory to punnish the japanese.. Well the japanese was wiped out but think about if they declared an allout war against me. They could wipe me out in a couple of turns.... no.. i did´nt feel secure with my allies(enemies) crossing my land, but i did´nt dare to request them to leave..
After some time they returned and i was pleased. The japanese had got some teaching, and ive managed to get allmost all their the cities exept 3... But imagine 600 units crossing your land.. Pretty impressive.

....and no i had NOT " see enemy moving" turned on

 

[Moulton]

Hah. Putting all my units in a single stack is invinting war. No, that was my total strength. Only posted it to say the AI civs could and probably did have like numbers available, so a stack of 78 is at least possible, though Ihavae never seen one that large. Seen a couple of 39ers... a stack of 17 ironclads by the zulus...
Last night the Zulus sent several waves of 15+ stacks of imris and bowmen mixed. None of them got home again
I have not seen nukes in Civ3 yet. Egypt was working on the manhattan project when I called a UN session and put an end to that.
I hate nukes. Yes, I have used them in civI and II, but only after the AI nukes me first. I generally had enough lying around to create the game versin of MAD. They did not seem to actually take a hit in diplomacy, but it looks like Diplomacy actually works in this game. Maybe I'll stay afloat in this game long enough to see some nuke action, see if the AI declares total war on the Nuker. It happened to me once in SMAC, and they all declared war on me. Not that I cared at that point, saved me the trouble.

 

[Rickhan]

Greetings,

Only just got civ3. So far i really enjoy playing it. I've seen massive barbarian uprisings of cavalry which don't seem to hard to destroy. But then i'm only playing at Warlord Level. Just downloaded the GOTM. looking forward to getting into it this weekend. Hope to post more as i play.

RicKhan

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