Starting Strategies

[Colonel Bogey]

I also almost always settle the first city on a hill for the extra hammer

Me too, if viable. Also presumably it adds defence modifiers?

 

[HumpbackJack]

Does building the monument so early make such a massive difference? I usually don't build it until at least after NC, then rush-buy it with luxury gold. +1 culture seems like such a small gain for a lot of turns, especially considering your borders will expand fine due to palace. I suppose culture pre-REX is definitely better the earlier is, but I just don't see how it outweighs the benefit of something like a granary, stable, another warrior for military, and most especially getting your worker out before it to get your land/luxuries developed.

 

[Tabarnak]

Does building the monument so early make such a massive difference?

It depends. If i go for LE immediately i don't need to build it. I can build other things instead. If i pick Liberty first, sooner is better(after scout).

 

[RealHuhn]

It depends. If i go for LE immediately i don't need to build it. I can build other things instead. If i pick Liberty first, sooner is better(after scout).

Yeah, the point of an early monument is that you can get the free worker earlier from the liberty tree instead of building one on your own.

With Tradition, you don't need it.

Honor depends. If you want to upgrade warriors into swords or longswords with the 50% discount, go for it.

 

[IgnatiusTBarfat]

I also almost always settle the first city on a hill for the extra hammer

I've started to shy away from this as I change my play style from early domination win to other victory types. Instead, I like to leave the option of the Windmill open. YMMV.

 

[jsolo15]

With the latest patch change and the more aggresive AI

Are you guys changing from Rex'ing after your NC to maybe get out 3 to 4 warrior to protect and then upgrade for early LS war?

I use to start

Scout- Momu- Warrior-Buy Libary-NC- 4 Settlers-Warriors

Mning- Pottery-Writing-Animal-BW-IW-(Luxury Item)-Metal-Steel (Pop with GS)

Liberty-Citizen-Meta

Been playing with this queue start of:

Scout- Momu- Warrior-Buy Libary-NC-Settler (for Iron)-1 Archer-4 warrior-Try to rex (if space available)

Mning- Pottery-Writing-Animal-Archery-BW-IW-(Luxury Item)-Metal-Steel (Pop with GS)

It been working in Emperor and my last three game in Immortal... Wanna see what you guys think, if it would work in Deity? Is there a better start?
I added archery as it help with AI DoW...

Is it harder to keep AI, friendly to Sell resource at 300 in Deity...

 

[Deau]

With the latest patch change and the more aggresive AI

Is it harder to keep AI, friendly to Sell resource at 300 in Deity...

Not really harder to keep friendly rep on deity. What's harder is to not be DoWed at friendly state but expected DoWs (from immediate neighbors) can turn into extra lux' sales for lump sums to finance your early units and get free promotions while defending.

It is a generally good idea to sell your luxuries to those immediate neighbors, even more if they are agressive AIs like oda/alex etc. This way, you get improved relationship with them (maybe to the point of DoFs if you wish to play a more peaceful game) or you get to have your lux back for sale if you get DoWed. If you had 2 luxuries sold to the same neighbor who attacks you, you get to sell them for 600g immediately again. This can field two warriors for defense that are almost for free.

A few AIs (especially alex for some reason) will only give you ~250g or so from an early lux even if you are friendly with him because there is like a state of "shows as friendly" but is somewhere between friendly and neutral. This is usually an especially good pointer that he will DoW you shortly. It is generally a pretty good idea then to sell it for whatever cheaper to help prevent/defend the war.

 

[Airey]

yup, if the first thing you build *isn't* a scout, then you're missing the point of the scout unit

Err...while I agree early Scouting is important, Monument/Scout is viable for SP gambits.

First build - Scout in 5 turns on standard. - this means ensuring you've got hammers. (settle on a hill or use a forest/etc to get the 2nd hammer)

Have been experimenting with Warrior too...only takes 3 extra turns. Early map knowledge is very important though, regardless of what one builds.

...built a scout anyway because of how much I dislike to see a warrior I had planned to upgrade to LS...get turned into a spearman from a goodie hut. I would then pray to get an extra gold goodie hut to pay the expense of that extra warrior purchased.

Not building warrior for the fear of turning into Spearman is...hmm...interesting.
I don't play with Huts on, because early "extra population" or "free tech" changes the game dramatically.
Playing with huts on is like playing on tiny map