Strategies for Dealing with Isolation Scenarios

[rgbender62]

OK, I can win most of the time at Monarch level on the Lakes, Panagea, and Continents scenarios with one major exception that is driving me crazy. The exception is what I like to call the isolation scenario. It's Continents where you wind up on an isolated continent with no neighbors and no contacts for a very long time.

Every time I get this combination I wind up loosing. I do a great build up and often when contact is established with the other Civs my point total puts me up at the top one or two civs. I also seem to get most of the Wonders. Everything should be good, but Tech is the bug a boo.

No matter how aggressive I am about trying to climb the tech tree the other Civs ALWAYS wind up ahead of me on the tech tree and then clobber me in the space race. I am always ahead on points and then loose.

When the scenario is reversed where I am on the major continent with 3 or 4 other civs and there are several civs on the lesser continents I always win but it involves killing off most of my neighbors. I have also learned not to take the isolated civs for granted. I cannot seem to win when I am isolated but I have come dangerously close to loosing SR victories to "small scale" (5 or 6 city) civs that I would have thought were to small and isolated to develop the tech needed for an SR win.

Anyway, is it possible to "win in isolation" or should one just toss in the towel when you draw that card out of the pile? If it is possible how the heck do you manage it? Any clues would be appreciated.

 

[DaveMcW]

Cottages!!

 

[Rameau's Nephew]

Focus on the 'top' part of the tech tree. You're not going to beat the AI civs to Optics, so you might as well wait for them to find you, have some good trade bait when they do. Techs like Philosophy, Divine Right, Civil Service, Drama, Music, and the like are often low AI priorities and can be traded for the more miltarist stuff that you can afford to ignore without rivals on your door.

 

[cleverhandle]

Focus on the 'top' part of the tech tree. You're not going to beat the AI civs to Optics, so you might as well wait for them to find you, have some good trade bait when they do. Techs like Philosophy, Divine Right, Civil Service, Drama, Music, and the like are often low AI priorities and can be traded for the more miltarist stuff that you can afford to ignore without rivals on your door.

My thoughts exactly. Philosophy and Divine Right, in particular, are key trade-bait items. If you hit them first, the other civs usually won't research them at all because the religion has already been founded. And getting Pacifism from Philo is usually a pretty good deal on island games as well, since your military needs are so small until Astronomy.

 

[genjiboy]

Heh. This kind of a start would be heaven for me. I hate having to research military techs just to defend myself from annoying neighbours.

If you can found a religion, switch to something like Pacifism. Because you don't need that much of a military, the upkeep wont break you, and you can use your extra Great People for climbing the tech tree.