Strategy advice for Spain??

[JohnBlack]

As far as I can tell no one has written a comprehensive strategy guide for Spain. It won't be coming from me either I'm afraid. Not enough experience.

While I'm not asking anyone to write several pages on the matter, I would appreciate if someone could give a few pointers on how to approach the game when playing Spain. What to build, which techs to research, which social policies to adopt etc etc, and overall, what type of victory strategy... Experience from a HUGE MAP would be preferable.

Surely there must be more to it than simply 'either you're lucky and find a couple of Natural Wonders close by before anyone else, or you are screwed'

 

[Gomer_Pyle]

There are lots of good guides written for some civilizations. But maybe some of them are obsolete now when G&K is released? I hope more of these guides are coming in the future. Those civilization guides totally made me better at this game and understand how to think when playing the different civs. Great for beginners to start the game too...

The Persia guide by MadDjinn is my favorite...

 

[Feyd Rautha]

For Spain, I would start with two scouts and send them out to explore. You still get a pretty chunk of change if you discover the wonder second, but you want to try to find it first (of course). After that I would focus on a standard approach for the victory you're seeking. That said, you should prioritize Optics pushing towards Astronomy. Once you get those two immediately set out in search of all remaining natural wonders.

The only other change I'd make to my game is to have a spare settler and "CS strike team" (two swords and two cats) to immediately settle or capture cities near the natural wonders. Finally, I see no problems with setting the map based on my civ choice. Terra is a great option for Spain especially if you prioritize Astronomy.

 

[JohnBlack]

Thanks Feyd Rautha!

 

[drubell]

Yeah kicking out 2 scouts with Spain isn't a bad thing to go for.

The conquistador is a very powerful unit. It gets no penalties attacking cities and has two extra sight. Because of the no-city-penalty thing with them, they are essentially as good at attacking cities as cavalry (just squishier against units). Don't underestimate these units. When they do grow obsolete you can keep them around to provide the sight bonus or even work as a free settler if there's another continent and you're sure you don't need the unit any longer.

Spain is all about finding those natural wonders, using the gold to pay for expansion, and then building up conquistadors to quickly run over the map. At least, that's my general strategy with them.

 

[Xile]

Welp, it has been said before but 2 scouts is pretty much a must unless you're playing islands. Going up to sailing quickly and getting a trireme or two isn't a bad option either, especially if you have sea resources or you're playing on continents. If you're playing G&K tercios are godlike for their era, because you don't have to build them from scratch any more.