Strategy Discussion and Guides

[Manco Capac]

If the effect of the Temple of Solomon lasted longer, Jerusalem would be useful.

Indeed, if any civ wasn't limited to 10 cities, that wouldn't matter if Jerusalem is useful or not. But with the exponential cost of techs after the 10th city, having Jerusalem feels like a loss.

 

[Swarbs]

Indeed, if any civ wasn't limited to 10 cities, that wouldn't matter if Jerusalem is useful or not. But with the exponential cost of techs after the 10th city, having Jerusalem feels like a loss.

I believe in the latest version there is (or soon will be) no exponential tech cost increase with number of cities. Instead the tech cost increases with population. Which should make Jerusalem a very strong city, as it will have a small pop but the shrine will give it a relatively high level of commerce.

 

[SheaferDaDawg]

I believe in the latest version there is (or soon will be) no exponential tech cost increase with number of cities. Instead the tech cost increases with population. Which should make Jerusalem a very strong city, as it will have a small pop but the shrine will give it a relatively high level of commerce.

Really? I hadn't heard this, but it sounds like a good idea. Just don't make domination/imperial players whip 24/7 as a result.

 

[mrrandomplayer]

I'm trying to perfect a strategy for India to use in a future AAR, because it has so much potential. However, I don't know what my tech path should be ancient era, and I'm not sure whether to go City-States or not. Do any of you have any advice on that?

 

[JiimBV]

I'm trying to perfect a strategy for India to use in a future AAR, because it has so much potential. However, I don't know what my tech path should be ancient era, and I'm not sure whether to go City-States or not. Do any of you have any advice on that?

I always use City-States as India, mainly because of the cramped but food rich Varanasi, Delhi and Pataliputra. Since City-States moved to Literature I haven't tried, but it shouldn't change anything too much.

 

[mrrandomplayer]

I don't play SVN. I usually WB out Delhi, have Varanasi as my capital and settle Takshashila (1N of the marble) and Mumbai. Though I can see how city-states helps you without WB.

 

[Atlantic Pacf.]

I believe in the latest version there is (or soon will be) no exponential tech cost increase with number of cities. Instead the tech cost increases with population. Which should make Jerusalem a very strong city, as it will have a small pop but the shrine will give it a relatively high level of commerce.

Huh. I thought the tech cost was linear.

 

[Leoreth]

Yes it is.

 

[GreekAnalyzer]

All these make me want DoC even more!

 

[sebzilla]

Should I be able to settle on Tundra (with fresh water) as Russia? Colonising Siberia is not much fun if I have to stick to the small patches of grassland.

 

[The Diocletian]

Should I be able to settle on Tundra (with fresh water) as Russia? Colonising Siberia is not much fun if I have to stick to the small patches of grassland.

But the small patches of grassland are the only places worth colonizing.

 

[Manco Capac]

I have a question: When the stability says Collapsing, is it 100% of cases the next turn the civ will collapse? I am forcing my civ to collapse at friggin' -50 and after 7 turns, no collapsing, despite the stability says so. I'm stumped.

 

[Tomorrow's Dawn]

In my experience it's RNG based to a degree and dependent on player actions.
I collapsed after conquering the Tamil capital as China, but I reloaded, and didn't collapse until the next couple of turns when my actions were different.

 

[Manco Capac]

Well, that's frustrating. 7 turns collapsing and no collapsing but when I don't want it, bam, I got it. Not to mention my friend vassal Russia collapsed before I did. Pretty frustrating all this RNG here and there that funks up a game after such a nice start.

Me wants my Egypt Dom. I have to say 10% is often the threshold where outdoing this is increasingly harder.

 

[Manco Capac]

I have another question: I have noticed many times the arrival of a new civ late game (over 1000 AD) times with the fall of an older one. I suspect it's a mechanics juxtaposed with the DLL limitation of max number of players, but what are the requirements for the choice. Unstable civs with the lowest score? Something else?

 

[Manco Capac]

What if there is no unstable civs?

 

[Tomorrow's Dawn]

Then no one collapses, insofar as I know.

Bear in mind, it's up to testers like you and I to discover these things.

 

[Manco Capac]

Bear in mind, it's up to testers like you and I to discover these things.

Not sure what you means?

================

Now.

I looked into the python files (which I'm not used at all. I'm used to Civ4 C++).

And interestingly, there is a clause about after 1400 AD. Indeed, that's where I wasn't able to get a collapse!

But it seems to have to do only that civil war won't lead to barbs anymore.

def checkImplosion(self, iGameTurn):
    
                if (iGameTurn > getTurnForYear(-350) and iGameTurn % utils.getTurns(8) == 4): # Leoreth: changed from x % 10 == 5
			lCollapsingCivs = []
			
			for iPlayer in range(iNumPlayers):
				if gc.getPlayer(iPlayer).isAlive() and iGameTurn >= getTurnForYear(con.tBirth[iPlayer]) + utils.getTurns(25) and iGameTurn >= gc.getPlayer(iPlayer).getLatestRebellionTurn() + utils.getTurns(10) and not gc.getPlayer(iPlayer).isGoldenAge():
					if self.getStability(iPlayer) < -40:
						lCollapsingCivs.append((iPlayer, self.getStability(iPlayer)))
						
			if len(lCollapsingCivs) == 0: return
						
			lCollapsingCivs.sort(key=itemgetter(1), reverse=False)
			
			iCollapsingCiv = lCollapsingCivs[0][0]
			
			if iCollapsingCiv != utils.getHumanID():
				if gc.getPlayer(utils.getHumanID()).canContact(iCollapsingCiv):
                                                        	CyInterface().addMessage(utils.getHumanID(), False, con.iDuration, gc.getPlayer(iCollapsingCiv).getCivilizationDescription(0) + " " + \
                                                        	                                    CyTranslator().getText("TXT_KEY_STABILITY_CIVILWAR", ()), "", 0, "", ColorTypes(con.iRed), -1, -1, True, True)
				if iGameTurn < getTurnForYear(1400):
					utils.pickFragmentation(iCollapsingCiv, iIndependent, iIndependent2, iBarbarian, False)
				else:
					utils.pickFragmentation(iCollapsingCiv, iIndependent, iIndependent2, -1, False)
			else:
				if gc.getPlayer(iCollapsingCiv).getNumCities() > -1:
					CyInterface().addMessage(iCollapsingCiv, True, con.iDuration, CyTranslator().getText("TXT_KEY_STABILITY_CIVILWAR_HUMAN", ()), "", 0, "", ColorTypes(con.iRed), -1, -1, True, True)
					utils.pickFragmentation(iCollapsingCiv, iIndependent, iIndependent2, -1, True)
					utils.setStartingStabilityParameters(iCollapsingCiv)
					self.setGNPold(iCollapsingCiv, 0)
					self.setGNPnew(iCollapsingCiv, 0)

 

[Tomorrow's Dawn]

I don't know how that wasn't clear, but I'll explain.

Since Leoreth is overhauling and remodeling all of the mechanics RFC players have known to associate with stability, almost everything is now thrown out the window.
There isn't any documentation other than the notes, so the players have to figure out most of the new things for ourselves, do you understand?

 

[Leoreth]

There are a number of ways to collapse that don't have to do with your stability (losing your core, or losing too much cities to barbarians), I haven't touched them yet. If you want to look up how stability works, look at checkStability() and calculateStability() in Stability.py.

In general collapsing doesn't mean that you will immediately collapse. First of all, you can only collapse as the consequence of a stability check, until then you are safe. Also, even on a check you don't have to collapse. Depending on how high your stability score is, different things can happen:

Stability level increase | nothing | crisis | stability level decrease and crisis