Strategy Discussion and Guides

[Big Heb]

In the current version (1.11, not current SVN), does liberating cities count as losing a city, hereby decreasing stability? The stability screen numbers give me that impression. Seems counter-intuitive if so.

 

[DC123456789]

It does, and yes, it is counterintuitive. Luckily things like that are gone now (in SVN).

 

[adhiraj.bose]

Has anyone done the Russian UHV on the 1700 AD scenario ? I'm trying it and so far I'm falling behind techwise. how do I keep up ?

 

[adhiraj.bose]

Has anyone got tips for the Arabian UHV? It's the only one I haven't completed yet, and because it's supposed to be so difficult I tried it on Viceroy/Marathon... And failed. I just barely managed to get the territories and hold them against the Seljuqs and Ottomans, but my tech was awful and China way ahead of me. How are you supposed to balance keeping ahead of the Chinese with spamming enough camels to conquer the three Ibearian civs and survive the Seljuqs and keep the Ottomans away from Baghdad?

I tried the Arab goal last night on v 1.11 . I managed the conquest goals easily on marathon but the tech goal was *awful* . I didn't need to conquer the Moors, they vassalized upon losing Cordova. I conquered 3 out of 4 Spanish cities leaving the Spaniards Asturias. Two buildings are essential for teching but they won't give you the much needed advantage early on. The Spiral Minaret and the University of Sankore, you'll need both to exploit the Arab UP, but again, the Byzantines and Chinese would be ahead of you in tech and the best you would reach is the level of the Moors, who're ahead of most other Euros. The Byzantines collapse, the Chinese may or may not collapse before 1300. That is a matter of luck really. In my game last night the Turks did not auto declare war on me at the start ( I don't suppose they should ? ) but when I reloaded they did declare war. I found the military build up preceding the Iberian conquests to be enough to fight off the Seljuks.

IMO in order to get a more 'historical' feel of fast conquests like the Arab's or Mongols, I prefer a Marathon or epic game. I conquered all historic territories within the historically correct timeframe .

 

[The Diocletian]

Has anyone done the Russian UHV on the 1700 AD scenario ? I'm trying it and so far I'm falling behind techwise. how do I keep up ?

Cottage the hell out of Siberia, St. Petersburg, and that fur river city north of Moscow.

 

[-W-]

How is one supposed to get ten different happiness resources with Indonesia by 1500? Does it require trade with the Chola, so is it practically impossible in the 600 AD scenario?

 

[adhiraj.bose]

In my Indonesia game, I noticed every resource which gives happiness from plantations counts as a happiness resource. That way, there are enough resources within the Indonesian archipelago, Philippines and Australia. Any shortfall can be made up by trading for silk with either Japan or China I should guess. Alternatively, in the 600AD scenario, Southern India is independent, and can be conquered, albeit with some difficulty. I've never tried this though, but it should work 'in theory' .

 

[citis]

I think there are 15 luxury resources:
Wine, Coffee, Tea,
Spices, Sugar, Bananas,
Diamonds, Gold, Silver,
Dyes, Silk, Icense, Cotton,
Elephant, Fur

You should aquire Spices, Sugar, Banana, Diamonds, Dyes from Indonesian historical and core area. There is a Coffee resource hidden in Jakarta island, so discover guilds to get it.

Historically speaking you can trade for the other four, for example Silk and Tea from Chinese, Cottom from Mughals, Wine from Ottomans

The best alternative is to settle southwest in Philipines to aquire Gold and Silk, conquer the independent Pagan for the Tea and trade with Mughlas for Cotton or Ottomans for Wine.

If you conquer India or Indochina mind the English and French conquerors.

 

[merijn_v1]

From the code, these are the resources that count. 16 in total.
con.iDye, con.iFur, con.iGems, con.iGold, con.iIncense, con.iIvory, con.iSilk, con.iSilver, con.iSpices, con.iSugar, con.iWine, con.iWhales, con.iCotton, con.iCoffee, con.iTea, con.iTobacco

(Which is the list above but with Tobacco)

 

[Jusos2108]

Actually the first list is also missing whales, but it counts banana as a luxury.

 

[Leoreth]

Yeah, bananas also aren't a luxury resource because they don't provide happiness.

And it's true that it's hardcoded into the victory check, I guess it would've been more elegant to explicitly check for resources that give happiness, but then the available resources don't change too often so that's not really a problem.

 

[adhiraj.bose]

Would be good if somebody posted an Indonesian victory strategy. Not sure if there has been a change from v 1.10 to v 1.11 in the UHV. Has there ?

 

[Ororo]

I would, but the 3rd UHV goal is extremely discouraging... I really don't have the patience to wait until 20th century. I wish the goal would state have 9% by and not in 1930 AD.

 

[adhiraj.bose]

how 'bout you just post the victory with the first two conditions ? Since that's what is the trickiest about the Indonesian game.

 

[Ororo]

Ok, I'll see what I can do...

 

[adhiraj.bose]

Thanks a ton !

And I share your thoughts on the 1930 date being too slow. The same applies to Italy. In my last game, I ended up controlling 80% of the med by 1760 . If the game had been control 65% of the med BY and not IN 1930, it would have already ended by then.

By the time I ended the game I ended up with an Uber-Italy controlling all the areas of Ancient rome, Ethiopia and Somalia ( and still calling itself "Kingdom of Italy" ) .

 

[blizzrd]

It's also easy enough as Indonesia to contact Russia and trade for a Fur resource.

 

[Rorgloin]

How do I build the Roman Empire and still maintain good research without running out of money?

 

[Jusos2108]

Oracle Currency.

 

[citis]

How do I build the Roman Empire and still maintain good research without running out of money?

Make sure to control economic world wonders, like Colossus and the Great Lighthouse. Work sea tiles instead of non-comercious land tiles. Build as many (workable) cottages as possible and as early as possible. Cottage economy makes its best in Egypt and Mesopotamia. Build forums and courts to all or most of your cities. Make sure to aquire currency early enough.

If it isn't enough build lighthouses and libraries. If you can't maintain enough money for your research use scientist specialists to research. If it isn't enough either then produce as many specialists as you can and experience golden ages or discover technologies through them.

Open borders with far civs, trade routes will give you large yield. If they don't open borders you may demand trubute by less powerful civs or you may declare war to pillage the countryside. Consider funding espisionage and steel technologies from your espisionage-weak rivals, it may be significantly cheaper. Consider stop using mercanaries, it costs if you control a large army.

Build the Oracle to aquire a free technology.

Capture the catholicism holy city, Jerusalem and recieve a great prophet. The church of the holy chepulcre will give you gold for every catholic city you control. It may be easier to build the apostolic palace and transfer the catholic holy city inside your cultural borders or in an other city. Make sure to control the catholic shrine before the spread of the Arabs (they'll get Egypt).

Check the civilopedia and the rules for other opportunities and plan ahead, I may forgot something or list something undoable.