I've been stuck an prince level for quite a while and want to move to a higher difficulty level. unfortunately, whenever I try to play king I always fail miserably. I try not to use strategies that are inflexible because they make the game too boring. Any advice?
Stuck as a prince
- Thread starter Goatman
- Start date
TimTheEnchanter
I...am...an Enchanter!
Keep in mind that trying to keep your options open for every possible strategy is often the same as having no strategy at all. Don't confuse indecision with flexibility. This was one of my biggest problems going from prince to King and Emperor (haven't really tried deity yet) Even if you go down one particular path, it is not that hard to switch gears to adapt to different circumstances.
Make sure you set goals for things like number of cities by certain dates, wonders you want to get and when, then do what it takes to meet those goals. Think about what governments you think you will be in later and do the things that will allow you to take advantage of that decision later in the game.
As you learn more about your situation, and as conditions change you may need to alter, or sometimes completely scrap, those plans. But don't just throw up your hands. Revise your goals based on the current situation.
Even though they may be boring, I think you can learn a lot by trying some of the more extreme strategies like ICS and OCC just so you can see how and why they work each has its advantages and if you borrow bits from each, you can develop your own techniques to adapt to different situations. Learn benefits of expansion from ICS, work on managing research and diplomacy in an OCC game. Try the super growth strategy from the war academy to see how We Love Days and trade can benefit your civ. Then learn from those experiences and you will be able to apply pieces of each to adapt to your situation.
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DEATH awaits you all...with nasty, big, pointy teeth.
Thinking back, my biggest hurdle in moving up from Prince level was my lack of understanding of the more complex aspects of the game, i.e. how trade improves science, income, happiness, etc, and also how to make the most of the AI civs--especially exchanging knowledge and getting tribute. How to make the most of the different government types is important too (btw, free tip: stay away from Fundamentalism until you're really good; in my opinion Fundy makes it too easy and you'll find it harder to get the hang of democracy later--and democracy really is best).
Also, I used to be too isolationist, never wanting to exchange knowledge because I didn't want to give the AI an edge and so on, and that just doesn't pay in the higher levels.
Also, I used to be too isolationist, never wanting to exchange knowledge because I didn't want to give the AI an edge and so on, and that just doesn't pay in the higher levels.
Alan_Nicoll
Chieftain
Since you don't specify what your problems are, I must guess. I guess that you're not building enough cities. At King level, 15 well-managed cities are enough to dominate the game.
So my instant advice is to take reasonable chances in order to expand more quickly. That is, build more settlers and fewer defensive units. Don't worry about irrigation or mines until cities start to suffer for lack of food. That, and explore, explore, explore, using cheap, disposable, immediately available Warriors.
So my instant advice is to take reasonable chances in order to expand more quickly. That is, build more settlers and fewer defensive units. Don't worry about irrigation or mines until cities start to suffer for lack of food. That, and explore, explore, explore, using cheap, disposable, immediately available Warriors.
Ecco
The man with the plan
When i decided that i've done all i can on Prince level, i jumped straight to deity...
OK, at size 4 my cities became disordered. Then at size 3, then 2, then 1 <?!!!!??!!!> What is going on i asked myself? Mission impossible 3, i thought, and went straight back to prince level.
Then i played the basic ww2 scenario as Axis on deity, and i really kicked ass then, so i kinda figured it was time for me to give another shot at the deity level.
I did, and now i'm playin it full strenghth, it's nothin to be afraid of, actually, you just gotta know how to control your population, how to go for techs and how to protect your borders or expansionism a great deal better than on prince level. As Mr.Bond said, there are things that you have to get in touch with, and the best way to do so, is start playin + ask us older guys for tips.
So, how about it? Ready to make it big?
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"The weak have one weapon: the errors of those who think they are strong."
- Georges Bidault
OK, at size 4 my cities became disordered. Then at size 3, then 2, then 1 <?!!!!??!!!> What is going on i asked myself? Mission impossible 3, i thought, and went straight back to prince level.
Then i played the basic ww2 scenario as Axis on deity, and i really kicked ass then, so i kinda figured it was time for me to give another shot at the deity level.
I did, and now i'm playin it full strenghth, it's nothin to be afraid of, actually, you just gotta know how to control your population, how to go for techs and how to protect your borders or expansionism a great deal better than on prince level. As Mr.Bond said, there are things that you have to get in touch with, and the best way to do so, is start playin + ask us older guys for tips.
So, how about it? Ready to make it big?
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"The weak have one weapon: the errors of those who think they are strong."
- Georges Bidault
Andu Indorin
Retired Druid
And just to follow up on Tim's excellent advice (One, Two, Five! ...): No good strategy is inflexible; the art of war (and the art of economy) demands flexibility. A plan, a strategy, is only a blue-print for success. It takes judgment borne from experience to make a plan a reality. S*** happens. As Napoleon said: "Luck is nothing more than the ability to exploit circumstance." Which is to say -- Napoleon being Napoleon -- a good general always goes into battle prepared to compensate for his previous miscalculations.
There's some really good advice here Goatman. If you can absorb some of those, especially IMHO those about trade, you'll be flying.
Here is a practical suggestion to ease the transition. Go for King level on a large map and 3 civs only. Concentrate on maximum city expansion (that is the number of cities at first, not size) and internal trade. Aim for as many as 50 cities by the year 1000 with at least one trade route from each. You should have plenty of time to build a good civ before you're in serious conflict with everyone else. Make peace with anyone you do meet.
The point of this is that even if you get squashed later (which I doubt), it will give you confidence at King level. Subsequent games you can increase the number of civs and slim back to medium map.
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Here is a practical suggestion to ease the transition. Go for King level on a large map and 3 civs only. Concentrate on maximum city expansion (that is the number of cities at first, not size) and internal trade. Aim for as many as 50 cities by the year 1000 with at least one trade route from each. You should have plenty of time to build a good civ before you're in serious conflict with everyone else. Make peace with anyone you do meet.
The point of this is that even if you get squashed later (which I doubt), it will give you confidence at King level. Subsequent games you can increase the number of civs and slim back to medium map.
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My biggest problem is that I don't know how many cities to biuld when starting up. sometimes I build too many cities, but then fall too far behind in defense and technology. other times I build too few cities, then get slaughterd because I can't build units fast enough.
Btw, Whats an ISC?
Mongol Horde
Resident Savage Army
Take Stormys advice and go for king, large map and 3-4 civs. I always just keep expanding until I get bored and on a large map end up with about 40-50 cities. But in your case stop at 20 and start developing your cities after that. This will be more than enough to crush your opposition. Report back here on the state of play then and the boys will help you some more.
Good Civving mate.
Good Civving mate.
It's ICS and it means "Infinite City Sprawl". It means expanding and expanding the number of cities rather than the size of each one. Expanding the size comes later. At first what you are doing is grabbing land before your opponents do.
I don't see how you can build too many cities! Try it this way...
* Set the Science rate to maximum and keep it that way, at least until you meet another Civ.
* Build cities first on rivers, next to lakes and on coasts for maximum trade, but don't pass up a good city site.
* Don't overlap cities too much and don't leave gaps.
* Build roads around the city before you irrigate (adds trade), but don't build a settler to build those roads until you've built at least one or two which will go off and form new cities first!
* In each new city, first build a defender, possibly two (depending on your food/pop growth rate). In some cities make one unit a 2 square movement one. Tell it to explore.
* Then build a settler to go off and build a new city wherever your roving unit is.
* Then build another settler.
* Then maybe a temple.
* Then maybe a settler to road the area and interconnect with other cities.
* Then start thinking about trade, caravans, market places and libraries.
* And your early cities should be building wonders. E.g. Colossus is good for trade on the coast, and at King level Pyramids are good for ICS!
* Aim for Monarchy as soon as possible.
Most people will tell you the same for ICS with minor variations according to personal playing styles and preferences, difficulty level and geography.
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Alan_Nicoll
Chieftain
Stormerne sez:
I pretty much agree with all of Stormerne's advice except the above. At King level, you won't need any military units to pacify the population as long as you keep building settlers (which keeps the city size down) until the number of cities becomes quite large. And you won't need any units for defense until you meet another civ. Putting one or two defenders in each city ensures slow growth (not a good thing). Worry less about defending miserable 1 or 2 point cities and worry more about grabbing land and exploiting it by building cities. When you have 3 or 4 cities, defend your capital, build a Temple, and then wonders, in your capital. As for exploration, build 2 Warriors instead of 1 Horseman, for many good reasons, such as you can explore faster with 2 Warriors. When you are attacked, switch endangered cities to building Phalanxes. You should do well, even if you lose a couple of cities.
I don't see how you can build too many cities. Perhaps you need to make use of the F1 and F4 displays to get more information at a glance about how your cities are doing, rather than just clicking on a city here and a city there. I aim for a minimum of 15 cities, and 30 is better; more than that should be unnecessary for world domination, and can be a burden in that each turn requires more work.
I pretty much agree with all of Stormerne's advice except the above. At King level, you won't need any military units to pacify the population as long as you keep building settlers (which keeps the city size down) until the number of cities becomes quite large. And you won't need any units for defense until you meet another civ. Putting one or two defenders in each city ensures slow growth (not a good thing). Worry less about defending miserable 1 or 2 point cities and worry more about grabbing land and exploiting it by building cities. When you have 3 or 4 cities, defend your capital, build a Temple, and then wonders, in your capital. As for exploration, build 2 Warriors instead of 1 Horseman, for many good reasons, such as you can explore faster with 2 Warriors. When you are attacked, switch endangered cities to building Phalanxes. You should do well, even if you lose a couple of cities.
I don't see how you can build too many cities. Perhaps you need to make use of the F1 and F4 displays to get more information at a glance about how your cities are doing, rather than just clicking on a city here and a city there. I aim for a minimum of 15 cities, and 30 is better; more than that should be unnecessary for world domination, and can be a burden in that each turn requires more work.
Thanks for the advice.
I am now playing with a large map and many small islands. At about 900 A.D. and I have 16 cities. I am sprawled across 3 islands, small amount of defence but many roads. I have trade routes in many of my cities, I'm a republic and I have the great wall and the collosus. I Havn't met anyone yet, but I was beaten to the pyramids, lighthouse and gardens. I have low technology (By my standards) but the other civs don't seem to have any more than I do.
I am building marco polo's and I intend to carry out the Super growth strategy.
Anything else?
I am now playing with a large map and many small islands. At about 900 A.D. and I have 16 cities. I am sprawled across 3 islands, small amount of defence but many roads. I have trade routes in many of my cities, I'm a republic and I have the great wall and the collosus. I Havn't met anyone yet, but I was beaten to the pyramids, lighthouse and gardens. I have low technology (By my standards) but the other civs don't seem to have any more than I do.
I am building marco polo's and I intend to carry out the Super growth strategy.
Anything else?
Thanks for the advice.
I am now playing with a large map and many small islands. At about 900 A.D. and I have 16 cities. I am sprawled across 3 islands, small amount of defence but many roads. I have trade routes in many of my cities, I'm a republic and I have the great wall and the collosus. I Havn't met anyone yet, but I was beaten to the pyramids, lighthouse and gardens. I have low technology (By my standards) but the other civs don't seem to have any more than I do.
I am building marco polo's and I intend to carry out the Super growth strategy.
Anything else?
I am now playing with a large map and many small islands. At about 900 A.D. and I have 16 cities. I am sprawled across 3 islands, small amount of defence but many roads. I have trade routes in many of my cities, I'm a republic and I have the great wall and the collosus. I Havn't met anyone yet, but I was beaten to the pyramids, lighthouse and gardens. I have low technology (By my standards) but the other civs don't seem to have any more than I do.
I am building marco polo's and I intend to carry out the Super growth strategy.
Anything else?
Mongol Horde
Resident Savage Army
Just that 16 is really the minimum to ensure victory at this level. If you can I would lay down a few more cities. You have to now really milk the cities for evrything, constantly micromanage them by ensuring that the workers are placed in exactly the most beneficial squares to get the right mix of production and trade.
Can you build Mikes Chapel or Leos Workshop? If you can I would recommend that you begin those projects. They are extremely useful wonders.
Can you build Mikes Chapel or Leos Workshop? If you can I would recommend that you begin those projects. They are extremely useful wonders.
Supernaut
Prince
I'm surprised you haven't met anyone yet. Is this just with 3 Civs? Even so, you should have found one by now. Get exploring mate!! Build a few boats and put some diplomats in them. Diplos are good explorers, with their 2 moves, and can establish embassies for you when you do find someone (and who knows, there may be some useful bribery they could so as well). Especially if there are lots of islands. There'll be loads of good city sites out there which the others won't have found - a small island that can only support one or two cities can be a real asset if you quickly develop it. And, of course, there are all those lovely goody huts out there.
I hope all those trade routes you've established are between cities on different islands? That makes a big difference to their value, even if the two cities are closer together than two on the same city. Oh yeah, put some caravans on those exploring ships as well, just in case.
I agree with Mongol Horde about wonders to build - either would probably be more useful than Marco's, especially in a 3 Civ game
I hope all those trade routes you've established are between cities on different islands? That makes a big difference to their value, even if the two cities are closer together than two on the same city. Oh yeah, put some caravans on those exploring ships as well, just in case.
I agree with Mongol Horde about wonders to build - either would probably be more useful than Marco's, especially in a 3 Civ game
starlifter
Deity
- Joined
- Jun 17, 2001
- Messages
- 4,210
The usefulness of Marco Polo's embassy is not fully realized in most easier games. The computer tech research is pretty slow, and newer players probably are not familiar with how trading and diplomacy can affect research cost. However, if you are isolated and don't have a strong science output, Marco Polo's is cheaper than building dips and ships and searching for the AI.
It is not a good idea to be an isolationist, and build Marco Polo's while missing the really important wonders, like Michelangelo's Chapel and JS Bach's... and possibly the Statue of Liberty (if you cannot handle democracy, and want Fundy or Commie).
An isolationist should endeavor to get Colossus, Copernicus', and Isaac Newton's wonders in one large, high-trade city.
Your game is doubtless over by now, but 16 cities seems like a small number... they should then be well-developed and large, since you are isolated.
It is not a good idea to be an isolationist, and build Marco Polo's while missing the really important wonders, like Michelangelo's Chapel and JS Bach's... and possibly the Statue of Liberty (if you cannot handle democracy, and want Fundy or Commie).
An isolationist should endeavor to get Colossus, Copernicus', and Isaac Newton's wonders in one large, high-trade city.
Your game is doubtless over by now, but 16 cities seems like a small number... they should then be well-developed and large, since you are isolated.
greenie
Warlord
ICS? That's how I normally play my games!
lol
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- Greenie
" Let us take by
cunning what we would
take by force"
lol
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- Greenie
" Let us take by
cunning what we would
take by force"
Archbob
Ancient CFC Guardian
Yes, A big step indeed, from prince to king.
I remember, I could barely beat king, then I discovered the wonders of fundementalism and overran the world with cavalry to win the game very early on in king.
From emperor to diety---this was the hardest step. I figured to have a supreme navy and beat the game around 1970 the first time I beat it under diety.
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Join me in World Conquest
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[This message has been edited by Fallen Angel Lord (edited July 02, 2001).]
I remember, I could barely beat king, then I discovered the wonders of fundementalism and overran the world with cavalry to win the game very early on in king.
From emperor to diety---this was the hardest step. I figured to have a supreme navy and beat the game around 1970 the first time I beat it under diety.
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Join me in World Conquest
<FONT COLOR="blue"><FONT face="lucida handwriting">
Would ya shoot someone? What if he also had a gun pointing at you?
</FONT c></FONT f>
Check out Arcade Portal and
[This message has been edited by Fallen Angel Lord (edited July 02, 2001).]
This is true, I've also played several others at king level and am quite successful.
I had completely forgotten about this thread so you can imagine my surprise when I found so many replies to my last post.
Is there any way to close this thread as I don't think that I will need too much more advice until I try to make it to the next level.
starlifter
Deity
- Joined
- Jun 17, 2001
- Messages
- 4,210
LOL, so you are an "ask and forget" player
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