Surviving Sid

R

Raffer

Chieftain
Joined
Jun 2, 2004
Messages
5
As a rule, I try playing at Sid level before starting a new game in my current difficulty setting ; Regent. After playing -And dying- at Sid level, everything else seems to go so much smoother.
But I can't even survive past 290BC on Sid. Not even a chance. I expand all I can, which gets me up to -oh let see- Three cities. And by that time, the AI has taken the whole bloody rest of the world. To make matters worse, no matter how much time I spend on diplomacy and good relations, at some point one of my neighbours gets fed up with this annoying differently colored blotch in its territory and kills me off. No warning, just. Boom, done playing. I shoot at him with some catapults, but he's got about a gazillion other next-era troops all ready to kill. 's not fair. And I know it's not... but I was just wondering... Can anyone here beat the game on Sid level?
 
Yes; there are people here who can beat Sid (not me). There is even one who plays "Always War Sid"; see this thread: here.

I advise you to change the setting such that Sid-level AI cannot use it's power to the fullest and you have some chance. Archipelago, with small landmass. This gives the AI little room to put cities in and gives you some room as the AI can't reach you so easily.

Good luck !
 
That Always War Sid thing is a bit of a joke. Like he set it up optimally to make it as easy as possible with scores of tweaks, especially ensuring that he was alone on an island, while Raffer played the game unaltered. The AI is totally unable to land and take over an island defended by a human player.

But yeah, playing Sid makes you a lot more rugged and trains you to withstand anything. I read about an American marine who was captured in Iraq during the early phases of the invasion and he was tortured for days and somehow survived. After he was liberated by advancing American forces, he claimed his experience from playing at Sid level on civ3 is what hardened him to endure the torture and saved his life. Although now that he's back safe in America, he says he'll never play Sid level again because it reminds him too much of being in Saddam's torture chamber.
 
We have Fred Meyers here, which is oddly where I bought Conquests and Civ3.

I have trouble going beyond the 3 or 4th difficulty (it's pretty heated for me), just thinking about Sid mode is in that range.
 
Have you tried using settler factory strategy. It can work wonders in the expansion phase.
 
unscratchedfoot said:
That Always War Sid thing is a bit of a joke.
Click to expand...
:dubious: Please tell me you're kidding?
 
Think about it, the major advantage of the AI at sid is to expand quickly enough to cover the world map in the first 50 turns, then it has the advantage of instant tech/lux trade, after that it is its 40% shields off in anything. So he started in his own big island, hand picked his oponents, all civs unable to contact each other will all research ironworks and monarchy while he goes for the GL, and the AI sucks at invading islands. After the AI is unable to expand it would have to cut its military due to lack of gold so now he has caught up with the AI and the game becomes easier.

Anyways, Ijust managed emperor, it is still a long way from sid.
 
Ok, but being caught up through Education and the game being a joke are far different.

Since you have it all figured out, how is he suppose to stay caught up after Education, when all the other Civs can inter-trade, have super discounts on techs, and he can't trade. Research will become difficult, since he'll be supporting a large army, even if he wanted to make peace for techs that's out of the question, and all the money he puts into research will prevent troop upgrades.

Then it becomes taking out, & holding land from 7 Sid AIs, before they hit Cultural, Diplo, or Space victory.
 
I give you that he is stacking the deck to his liking, but still; Always War Sid is awesome. Despite all his settings the game has to be played nearly perfectly as the initial settings advantage will diminish over time. As soon as the Great Lib has expired he has to get his own research going. Imagine facing Infantry with knights. Even if the AI still sucks at naval landings (I think that part has greatly been improved), you still have a hard time gaining ground, while defending your holdings. If he can't manage to keep every civ down and 1 does get big, he'll be in trouble deep.
 
Raffer said:
As a rule, I try playing at Sid level before starting a new game in my current difficulty setting ; Regent. After playing -And dying- at Sid level, everything else seems to go so much smoother.
But I can't even survive past 290BC on Sid. Not even a chance. I expand all I can, which gets me up to -oh let see- Three cities. And by that time, the AI has taken the whole bloody rest of the world
Click to expand...
You know, that is an excellent way to improve your play. Lots of us stay at a level we can win at, only occasionally, tentatively pushing upward into harder difficulties.

My suggestion: try playing at Deity or Demi-God level. You'll still get a strongly expanding ai with bonuses, but you'll make a few more cities and units before you're hemmed in.

My guess would be, if you start at Sid and keep dropping down one diff level each start, you might end up higher than Regent, holding your own...
 
We are just ending a Sid SG (AG8) that will be a Sid win.

Sometimes Sid is like grating your eyeballs, other times it is like a tough Deity game. Thems the breaks.
 
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