Tech race on Emporer Level - Question

[Rubberjello]

I've just noticed a similar trend in my last few games on Emporer level. I usually go out and conquer a few Civs in the ancient era, then play catch up and consolidation, and try to take over another few civs when I get the edge with Knights, Cavs, and then Armor.

But on the maps I've played lately (especally non-pangea maps with water dividing most combatants), the tech race is simply unreal. By 1000 AD we are only a 2-3 techs away from the Modern Era. The Middle Ages was a blur where I never got a chance to build knights or stage a war. The Sistine Chapel was not built by any civilization until we were researching Mass Production.

This speed is mainly because the AI seems to never declare war in my last few games. In my latest game (which included the usually aggressive Aztecs, Egytians, Mongols, etc), by 1100 A.D. they have not declared war - on me or each other - not even once! I know war really slows down the AI tech race usually, but I felt I couldn't declare war on the lot of them all at once! They simply seemed to refuse to fight each other. The $*&%@*&$#@!! Babylonians were getting Techs far faster then the minimum4 turn pace, that was for sure!

It takes me a long, long time to catch up in Techs, but I eventually do, and I will usually win. But what I would like to know is - Is there any way to consistantly slow down the tech race in the game? I would like to enjoy the middle ages and Industrial age once in a while.

Has anybody else experienced this?

 

[Ville]

Babylonians are trading techs from others.
Increase tech cost in editor to slow down the tech race

 

[sealman]

I have done what Ville has suggested and in my experience, it really has not slowed it down too much, but has had some effect.
I left the cost for ancient and middle ages techs the same. Inreased the cost of industrial techs by 25% and modern by 50%.

I also play the dyp mod and mostly on regent or emperor depending on my mood.

BTW: welcome to CFC

 

[Rubberjello]

BTW: welcome to CFC


Thanks! I've lurked for a long time picking up tips, but have not posted. I used to hang around some other Civ site forums when Civ III first came out, and even did a few Succession Games, then I got addicted to some other games and just came back to Civ III last month.

I guess what I was really asking is that does anybody know what the trigger mechanism is that makes the AI do a blood-bath, frenzy spiral on some maps, vs. a peacenik, Tech-race on others?

Does the human player's playing style or strength position have anything to do with it? Land mass? Combo of different opponent Civs?

I would like to figure out how to trigger a feeding frenzy of war amongst the AI civs at a minimum cost to me.

 

[Chieftess]

Thread moved to Strats & Tips

You should see a pangaea map. The trick is to make civs go to war with each other. Build embassies early! Usually, there's one civ that's bound to be on the warmongering side. That's your queue to start a world war. The AI puts aside some gpt (seems to be 20gpt per war - atleast in the ancient era), which means they won't research as much. Also, they'll be changing governments like crazy! If you want, take a look at the Civ3 Demogame II, which finished an emperor game last month. (in the archives) It was on a pangaea map, and we were at war with one civ for the ENTIRE game! (minus a short 20 turn period). The more wars you have, the more the AI's rep will (or could) be shot. This disrupts their ability to efficiently trade. In fact, in that game, we usually had 2 wars going on at once - 1 for each side of the pangaea.

So, the general rule of thumb would be:

1 - build embassies
2 - sign an allience with multiple civs to pile onto each other (a.k.a., a "Phony War")
3 - try to do that with several wars at once.

This game that we played finally reached the modern era in 1645AD, just one turn before our domination win. Industrial was around 900AD-1000AD. Middle was some 500 or so years earlier.

But, that game is far from a model game. (in terms of decent play). But, the idea is still there. BTW, we finally did overtake Persia (the pawn in the game) at the end.

There's also other ways of disupting the trade routes (techs and/or resource deals)

- Have a civ that's between 2 trading civs declare war on one of them. (this is because civs can use the road network and/or ports of other civs. Come to think of it, I wonder if blocking an "ally's" port would do the trick.)
- embargos
- pillage roads leading to other civs and/or roads leading into a port city.
- naval blockcades

 

[Rubberjello]

Thanks for the hints! (and sorry for posting in the wrong forum)

I'll guess I 'll have to get far more active on the diplomacy front with MPPs and Alliances.

I was just noticing a trend: Pangaea maps seem to be far more "war-frenzy" prone then med-large isolated continent maps, thus (usually) slowing down the tech race. This is probably due to the half-a$$ed approach the AI has for fighting across water??? (sic: they really can't do much damage to each other if they are on nearly equal footing.)

 

[Chieftess]

Actually, MPPs should be used sparingly - only at best to get a really passive civ into a war. (unless you're going for a UN victory, or want to bring the whole world into a world war against one civ).

It can be used to cause rep hits, too.

Say Russia's trading with Egypt (there's an active trade). Spain has to travel through Russia's lands to trade with China. You can sign an MPP with Spain, Egypt and Russia, declare war on Russia and let them attack you (or take a city, and let them try to take it). Any broken alliences and trade will be a rep hit.

And yes, pangaea's are more war-crazy, since the AI has access to everyone. On continents and islands, the AI doesn't know how to launch constand sea invasions. It's also because the AI doesn't meet each other until much later, and there's no rep hits anywhere.

 

[Gainy]

Ive never tried this myself, but you could also change all of the civ's aggression levels. Put em right up to 5(very high). And on pangea maps, in my experience, the AI is ALOT more likely to attack you/each other. Hope it helps

 

[col]

I use spying and planting aspy to get a civ to declare war on me. Ideally planting a spy unsuccessfully will trigger a declaration of war. I dont think this gives you any rep hits but I could be worng.

 

[skorn]

Or, in taking a page from Gainy bo, you could play your games with the Zulu, Germans, Mongols, Japanese, Aztecs, and Romans.

Surely this will cause much strife.