This is a general strategy that intends to beat deity with random leader and map. China is a strong civilization for a trial and a show.
The setting is small Pangaea map with standard speed.
I. Diplomacy -- Once again, the most important part in CiV.
1. Always ask for Pact of Cooperation (POC) when you meet any AI, it's safe to say that you are free from his DOW if he agree to do so. Some AIs might not agree in the 1st time, but will agree so a few turns later. If refused, then he/she tends to consider you as a target, Don't settle city too close to him/her since this is simply the #1 reason that asking to be conquered.
2. Always decline any Pact of Secrecy (POS) since you want to trade with every AI. I don't feel this refusal will annoy AI. POS is also a sign that you are not his favorite target.
3. Always refuse any war invitation, again you want to trade every AI before you are ready.
4. Sell Open Border (OB), and you don't need OB from AI early on as there are plenty of passage to go through to continue exploring. A friendly AI will give you 50g, not very big, but ~150g till ~1AD from every AI is considerable.
5. Sell happiness resources -- ALL or most of THEM, every resource will give you 250~300g for every 30 turns. This is your major income.
6. Research agreement -- Don't do it before turn 100. Since you will beeline to certain tech and ignore some small techs, the randomness of the tech from it make it unworthy.
II. Early stage REX
This sounds like a contradiction with the diplomacy part #5 "Sell happy resources -- ALL or most of THEM". NO, these two strategies work perfectly with reach other. REX enable you of grabbing the most happiness resources so that you have more to sell. Then the question remains is that "How do you handle the happiness issue?"
The answer is
"IGNORE it" -- The cost of unhappiness is the penalty on city growth and the golden age points. Neither of them is important. Your capital should be ~ size 4 after the worker and will not grow because of producing settlers, same as your 2nd city. The growth of 3rd to 5th city are NOT important, they are for resources, culture, and hammers. The golden age is also not important with small size empire in early stage and you lose nothing after they hit 0.
"DO NOT reach 10" -- Since production will also be penalized.
The most common build in capital is
1. Scout -- You want to find all City States (CS) and natural wonders. Another possible task is that it could steal a worker for you from a nearby CS. Your initial warrior could also accomplish this task. This stolen worker is quite important since worker is expensive and you are short of them since your will be focus on producing settlers. Make peace immediately and the -60 will de decayed by 1 every turn, so basically you get a very important early worker for free. Don't DOW any CS again since it will lead to permanent war.
2. Settler -- Once capital finishes scout and grows to size 2, immediately starts a settler (put a worker in queue if there is no 3F tile). The center 2H1G production is big in CiV and the improvement gain from tile is weak -- this makes settler before worker much strong.
3. Worker -- kind of late, but there's always trade-off among decisions. Your stolen worker is usually your 1st worker on duty.
4. Settler
5. Settler
All new cities should start a monument as the 1st building since you need at least enough culture to unlock 3 Social Policies (SP) for the Patronage tree when you enter medieval era. 2nd could contribute 1 or 2 settler after monument.
III. Tech choice
1. If mining resources in capital, go for Mining 1st and then beeline to HBR. Rush buy a horseman (410g) whenever available. A horseman is very important to survive early stage DOW and also for barbarian hunting.
2. Happiness techs -- Calendar, Trap, Masonry.
3. Writing -- For the significant UB -- Paper maker and scientists
4. Archery -- this might get higher priority if you feel a DOW will be coming soon. Archers are another key factor to survive early DOW.
5. IW -- Upgrade 2 warriors to swordmans
6. Math -- A couple of cats should be enough
7. Beeline to Machinery -- for the dominant UU -- Chu-Ko-Nu, you can start a war now.
8. Beeline to Steel -- for Longswordman (I was able to research it in 4 turns)
You should be able to conquer 1 AI with Lonswordmans and Chu-Ko-Nus, for other leaders, build more warriors -> Lonswordmans and cats.
IV. Social Policies and City States
When you finish engineering and enter medieva era, you should save enough culture to unlock the 3 SPs in the Patronage tree. Choose ~5 available CS and ally with them. Suddenly you find that your empire becomes very happy and starts to boost. The allies of CS also give you huge aid in the coming war as they will absorb a significant part of AI's forces.
V. First War
Once you upgrade all your archers to Chu-Ko-Nus and then DOW next. Play a defensive war for the 1st 5~10 turns, your range units should be able to kill most of AI's offensive units and then go for capturing cities. Raze cities without happiness resources and wonders and create puppet of all other cities.
The setting is small Pangaea map with standard speed.I. Diplomacy -- Once again, the most important part in CiV.
1. Always ask for Pact of Cooperation (POC) when you meet any AI, it's safe to say that you are free from his DOW if he agree to do so. Some AIs might not agree in the 1st time, but will agree so a few turns later. If refused, then he/she tends to consider you as a target, Don't settle city too close to him/her since this is simply the #1 reason that asking to be conquered.
2. Always decline any Pact of Secrecy (POS) since you want to trade with every AI. I don't feel this refusal will annoy AI. POS is also a sign that you are not his favorite target.
3. Always refuse any war invitation, again you want to trade every AI before you are ready.
4. Sell Open Border (OB), and you don't need OB from AI early on as there are plenty of passage to go through to continue exploring. A friendly AI will give you 50g, not very big, but ~150g till ~1AD from every AI is considerable.
5. Sell happiness resources -- ALL or most of THEM, every resource will give you 250~300g for every 30 turns. This is your major income.
6. Research agreement -- Don't do it before turn 100. Since you will beeline to certain tech and ignore some small techs, the randomness of the tech from it make it unworthy.
II. Early stage REX
This sounds like a contradiction with the diplomacy part #5 "Sell happy resources -- ALL or most of THEM". NO, these two strategies work perfectly with reach other. REX enable you of grabbing the most happiness resources so that you have more to sell. Then the question remains is that "How do you handle the happiness issue?"
The answer is
"IGNORE it" -- The cost of unhappiness is the penalty on city growth and the golden age points. Neither of them is important. Your capital should be ~ size 4 after the worker and will not grow because of producing settlers, same as your 2nd city. The growth of 3rd to 5th city are NOT important, they are for resources, culture, and hammers. The golden age is also not important with small size empire in early stage and you lose nothing after they hit 0.
"DO NOT reach 10" -- Since production will also be penalized.
The most common build in capital is
1. Scout -- You want to find all City States (CS) and natural wonders. Another possible task is that it could steal a worker for you from a nearby CS. Your initial warrior could also accomplish this task. This stolen worker is quite important since worker is expensive and you are short of them since your will be focus on producing settlers. Make peace immediately and the -60 will de decayed by 1 every turn, so basically you get a very important early worker for free. Don't DOW any CS again since it will lead to permanent war.
2. Settler -- Once capital finishes scout and grows to size 2, immediately starts a settler (put a worker in queue if there is no 3F tile). The center 2H1G production is big in CiV and the improvement gain from tile is weak -- this makes settler before worker much strong.
3. Worker -- kind of late, but there's always trade-off among decisions. Your stolen worker is usually your 1st worker on duty.
4. Settler
5. Settler
All new cities should start a monument as the 1st building since you need at least enough culture to unlock 3 Social Policies (SP) for the Patronage tree when you enter medieval era. 2nd could contribute 1 or 2 settler after monument.
III. Tech choice
1. If mining resources in capital, go for Mining 1st and then beeline to HBR. Rush buy a horseman (410g) whenever available. A horseman is very important to survive early stage DOW and also for barbarian hunting.
2. Happiness techs -- Calendar, Trap, Masonry.
3. Writing -- For the significant UB -- Paper maker and scientists
4. Archery -- this might get higher priority if you feel a DOW will be coming soon. Archers are another key factor to survive early DOW.
5. IW -- Upgrade 2 warriors to swordmans
6. Math -- A couple of cats should be enough
7. Beeline to Machinery -- for the dominant UU -- Chu-Ko-Nu, you can start a war now.
8. Beeline to Steel -- for Longswordman (I was able to research it in 4 turns)
You should be able to conquer 1 AI with Lonswordmans and Chu-Ko-Nus, for other leaders, build more warriors -> Lonswordmans and cats.
IV. Social Policies and City States
When you finish engineering and enter medieva era, you should save enough culture to unlock the 3 SPs in the Patronage tree. Choose ~5 available CS and ally with them. Suddenly you find that your empire becomes very happy and starts to boost. The allies of CS also give you huge aid in the coming war as they will absorb a significant part of AI's forces.
V. First War
Once you upgrade all your archers to Chu-Ko-Nus and then DOW next. Play a defensive war for the 1st 5~10 turns, your range units should be able to kill most of AI's offensive units and then go for capturing cities. Raze cities without happiness resources and wonders and create puppet of all other cities.
Thx r3dknight and chuckweed for the inspiration! Greece rulez!
