The Iroquois

[Jaroth]

I was going nuts one game wondering why my trade networks weren't being connected thru all the forests I had everywhere between cities. I purchased the land tiles also.

I checked out the tech tree and was reminded again that I skipped over the roads technology because I figured I didn't need it right away.

I figured I'd research it and see if that enabled it. Sure enough, it did.

So, if you're new to the Iroquois and decide to start a game with them, make sure you research the roads tech if you want fast, free trade routes throughout your forests!

 

[Jaroth]

Speaking of the Iroquois, when I played as them, I started with a massive forest and conveniently had camp-improvement luxury/bonus resources which didn't destroy the forests. I assume this is part of the city start bias option? Is this how they always start?

I had trouble deciding what to do with my tiles. I was really reluctant to chop down trees because I wanted to abuse their unique building, along with their unique ability providing awesome mobility. But I don't think my tree-hugging was that necessary and actually hurt me more than it benefited me and helped drag me behind the other civs.

How do you guys usually play as the Iroquois? Do you only keep a "path" of trees to act as a road and chop the rest when needed?

Also, one thing I find aesthetically displeasing is how roads look when you just need 1 tile of it between a forest path. The forests could be running in a horizontal direction, but the single road placed inbetween runs vertically by default and looks totally disjoined and unrelated to the forest path - yuck. Does this little oddity bug anyone else? It sorta compels me to just chop another forest to make the road look right.

 

[Tutkarz]

I won space race victory with them. Just was spamming lumber mills on wood, then created alot of units (good dproduction), then managed to remove any civilization from europe/asia/africa by razing they cities (i started in europe) and in the end i had alot of cities which created alot of research.

I will suggest to download mod which enables forests grow. Too bad i didnt had it when i played that game.

 

[JP1]

Speaking of the Iroquois, when I played as them, I started with a massive forest and conveniently had camp-improvement luxury/bonus resources which didn't destroy the forests. I assume this is part of the city start bias option? Is this how they always start?

Yes, if you use the biased starts, the are biased to start near a forest.

I had trouble deciding what to do with my tiles. I was really reluctant to chop down trees because I wanted to abuse their unique building, along with their unique ability providing awesome mobility. But I don't think my tree-hugging was that necessary and actually hurt me more than it benefited me and helped drag me behind the other civs.

How do you guys usually play as the Iroquois? Do you only keep a "path" of trees to act as a road and chop the rest when needed?

I enjoyed them a lot, and basically played the same way, keeping trees up and rushing to the Longhouse and Lumber Mills. I don't know if it is optimal, but it's definitely not crippling to play that way or anything... You end up with cities which can produce fairly well, which would probably help with Space Race. (Or anything else where you're not just outsourcing food production to city-states, spamming trading posts, and buying anything you need.)

Also, one thing I find aesthetically displeasing is how roads look when you just need 1 tile of it between a forest path. The forests could be running in a horizontal direction, but the single road placed inbetween runs vertically by default and looks totally disjoined and unrelated to the forest path - yuck. Does this little oddity bug anyone else? It sorta compels me to just chop another forest to make the road look right.

Eh. It looks a little strange, but I deal with it. If it makes you feel bad, you can add another chunk of road to point it in the right direction.

 

[Grapa]

I hate the Iroquois. Haiawatha always likes to settle right next to me.

 

[Zalakat]

I hate the Iroquois. Haiawatha always likes to settle right next to me.

I love the Iroquois. For some reason, in every single game I play, Haiawatha mercilessly beats down all the other civs, but stays friendly to me. I let him do all the dirty work, and run along behind him and reap all the benefits.

 

[Onionsoilder]

As far as chopping forests go, I almost never chop, even when not playing Iroquois. I find that building trading posts and later, lumbermills in the forests is far more effective than farms(unless it's riverside plains; those I will chop). The reason being that golden ages, which can be very easy to get in Civ V, are much more effective if you have at least 1 hammer and 1 gold on every tile possible.

 

[highfive]

As far as chopping forests go, I almost never chop, even when not playing Iroquois. I find that building trading posts and later, lumbermills in the forests is far more effective than farms(unless it's riverside plains; those I will chop). The reason being that golden ages, which can be very easy to get in Civ V, are much more effective if you have at least 1 hammer and 1 gold on every tile possible.

Good tip.

I've been learning France and Rome first, but I saw the Iroquois and it peaked my interest for this exact reason.

Early roads networks make life a lot easier, especially when trying to defend early expansions. Obviously, the trade routes help with gold and happiness if you pick the Liberty social policy too.

I've been teching to Bronze to clear jungles (start towards iron), then to the Wheel for roads and then the Calendar for luxury resources. I'll then come back to Iron unless I have horses close by and want to pump out some decent units and need Horseback Then I'll do Iron and move quickly to Civil if I'm near a number of rivers.

If you use the Iroquois, it looks like you'd want to tech to engineering and machinery pretty quickly. My only concern is that basically puts you on the Iron tech path and I've found iron can be a limiting factor, especially when you need it the most.

I'm also looking at Russia, which seems like a solid Civ to use. Strategic resources make a huge difference all the way from the Classical age until part way into the Industrial age and then again when you get to Uranium.