The most important resource?

[Civddict]

Iron of course

 

[fidelcastro]

Just because it is needed for the most buildings and most units and for the longest time available?

I think there is no most important ressource.

 

[philippe]

coal and iron

 

[Sabotage]

I'll take Rubber. My reasons are as following. Without rubber, you can't make the transition from riflemen to infantry, which are superior units. If your civilisation only has rubber, then atleast if you are invaded, implementing the draft will give you infantry, which are, against armour, alot more effective...maybe second to the spearman

 

[Chris85]

You can't get anywhere in the late industrial to modern age without oil. BTW, I think iron comes in second.

 

[BCLG100]

uranium isntprobably the most important resource but you gotta have it just so the other civs cant

 

[D9phoenix]

The important resouce in the game... Fresh water, by river or by lake hands down. Without it you are destined to low population cities that grow slowly and an inablity to contruct the Hoover Dam!!!

 

[BCLG100]

and the inability to build nuclear plants

 

[amadeus]

Gas makes the world go 'round. Oil.

 

[The Last Conformist]

Well, lacking Iron means no Swordsmen, no Knights and no Railroads. That means you're crippled from late ancient times until the end of the game. So, I guess I'd vote for Iron.

Perhaps more interesting and answerable question: which is the least important resource? My vote, I guess, goes for salpeter - you can't wage offensive war efficiently in the late-medieval to late industrial times, due to no Cav, but Musketmen aren't that much harder than Pikemen (or Samurai, if you happen to play Japan!). Other opinions?

 

[XF Clohvn]

Id say Iron... but uranium is always good

 

[marshal zhukov]

iron and rubber
But I always have iron, i have never been in the position in which I was without iron.
rubber sometimes is hard to find,
my population usually explodes if I don't have rubber

 

[The Last Conformist]

Originally posted by marshal zhukov
iron and rubber
But I always have iron, i have never been in the position in which I was without iron.
rubber sometimes is hard to find,
my population usually explodes if I don't have rubber

I've lacked Iron so many time it suffices for us both. In my first half-dozen games that reached the medieval era, I always lacked either Horses or Iron when I was able to develop Chivalry ...

 

[napoleon526]

Horses. If you don't have these, you can pretty much abandon any thought of offensive warfare for the next few millenia.

 

[Zouave]

Originally posted by Civddict
Iron of course

It is also in reality the most COMMON resource, with coal second.

So if you don't edit up their appearance rates you are playing a total Fantasy game. No war in history was ever fought over an iron mine.

 

[Civddict]

if you have iron and horses = your neighbor is dead

 

[Tholish]

Unfortunately, rubber, in the standard game. The game is usually won in the modern era(either diplomatic or spaceship, unless you have it set too easy), when inability to build any land unit more advanced than rifleman can be fatal.

Rubber was in fact a strategic resource during World War 2, but only then. Shouldn't be required for Modern Armor, since synthetic rubber came in in the sixties.

 

[marshal zhukov]

Tholish, I agree with you

I was suprised the first time I saw that rubber was needed for MOd. Arm.

The whole core of our planet is made of iron that is why is so easy to find iron in the real world. But if iron were also to be so abundant in CIV3 than it would not be a resource.

Wood is the most important,
nobody mentioned wood, without wood you can not have even workers or warriors .LOL

 

[Higher Game]

Iron is the most important. Early on, you want to upgrade those 20 horsemen into knights. You need iron. Later on, you want railroads. You need iron. In fact, I wage war over iron more than any other resource.

Saltpeter is a middle age resource. Rubber is an industrial resource. Uranium is a modern resource. I hope to win the game by then. That is why iron is the most important.

A close second would be coal. Since coal plants are essential, losing coal is losing 25% production in your cities. Hoover Dam is so important against AIs, but it isn't a guarantee in multiplayer. That is why you need coal, at least until you get nuclear plants. And even then you will need fresh water.

 

[Baleog]

Iron, without a shadow of a doubt.

For me the game depends on how well you start off, how much off a foothold you put down on your land. This does not necesarily mean you have to go to war (though it helps), but often times if I decide to be peaceful I end up having the enemy attack me anyway. To have the defence is important.

If you are a powerful civ early on this will allow you to get more techs ahead of the pack and trade them off, hence amking you richer and the opponent poorer. If there are any future resources you have no supply of you can use your wealth to buy it.

Iron is the basis of a good civilisation. It is it's foundation.