I was reading a very interesting blog post about general strategies in turn based board games of pure skill (Checkers, four in a row, chess etc.) and came across the rule of mobility which applies for civ aswell.
Basically the rule states that in a turn based board game, if other parameters are somewhat equal, then the player with more mobility has a crushing advantange usually.
The article is written by 2 times pentamid world champion Andres Kuusk.
http://fightingthesharks.com/important-mind-sports-tip-ever/
If we are to trust him on his word about games (and he has alot of experience with these games) He states that in all these games, mobility is the very most important rule.
Lets look at how this applies to 1v1 skirmishes.
A simplified version of 1v1 civ is basically this: Players place cities on the map and those cities grant you points each based on the quality of the land and amount of land, and the amount of time developing that city.
There are limited resources though, they are:
Wonders
Land
Claiming the limited resources is critical but lets see how they compare.
Since 1v1 is a zero sum game (Opponents disadvantage is your advantage) Expanding becomes extremly important in comparison to getting wonders.
The rule of mobility clearly tells us that in this case you should expand fast, and in your opponents face. And that this is the single most important thing in the game.
In a normal game, lets say getting a wonder is as good as getting your cities 10 turns later. Well in 1v1 this is very different. Getting those city spaces (which are few because of the small map) Now gives you the land, AND takes away opponents expansion opportunity. The comparison is this:
Wonder early means a long term advantage, allowing opponent to expand.
Expansion early means faster hammers and units, but the point is that your expansions fast is also a very solid long term advantage since you deny your opponent city spots. This advantage is even greater than any advantage you will have gotten from a wonder, and on top of it, it is also the best play in the short term!
Often in duels with limited space, if you can plant 2 cities in the middle of the map, this means 2 more cities for you, and and 2 less for you opponent. this huge discrepancy can not be compensated by wonders. Wonders works in a simlar way but there is a big opportunity cost associated with wonders, and if you simply expand rather than build wonders you will be better off guaranteed.
Expanding defensively is no good either. If you are not going for any wonders early, you need to secure some of your opponents land, and you should have hammers to defend it when you dont invest it in wonders.
TL;DR: Expand, do it fast and offensively, and dont waste your time with other things until this advantage is secured. Better cities is a more important long term advantage than a stronger religion or faster early tech.
Basically the rule states that in a turn based board game, if other parameters are somewhat equal, then the player with more mobility has a crushing advantange usually.
The article is written by 2 times pentamid world champion Andres Kuusk.
http://fightingthesharks.com/important-mind-sports-tip-ever/
If we are to trust him on his word about games (and he has alot of experience with these games) He states that in all these games, mobility is the very most important rule.
Lets look at how this applies to 1v1 skirmishes.
A simplified version of 1v1 civ is basically this: Players place cities on the map and those cities grant you points each based on the quality of the land and amount of land, and the amount of time developing that city.
There are limited resources though, they are:
Wonders
Land
Claiming the limited resources is critical but lets see how they compare.
Since 1v1 is a zero sum game (Opponents disadvantage is your advantage) Expanding becomes extremly important in comparison to getting wonders.
The rule of mobility clearly tells us that in this case you should expand fast, and in your opponents face. And that this is the single most important thing in the game.
In a normal game, lets say getting a wonder is as good as getting your cities 10 turns later. Well in 1v1 this is very different. Getting those city spaces (which are few because of the small map) Now gives you the land, AND takes away opponents expansion opportunity. The comparison is this:
Wonder early means a long term advantage, allowing opponent to expand.
Expansion early means faster hammers and units, but the point is that your expansions fast is also a very solid long term advantage since you deny your opponent city spots. This advantage is even greater than any advantage you will have gotten from a wonder, and on top of it, it is also the best play in the short term!
Often in duels with limited space, if you can plant 2 cities in the middle of the map, this means 2 more cities for you, and and 2 less for you opponent. this huge discrepancy can not be compensated by wonders. Wonders works in a simlar way but there is a big opportunity cost associated with wonders, and if you simply expand rather than build wonders you will be better off guaranteed.
Expanding defensively is no good either. If you are not going for any wonders early, you need to secure some of your opponents land, and you should have hammers to defend it when you dont invest it in wonders.
TL;DR: Expand, do it fast and offensively, and dont waste your time with other things until this advantage is secured. Better cities is a more important long term advantage than a stronger religion or faster early tech.