Tiny Map Strategy

[Ayatollah So]

I recently started two Emporer-level games on tiny maps. There were, I believe, 4 civs including me to start each. In one of my games, I am the Babylonians, pursuing a culture-and-tech strategy. That one's going OK. In the other, I'm the Iroquois, pursuing a militaristic strategy. That one is a problem.

Actually, they're both giving me the same problem, but it's much worse in my Iroquois game.

Guess why?

If you guessed "too few AI players," you're right! I, as Iroquois, wiped out the Aztecs; meanwhile Xerxes wiped out the Zulus. Oops! It's just me versus him! I can't afford to buy techs off him, he hates my guts (when we're at peace). I can research techs cheaper than I can steal them. Thanks to the difficulty level, he researches much faster than I do. His navy is huge. He periodically raids a large island which I own, and I keep beating the invasion forces, but with the tech race going, I don't know how long I can keep this up. I just got riflemen, and he just got infantry a few turns after. I managed to rush-build Universal Suffrage, and was thinking to research democracy ... ?

Meanwhile, I was thinking to plop two Galleon-loads of units including 1 settler on an unoccupied spot on his continent, while the current peace lasts, build barracks and city walls, and hope to survive the inevitable attack.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Tassadar]

I suggest to pre-built Hover dam with palace and beeline for electronics, you must get that wonder, dont built hospital, built factory insteed, so with hover dam and factory you will outroduce a.i. without having pollution problem, declare war on him when you got tanks, battleshipe, and bomber-carrier( if needed), dont stop the war at any cost, switch to monarchy or commi if neded. Raze or capture( i prefer to raze) a.i. city.

 

[Arathorn]

Check out:

http://www.network54.com/Hide/Forum/message?forumid=189557&messageid=1028516814

where there is a description of a number of successful efforts 1-on-1 vs. a near-deity opponent (custom between deity and emperor).

Follow the AI in tech, build smarter. You'll be fine. Plan for resource denial if possible.

Arathorn

P.S. *LOVE* the signature. Hilarious.

 

[alexander dumas]

I'm starting to be plagued by the same problem in my game. It's an emperor on a standard map. I've managed to be the points leader so far (I'm in the early middle, everybody else is in the late middle), but my tech lag won't go away. I have a few extra luxs and resources, but the AI doesn't really seem to want them, and my rep took a hit when some war cut the trade routes between me and the tradee. For now I'm pursuing a camera-crew settler strategy to see if I can get some luxs and good city spots.
There's a war going on b/w a couple of my neighbors who have to pass on my lands. So, I've built a few settlers and given them both a ROP. Then I just plop the settlers down next to the cities being fought for and wait until they get razed. I've gotten two sources of dyes and three cities this way. It also helps that neither have iron or horses anymore due to razing and I can choose what side to help based on what cities I want. Emperor is so much more fun that Diety.

 

[Tassadar]

I didnt play many game on high level but the only way i win is either factory+hoverdam+railroad or factory+coal plant+railroad, then i am able to produce panzer and bomber in 2 turn with most of my size 12 cities.

 

[Mephisto]

do you need strategy for tiny maps? i thought you only need to build a couple cities, barracks, and then kill them all before 10 ad (specially when you are iroquois!). maybe you guys are looking for different challenge.