Tips for a returning player

[JokerBillo10]

When I say returning I mean I have barely played Civ since the very first game. I've been watching some youtuve videos but could do with some more tips.

- How exactly do you take over a city, I kept attacking with Archers for ages before I randomly decided to attack with a Warrior and take the city, how do I know when it's time to send a melee guy in?

- Not sure I fully understand what the Great People are and what they are used for? I've had a couple but just kind of press buttons without knowing what I'm really doing.

- What's the best way to build up an army? I want to potentially play domination only, but I've noticed you can have two people on the same square, so how do you build up a huge army ready for attack?

Any other little tips would be greatly appreciated. Only played for a few hours so far but really enjoying playing it again

 

[criZp]

send a unit into the city when it has zero or near zero HP

great people are units with various effects that are described in the great people panel

units are divided into military, civilian, and military support, and you can have one of each type in the same hex. military support are battering rams, medics, antiair guns and stull like that, which has no combat strength on their own

 

[linaker]

If your melee guy is highlighted and you hover over the city to be attacked, a panel will appear at the bottom of the screen showing the likely effect of an attack. This works for all potential combat. Unless accompanied by siege units, melee guys won't make much impression until the city has few or no hit points. To conquer a city effectively, you need to try putting it under siege. Otherwise, it repairs some of the damage done at the end of the turn. Basically, you need 2 units that exert zone of control (melee, heavy cavalry etc) next to the city and opposite each other (at 2 and 8, 10 and 4 or 9 and 3 am/pm). However, it gets more complicated than that, because water (rivers, lakes coast) break up the zone of control and a city with Victor as Governor can't be put under siege. This may help a bit:

https://forums.civfanatics.com/threads/need-help-understanding-what-puts-cities-under-siege.627174/

Great people do all sorts of different things which as mentioned, are explained in the Great People panel. Prophets found a religion, Great Writers generate 2 Great Works of Writing if they are activated in a city with an amphitheatre or other place to store such works, Great Generals boost the strength/movement of nearby troops or can be activated for a bonus (Sun Tzu creates a Great Work of Writing). Engineers, Scientists, Merchants have all different effects. Learning which of these make an impact and how to make the most of them comes with experience. eg Euclid triggers the inspiration for Mathematics and one random medieval technology. I never have much difficulty triggering the Mathematics inspiration anyway and it's even worse if the random trigger is something like machinery as its really easy to own 3 archers. Waiting to activate Euclid until I've triggered all the easy medieval technologies is just too much micro management for me.

To build up an army, you just spread it out. Send a group of units to the rear of your target city while building the ones to attack from the front. Some would say co-ordinating your units to attack is fun. Others that it's tedious.

 

[tiamats4esgares]

You don't need as many units to take a city as in other games, thus the "one unit per tile" rule isn't as bad as you think.

As the above poster said, some great people are kinda lame but on the great person screen, when you go to claim them when you have the points, it says what they do. If you think it's lame, pass it up and let someone else get it. Chances are you'll get to the next one first when otherwise you wouldn't have.

 

[Fluphen Azine]

I am starting to realize that making your strategy around CS's is kinda a big deal.
I used to just do whatever and eventually win.
Now I am focusing more on using the CS's to my advantage.
When you have 3 or more Military CS's you can get some serious production for Military.
I was banging out 1 turn Chariots and other units in my last/current game.
Also builder improvements from CS's are kinda nice it appears.
You can improve things like Missions or Alcazar's and get faster Faith or Culture.
You can do this with a Science or Gold focus depending on Civ/CS.
I played for a long time and didn't realize this.
I would just build Mines or Farms.
Turns out that a bunch of +2 Faith and +2 Culture tiles are better.

So yeah... these special builder improvements really propel you so try to remember that.
If you have a bunch of Science CS's it might be good to rush a bunch of Libraries/Universities.
You have 2 or 3 Culture CS's... ally up and build Theater Squares with the proper buildings.

Golden Ages with Faith Generation and Monumentality will make your game go from hard to easy mode or at least easier.

Many other things that you will pick up from reading this site from better players.
Have Fun though and take a break from the game when it gets too tedious.

 

[Victoria]

some great people are kinda lame

Very few, they all have their place.

When you have 3 or more Military CS's you can get some serious production for Military.

and settler/builder
Playing to the CS around you makes things faster, you are certainly getting there.