[GS] Tips, tricks and advices needed :)

[Spartan80]

Hello dear Civ`s

I am new to this game but not the 4X genre in general. I have mostly played Paradox games like EU4, CK2, Stellaris - a lot. But lately my interest for 4X turn based games has sky rocketed and I am eager to learn more. I just watched a bunch of tutorials (for example The Saxy Gamer) on YouTube and watched a lenghty Let`s play by Quill18. Still I need some clarifications. My questions may seem silly but please, bear with me because I am a noob in the 4X genre. I have finished the in game tutorial.

I know that 4X stands for:

- eXplore
- eXterminate
- eXpand
- eXploit

I know that there are several victory conditions: science, culture, domination, religion and diplomacy. As I understand it is that if you want to win by scientific progress it is possible. But still you have to have a military of a certain size so you dont get invaded by other countries. This leads to my first question:

"Do I research everything in the research tree or is it smarter to only concentrate on research which gives me science budlings and so on?" (I dont think it is not possible to research everything and if you do, you will be behind other nations - true or false?)

Next question is about army composition in the early game:

"How many units of melee and ranged units is wise to have?" (I know that in the later eras you can get the technology to create armies, corps and armadas). This leads to the fourth question: "Do I need to have army units in every city?"

The fifth question is about production: "Several times the game tells me that I am not producing things. Am I supposed to produce something all the time?"

More questions will follow.

Thanks in advance

 

[criZp]

If you want a science victory you need to research almost everything save for some dead-end techs.
3 melee and 3 ranged on the border is something you can try, don't need units in cities unless they are attacked
You should always have your cities producing something, or you are wasting the production

 

[Spartan80]

If you want a science victory you need to research almost everything save for some dead-end techs.
3 melee and 3 ranged on the border is something you can try, don't need units in cities unless they are attacked
You should always have your cities producing something, or you are wasting the production

Thank you sir for the short and and well explained response!

 

[Reckoner]

Welcome!

"Do I research everything in the research tree or is it smarter to only concentrate on research which gives me science budlings and so on?" (I dont think it is not possible to research everything and if you do, you will be behind other nations - true or false?)

There are specific cases where finishing a technology / civic won't be the optimal move, but generally speaking - there is no good reason to start working towards the thing you want/need the most right now.
Pay close attention to "Eurekas" and "Inspirations" - those can boost 40% (sometimes even more) of the "price" of a technology / civic if you complete a task, written in the bottom line of each item in the two trees.
Reaching the end of the tree doesn't guarantee victory, but it's designed to help.

"How many units of melee and ranged units is wise to have?" (I know that in the later eras you can get the technology to create armies, corps and armadas). This leads to the fourth question: "Do I need to have army units in every city?

You do need a standing army at all times, I generally have the less mobile units (melee, ranged, anti-cav, siege) spread around the borders in strategic places, while the cavalry units are at internal junctions where they can react in different directions. If you want to take a city, ranged units won't be very effective - go with melee & siege.
Please note that after building ancient walls, your city (and encampment district in that city) gain the ablity to take 1 ranged shot (range of 2) per turn.

"Several times the game tells me that I am not producing things. Am I supposed to produce something all the time?"

Every city needs to be producing something every turn. If you don't want any of the available districts, buildings, wonders & units, just choose a project (in the bottom of the list), it's harmless!

 

[tiamats4esgares]

You don't need a military if you're on an island. You can totally avoid needing to focus on military at all by using an island map, such as small continents.