Victory! (How do you win a game?)

[Everpeace]

After some thinking, I wonder how long you people usually take to win a game of Civilisation III at the different levels. Also, what is the fastest time you won a game in? Obviously there are some speed demons out there who can win in 10 minutes or less and players who prefer to take the path to victory slowly. Well, what about you?

Also, which victory do you think is the easiest and the hardest to achieve?

 

[Beanzy]

I usually win through Space Race, because it has always been the fastest method for me (Diplomatic is not an option because everyone always hates me). The hardest, IMO, is Domination. Conquest is easy for the militaristic player who has an army of dozens of MAs. Cultural can be easy if (like me) you can build every wonder (but that was on Warlord, I don't think I can do that anymore... ) Diplomatic can be won through a few bribes, and Space Race is easy if you have a tech lead. My shortest game was when I played on a Pangea and took out all my neighbors with a single warrior (it was on Chieftan and the map was tiny though...)

 

[bippukt]

I usually play regent, even though I am hoping to move on to Monarch. I usually start the game with a rapid build strategy. I dont go to war with anyone early on unless I have no other choice ( AI wanting exorbitant sums of money for iron or horse included). I dont set any victory goal in the beginning, I just try to be ahead of others. I only decide in the early industrial age as to what type of victory I want. If I am way ahead of others, I usually go for conquest. But I prefer a slow, well planned assault on my rivals one by one. And I dont, under any circumstances break any agreements. Conquest is possible at higher levels only if you have ome really good friends in the middle game. If it seems that I may not achieve this goal, I go for a space race or Diplomatic victory, preferably the latter, because I usuall have 80% of the rivals as gracious by gifts and cheap deals. I have won a cultural victory though, usually because the game ends before that.

 

[RX2000]

I find it pretty hard to win a Cultural victory, especially if you dont do much attacking. On like Regent and above, its pretty dang difficult to have more than twice as much culture as the next guy, unless you have a huge army too, and go around stomping your nearest cultural rival.

I usually go for Space Race or Diplo victories though. I've always been the "peaceful builder" type of Civ Gamer, so those suit my style the best.

 

[bige2002]

my fastest is just under 1 and a half hours. My slowest is over 25 hours. usually mine are around 15-20 hours. I like Space-Race, but if i have enough of a military i will go for conquest or domination.

 

[RX2000]

So I'm still a little confused on the question. Is it supposed to be "Which Victory Is The Hardest to Win?" or "Which Way Do You Usually Win?"

 

[Darkness]

On the higher levels I find a cultural victory harders to achieve (especially 20k wins) and diplomatic and domination are easiest, IMHO....

 

[dragon.jade]

I frequently play on Regent level and strive early to get a 20k Culture win (meaning piling wonders atop wonders in a single city). That's because I'm a typical builder and I hate -HATE- moving 50 or 100+ units in the later modern age each turn. It take forever to win a game this way!

If I manage to get UN, I'd try for a diplomatic win (though I'd been once beaten by Joan ), or if I can manage, I'll get Space Race win.

Here's my standard recipy: 20k win strategy on Regent level (without leaders)

Fare you well!

 

[zerksees]

longest game: 96 hours (emperor)
shortest game: 40 hours (regent)
easiest win: conquest
hardest win: culture

Easiest and hardest are assuming you are playing emperor level. I think diplomatic might be hard on emperor.

I found diplomacy wins very easy on regent and monarch - assuming you put the time in to keep the AI leaders happy.

(Opinions base on Civ 3 PTW with 1.21f patch)

 

[casual_moose]

you forgot one catagory, Dont win the game!

 

[Flavor Dave]

Nah, diplomatic is pretty easy on emperor. I usually pick one civ to be my "bitch" which I abuse all game long. That gives me a strong civ, with alot of science and shield/army power, without hurting my rep. too much. I try to get that civ eliminated before I build the UN. If you can build the UN, and have good relations with everyone, just give stuff to all of the civs right before you finish the UN. You'll win every time.

 

[Puzzlinon]

I usually play with space race and diplomatic victories turned off... (a couple of times I got aced by one or the other in a game that was otherwise a close-call intense one, and it ticked me off.)

To compensate for that "cheat" I always play out positions - I don't give up bad starting positions until they've laid my corpse on the bier. So coming back from behind is kind of my specialty these days.

I'm almost always winning on points when I win. I think I'm too war-averse; as soon as war weariness starts to force me down on income, I usually force peace, unless there's a short route to conquest.

 

[keiselhorn]

I used to play for uncompromised fun, but after I start to join challenges GOTM-style in the Brazilian Civ forum, I started to challenge myself on scoring, and learned a lot about the game since then.

The best victories for scoring is early conquest/domination or milking.

The victory bonus is just huge with a quick victory, pretty impossible with diplomacy, spaceship or culture, because they depend on accelerated production, which I use only on MP games.

Domination and especially conquest come quicker, with or without AP. For months I'm studying hard (more than at uni ) many militaristic, warmonger strategies and tactics, especially rush.

Another victory type I enjoy is unofficial: milking, which leads to a histographic victory, and maximises score when well done. Good milking depends a lot on early domination (not total, otherwise you finish the game).

But each player is a player and I respect who enjoys the other victory types.

 

[col]

Its also satisfying to set up all wins so that you can win by any of them on the last turn.

 

[Alone]

Originally posted by Everpeace
After some thinking, I wonder how long you people usually take to win a game of Civilisation III at the different levels. Also, what is the fastest time you won a game in? Obviously there are some speed demons out there who can win in 10 minutes or less and players who prefer to take the path to victory slowly. Well, what about you?

Also, which victory do you think is the easiest and the hardest to achieve?

I start to play 7mont.ago and transfer from easiest to warlord after 3 months. Still play warlord (and always win - which relaxe me)without ambition to go higher (at least for now).

Once i was win early B.C. for about 20 minutes (destroied all enemies) and was very supriced how many points i got. It's still my record (Iroques-more than 6000) but i must admit that i was bit of a lucky in that game.

Otherwise i like slow, late and peacfull victory. Lately usualy with Apollo lunch.

About all together win...i read about it...but i don't know how to do that? Maybe some tip from someone? col?

 

[Beanzy]

In a recent Regent game, I had planned to win by Diplomatic (there were four civs, one of which I wiped out moments before I built the UN). I bribed the other civ who I thought wasn't gonna be in the election, but instead of it bein' me and Germany and winning by a two to one majority (with the Vikings behind me), all three of us were in the election! So I annihalated Scandanavia out of frustration and won by domination (first time I've ever used that victory!)

 

[Chutney]

I frequently win by culture (sometimes by accident), but in my last Warlord game (the first I'd won) I won by space race in 2049! I am now going for my second Warlord win but I plan to do it by conquest this time. The world will shake beneath the Chinese armies, etc etc...

 

[Chedder]

i picked rank, because i like my games to continue as long as possible giving me the maximum fun i can squeeze out of it.