What do you do when trapped early?

[TimTheEnchanter]

This was played at Prince level, Civ II MPG

I'm still getting started with Civ, and the strategy I see mentioned frequently is Expand, Expand, Expand. I started doing this, but quickly found myself on a little narrow snaking bit of land 1-3 squares wide, almost completely roaded and irrigated without any room to grow (I ran into the Americans after about 5 cities, with no way to get past their city).

At this point would you build a fort or two and wall off a defense at this border and act as if you are an Island (going for naval techs, trade, etc.) or try to blast your way through on land to find more room?

FWIW, I didn't sign a peace treaty with the Yanks, and they immediately sneak attacked me. So I ramped up and ran over the them, but it turns out they were sitting near the south pole and were blocked in by the Russians on one side and Mongols on the other, so I only gained room for about 3 or 4 more cities. (and then the &@^^# Russians keep coming into my territory, despite our peace treaty!) Plus I lost a lot of time and resources fighting the war.

What would you have done?

Thanks,
TimTheEnchanter


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There are some who call me...Tim

 

[drake]

Right or wrong, I'm not sure. But I think playing the situation as though you were an island would have been a fun and creative solution. Bring boats into play early on and you can often lead a very nice flanking attack on your enemies. Also, you can set sail on the ocean and possibly find a nice, un-settled continent on which you could rebuild your civilization. If that is the case, set up your holed-up cities for defense and use the remaining resources to start a new civilization on another island.

(I think of every continent in my empire as an individual civ....with it's own personality...gives the game more interest)

 

[MrSparkle]

I think if i had that kinda start i'd probably start again. I dont have the pateince to play when i am badly disadvantaged.

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I am disrespectful to Dirt! Can you not see that I am serious?

 

[Martin Schmidt]

If i encounter an enemy right at the start on *my* continent i try to destroy him by all means . The reason is it is not worth to trade with comps sited so close , because they will declare war on you anyway sooner or later and you have build your caravans for nothing .

 

[SunTzu]

well EXPAND EXPAND EXPAND is the thing to do. If you couldn't get past the americans, don't go to war, get trimeines and send settlers to find new land.

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Civilization God of War & Economic Prosperity
http://www.civfanatics.com Staff and forum moderator

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[shadowdale]

I would have attacked the Americans the minute I saw them and the Russians and Mongols to.
Every other Civ on my continent dies and then I would build some ships and find some more space to build cities on!!!!!
EXPAND EXPAND EXPAND is the only strategy!!!

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S.P.Q.R.

 

[TimTheEnchanter]

WHAT REALLY HAPPENED: Well, it wasn't the most elegant solution, but bloodlust seems to have worked rather well, at least in this case. The Russkies posed a particularly interesting challenge (due to some easily defensible terrain for their cities) for a while, but were ultimately destroyed. The Mongols were stuck on a tiny patch of land and were gone in a flash - suddenly the continent was mine!

Nobody but me had gunpowder, so I raced to Democracy, had a bunch of caravans waiting to build the Statue of Liberty, and immediately went Fundy and it was just a matter of time. a few dozen ships filled with Dragoons, Diplomats, and a few Musketeers can take just about any AI continent without gunpowder in a couple turns. As of last night, the Zulus still have 2 cities left and the Greeks popped back up as English somewhere, but it's all over but the shouting.

Warmongering still seems too easy at Prince level against the AI. (Especially with a few key wonders) One of these days I'll have to learn how to do all that diplomacy and trade stuff you guys keep talking about!

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There are some who call me...Tim

 

[SunTzu]

Well diplomacy against the AI isn't a big deal, especially if you have civ2 MGE. The AI just wants to kill you regardless. Trade is important i believe, you get lots of trade arrows which equals money!

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Civilization God of War & Economic Prosperity
http://www.civfanatics.com Staff and forum moderator

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