What is the first thing you usually build at the beginning?

[JaGarLo]

I'm kind of curious. What do you build? A Worker, a Scout, a Warrior (or UU) or a Monument?

For me, I usually build a monument to get culture fast, and then maybe a worker.

What about you?

 

[_Calyx]

I've always read that a scout opening is the best way to go, and when I do that it generally tends to work out well. My next build on most maps, is generally another scout. I then usually go with a monument or worker, depending on the situation (I try not to hard-build workers).

If the map is archipelago, I'll go with a monument first. If I am playing Aztecs, I will probably start with a Jaguar Warrior.

 

[ForzaFiori]

I pretty much always start with a scout, except on archipelago maps. Then depending on what I find, a second scout, a monument, or warrior will probably come next, with my first worker and settler coming from liberty policies. However, if there are several city spots I want, or lots of resources needing upgrading, I might even build those to have 2 of them quickly.

 

[truenarnian]

I am not a great player, and I haven't read any strategy articles, so my advice may not be the best, but Scout seems like the way to go because it does the following things for you guaranteed:

- let's you know where the barbs will be coming from
- gives you more nations to trade with which means more income
- let's you know what areas to prioritize for settlement
- give you an idea of how best to set up armed perimeters to stave off invasion
- City-State discovery for cash

Then there are ruins. I usually get at least 3, sometimes as many as 6 or 7.
- nearly a free policy
- a highly mobile archer
- a free tech
- some cash

All from one scout.

And you can later use him to do recon on wonders being built, armies being amassed, etc.

 

[General Awesome]

Wow, I'm just supirsed not as many people voted for monument... I always go monument > scout > Great Library that way I can get tradition > aristocracy > liberty > citizenship and found a second city to produce units while building the GL in my capital.

 

[Ellye]

A Scout often produces more culture than an early Monument, besides many other benefits. So it's always my first pick, followed by the Monument.

 

[TW_Honorius]

i go worker, i guess i fail.

 

[Dark_Jedi06]

It depends on the situation.

If it looks like the terrain around my capital is flat and easy to explore, then I'll send out my starting warrior to scout and start building a monument right away. Otherwise, I'll go scout first and then monument.

 

[chazzycat]

scout is pretty clearly the best in any situation other than archipelago. Most of the time 2 scouts unless it's a small map or something.

Even if you have bad luck with ruins and CS, knowing your surroundings is key to making good decisions in the early game. So is resource selling, which you need to meet AIs for.

 

[TomeTraveler]

Scout, ninety percent of the time. If an archipelago map, I may choose a monument instead. While I often build a second scout on pangaea maps, I usually do a monument in between.

 

[revelation216]

If I'm trying to rush Great Library I often build as many as 4 scouts.

 

[tnavres]

If I'm trying to rush Great Library I often build as many as 4 scouts.

Long time Civver; recent convert to Civ5 (though not much love for Steam as a resource HOG).

Playing on King level, mostly with a friend. Until recently my opening moves were Tradition (for culture), then to Liberty working towards the FREE settler and early expansion. That means as I move beyond King level, I'd have to out-expand-rush computer A.I.

Then I latched onto the idea of building scout(s), followed by worker/granary (no monument) and just using Tradition to fast grow capital & sling shot towards Great Library. Hold off 2nd city until College is placed.

Is there a thread on opening moves?

 

[revelation216]

If you build a worker im guessing you dont build pyramids?

 

[Tabarnak]

Scout, always. Unless i'm on a tiny island. If i play immortal/deity and/or raging barbs, i build a second scout if i play continent or pangea maps. The benefits from scouts are very valuable, especially with ruins enabled.

 

[Civsassin]

The only way I won't go with a scout is if I am playing a civ with a warrior replacement UU: Aztec or Polynesia. In that case, I forgo the scout and go for multiple warrior replacements to get them up an running.

 

[woodshadows]

warrior. initial warrior makes a broad circular sweep around my territory's borders while second warrior is building. when second warrior is built i have the first warrior closeby to meet up and then send them out together to explore a larger arc, playing off eachother to reveal maximal amount of map while providing protection for eachother. i also choose honour as my first policy which makes this strategy more viable and effective; killing barbs was never so easy.

 

[apocalypse105]

If i am bismark, aztecs or shonghai I allways start with a secon warrior to get barbarians...

IF I am playing spain,france or any other civ or any other average civilization w deffinitly a scout

A momument If I am playing a culture game or if i want a policie verry fast...

 

[Optional]

If you build a worker im guessing you dont build pyramids?

Or perhaps the idea is just that: to build the Pyramids.

Alright, that might be a bit cryptic. What I mean is that I wouldn't build the Pyramids - or any wonder - from a city with completely unimproved terrain. So for the Pyramids I would then want early improved terrain. And I can likely use all the workers anyway, provided I have a means to get a second city up. For just 1 city 3 workers is too much.

I sort of always start with a scout.

If I'm not having any foody tiles in my first ring and I need culture to get some in I could consider starting with a monument, but no, on second thought, even then it should still be a scout. It's decent enough to be working a sheep-hill or lux-plains or so for the first 15 turns, and a worse tile it probably won't be, otherwise I shouldn't have settled there.

Recently I'm more and more beginning to notice how good scouts are. Not for scouting, as that's obvious anyway, but as a defense unit in the early game. Regardless of the terrain, a scout can move and fortify in the same turn. Don't underestimate the strength of fortifying; it's 50% extra defense, add rough terrain and that's another 25%. A scout used like that can't be brushed aside just like that, and when you happen to get declared on in the early game you shouldn't hesitate to use your scouts as defensive melee unit. I've had a scout hold off attacks by two warriors in the same interturn, granted, at least one of them wasn't at full health anymore, I had used city bombard on him, but it was my scout who took the steam out of my attackers, who could then easily be finished off by my 'better' units on my own turn.

 

[hung_h]

I go worker first. on harder difficulties you can't afford to mess around with a scout. they die too easily.

You rush to get the first luxury and then sell it because you need the gold. That's a bunch of gold for whatever you need right off the bat.

 

[Strategist83]

[deleted]