The 777 Hoax
future skeleton
- Joined
- Dec 14, 2005
- Messages
- 1,599
To get on your nerves. 
what is the point of the barbarians?
- Thread starter cabbagess
- Start date
KrikkitTwo
Immortal
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2004
- Messages
- 12,418
The main reason they are is as
1. A Difficulty factor to the game
2. To simulate the fact that the World is not composed of a few states the spread into an unpopulated territory (by 4000 BC almost everywhere that was habitable was inhabited)
1. A Difficulty factor to the game
2. To simulate the fact that the World is not composed of a few states the spread into an unpopulated territory (by 4000 BC almost everywhere that was habitable was inhabited)
nutnutwin
Chieftain
Marlowe13
Should really know a little about Roman/Byzantine and Chinese history.
Civilization rise and fall along with the acts of barbarians!
Should really know a little about Roman/Byzantine and Chinese history.
Civilization rise and fall along with the acts of barbarians!
The most stupid thing barbarians getting more advanced units with time, to the point that you can see barbarian transports and riflemen if you leave a barbarian city there long enough.
I played deity games in which barbarians were more advanced than me. In one of them in particular i wiped off all civilizations in my continent, and was left alone in it, though obviously I could not colonize it all at once due to mainteinance limitations. 3/4 civs were on another continent. Eventually, although all my cities were defended, the barbarians wiped me off with endless waves of armies more advanced than mine before the other civilizations could even get to me.
I played deity games in which barbarians were more advanced than me. In one of them in particular i wiped off all civilizations in my continent, and was left alone in it, though obviously I could not colonize it all at once due to mainteinance limitations. 3/4 civs were on another continent. Eventually, although all my cities were defended, the barbarians wiped me off with endless waves of armies more advanced than mine before the other civilizations could even get to me.
sassoundwave
Chieftain
Marlowe13 said:
Stop whining and just switch them off....then you can play Civ without barbarians.
KrikkitTwo
Immortal
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2004
- Messages
- 12,418
keat1973 said:
Pewrfectly reasonable... how many people do you see using stone axes /bow and arrows anymore, barbarians nowadays use AK-47s and Rocket launchers. (Infantry /SAM level)
I love the buggers. I too am a builder and they keep me honest 
If it wasn't for the barbarians I'd lose all my early wars. They're like a friendly reminder to build your military before the real competition arrive.
And they don't just target the human. I remember a game when barbarians captured the AI-controlled Hindu holy city.
If it wasn't for the barbarians I'd lose all my early wars. They're like a friendly reminder to build your military before the real competition arrive.And they don't just target the human. I remember a game when barbarians captured the AI-controlled Hindu holy city.
Azatoth
Chieftain
In my early games I also had a problem with barbarians pillaging my improvements, killing my workers and even sometimes burning one of my cities. I was worried by this. But then a moment after I was attacked by AIs and defeated.
Two problems, one reason : I was militarily too weak.
If you're strong enough to prevent the barbarians from annoying you, usually you're strong enough to prevent an invasion (at least at the beginning of the game).
So for me barbarians are a good reminder to build units. And it makes a little animation at the beginning of the game. Build archers to defend your cities, and don't hesitate to attack barbarians when they approach your improvements or workers. Most of the time you'll win. And as many members mentionned it's an excellent opportunity to get experienced units.
And indeed they're a good representation of all the "minor tribes" every civilization had to deal with throughout history.
Anyway I have to admit I'm glad tribal villages can no longer give hordes of barbarian warriors when you were exploring with them your scout (as in Civ II), which would most of the time end up with destruction of your scout.
Two problems, one reason : I was militarily too weak.
If you're strong enough to prevent the barbarians from annoying you, usually you're strong enough to prevent an invasion (at least at the beginning of the game).
So for me barbarians are a good reminder to build units. And it makes a little animation at the beginning of the game. Build archers to defend your cities, and don't hesitate to attack barbarians when they approach your improvements or workers. Most of the time you'll win. And as many members mentionned it's an excellent opportunity to get experienced units.
And indeed they're a good representation of all the "minor tribes" every civilization had to deal with throughout history.
Anyway I have to admit I'm glad tribal villages can no longer give hordes of barbarian warriors when you were exploring with them your scout (as in Civ II), which would most of the time end up with destruction of your scout.
Underseer
King
There's another valid reason for barbarians.
Let's say a bunch of civs are crowded together on continent A, and continent B has only one civ on it. The barbarians effectively slow down the expansion of the civ on continent B, while the civs on continent A mostly just have to worry about competing with each other for land. Otherwise, the civ on continent A would expand so rapidly that the other civs would have no chance of catching up.
Let's say a bunch of civs are crowded together on continent A, and continent B has only one civ on it. The barbarians effectively slow down the expansion of the civ on continent B, while the civs on continent A mostly just have to worry about competing with each other for land. Otherwise, the civ on continent A would expand so rapidly that the other civs would have no chance of catching up.
1000% correct (unless you are extremely lucky to be on an easily protected peninsula)!luckynick said:
I can understand and tolerate barbarians, and I agree that you can switch them off if you feel like it. Can anybody explain to me the gameplay role of animals? Isn't it a way to see just who is more lucky at the start of the game?
Reg Pither
Warlord
Marlowe13 said:
I like barbarians occasionally, but more and more I agree with that point of view. They're just a real annoyance that prevent you 'building a civlization to stand the test of time'. I've switched them off in all my recent games.
Most of the folders are empty after installation, should I look in the disc or reinstall the game?Willem said:
Do I need something to view the empty folders?
The only trouble I have with barbarians is by not having the resources like bronze or iron to hastily build stronger units. Archers are very useful when the axeman show up and the builder game is delayed until you can manage an empire to the point of border conflicts with other civs. If barbarians didn't become such a problem, the game would get boring and I would start declaring war and get everyone mad at me.
gunkulator
Emperor
Chieftess said:
One of the things I miss in Civ4 is barb ships. In Civ2, they'd come in out of the black and unload a bunch of units next to your (likely) poorly defended coastal cities, kinda like what the Vikings did. Also, Civ2 barb ships upgraded all the way to frigates which would make mince meat out of your unescorted galleons.
Civ3 land based barbs were pretty weak and their ships never progressed past gallys, however the game gave you the option of building privateers so that you could go and play pirate yourself.
Civ4 took away all barb ships. Too bad.
Nexushyper
Warlord
What? I see barb ships in Civ 4 all the time!!
Similar threads
