What is your opener and why?

[TheyMadeMeDoThis]

Hey y'all,

I tend to open most games with a scout > slinger > builder before moving onto expansion and buildings. I like to see what's around me (wouldn't want to miss the fact that shaka or ghengis are hiding out in the fog next to my next settle-spot....) so I can make plans as to how to deal with it.

But when I watch let's-plays or read discussions, I often see an early monument mentioned, or players going straight into pumping iron (or stone I suppose...) or even straight settler-spawning(!!), to me this seems ill advised and risky...

But then I thought: what do I know? Now I wonder how people think about their openers and whether or not I should differentiate my approach a bit. The only time I'll divert from my usual sc>sl>bu is when I'm on a small island with no one around...

 

[iammaxhailme]

I play modded so everybody starts with a builder and can see 10x tiles in all directions around where their spawn was.

That said my opener is usually scout or slinger --> monument --> holy site or campus

 

[Tech Osen]

Playing on emperor. Usually scout-builder-monument-slinger. It's rare I get harassed early by barbs these days.
I might delay the builder if I need more than one tech to improve three tiles, for instance a jungle start with stuff that needs plantations.

 

[Victoria]

It is in fact not an easy question to answer and shows there is not one answer in VI.

An early monument is not the best however if you are in jungle and need to get to craftsmanship first that is the only reasons I can think of that is valid.
Some people open slinger slinger slinger... early rush for archers... and archers are very strong but you have no idea how far the opposition is, in which direction and slingers are useless against barbs while a warrior is a much safe option if wanting early defence. Early slinger players claim safety but it seems clear it is mainly to get a potential attacking army, many good players agree warrior is a safer first build than a slinger for safety.
A builder first is not a bad option if you are willing to sacrifice some visibility, and CS and huts... in fact you can miss quite a bit by not scouting early so this strat to me is for someone that wants infra faster and does not want a classical golden, may even want a dark. Going scout risks this. The real point of a builder first is to up your production quickly while getting to 2 pop for that first settler build. Unless you have 3 tiles that can be usefully improved with just mining or AH then going builder first inevitably leads to the scout hanging around .... unless going for an early explore using sailing which is a subtle technique I sometimes use as scouts cannot use this and a golden age will make the builder faster than a galley.

So there is not one answer but I do love my scout... to the point of even buying a second sometimes but not often. Sometimes i'll buy the first if I really want that builder or warrior first.

There is flexibility, scout/monument/slinger/warrior all have their place in my mind... but when that scout spots me.... a quick switch to warrior is advisable. And that comes on to anti barb scout tactics. Rotate your barb around your city about 5 tiles out and when the scout appears rotate it the other side... this way you can make sure there are no dangerously close camps and using 2 units with ZOC does often body block the scout. The other harder things to decide is .... build on that hill for defence and be spotted by scouts 1 tile further away? Not an easy answer.

My default is scout, builder, settler, monument which you can often pull off nowadays as barbs are not so keen but be very aware of enemy civs because they can quickly wreck your day even with a warrior on high levels.

 

[UWHabs]

I play immortal, but early game is a struggle because I want everything.

I would say my standard opening is slinger-builder-slinger-settler, since I feel I need a couple units early to defend and like the builder for the Craftsman eureka. But that will vary. Scout first is really nice to get a big view of the land, and potentially meet more city-states, and have more chances to get early era score. I'll skip the builder if I get one free from a hut, or if I tend to be plantation-heavy in my area. My problem tends to be after that, because I'm not struggling between getting districts out, building more units, getting settlers, getting builders, etc... Also trying to figure out what to do with those early money sums. Saving enough to quickly upgrade things to archers is great, but I also like to buy a builder or trader to get things running quicker, or sometimes buying that scout to get some exploration in, or you need to buy a warrior to defend, or even need to buy a tile because it either has great yields or you need it to improve.

 

[Kibikus]

It really depends on the situation, but usually (on Deity):

Scout (I rate exploration highly for villages, era score, eurekas, etc. and scoping future city locations)
Slinger

Then it depends:
Usually another slinger then settler or Settler first - If I haven't met an AI and there are no barbs, and there is a good spot for a city, or Two more slingers/slinger and warrior if there is a threat (barbs, AI).

And if I am going for a religion, I might go for a Holy Site before settler, although recently I feel it's been a little bit easier to get a religion, so there might be time for a second city.

When I get the builder depends on whether I have resources to improve and get eurekas.
Monument is a low priority in my capital, except in very unusual circumstances.

 

[MarigoldRan]

If there's tile improvements to improve that are better than default tiles, then builder first. Otherwise slinger or monument.

 

[Leucarum]

It definitely varies but there are so many situations where an early scout essentially wins you the game or at least enables a novel strategy that it is my default opening for sure.

After that if I can it depends how safe I feel and whether I'm not surrounded by jungle and woods. If I have some improvable tiles and I feel safe then a builder is my preference otherwise slinger/warrior/monument.

Then usually a slinger and either settler or a millitary buildup depending on situation.

 

[gunnergoz]

I mod the game so I start with scout, worker, more mobile settler and expanded visibility. I'm not a stellar player, eschew warfare and like having options. So there!

 

[Zyxpsilon]

Scout -- Builder -- Settler (this could wait if the newly patched Pantheon choice gave me the first or second) ..
Then, total chaos!!
(GreatBath/or/Stonehenge) .. Galley or Settler (If Capital *is* coastal).

I mainly always play on .. Archipelago without Barbarians or GoodyHuts (( We+Ai just all start in almost perfectly equal terms! )).

 

[Troy Bruckner]

Scout and then after that it depends on the tiles around me and what Civ I am playing. Since I play on huge maps I go with a second scout often.

 

[Salamis]

I usually play Emperor and open varies but typically :
Scout for huts/CS/local knowledge -> Builder for Craftsmanship eureka -> Settler to kickstart the empire -> Units -> A Holy Site somewhere in amongst units.

If there is a close neighbour I might skip the Settler for earlier units to gamble on stealing a Settler.

 

[Snarf054]

Been playing on emperor lately and always play a huge map.
I use mods that gives me a starting scout and also better and more goody huts

I pretty much always start scout/warrior/slinger and buy my first builder unless I get one from a goody hut.

Reasoning is

A. I'm not very good at Civ just play it a lot
B. 2 scouts mean more of those amped up goody huts
c> I without fail send my starting warrior the complete opposite direction of the closest barb camp

 

[Plaidman]

Does anyone else buy their first builder? For a while my starting build has been scout->slinger->scout/slinger, at which point I can usually purchase a builder with $ from cleared barb camps or other sources.

 

[SebNeg]

I usually start with 2 scouts. Anything after that is highly situational.

 

[Builderphile]

Scout -- Builder -- Settler (this could wait if the newly patched Pantheon choice gave me the first or second) ..

I usually play Emperor and open varies but typically :
Scout for huts/CS/local knowledge -> Builder for Craftsmanship eureka -> Settler to kickstart the empire -> Units -> A Holy Site somewhere in amongst units.

Agree with this. I play Immortal/Deity and usually start with scout/builder/settler. I may postpone the builder if I am surrounded by unimprovable land (e.g. rainforest).

 

[Boris Gudenuf]

Always start with a Scout.
After that, depends on the map:
Pangaea or Continents, a second Scout is usually a good bet. Smaller land area at hand, usually a Slinger or Warrior depending on Barb contact, then Builder/Settler, then whichever (Slinger or Warrior) I didn't build before.
Frequently buy either Monument or Unit after Builder, but usually by then it becomes very dependent on terrain, neighbors, Barbs, etc.
NEVER build a Settler unless I can escort it or can be sure from the terrain that Barbs or Opponents can't slip a Scout in (like, my Capital blocks access to a peninsula where my first Settler is going to settle, or my target area is surrounded by mountains)

 

[The googles do nothing]

Scout then Warrior. I play it safe because i'm not that great at accessing the situation and if I do a different build order I usually wish I had an extra warrior.

 

[Casualty of war]

I usually start with Warrior/Slinger, depending on which will get finished closest to the time I will reach 2 population and can start a Settler. When Scouts got the round up, and could climb a Wooded Hill even if they only had 1 movement point left, I started on Scout but now I do almost all my scouting with Warriors. And with Monumentality Builders. I do change it up depending on the map and the civ.

I play Deity for a challenge, and Immortal for trying wacky tactics.

 

[Archon_Wing]

Emperor/Immortal

Assuming no barb incursions

Builder ---> Warrior ---> Settler ----> Monument ---> @ Craftsmanship Slingers from both cities and a scout. If a barb scout makes it back or I have neighbors too close, I build 1 more warrior per threat. In dangerous looking spots, I would save gold so I could buy a warrior if needed.

If there aren't 3 improvable tiles, I build a scout first.

As America, I build a scout instead of a warrior because America can defend themselves just with scouts.

If I have a source of culture from a tile or met a cultural CS, the monument is not built yet and I try to build a 2nd settler when I can escort it safely. But in general, don't ask me about 3rd city timing; I usually screw it up

On Coastal spots I do builder ---> settler because there are less spots of which barbs can come from. Also coastal starts usually suck so might as well gamble.

but I do love my scout... to the point of even buying a second

You know, I never considered buying a scout.... even though that that is the easiest thing to buy.