What settings for a naval-centric game?

[ditb]

Hello all,

I'd like your recommendations on settings I should choose for a game that will require me (and others) to focus on a strong navy.

Also, are there any particularly strong nations or leaders that would also play to this theme?

I'm guessing the AI is pretty weak when it comes to ships, but I'm a pretty bad player so that should help balance things out.

Thanks in advance for any helpful replies!

Dave

 

[Lennier]

Archipelago-style maps will emphasize navy.

Portugal's and the Netherlands' UUs are sea units, so they would be strong nations to play this theme.

 

[Tatran]

If you want to have some navy-battle fun I suggest to play civ5.
In civ4, vessels are mainly used to protect carriers and transporters for intercontinental invasions.
Btw, Hemispheres is also good water map type.

 

[Lexicus]

Big and Small will usually require some intercontinental invasions towards the end of the game (if you're playing for conquest, anyway). I don't really play Medium and Small but that should work too.

 

[civfanchambers]

The Vikings would be a good civ for a heavy water map. UU, UB should give a boost to naval invasion. Plus the Vikings are already a strong civ to play as.

 

[Tristan_C]

custom game > map: islands > number of large islands: 1 per player
is a good script for forcing an isolated start for all civs. The teamplay world scripts make maps that look rather... contrived... but there will be many sea battles and a golden age of privateering.

 

[elmurcis]

I play most time Archip - Tiny islands... Huge.. 17 AI.. No tech trading... and ofcourse - Dutch you are guaranteed to use East Indiaman for war for sure (you can meet 0-10 civs before Astro... but never all 17). And after that Privateers can do a lot (for example kill AI galleon+caravel stack before it lands in your land... or you can starve down capital that usually has lot of sea food)

 

[reddishrecue]

Production, oil and good technology. With a combination of these 3, your coastal cities will mass produce ships strong enough for the era that needs them. A good combination between quality and quantity.

 

[Kallikrates]

Archipelago will lead to a rather different game than all or most civs isolated, each on one or two bigger islands. In any case the vikings are quite good here. especially if you have a map with early contact by workboat/galley. The berserkers can wreak havoc on such a map, and FIN is also good. My next choice would probably be Willem of Orange. Joao's traits give fast granaries and harbors but are kind of wasted otherwise on a watery map where fast expansion and development is not so important. Again, on the condition of isolation the carrack of course gives a considerable adavantage.
Roosevelt can get the Great Lighthouse really early and some other wonders can also help on sea maps.

Also, most PHI leaders benefit from abundant seafood, ORG is good for sprawling on many islands

AGG and PRO are even weaker here than already because wars will be later.

 

[reddishrecue]

Archipelago will lead to a rather different game than all or most civs isolated, each on one or two bigger islands. In any case the vikings are quite good here. especially if you have a map with early contact by workboat/galley. The berserkers can wreak havoc on such a map, and FIN is also good. My next choice would probably be Willem of Orange. Joao's traits give fast granaries and harbors but are kind of wasted otherwise on a watery map where fast expansion and development is not so important. Again, on the condition of isolation the carrack of course gives a considerable adavantage.
Roosevelt can get the Great Lighthouse really early and some other wonders can also help on sea maps.

Also, most PHI leaders benefit from abundant seafood, ORG is good for sprawling on many islands

AGG and PRO are even weaker here than already because wars will be later.

I agree, however, agg could provide an advantage because it allows drydocks to get built up quicker.

 

[Fractal Spiral]

Try out this strategy if you like, on Continents maps (for early land and late game water exploring) or on Archipelago (all game water exploring) or anything: First take over your own area to build towards Factories, Oil for modern ships etc. In the late game, for a final finishing attack you can build Transports with Paratroopers / other ground unit, Submarines with Tactical Nukes, and some ICBMs in your cities. In the late game if you have enough production, you can invade a large country from the water all in one turn with Subs nuking the coastal city, and then Transports move in one guy and take the city for free. Then if you move a Transport in the city with Paratroopers in it, you can reach to Paradrop next to a city up to 4 tiles away in-land, which you nuke with ICBMs before, instant capture walking in with a Paratrooper. I tried taking on 4 AIs on a continent with Tactical Nukes on Submarines and Transports with Paratroopers, the first turn I had them surrounded with "Special Forces squads" one per city, it worked like a charm. Instantly hit all armies with 2 nukes (you need 2 nukes to kill even huge armies usually, 3 nukes very rarely) and take everything with 1 transport per coastal spot. Of course they can retaliate from in-land cities so theres ICBMs / Paratroopers to get those fast. Unless its high difficulty, they'll probably offer to surrender after the first turn goes by anyway when you can hit everything on the coast and take it instantly. Naval warfare late game is so much faster than land units, I hate having to move a block of units like 1 or 2 tiles at a time when the enemies have Railroads and stuff.. Transports and Subs are quick on water maps and the enemy will not know what is coming until its too late then.

 

[ditb]

Thanks for all of the helpful suggestions, folks. I appreciate it! Sounds like there are some fun options out there, which is great.

I started an archipelago map over the weekend, and I'm going to get steamrolled, after I saw how my neighbors are fairing. Ah well, I'll be able to try out your suggestions that much sooner.

Thanks again!