What should I be doing the first 1000 years?

[Bestbank Tiger]

I just got Civ 2 off ebay and started playing again after about 6-7 years, so I don't remember all the strategies.

Obviously you have to found your first city and build a unit to defend it, but what should I do from there? And how do I know if I'm doing well--how many cities should I have by 3000BC, 2000BC, etc, where should I be in terms of technology, etc?

I like to try to win by colonizing Alpha Centauri--I'm pretty sure that makes a difference.

Thanks!!!

 

[Ali Ardavan]

Obviously you have to found your first city and build a unit to defend it, but what should I do from there?

Read tips for new players. It is the only sticky item on this forum so it is always first.

And how do I know if I'm doing well--how many cities should I have by 3000BC, 2000BC, etc, where should I be in terms of technology, etc?

It depends on a lot of factors. The best thing to do is to join the Game of the Month and compare your results against that of others. A new one, for June 2006, will be posted later this week.

 

[Peaster]

2000BC: Probably 3 to 8 cities, depending on the settings, your luck and your style. I suggest you aim for 6 to 8, by building mostly settlers.

 

[Bestbank Tiger]

Thanks!! The sticky didn't really answer the question--that's why I posted. but it's long and I might have missed it the first time. Plus the answer's partly a matter of opinion so I wanted to get more than one perspective.

I have my first game going and I'm starting to remember how to play (and also how much fun Civ is).

 

[ElephantU]

Two others to check out: the Early Conquest Guide and the Early Landing Guide, both here:

http://apolyton.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=14

How you run your civ will often have one of the two goals in mind - to conquer the fastest, or to get through all the techs, build a decent empire, and send off a spaceship. Each guide summarizes research and opinion on the most effective ways to proceed.

It's hard to set "checkpoints" like how many cities and how many techs by a certain date, because those things really depend on what kind of situation you have at the start and what strategy you pursue. In general, though, you should aim to have fun, learn something each game, and work your way up the difficulty levels progressively (if it gets easy, move up a level). Reading and posting on CivFanatics and Apolyton are great ways to learn from others, and joining a group like a Game Of The Month, Succession Game or Democracy game will expose you to other ideas and ways to play.

BTW, Welcome to CFC!

 

[Nick Garai]

You should get ourself some snacks, a pop, make sure the lighting is good in your room and get ready for a long night of "one more turn, just one more turn, one more turn..."

LOL