What's your favorite TSL Earth civ selection? (Firaxis Map)

DWilson

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How do you like to set your map up when playing a TSL Earth game? Currently, the Firaxis TSL Earth map is designed for 8 civs. 1 per continent, the Middle East, and a wild card (since Antarctica does not yet have a playable civ) would seem fairly balanced, but perhaps less fun than an 8 civ "old world".

Breakdown of civs:

Europe:

  • Scotland
  • England
  • Norway
  • The Netherlands
  • Germany
  • Poland
  • Russia
  • France
  • Spain
  • Rome
  • Greece (Pericles or Gorgo)
  • Macedon
Africa:

  • Kongo
  • Zulu
  • Nubia
  • Egypt
  • Arabia
North America

  • The Cree
  • The Aztecs
  • America
South America

  • Brazil
  • The Mapuche
Oceania:

  • Australia
  • Indonesia
East/Southeast/South Asia:

  • Khmer
  • Japan
  • Korea
  • China
  • Mongolia
  • India (Gandhi/Chandragupta)
The Middle East/Western Asia:

  • Sumer
  • Persia
  • Georgia
  • Scythia
  • Egypt/Arabia (If the Zulu or Kongo represent Africa)
Among these, I would suggest an Indian leader, Scythia, or the Aztecs as a wild card. Additionally, both Indian leaders can be included more easily than many other same continent combos. With that, a balanced game might look something like:

  • The Netherlands
  • The Zulu
  • The Cree
  • The Mapuche
  • Australia
  • Mongolia
  • Georgia
  • India (Chandragupta)
And an old world match might be something like:

  • France
  • Kongo
  • Sumer
  • India
  • Khmer
  • Korea
  • Russia
  • Arabia
And to answer the title question, my favorite would be:

  • Germany (for an AI; I prefer playing as Rome)
  • Kongo (for an AI; I prefer playing as Nubia)
  • The Cree
  • The Mapuche
  • Australia (for an AI; I prefer playing as Indonesia)
  • Korea (for an AI; I prefer playing as Mongolia)
  • Persia
  • The Aztecs
What are your thoughts?
 
I do not play TSL Earth but " (since Antarctica does not yet have a playable civ)" made me laugh

I am curious, is TSL Earth fun or competitive at all? I havent really played TSL maps since Rhye's in Civ IV
 
I tried it a couple times, but I always end up with civs starting right next to me. I played a game with Victoria and had Scotland start like two tiles from me. I wish they could pick more geographically diverse civs to avoid that cluster.
 
You can pick your own civs, which I often do. Yes that does take some of the mystery of discovery out of the game, especially since you already know the map. But I still enjoy it. My only problem is you can't add more civs. Which means the Firaxis TSL map is limited and not that fun. 8 is not enough. :mad:

I really enjoyed Greatest Earth map, even though a map that size was hard on my computer. I won't play the huge size Earth maps, my computer won't be able to handle that. Unfortunately it doesn't seem to work in Rise and Fall. I have tried the Expanded Earth mod, and so far only had one game with that map (I think I did the 24 civ Rise and Fall option), and it's okay. It's a bit tough loyalty wise though. Too many capitals were lost due to loyalty. The mod recommends you get the mod that increases capital loyalty, but I didn't get that. Also recommend getting Expanded religion mod as well, as if you play with more than 24 civs you will run out of pantheons causing the game to be unplayable.

I like throwing a bunch of civs into a dog pile and seeing which one comes out on top. :D
 
There is fixes to get YNAEMP running on Rise and Fall. I have been able to run it, check the YNAEMP thread on civ fanatics or check the steam workshop to find out more (I am on mobile). The Firaxis map quite frankly sucks. I can only play with YNAEMP
 
I do like playing Australia, for obvious reasons
 
Playing expanded Earth again. Large selection (though I am not sure this changes anything). All peace game as Korea, no conquering. 16 civs is the max when you select large, but this almost seems perfect. Drop city states down to 9 to allow space to settle, though the AI already conquered 4 of therm, sigh.

I did select civs myself. Lautaro, Teddy, and Poundmaker in the west. I left out Monty and Pedro because they were big meanies last game to their neighbors. I chose Ghandi this time over Chandra, and he's doing surprisingly well, I'm still trying to catch up. Peter, Khmer guy, Saladin, Shaka, Tamar, Curtin, Japan, Gitjara, Wilhelmina,and Robert, and Pericles.
 
I play TSL earth all the time, the most common civs I play in TSL earth are Poland and Scythia, though I play with anybody, the civs in the americas, Indonesia, and Australia, are rare on my play list.
 
I hate to be 'that guy' (well, not really), but Indonesia is considered to be part of Southeast Asia, not Oceania.
 
I hate to be 'that guy' (well, not really), but Indonesia is considered to be part of Southeast Asia, not Oceania.
Oh, I don't dispute that. As an American, I tend to call the continent Australia, and only include Australia (and Tasmania), as well as New Zealand.

That said, I think it makes more sense in game balance terms to associate it with Australia.
 
I always add Indonesia to my TSL game eventho Im not playing as them, cuz the islands will be empty for the entire game, no one gonna settle the archipelago except Gitarja. It’s so sad seeing the islands empty, just like the Caribbean, neither Monty nor Teddy settles the islands smh
 
Firaxis Earth is meh, YNAEMP ftw

Isolated starts are boring and easy, especially Australia and Zulu. In both cases you are on far fringes of the world, and with Zulu you are also kinda "forced" to wander through countless hills, rivers and jungles with your military, cursing at logistical issues. Most boring start by far - your bonuses are all geared towards conquest and you start at the end of the world with almost no neighbors, gee how fun.

Middle East is the best due to being densely populated center of the map with many possibilities. Though it may be my fondness of deserts. Mediterranean basin, Russia and Central Asia are top tier too.

Another of my favourite regions in civ5 was West Africa with modded Mali, unfortunately this history-rich part of the world is shamefully neglected in civ5.
 
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