when choosing a civ...

[Taras Bulba]

when you choose a Civ, what usually guides your decision?

I personally use the random button, but what do you guys do?

 

[ecuwins]

I like to use the random feature on levels that I am comfortable with. Otherwise, traits.

 

[CommandoBob]

I selected Random, but that is not always true.

In my two HOF attempts I went with Random, just to prove to me that it could be done. However, if I get the time to redo those games, I would select a civ based on the VC.

 

[Quintillus]

It depends. Sometimes random, but other times many factors play in. Sometimes traits to make it easier or harder depending on how I'm planning to play. Sometimes the unique units - can't conquer the world with Legions or Panzers if you don't have the right civ for that job. Sometimes I'll favor certain ones for a certain victory - ex. Babylon for 100K. And I also voted "Personal Affiliation" although that's not usually it. It's more historical affiliation - for example, I have intentionally chosen to play Russia when planning to go Communist.

 

[mr_lewington]

I like playing as civs I feel I have an attachment to, Like England or Germany

 

[Sweetchuck]

Traits.

Sometimes when I'm up for a challenge, I'll pick a civ with traits that counter what I would consider solid like religious.

 

[Sharwood]

Usually random, but sometimes I'll go for traits, and sometimes for map position on a created map.

 

[NickyH]

It usually depends on VC, kind of map, difficulty and what kind of strategy I decide to try for the moment.

 

[darski]

I have been playing random civs lately but that was just to keep my hand in with all the Civs. Generally, I only pick Industrious Civs plus whichever other trait will do what I plan to accomplish.

What I have been doing is to play with random on but I then choose that Civ if I get a lousy start that is all desert or all jungle/marsh. Life is too short to spend 4000 years clearing jungle.

 

[The Professor]

I said "traits" but I also cycle through all the civilizations by choosing a different pair of traits than for the previous game, so that I use all 8 traits every four games. I then choose a V.C. based on the strengths of that civ. I think this means I have a little OCD, but it keeps things fresh for me.

 

[Diviner]

most of the time i choose to play random civ or directly choose one that the random option didn't offer to me for a long time. sometimes i make my choice on personal affilations, but not too often.

i feel that it is a little exploit (i feel you know ) to chose certain civs for certain victories or because its traits will make my game easier. it is enough to be competitive in work, not in a computer-game (well, dumb reason ).

 

[Sashie VII]

Trait(s) that work for my VC choice.

Unique units that I'd like to use in the game.

Sometimes just based on my strategy or masochistic inclinations at that moment.

 

[Myth5]

Traits definitely. But UU's are up there. I really like Egypt, Persia, and Babylon.

 

[CarthageFTW]

Traits, but UUs are really close too. If I'm on Pangea map, I almost never pick a seafaring trait civ (except Carthage b/c the mecernary is a beast). But on contient or arp maps seafaring rules!