Sultan Bhargash
Trickster Reincarnated
Just wondering what era most folks start aggressing. Any other special comments about timing and if it differs on different kinds of boards/levels appreciated.
When Do You Go To War?
- Thread starter Sultan Bhargash
- Start date
T-hawk
Transcend
Where's "all of the above"? Get immortals, conquer a civ. Get knights, conquer another civ. Get cavalry, conquer another civ. Get tanks, conquer whoever's left. 
Sultan Bhargash
Trickster Reincarnated
I guess I should have asked, "When is the first time you go to war". I for instance always wait till I have mobil units, either Knights or special units, very occasionally horsemen, never chariots. No question you usually conquer about one civ per era.
- Joined
- Oct 5, 2001
- Messages
- 30,080
I generally try to go to war as soon as possible, although at a point where I am fairly confident that I will win (take the cities I want to).
It often depends on where I start relative to the other civs, as I may go to war just to disrupt the nearby civs, or to deny them critical terrain or resources. Eg. If I find myself next to the persians, I may try to go to war before they generate large numbers of immortals.
And as you say; at least once per era (I like to make best use of horsemen / knights / cavalry / armour / modern armour). I'll use swordsmen and even archers too at times.
It often depends on where I start relative to the other civs, as I may go to war just to disrupt the nearby civs, or to deny them critical terrain or resources. Eg. If I find myself next to the persians, I may try to go to war before they generate large numbers of immortals.
And as you say; at least once per era (I like to make best use of horsemen / knights / cavalry / armour / modern armour). I'll use swordsmen and even archers too at times.
fingerbiter
Chieftain
I've been trolling this board, picking up tips, since I got the game and this is my first post.
I voted for "Ancient Age", even though I just recently learned that this was an excellent way to win (a few weeks ago I would have voted for "only when I get attacked" or "only Modern after tanks").
I used to go to war only when I was attacked, preferring to be a peaceful builder during most of the game. This works fine for Civ 1 and II, especially on the easier levels (ok, I've been playing Civ since it's inception and I'm only now getting good enough to play it at the Monarch and above difficulties). However, in Civ 3 it's very difficult to keep up with the Jones' using this path, even on Warlord. So I discovered what most, if not all, the good players do. Start a war early. Get all the other civs you know to ally with you against a single foe and beat the tar out of them. Rinse and repeat as often as you can afford. In my [limited] experience, it helps to have a large army as allies are easier to pay off.
I've been playing the Chinese in my latest game on a large map with 3 smallish continents and 1 large one (might be more land because I haven't fully explored - it's about 1100 AD and I just found 2 continents which are each capable of holding at least 5-10 cities each but have no settlements). I've managed to wipe out the Iriqouis (only civ that started with me on my small continent), then the British (with the help of the Japanese, Americans, Romans, French and Babylonians), then the Japanese (cuz they broke a treaty with me to fight the British-all above helped), then the Babs (cuz they wouldn't help me beat up the Japanese -- all but French helped), then the French (cuz they had the other half of the Babs continent -- did it myself in 3 turns). All before 500 AD and all with every other known civ (I'd pay them off with as little money as I could and usually a ROP). The result? By keeping everyone at war early, I managed to take alot of land (I now have about 50% of all the land I can see) and a huge tech lead (I'm playing Warlord). Now, I have complete control of 2 smaller continents (with 8 - 10 cities each), just finishing wiping out the Romans [they're technically still alive because they have a trireme somewhere, not sure where] and 60% control of the main continent (America has the rest). I've recently discovered the technologically backward Egyptians and Germans (who were too far away from anyone else due to oceans) and they don't know about the Americans. I'm building up my forces to crush the Americans (my biggest threat, because they're so close and they have a large army) before they meet Egypt or Germany. With any luck, I'll win by domination (will be my first time) by 1500 AD and prove to myself that early war's are really awesome.
I voted for "Ancient Age", even though I just recently learned that this was an excellent way to win (a few weeks ago I would have voted for "only when I get attacked" or "only Modern after tanks").
I used to go to war only when I was attacked, preferring to be a peaceful builder during most of the game. This works fine for Civ 1 and II, especially on the easier levels (ok, I've been playing Civ since it's inception and I'm only now getting good enough to play it at the Monarch and above difficulties). However, in Civ 3 it's very difficult to keep up with the Jones' using this path, even on Warlord. So I discovered what most, if not all, the good players do. Start a war early. Get all the other civs you know to ally with you against a single foe and beat the tar out of them. Rinse and repeat as often as you can afford. In my [limited] experience, it helps to have a large army as allies are easier to pay off.
I've been playing the Chinese in my latest game on a large map with 3 smallish continents and 1 large one (might be more land because I haven't fully explored - it's about 1100 AD and I just found 2 continents which are each capable of holding at least 5-10 cities each but have no settlements). I've managed to wipe out the Iriqouis (only civ that started with me on my small continent), then the British (with the help of the Japanese, Americans, Romans, French and Babylonians), then the Japanese (cuz they broke a treaty with me to fight the British-all above helped), then the Babs (cuz they wouldn't help me beat up the Japanese -- all but French helped), then the French (cuz they had the other half of the Babs continent -- did it myself in 3 turns). All before 500 AD and all with every other known civ (I'd pay them off with as little money as I could and usually a ROP). The result? By keeping everyone at war early, I managed to take alot of land (I now have about 50% of all the land I can see) and a huge tech lead (I'm playing Warlord). Now, I have complete control of 2 smaller continents (with 8 - 10 cities each), just finishing wiping out the Romans [they're technically still alive because they have a trireme somewhere, not sure where] and 60% control of the main continent (America has the rest). I've recently discovered the technologically backward Egyptians and Germans (who were too far away from anyone else due to oceans) and they don't know about the Americans. I'm building up my forces to crush the Americans (my biggest threat, because they're so close and they have a large army) before they meet Egypt or Germany. With any luck, I'll win by domination (will be my first time) by 1500 AD and prove to myself that early war's are really awesome.
Originally posted by T-hawk
Where's "all of the above"? Get immortals, conquer a civ. Get knights, conquer another civ. Get cavalry, conquer another civ. Get tanks, conquer whoever's left.
This is what I have been doing in my latest game although I cannot decide whether I should destroy my friends, the Indians...
I actually prefer to attack ince in the ancient times, when i'm the only one with horsemen, then once in the middle ages, when i'm the first with knights, and then when i have cavalry, and finally crush whatever is left with modern armor.
So in all honesty, i should have answered all of the above.
So in all honesty, i should have answered all of the above.
Zachriel
Kaiser
I avoid war at all costs, but war is unavoidable.
(In other words, several times in each game.)
(In other words, several times in each game.)
I normally start as soon as expansion on good terrain around my core empire becomes an issue, and that is most often in the Ancient Age. From there it is sweeping attacks with some interbellums to prepare for the next sweep and/or to proceed to cavalry / tank / modern armor. Never used nukes for real btw, just for "playtesting" 
Daaraa
King
I've gone to war in all the possible time frames listed.
As explained by others, it depends on your strategy.
I have NEVER gone to war in the ancient era without a slight edge on my opponant (ie I have Iron or horses and he has neither.)
Once I have knights or equivalent, I never limit my war effort. :tank:
As explained by others, it depends on your strategy.
I have NEVER gone to war in the ancient era without a slight edge on my opponant (ie I have Iron or horses and he has neither.)
Once I have knights or equivalent, I never limit my war effort. :tank:
Chingis Khan
Scourge Of The World
I generally have just one one war per game. It starts as soon as I find someone else and ends when I own the world!!!
mauiduck
Surf Guru
I usually go to war in the Ancient Era when a civ starts plopping down cities all around my "Sphere of Influence" or when they try to bully technology from me. In the Industrial and Modern era it's all about achieving strategic aims. I go to war for Oil, Aluminum, etc. I also use the Colony Bum Rush in the eras to lock up all the resources I can and then I make the other civs turn over tons of dough for the resources. I find that if you put at least one rifleman or inf on a colony the AI won't mess with it even in war (although I have yet to test this theory in the higher levels of play)..
For me it depends upon who I am playing and where the resources are. If I am playing the Romans I want to trigger my golden age somwhat early and conquer my nighbors ASAP. For other civs it makes sense to wait a while sometimes.
The most fun for war is with the tanks though. I usually wait until I have tanks to clean up the rest of the AI's
The most fun for war is with the tanks though. I usually wait until I have tanks to clean up the rest of the AI's
Zoke0
Dangerous Hobo
It really depends on the situation for me, but 50% of the time is because I or a friend of mine is being attacked or stepped all over!!! If I were to attack for tatical reasons it's uasally in the ancient or modern ages, because in the ancient era I try to destroy those who pose as a large threat then and probably later. For the modern age it's to destroy someone who threatens me or I'm getting really bored (I must sound like a war mongur, but I'm not).
In my current game the Babolonians or how evr it's spelled, threatened me for a tech. and I denied it to them, then through batteling with a friend on the same continent as us and starting and stopping the batteling I had destroyed the countrie that once was seen as a powerhouse vs. my allie and me. Now I am helping a countrie I at once saw as an evil countrie, because they were attacking everyone and through two World Wars I had hurt them and made peace treaties and finnaly relised that they had become the weak countrie and the others now attacking them were the oppressers. So I had two friends who had stoped fighting Persia (the countrie I'm now defending) and so far have shown the others that they should have of stopped fighting long ago.
Sory for the poor grammer.
Quick Timeline of the game I'm in!
Ancient Era and early midievel- fighting Babylon
Late Midievel to Late Industurial-fighting persia
Early Modern to?-Helping persia
Sorry for the boring length and the detail on my game, but it well describes my strategy!
In my current game the Babolonians or how evr it's spelled, threatened me for a tech. and I denied it to them, then through batteling with a friend on the same continent as us and starting and stopping the batteling I had destroyed the countrie that once was seen as a powerhouse vs. my allie and me. Now I am helping a countrie I at once saw as an evil countrie, because they were attacking everyone and through two World Wars I had hurt them and made peace treaties and finnaly relised that they had become the weak countrie and the others now attacking them were the oppressers. So I had two friends who had stoped fighting Persia (the countrie I'm now defending) and so far have shown the others that they should have of stopped fighting long ago.
Sory for the poor grammer.
Quick Timeline of the game I'm in!
Ancient Era and early midievel- fighting Babylon
Late Midievel to Late Industurial-fighting persia
Early Modern to?-Helping persia
Sorry for the boring length and the detail on my game, but it well describes my strategy!
Zachriel
Kaiser
In GOTM5, I was curious how often I was at war. All my wars were fought honorably. The answer? 22%.
http://www.crowncity.net/civ3/gotm5/
http://www.crowncity.net/civ3/gotm5/
Cool graph Zachriel!! How you make'm?
deepfreeze
Chieftain
- Joined
- May 12, 2002
- Messages
- 36
for me when you have a big enough sphere of influence and a big war effort with a lot of troops, go to war if you need 2 expand.
Zachriel
Kaiser
The hard part was accounting for the fact that turns represent different numbers of years.
http://www.crowncity.net/civ3/gotm5/gotm5.xls
(Here is the spreadsheet, if you are interested. Includes chart and graph.)
Sultan Bhargash
Trickster Reincarnated
Wow nice posts.
I am playing as India, it was impossible for me to make war until I had elephants, but that was just after I built sun tzu and leonardo's. And in most game it isn't till knights that I can feel confident that my expansion has stopped and my citizens are cared for and my military is strong enough.
I then had to choose. I like to pretend I am really leading a country, so what would I do. Japan attacked me and as a result they got wiped off of my continent and exiled to an island of eight cities. The Zulu were quite behind me in tech, and if I had wanted to I could have kept making elephants and sent my forces in to take their land. What would Ghandi do? I made friends with everyone and have kept the peace thru to modern times, at a cost of much territory. But I do have a transport full of marines sailing to Japan. I want to remind my neighbors why they should never declare war on me...
I am playing as India, it was impossible for me to make war until I had elephants, but that was just after I built sun tzu and leonardo's. And in most game it isn't till knights that I can feel confident that my expansion has stopped and my citizens are cared for and my military is strong enough.
I then had to choose. I like to pretend I am really leading a country, so what would I do. Japan attacked me and as a result they got wiped off of my continent and exiled to an island of eight cities. The Zulu were quite behind me in tech, and if I had wanted to I could have kept making elephants and sent my forces in to take their land. What would Ghandi do? I made friends with everyone and have kept the peace thru to modern times, at a cost of much territory. But I do have a transport full of marines sailing to Japan. I want to remind my neighbors why they should never declare war on me...
God
God
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2001
- Messages
- 1,354
I go to wars in all ages. The ancient era wars don't usually involve eliminating the enemy. Usually they are quick 10 horsemen wars where I go and take a few cities, but I cripple the Civ so that it will never be one of the top civs.
Middle Age wars are usally fought if I have a UU at that time. I sometimes bypass the knights if I don't have a UU around that time period.
I always war with cavalry. Usually I end up fighting riflemen and these wars get long and dragged out. Later I sometimes I continue fighting and use artillery mixed with infantry and cavalry to take over infantry defended cities.
Then comes up the big wars with the tanks. And they get upgraded to Modern Armor and the rest are finished off.
Middle Age wars are usally fought if I have a UU at that time. I sometimes bypass the knights if I don't have a UU around that time period.
I always war with cavalry. Usually I end up fighting riflemen and these wars get long and dragged out. Later I sometimes I continue fighting and use artillery mixed with infantry and cavalry to take over infantry defended cities.
Then comes up the big wars with the tanks. And they get upgraded to Modern Armor and the rest are finished off.
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