Where do you like to start, and why?

[6K Man]

Hopefully this isn't a rehash of the eleventy billion "starting position" threads out there.

I've noticed that not many people like an isolated start, because tech trading is near-impossible for a while. And an inland start on a big continent with a lot of AIs all around seems tough to me. Is there a happy medium in there somewhere?

 

[Adam7Eight]

I think tech trading is lame and don't use it, so I don't mind isolated starts.

I do prefer to have a few AI civs right next door though since I sometimes neglect my military & I need to be reminded of why I shouldn't.

 

[TeraHammer]

I like to play with galleys

 

[DigitalBoy]

I like to start on continents with other civs. It makes things more interesting (religion, diplomacy), you get a stronger economy between tech trading and trade routes, and you get to wage war more often.

I like for my capital to be a coastal city with seafood; I love those starts, especially when I start with the Fishing tech.

 

[BrantleyL1]

I'd like being on a continent with "about 1/2" of the AIs. Preferrably most, if not all in one direction.

 

[Nelgirith]

Voted :

Being on one end of a continent/pangaea, with several AIs in one direction
Being on the coast, with many water tiles per city
A Peninsula



I want always a coastal start for my capital. It's always a nice boost at the beginning and most of the times, there's usually a lot of food ressources too.

I like to be at one end of a continent so there are some cities that don't really have to build defenses since they're protected because they're coastal.

I don't mind being situated in the middle of all AIs if I'm on a peninsula. The less borders I have with opponents, the better I feel

 

[Bradlius]

On isolated starts, without mysticism, I never seem to be able to found a religion. Then, unless I'm very very careful about my tech path and expansion rate, I run into happiness caps all over the place, and my empire stagnates. Especially if you are not blessed with luxury resources as well.
So there's more to the argument against iso-starts than just the lack of tech trading.

 

[Underdawg]

On isolated starts, without mysticism, I never seem to be able to found a religion. Then, unless I'm very very careful about my tech path and expansion rate, I run into happiness caps all over the place, and my empire stagnates. Especially if you are not blessed with luxury resources as well.
So there's more to the argument against iso-starts than just the lack of tech trading.

Hereditary Rule solves all happiness problems.

It's not hard to get a religion. Just nearly impossible to get the first three on Emperor+ (from Meditation, Polytheism, and Monotheism). Just pop a great scientist and lightbulb philosophy or oracle to code of laws, or pop a great prophet and grab Theology for a religion. Heck, you can burn a great prophet on Divine Right too. So the later 4 religions are up for grabs (and not too hard to get if planned for).

 

[Elros]

I'm not a fan of naval combat, so I like to start at one end of a pangaea and conquer my way across to the other end over the entire course of history. Very satisfying.

 

[Ball Lightning]

This option:

Being on one end of a continent/pangaea, with several AIs in one direction

 

[CivFan87]

I like being on the Pangea and having my own corner, but I do not like having borders with only 1 other civ.

 

[weregamer]

It's ideal to be at the base of a peninsula on a big continent, so you can get some nice city sites toward the middle but still have area for slightly later expansion. Having a big island to yourself can be nice if you get diplomatic contacts early enough. Having lots of water tiles is only good if your civ & leader choice make them useful; otherwise you can only afford a few of your early cities being forced to be commerce cities.