i started on regent, moved to monarch, now playing emporer. i win consistently, but it's always the same strategy due to the insane AI tech trading (some call it "tech whoring", but that's inaccurate, as i doubt the ai's charge each other - perhaps "tech slut" or "tech trailer park trash" would be more appropriate). i go with a builder strategy - set research to near zero, build any and every city improvement, prioritize building revenue to buy techs, keep military to a minimum with an emphasis on defensive units, keep sharp eye on diplomacy to avoid war (and have strong allies if war is unavoidable), and usually have a small empire (5-8 civs, standard map, i'll have 6-12 cities max). usually right around RR my improvements are coming on line (especially marketplaces and banks), and with RR bonuses suddenly i have a huge income and great infrastructure and i catch up in tech by buying it. then it's theory of evolution, grab hoover's, and then arty/tanks to conquer the world.
i need to learn to war early on - i've become a one-note wonder with the builder strategy and i think on MP the human civs will hand me my head for too little military too early. i've tried early wars to do the "extort for techs" strategy but it hasn't worked (at least on emporer). either i'm too far behind too soon to effectively wage war, or when i'm destroying their cities they still won't give me the techs i really need.
btw, how do you edit down the ai tech trading rate? do you use the editor? how do you use the editor? i can play the game fairly well, but i have no idea how you do the other stuff.
i need to learn to war early on - i've become a one-note wonder with the builder strategy and i think on MP the human civs will hand me my head for too little military too early. i've tried early wars to do the "extort for techs" strategy but it hasn't worked (at least on emporer). either i'm too far behind too soon to effectively wage war, or when i'm destroying their cities they still won't give me the techs i really need.
btw, how do you edit down the ai tech trading rate? do you use the editor? how do you use the editor? i can play the game fairly well, but i have no idea how you do the other stuff.
