Why the Hell Can't I Win

[Mitch Connor]

I'm trying to win a domination victory with Stalin on a continents map but I can't seem to do too well technonlogically. Found out there was five people on the same continent. I started with only copper, built axemen and conquered Mehmed II. Managed to found Christianity and get the Theocracy civic and churned out City Raider II axemen. Researched Civil Service and Machinery to produce Maceman and Construction for catapults. Then I conquered Hatshepsut. I then beelined to optics for caravels. Discovered that there was Ghandi and Qin Shi Huang on the other continent and they were well ahead of me. Halfway through conquering Elizabeth when Montezuma declared war. Ended up in around 1835 researching Replacable Parts which is well below my standards when playing as Roosevelt. I have a saved game attached and would like people to view and give suggestions on how to improve. Help appreciated.

 

[Hans Lemurson]

Ok...what level are you playing at, and do your problems seem financial in nature?

I'd take a look at your save, for it is my eternal shame that I hath not the Warlords expansion.

 

[kniteowl]

Ok...what level are you playing at, and do your problems seem financial in nature?

I'd take a look at your save, for it is my eternal shame that I hath not the Warlords expansion.

I've Checked the Settings for this game

Joseph Stalin of Soviet Union (Agg/Ind)

Prince Difficulty

Continents
Standard World Size
Temperate Climate
Medium Sea Level

Ancient starting Era
Normal Game Speed

 

[kniteowl]

In my opinion You have

A: ALOT of Unappy citizens from War Weariness and Emacipation. which means your not working those cottage tiles that go towards your Research

B: WHY THE HELL HAVNT CHANGED YOUR CIVICS!!!??? You have Hereditary Rule, Bureaucracy & Free Market Avaliable to you and your not using them???!!! Instead your under the 1st civic of each Category... I suggest you switch ASAP (BTW you should have Switch to Hereditary Rule & Bureaucracy as soon as you had them avaliable) You would have been ahead if not Equal in tech by now.

C1: Checking the Power and GNP graphs... Your 2nd to Last in GNP (after Monty) which means you have the 2nd worst Economy in the game I suggest to go for Astronomy and Build Observatories and Universitys (if you havn't alredy) in your cottaged Cities. Apparently everyone already hav Astronomy SO if you can Resaerch A tech they don't have and trade for Astronomy

C2: Monty Has Double the military Power compared to you. I suggest Declaring Peace with Lzzy (extort a tech and some cash off her) and go on the defensive.

Whether you can win this game... I'm not Sure... If you can Survive Monty, Recover your Economy and get a more Advanced Military then him then there's a chance you might win Domination before the other continent Launches the SpaceShip and be craeful of Gandhi he techs REAL FAST & is probably trading with QIn ALOTb cause their both under the same Religion.

 

[Mitch Connor]

I guess it was a tad stupid to leave the civics. I was a bit worried with what I did with my cities though, are they any good? (city placement, improvements etc,etc.) So if I chose my civics rights could I be as technologically advanced as Ghandi and Qin Shi Huang? Are there any other mistakes that I've made?

 

[kniteowl]

I guess it was a tad stupid to leave the civics. I was a bit worried with what I did with my cities though, are they any good? (city placement, improvements etc,etc.) So if I chose my civics rights could I be as technologically advanced as Ghandi and Qin Shi Huang? Are there any other mistakes that I've made?

(note giving Advice really late at night LOL)

City Placement and improvements are alright as long as you are following the City Specialization Rules

No you won't be advanced as Gandhi and Qin, You mite have been if you changed your Civics 800 years ago. you might have a chance to catch up by checking your GNP on the GNP graph (F9) IF your GNP is higher then Gandhi and Qin there's a Good Chance you can Catch up in tech over time of course.

Also your City Pop is Quite Low Compared to Gandhi and Qin THey Have Mostly Size 10+ Cities (probably larger by now) Working Cottages

What You should do? Grow your Cities as Quickly as Possible and work those Cottages for Extra Commerce and Research. ASAP

BTW you have alot of Unsettle Terrortory on your continent I can't be Bothered Dot mapping but you Should Fill in the Gaps (Use your Head). Ignore the Tundra for Now let the AI's from the other continent Settle in the Tundra.... the Maintainence Cost should slow their research down.

This will recover your economy THE IMMEDIATE PROBLEM IS MONTY TRY TO DEFEND AND MAKE PEACE ASAP

 

[Leveler]

As already mentioned, you should not run worst available civics, if there is better ones available.

You have 3-5 citizens in your largests cities because of war weariness. This is just way too much. Elizabeth is willing to make peace and give you music, world map and gold. Take it.

Monte doesn't have paper so he cannot have printing press, which means that he is very far away from rifling. With rifles, it shouldn't be too difficult to eradicate Monte. Until that, however, you have big problem.

Monte has something like 10 knights close to border and you have 2 pikes. You can't win. You should have always atleast 25% of your forces pikes against AI with knights. And an unit with medic promotion in every stack. You don't have a single one.

Anyway, I found out trick which may be only way to save yourself: peace with Elisabeth and then give London back to England (for free). This will make massive english cultural area between you and Monte and Elizabeth is furios towards Monte, so he won't get open borders.

Start building pikes and a few catapults (to cause collateral against stacks, better against units than trebuchet) and prepare to invasion from sea.

 

[Charles 22]

Why the Hell Can't I Win

Because in hell everybody loses

 

[ice2k4]

Why the Hell Can't I Win

Its because your not on the same continent as Ghandi. If you were, youd be a lot higher up in techs, through trading. Even though he has only met one civ for the beginning of the game (which causes research speeds to be slower for him) he's still the biggest tech-whore in the game. At higher levels I noticed the computer usually places you with 1 tech whore and 2 agressors on a standard map. Just unlucky. If I was you, knock out Ghandi ASAP (although I havent checked the save since my Civ is broken.)