Winning on DEMIGOD

[incangold]

Hey CivFanatics,

I am a long time CIV 3 player. My experience has brought me up to the challenges of DEMIGOD level. I find that level to be challenging, but still unwinable. I am usually locked out at the end of the ancient age with a mere 5 or 6 cities when I am forced to go to war for more territory. At which point the AI heaps on Alliances from everywhere. If I am lucky I can spank one CIV at time no problem, but still so what? I can build/capture one or two more cities, but then I see tons of Knights prouncing around. If I spank a rival to near extincion BUT THEY WONT GIVE ME TECHS or GOLD that I really need to advance. Usually some far off CIV like the Ottomans have a calvary and are conquering the whole world when I am getting towards the midpoint of the middle ages.

No one wants to trade with me. The lower civs have no techs to trade. I am stuck in the middle of the totem.

What are some tips that I can use to create a monster civ on DEMIGOD?

thanks

 

[TomYo689]

lol any advice for how to even reach demigod?

 

[Spoonwood]

Post a save.

 

[The Professor]

I would suggest that, to start, you should pick an Agricultural civilization and pick a starting location that allows you to build a settler factory. This should help you get to the point where you can at least build the Forbidden Palace. Emphasize exploration, both on foot and by boat, so you can meet the other civ's asap. Then make sure you take advantage of every trading opportunity. Look for places where Civ A has learned Math, but not HBR, and Civ B has learned HBR, but not Math, and trade for both. In order to pay for this, you may need to research selectively, so that you can save up some gold.

And doing small wars where you pick up a couple of cities here and there can be enormously effective, so don't discount that.

 

[I. Larkin]

Military Alliances may help. Difficult situation if only one AI at the continent with you.

But at this situation you probably may contact with others on another continent and get tech lead vs your opponent.

 

[Brain]

I played the game even on Sid level but DM and above is pretty much a catch-up game. You won't keep up with the AI until mid-game. Some general tips for playing at higher levels:

- Don't even think of challenging the AIs in the early game. Just cave in to all their demands and keep your head low until you have developped sufficiently.
- The Great Library tactic is esential. Start building a wonder really early and go straight for Literature, then switch your production to GL to get a tech slingshot.
- Exploit AI stupidity as much as you can: tech brokering with GPT, suicide galleys, war with overseas enemies (and alliances against them with other civs on their continent), anything goes...
- You know about settler/worker factories right?
- Agricultural and commercial are the best traits on higher levels.
- If it's still too hard try an islands map to keep the AI away long enough for you to build up.

 

[incangold]

Hi Civ Fanatics,

Thanks for your replies, I am having great success on Demi-God now- as the Romans. I enjoy the constant supply of armies. It was a uphill battle with the ever expanding Incans over time, until I had enough Calvary armies to pillage their core cities.

I found the hunt for luxuries and resources most important. In which I traded to all civs to keep the gold incoming and plus keeping the civs off my back in case of declaration of war.

I also found that a demi-god game takes several days to play. Do not rush. The Romans are a slow, yet effiecnet Civs. I hardly ever had revolting cities (like in agri civs).

I was able to keep 80% of my cities, "We Love the Emperor Day". By the time I had Nationalism, all my cities (25+) had zero to one shield lost due to corruption.

When in doubt in what to build, I built barracks and vet units.

my cites had:
temple
marketplace
barracks
maybe colosseum

the boost from a library, cathedral i did not need

i stayed in depostism for a LONG time, not until i had suffient gold/12 pop cities income to support my 60-90 unit army.

 

[TomYo689]

post a sav file

 

[Jivilov]

And doing small wars where you pick up a couple of cities here and there can be enormously effective, so don't discount that.

Quite right. And when it comes to warmongering UU's, Ision's observation is brutally succinct and to the point:

"Nothing kills in CIV as effciently as speed - the next closest factor is attack factor - after that - cost effciency - LAST [my emphasis] among the qualities for effective warmongering is : added defense. This has been born out countless times over the years by players whos[e] skills are of the very highest."

So THAT's why I've had so much difficulty with the Romans! The Legionary is too slow, it's mediocre on the attack, and its added defense is inadequate compensation for its deficiencies. Better have Mounted Warriors, Riders, Cossacks, Sipahi, etc. Or Immortals if you're into ground-pounders (but they're still too slow).

Too bad this cogent advice had escaped my attention for over a decade . It should've been rather obvious, but some people are slower than others. Cheerio.

Edit: Yet incangold reported positive results with Julius. Too bad he never posted a save.