Your "Go-To" Civs
- Thread starter Navelgazer
- Start date
headcase
Limit 1 Facepalm Per Turn
I mix it up a lot and still have a few civs to win as. But as far as civs I find most enjoyable:
From Vanilla: US, Greece, India
From G+K: Netherlands
Besides the US, the main reason for liking these ones most is trying to see how far I can go with something (Greece's CS influence, India's city population, Netherlands' crazy polders). As for the US, the sight bonus is the main reason there.
Still, I like almost every civ. Even the ones that don't feel good on paper are surprisingly pleasant to play on average. For example, Songhai didn't sound all that fun, until I was conquering riverside cities across the land.
From Vanilla: US, Greece, India
From G+K: Netherlands
Besides the US, the main reason for liking these ones most is trying to see how far I can go with something (Greece's CS influence, India's city population, Netherlands' crazy polders). As for the US, the sight bonus is the main reason there.
Still, I like almost every civ. Even the ones that don't feel good on paper are surprisingly pleasant to play on average. For example, Songhai didn't sound all that fun, until I was conquering riverside cities across the land.
OldmansHQ
Warlord
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2012
- Messages
- 101
Quacking Rome!
I started playing quite late, and before I fully understood the game, G&K expansion was released. I always had a soft spot for Rome. They are historically very appealing to me. I like the role-play part where I enslave foreign populations, bribe, conquer and quickly assimilate new cities by connecting them with network of roads. The production bonus is fabulous along with Legions which has to be the most powerful UU. Rome also fits my play style, because I am always aggressively expanding.
I wonder how will Rome be changed in the upcoming expansion. In BNW much detail is put into roads, and as we all know... All roads lead to Rome.
Also, I am very surprised to the Netherlands this popular. I thought it was one of the least liked civilizations.
I started playing quite late, and before I fully understood the game, G&K expansion was released. I always had a soft spot for Rome. They are historically very appealing to me. I like the role-play part where I enslave foreign populations, bribe, conquer and quickly assimilate new cities by connecting them with network of roads. The production bonus is fabulous along with Legions which has to be the most powerful UU. Rome also fits my play style, because I am always aggressively expanding.
I wonder how will Rome be changed in the upcoming expansion. In BNW much detail is put into roads, and as we all know... All roads lead to Rome.
Also, I am very surprised to the Netherlands this popular. I thought it was one of the least liked civilizations.
Navelgazer
Emperor
- Joined
- Jul 4, 2012
- Messages
- 1,146
I think it's fair to say that the Netherlands are one of the least understood civilizations, but those who play them come to depend on them (and they are my chief alt under G+K, after Carthage as I said in the OP.) The Dutch UU is fun enough (though you're unlikely to be playing offensively with them, being able to heal outside of friendly territory is very nice) and the UI super-powerful (and awesome looking) provided you've got enough marshes to build them on, but the UA is truly phenomenal if used properly, and looks awful to the type who doesn't play in that specific way. Very much the sleeper-civ of G+K.
Talcove
Slayer of Spies
Vanilla: Never played.
DLC: Inca
GnK: Rome & Ethopia
BNW: Portugal and Morocco
DLC: Inca
GnK: Rome & Ethopia
BNW: Portugal and Morocco
I Like to choose civ, and also all AI civ. like this I can play asia middle orient game, european-game, mediterrannean game, asian-american game, asian game choosing all civ are concerned by the geographic area I want to. going to this system, all civ are likely! 
to my point, the cultural and geographic context is more important than the civ. ( and I also put more than ten civ on a little terra map.... so anyone get his own obsession!)
to my point, the cultural and geographic context is more important than the civ. ( and I also put more than ten civ on a little terra map.... so anyone get his own obsession!)
kingchris20
Wisdom Seeker
same with me, I like to be "surprised" each time, so more often than not, I just click "random civilization" and let it roll!
PhilBowles
Deity
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2011
- Messages
- 5,333
Siam in both, although come G&K I experimented more with other civs, particularly Ethiopia and Sweden. Currently the game's set to random civ selection so I can try out a few others.
Chances are this will only change if (a) there's a change to an existing civ that really strikes me, (b) there's a change to Siam's UA, or (c) Indonesia proves to be a 'lasting interest' civ rather than - as it strikes me now - an intriguing novelty civ likely to get boring once it's worked out.
Largely there's a regional bias - I find SE Asian cultures especially interesting. Thematically, despite the civ being misnamed, I also prefer Siam's historical city list to Indonesia's modern-day city list (I was really hoping for Trowulan as the capital).
Gameplay-wise, Siam has a UA that is potentially very powerful, but which requires ongoing work through much of the game to use to best effect, and which has ramifications for the way you use many game elements, including diplomacy and espionage, as well as tying Siam's strategy to the game environment in a way that promotes replayability (different combinations of CSes, and the different relationships other civs have with them, in each game require different strategies to exploit to best effect), while not being a luck-dependant UA like Spain's.
Chances are this will only change if (a) there's a change to an existing civ that really strikes me, (b) there's a change to Siam's UA, or (c) Indonesia proves to be a 'lasting interest' civ rather than - as it strikes me now - an intriguing novelty civ likely to get boring once it's worked out.
Largely there's a regional bias - I find SE Asian cultures especially interesting. Thematically, despite the civ being misnamed, I also prefer Siam's historical city list to Indonesia's modern-day city list (I was really hoping for Trowulan as the capital).
Gameplay-wise, Siam has a UA that is potentially very powerful, but which requires ongoing work through much of the game to use to best effect, and which has ramifications for the way you use many game elements, including diplomacy and espionage, as well as tying Siam's strategy to the game environment in a way that promotes replayability (different combinations of CSes, and the different relationships other civs have with them, in each game require different strategies to exploit to best effect), while not being a luck-dependant UA like Spain's.
DeutschDachs
Emperor
Vanilla: Germany for Landknecht rushes with the Great Library
G&K: Spain because it was so much fun when you found a wonder or two early
BNW: Possibly the Shoshone for the same exploratory reasons as Spain. Poland, Assyria, and Morocco also up for consideration
G&K: Spain because it was so much fun when you found a wonder or two early
BNW: Possibly the Shoshone for the same exploratory reasons as Spain. Poland, Assyria, and Morocco also up for consideration
Navelgazer
Emperor
- Joined
- Jul 4, 2012
- Messages
- 1,146
PhilBowles: Thanks. This is the sort of stuff I was thinking about when I asked this (and I'm not sure I've ever played as Siam before, so they're next on my list now!)
With Carthage, well... I'm not sure I've ever crossed a mountain with them, and I barely every build the elephants even. But the q-reme plus the free harbors alone makes them exactly what I usually want to start with, at least. Flavor-wise, mediterranean empires, particularly those who get shorter shrift in U.S. public school history classes, are fascinating to me, hence my choice.
And another good way of explaining what I mean by "go-to" civ would be this: Whenever I choose anyone else, I have to factor in not just the Uniques of the civ I'm choosing, but also that I won't get a free harbor and that my early ships won't be better than everyone else's. If that makes any sense.
With Carthage, well... I'm not sure I've ever crossed a mountain with them, and I barely every build the elephants even. But the q-reme plus the free harbors alone makes them exactly what I usually want to start with, at least. Flavor-wise, mediterranean empires, particularly those who get shorter shrift in U.S. public school history classes, are fascinating to me, hence my choice.
And another good way of explaining what I mean by "go-to" civ would be this: Whenever I choose anyone else, I have to factor in not just the Uniques of the civ I'm choosing, but also that I won't get a free harbor and that my early ships won't be better than everyone else's. If that makes any sense.
PrimoXanthous
~ knightmare13 ~
Vanilla: France/Persia ;looks like im the only one here who loves persia! 
GnK: France/Spain/Sweden
BNW: IDRK right now unless i try them all, maybe Poland or Indonesia or Shoshone or Zulu
GnK: France/Spain/Sweden
BNW: IDRK right now unless i try them all, maybe Poland or Indonesia or Shoshone or Zulu
Omega_Kabob
Chieftain
Vanilla: Arabia
DLC: Korea
G+K: Sweden
BNW: Probably Morocco, possibly Brazil
DLC: Korea
G+K: Sweden
BNW: Probably Morocco, possibly Brazil
Louis XXIV
Le Roi Soleil
Well, I don't hit random because I want to make sure I've literally played everyone first. Perhaps after that, I'll hit random. More likely, I'll try specific strategies or victory conditions with Civs that I haven't done before or with a vanilla civ that needs to be reevaluated based on expansion pack game features.
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2010
- Messages
- 18,948
This is how I play as well. I have a cadre of civs with mechanics that I like, but I can't pick just one or even two.
iRule
Warlord
Vanilla: Russia
G&K: Carthage
BNW: Either Morocco or Portugal, probably.
G&K: Carthage
BNW: Either Morocco or Portugal, probably.
Brimstone
Chieftain
Vanilla: Rome
G&K: China
BNW: probably Assyria
G&K: China
BNW: probably Assyria
phaethon16
King
- Joined
- Mar 20, 2013
- Messages
- 722
Never really played vanilla without G+K, so I have always been attached to Austria, with Russia as a good second. For BNW though, I will probably play Austria. Mix it up a bit right?
Gucumatz
JS, secretly Rod Serling
- Joined
- Dec 11, 2011
- Messages
- 6,181
Vanilla: Denmark/Inca/Iroquois
Gods and Kings: Sweden or the Inca
Brave New World: Not sure yet, but I would guess Morocco
Edit: Although I am comfortable with pretty much all civs since I play in NQ - where we go Random civs on Immortal/Emperor/Deity, in Multiplayer. Best way to get good is try every civ and learn to be the best with them all
Gods and Kings: Sweden or the Inca
Brave New World: Not sure yet, but I would guess Morocco
Edit: Although I am comfortable with pretty much all civs since I play in NQ - where we go Random civs on Immortal/Emperor/Deity, in Multiplayer. Best way to get good is try every civ and learn to be the best with them all
