Civilization Thread!

[gunnar hendershow]

Gods & Kings was the real important expansion but the stuff added in BNW definitely, definitely, definitely made the game more enjoyable in a way not a lot of expansions do.

[Herr Matzat]

If you liked the base game, buy the expansions. It´s more of the same, fleshing stuff out a bit more I like BNW better.

[RoHitman Reigns]

Playing a 2v2v2v2 game with a friend occasially we started when the second expansion hit and god do we love it. The two of us and Greece got started on one land while the other 5 are on the other plot, we are doing continents. Already taken Greece out, I am working on conquering all of South America and some of the lower part of the North side while my friend takes the rest of the North before we swarm over. Only thing that sucks is she made no city states so cant use any of them for religious expansion

[Sousa]

Only thing that sucks is she made no city states

That's a friendship-ender where I'm concerned.

[Benji]

To be honest, I thought the games never felt complete until they did the expansions. The expansions turn it from just being Civ into the time eater we all know and love.

[Benji]

Trying to find a guide to help me get better at the game beyond Prince difficulty, but all of them are essentially just "be better at this and build certain stuff". I need micro-management, not general tips that everyone can pick up just by playing :@

[Berober]

I think it boils down to citizen management and utilising the tiles you can work on as best as possible. There's no use building another farm if you have 5 population and 5 farms already since nobody is going to be working on it.

[METALMAN]

I think that is why I never do so well at Civ on high levels. I always automate the micromanagement, city management stuff. It is so boring.

[Pizza]

I think it boils down to citizen management and utilising the tiles you can work on as best as possible. There's no use building another farm if you have 5 population and 5 farms already since nobody is going to be working on it.

Yeah, the key is no wasted movement. Its hard to do a straight guide because the situation is always changing. Just make sure everything you do has a purpose. And losing a few times will make you better and help you see what works and what doesn't.

Also war. The AI gains advantages to their production at higher levels, but you will always be smarter than it at war Take advantage of that before they build a giant army that no amount of strategy can stop.

[Benji]

You guys are as vague and good at giving obvious advice as the websites

[Mick]

I think that is why I never do so well at Civ on high levels. I always automate the micromanagement, city management stuff. It is so boring.

It is a massive pain in the ass as well. In Alpha Centauri, this guy gave this massive breakdown on how to really kickass, but just everything involved....ugh.

[Sweet Holy Moses]

The higher levels of Civ -- and most of the 4X games -- just require more advanced OCD at each higher difficulty level.

[TKz]

You guys are as vague and good at giving obvious advice as the websites

You'd probably be better served watching better players play, but even then, you only really learn advanced tips for that Civ as they're all so different. It just comes down to learning how to manipulate the mechanics in your favor... I'm not sure you can really be taught it, it's more about learning as you play.

[Benji]

Didn't even think about let's plays. Cheers Ticklez.

[Sousa]

I'd like LPs a lot more if they weren't SEVENTY YEARS LONG. That said, the area I really need to improve is the first hundred or so turns, so this might be a big help.

[snakesonaplane]

Trying to find a guide to help me get better at the game beyond Prince difficulty, but all of them are essentially just "be better at this and build certain stuff". I need micro-management, not general tips that everyone can pick up just by playing :@

Unfortunately I find the game pretty easy on 'King' these day (since the patches, the AI seems very passive), and not noticeably different than on 'Prince' so maybe I could help? I play on 'Marathon', so that could be somewhere to start as I assume the game is probably easier in many ways on the slower speeds. What game-speed do you play? That could be help, though the skills used on 'Marathon' aren't necessarily transferable to the more arcade speeds.

What are your major issues?

Unhappiness crippling you?

No city growth?

No production?

Overwhelmed by enemies?

Falling behind on tech?

Not enough GPT?

If you tell us what sort of issues or weaknesses you find in your current play style/strategy we should be able to help.

What is your opening strategy usually like? What techs do you go for? Are you switching your city focus from food to production? Do you manually build settlers and workers or do you steal or buy them?

It can also depend on what civ you choose to play (and your preferred play style, tall or wide? Aggressive or passive?),some civs are just objectively easier for certain play-styles, and just in general. Korea for example is an easy path to a huge lead in science etc.The map type can also greatly affect your outcome, pangea being more difficult than continents for example.

Also the social policy route you take can help/hinder greatly. Generally the optimal strategy for nearly every civ (if you're meta-gaming, which is hard to avoid tbh), is rush tradition, take patronage up to consulates, and then go down the culture tree until you get can get rationalism. There is some variables with different starts or civs, but generally this is the most powerful combination.

Edited December 19, 2013 by snakesonaplane

[Plubby]

Whenever I play these days, I look to turbo out/prioritize Temple of Artemis and Great Library, regardless of my overall plan. Am I wasting time doing either or both of those? I gather the most accurate response is "plan-dependant" but as accurate an answer as you're capable of giving?

[snakesonaplane]

I don't know about others but I always rush Great Library (I don't play on diety though, which AFAIK is really the only difficulty setting where you are likely to get pipped for the GL) in my capital as it helps immensely for early beakers, to grab the tech for the next era immediately, and removes the need to build a library.

Usually my start goes soemthing like, scout -> Monument -> Granary (unless unnecessary) -> Great Library -> Next wonder (Temple of Artemis/Hanging Gardens). After building the granary I switch my city focus from food to production, or essentially whenever I start building a wonder.

Like you I prioritise GL and the food giving wonders, which are complimentary as the greater level of food/pop growth the higher the beakers you get from the GL/regular library.

Unless there is some pressing reason to deviate from this strategy, I think rushing GL and the food wonders (if you can get them) are beneficial to any style of play and make a good base for most civs, as everyone needs beakers and food. If I can get all three of these in the classical period, I'd not need any others to consider it an optimal start.

Edited December 19, 2013 by snakesonaplane

[Plubby]

See I don't even build the scout first.

[snakesonaplane]

If you're playing continents or similar just build one scout, as the combination of one scout plus your warrior will be enough usually to do the job of grabbing all the free stuff.

If you're playing on pangea or similar, build two scouts straight away to ensure you get as many huts as possible. Sometimes I might even build three, but two plus your warrior is usually sufficient depending on the terrain.

The advantage of early scouts include... helps you sus out good places for your second city... usually I don't build the second city for ages (on Marathon anyway), but if I scout a really awesome location littered with luxuries etc. I'll try to speed up the process and grab the plot; they give you the gold/cuture/tech/city growth pops from goodie huts, and helps you sus out where you are in relation to the enemy.

Also I've noticed the AI is horrible at finding goodie huts (amongst other things... like warfare), even when located only a few tiles from their capital so never assume it's not worth scouting, even around the AI's territory.

Building a scout is very quick considering the advantages you get from it, and won't slow down your progress much on any pathway, after that its on to the building rush.

Edited December 19, 2013 by snakesonaplane