Civilization Thread!

[Mick]

It's like the one thing you can count on when Attila or Montezuma are in a game is that they're going to get the war machine going, only to fuck themselves over by pissing off the wrong person. It happens almost every damn time. There has been only a single instance where Monty hadn't destroyed himself yet, and that was only because I showed up off his coast with my fleet before he could do that. Shaka on the other hand at least waits to establish himself.

In fact, I'm thinking the problem with Prince is that the computer really has no damn clue what the hell to do with war. Nobody goes to war with me because, if they're getting hostile, my defenses are updated, and nobody wants to run that chance. When they do declare war, this is what happens (I saw this happen three times in the same game, all from different people):

IN COMES THE FLEET! And by Fleet I mean two Privateers and a Frigate. The Frigate gets right next to the city and opens fire. RIGHT NEXT TO. No range, just...up close and personal. Well, that's at least two shots a turn (one from the garrison, one from the city), maybe more if Iv'e been cautious and put my own Frigate in the city for the extra shot. The Privateer, meanwhile, can do nothing but dick around off the coast and maybe plunder my trade routes. It's really sad to see that this was there master plan. The Frigate dies, and the Privateers, with zero support, help create a nice artificial reef off my coast.

They've been in position to attack from ranged, but won't. Their invasion forces, if you can call them that, are pitiful, they have no clue what my range is (this means you Pikeman running to try to take the capital I just took. You just stay by the coast for my Frigate). The only time I have to actually worry about fighting is when I'm on the offensive and their capital is inland. But even then, taking one or two coastal cities cripples them .

[Benji]

I don't know if you've played Dutch yet, Mick, but something tells me you'd adore their sea beggars if you like taking coastal cities. I found it to be one of my favourite units.

[Mick]

I may give them a shot. Generally, my coastal strategy is four or more Frigates (typically three can be within firing range, the others are to sub out) and a Privateer, the Privateer existing to simply rush in and capture the city when the defenses are low enough, though I suppose with the Sea Beggar's promotions, it may mean I'd be able to do it faster.

[Liam]

So, what do I get from the various expansions from the Sid Humble Bundle? Didn't pick up BNW because I already had it. Hard to check as on mobile and out shopping.

[Mick]

I started a game as the Dutch. My continent has four other civs, including Bismarck and Montezuma.

[snakesonaplane]

Sad nobody helped me despite all the posts, but the solution was very simple. For anyone who faces similar problems with custom maps, although the options looks similar going through regular single player mode and despite the fact there's no 'mod' to enable, to get custom maps to work properly you nevertheless need to choose the map via the 'mod' menu 'single player game', then tick 'load scenario' as you would normally do with a mod. I was choosing the map and 'loading scenario' in the regular single player start menu! Rookie error. I'm sure I knew how to do this properly one before as I made a mod for Indigenous Australia at one point, but there you go super simple fix.

Unfortunately I still can't get rid of the custom leader/civ/etc. name issue.

[Sousa]

I didn't answer because I don't have a clue how to help you. I'd use Civfanatics' discussion forum; they're smarter about that stuff.

[Mick]

1954 Culture Victory, Standard/Continents as The Dutch.

I wasn't actively going for culture, but it turns out liberation is fantastic for tourism. By eliminating 1) The Aztecs, 2) The Spanish and 3) The Germans, and saving the hides of the Assyrians, Egyptians, and Arabs, I built up some pretty strong loyalty. Until I got bored waiting to win and destroyed Egypt, because I wanted the wonders and they were only at popular .

The area where I settled was pretty devoid of marshes, though. In fact, the only place I could build a Polder was in Tenochitlan . The Sea Beggars are...alright, I suppose, but there are better options as far as UU . I guess where I'm not impressed by it is that while it does start off with two Coastal Raider promotions, my Frigates will bombard the piss out of a coastal city, making the advantage somewhat moot.

[Pizza]

I know how to do that, Benji. It's called money . It's just getting to the point where it's economically feasible to drop a grand on one (and then the rest of them) that's the trick.

When you research coal and realize you don't have any, you need to focus all your resources towards either buying a city state with coal, settling near coal, or warring the closest city with coal. Start pumping out trading posts and setting your cities to focus on gold.

[Mick]

Really

[Mick]

"Sir, Theodora's starting to run away with the game."

"Smithers, deploy the fleet."

[stokeriño]

I've started two Earth map games now, and both times I've been handed the shitty African start position (penned in between three city states around the Congo - nice for cash, not for expansion), while some utter cunt (previously Haile Selassie, now Suleiman) sits in the much-more-awesome Egypt starting position, swiftly settles northern Africa and most of Eurasia and acts like a dick the whole game.

Next time I'll pick Shaka and make them regret this kind of behaviour.

[Benji]

I didn't answer because I don't have a clue how to help you. I'd use Civfanatics' discussion forum; they're smarter about that stuff.

Ditto, I don't even use mods except to get the Steam achievement. I don't think anyone here has the knowledge to help you on that - thus the lack of responses.

Also, Ethiopia are so boring. Their special building is kind of cool for getting an early religious start and boost from your cities, but their unique unit is so useless because you have no need to go to war for them, because their bonus is based in low amount of cities and benefiting from others attacking you. Trouble is, I had to build a large army anyway because Poland was being an incessant dick. I'm not even running away with culture (though I am ahead) because stupid Napoleon and his stupid face are in the game and are on the other continent (much like myself, as leaders of their continent).

Also, I never realised that several things I thought were World Wonders are actually National Wonders, and I've been rushing them for no reason and thinking I must always get lucky by getting them first. Grand Temple, East India, Hermitage and Oxford Uni are all Nationals that I've been wasting time rushing great engineers on when I should've used them on World Wonders

[Mick]

....Benji, do you post on the Civ reddit?

Edit:

Also, never, ever rush Oxford. Here's what I've been doing with it.

I set it up so that I have the prerequisite for Scientific Theory done. Then I work my way up to Industrialization. Typically, I'll start working on Oxford but leave it with one turn to go. Then, when there is only one turn until I hit Industrialization...I go back to Oxford. Next turn: BOOM, INDUSTRIAL ERA. BOOM, SCIENTIFIC THEORY. It's pretty nifty.

Also, I've started changing my early game. Usually it would go Scout-Scout-Shrine-Worker-Settler-Settler-Settler-Library-Wonder----??????, but now, it's Scout-Worker (5 turns, it doesn't get built)--Shrine--Back to Worker--Granary if I'm not size 4---something else until I'm size 4---Settler. I read this off a Shoshone guide and I've been adapting it. It's working pretty well, though it works on the assumptions that my first tech is going to be Pottery (It should always be this, IMO), and that I've settled on a hill.

[Benji]

I do, that's where I discovered it

Also, I rush Oxford in pretty much the same way Mick, I just use the time inbetween focusing on topping up my army before I can rush Oxford in with the Engineer rather than just spending time having it be built, helps a lot on that industry era heave for power when you start choosing ideologies.

[Mick]

I do, that's where I discovered it

Also, I rush Oxford in pretty much the same way Mick, I just use the time inbetween focusing on topping up my army before I can rush Oxford in with the Engineer rather than just spending time having it be built, helps a lot on that industry era heave for power when you start choosing ideologies.

Well, the point is that it is completed the instant you hit Industrialization. Out of curiousity, what is your typical deterrent? I aim for something from the Archer line and Galleas line. Most attempts at invasion fall flat.

[Benji]

I do, that's where I discovered it

Also, I rush Oxford in pretty much the same way Mick, I just use the time inbetween focusing on topping up my army before I can rush Oxford in with the Engineer rather than just spending time having it be built, helps a lot on that industry era heave for power when you start choosing ideologies.

Well, the point is that it is completed the instant you hit Industrialization. Out of curiousity, what is your typical deterrent? I aim for something from the Archer line and Galleas line. Most attempts at invasion fall flat.

I tend to have a bare minimum of a range unit in every city, plus at least one melee unit per city near my front lines, then once I've got my third city, I turn one into my warfaring powerhouse (usually the one on the frontlines) and churn out barracks/walls/units until I'm satisfied that I won't be attacked by neighbours (generally I check the demographics screen, and if I'm not at least second then I'll churn more out, and if my neighbour is first then I'll churn more out still until I am first). When it comes to Prince difficulty, you can't be too careful with protecting your empire, because some Civs can be real backstabbers even with DoFs if they sense weakness. Plus, having spare units is very useful for protecting trade routes from barbs, and keeping an eye out for enemy movements that may indicate attacks.

Navy I only tend to build to discover the world, and protect a cargo ship or two, so I only tend to have two unless I'm planning on taking a few coastal cities, in which case I tend to make about six, four to attack cities (two at a time, then sub out), and two to protect land units that I'm moving across.

I'm well aware I go overboard, but it's from several sour experiences. Never trust a viking! It's the main reason I never suffer from economy hits - I build my empire around my army, and the first priority for that is having the money to keep yourself protected.

[Sousa]

Oh yeah, one thing that makes Sea Beggars so good is that they start with Coastal Raider I and II. With a Barracks and an Armory, you can actually make Coastal Raider III/Logistics (2 attacks per turn, huge bonus to city attacks) Sea Beggars right out the gate. That's a massive bonus. If you can get the Great Lighthouse on top of that then you can just swoop in tons of Sea Beggars, retreat the first ones after they attack, and then have the last ones attack twice and just wreck coastal cities.

Polders are great but situational to the point of being questionable (I had to do some serious underhanded shit in my current Dutch game to secure some marshes), but Sea Beggars and Dutch East India Company are both tremendous.

[Benji]

Yeah, to take full advantage of polders you have to tamper with the advanced settings or be willing to go to war with someone with marshes or flood plains, but with the sea beggars you should be going to war anyway.

[Plubby]

I'm intrigued by the 1-city victory. I've just been given Korea randomly. Is this the civ for it?