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Alright, NOW I realize how to play Civilization III, damn me and my fixed Civ 2 ways....

PostPosted:Sat Nov 03, 2001 3:40 pm
by Gone to Shakers
<div style='font: 12pt ; text-align: left; '>One mistake I made was putting all my resources into Science development, it's not really worth it, I have found. As you can negotiate for Technology with cash and other resources. Cash and Resources are very powerful negotiation tools, also a very powerful tool to speedbuild things, and build certain units, keep your Citizens happy, etc...

On my fifth game, I decided to go something a little smaller scale. I played an 80 X 80 map with 16 Civilizations. I chose the Egyptians (Religious and Industrious). I started out expanding to 4 Cities as quickly as possible, Unfortuanetly, that was the limit of my expansion as the Russians, Babylonians, Persians, and Greeks all bordered me. I went light on the military, and discovered a few techs which I used to trade around to other Civilizations on the Continent to keep up with progress. I built Temples and other buildings primarilly, and made sure that my income was as high as possible. My Cities grew fast, much faster than the Competition. I also came in contact with Rome, Germany, France, and the Zulu's, all of us on the same Continent. Greece expanded to an Island on the other side of the COntinent and built a City there.

I managed to keep up with the other Civilizations, and began building wonders, I missed the Pyramids and the Great Library which are the two most significant Wonders. The Colosus was my first, and I also got a few others. At one point, my Culture rating was so high that one of Persia's Cities defected to Egypt, giving me 5 Cities. The English who were at the time the most powerful Civilization approached my borders over the Greeks with an Army of 7 or 8 units, large enough to conquer at least a few cities. This was the early middle ages, they declared war on me. I sent my two swordsmen unit to fight, and also contacted every Civilization on the Continent who were my trading parteners, most of them joined my military Alliance against the English, the Zulu's and Germans who were the two most powerful Civilizations aside from the English (also bordering England) required a bit of pursuasion =)

To my luck the English retreated immedietly, they left a couple of units behind who attempted to destroy my roads and Irrigation, my Swordsmen killed them. England managed to seize a few cities of my allies, but the Germans and Greeks took their Capital, the forces that had retreated from my lands retook the English Capital, but the rest of the Nation had already fallen to the Zulu's and French. The Germans retook the Capital, and lastly, the Greeks took St. Petersburg, the last existing English City, and that was the end of my enemies, it was a swift and crushing Victory, I barely had to lift a finger =)

We continued on, I built a wonder (forget which) and it entered me into the Golden ageof Egypt. At this time, I boosted all of my now very healthy economy into Science, and with the Library's I had built in each city, we were booming, during the 20 turns, I had discovered 4 new Technologies, and after the Golden age continued to discover a few more catipulting me into the lead for Science, even ahead of the Germans (they have the Great Library) by 2 techs. Thus we entered the age of Exploration, with my new Caravel. I sent it West to find a whole new Continent, 3 Civilizations on it were more powerful than anyone I had yet met, and they had already begun the colonization of a nearby smaller empty Continent that could be accessed by Galley's, I'm surprised they hadn't done this sooner, it allowed me to make a hold on the new Continent. I first came in contact with the Chinese who were twice as large and powerful as anyone I had yet met, the Aztecs were second, and the Indians were third. However, they may have had larger Empires than any on my COntinent, but they were just entering the Middle ages, the Civilizations on my Continent had been there for 600 years almost. We had the technology for Gunpowder, but no one had built Musketmen yet, I haven't cheacked, likely due to lack of resources.

I sailed around the world some more, I discovered a clean Continent that could fit 6 Cities easily, this is exactly what I would need to propell myself into first place, I sent a Settler there as well. There is still more to explore, and I will get to that. Right now, it's the age of Colinization, whichever Empire gets the largest amount of Cities established on the Virgin continents will likely be first place.

Some notes:
-all wonders of the World so far have been built on my Continent.
Four Continents discovered, two large ones, and two smaller ones (actually, one of the smaller ones is 3 very closely positioned Continents that can fit about 10-12 cities, maybe more, I haven't explored the whole thing yet, nore do I have maps for it).

-The Civilizations on my continent, though smaller, are more technilogically advanced

-I discovered the fourth Continent, and am denying anyone access to my world maps until I have it completely colinized =)

-My Government has been Republic since about 200 B.C., before it was Despotism

Also, at this time, I have pulled all resources out of Science, and now again working on having by far the strongest economy in the world, I will work as a trading Empire. And on the Continent I have to share, I will boost my Culture significantly, spending as much cash as I can to get stuff built as fast as possible, and hopfully absorb the other nations on this new Continent. I also plan to sign Mutual Protection Pacts with all of my neighbors, and possibly try to seize the second Continent from the Technilogically inferior inhabitants. We, on the first continent, will all have powerful navy's and Musketmen soon, they will just have their Galleys and spearmen =)</div>

PostPosted:Sat Nov 03, 2001 5:47 pm
by G-man Joe
<div style='font: 11pt "comic sans MS"; text-align: left; '>*sniff* I have plans I cannot break! That's why I promised NOT to get Civ3 til next weekend! Coz once it's in my possession....its all over! =8^)</div>

Just some helpful tips,

PostPosted:Sat Nov 03, 2001 6:43 pm
by Gone to Shakers
<div style='font: 12pt ; text-align: left; '>At least on the difficulty (Regent), I haven't played any other yet.

Use the Editor to allow 16 Civs on all map sizes (if you wish to play that many), I would recomend playing a Small or Standard map at first, faster game, better practice.

1) Expand as much as possible in the space available
2) Work on your economic and Cultural power.
3) Keep one or two units exploring, once you have map making, build a Galley and search for closeby islands that you may be able to expand to.
-For tax, don't bother with Sciences right now, put as much as you can in economic power, maybe keep 10% in Sciences, so you'll learn a few things. Money = Power
-Economy and Culture are your key here.

'If you feel the need to go to war, make sure you have the army to do so, in the ancient times, the best to send is a stack of 2 Spearmen and 4 Archers, that should be able to knock down most Cities. Once you get Swordsmen, in the later periods of the Ancient age, use them, they are very powerful and will gain you a clear advantage. Horsemen are also helpful as well in siege, bring a few of them along, they can beat up the enemy defenses enough for your archers to win. If you are using a race with an Ancient Civ Specific unit, use those in war. Best path in my opinion is to avoid war here as much as possible.
4) Once in the middle ages, build barracks, upgrade your ancient units.
5) If your ahead of most of the pack in Sciences, contact surrounding civs and pay them for all the Sciences you don't have. Use you large economy to an advantage here and pump all cash into Sciences to get the tech for Caravels first (Astronomy I think it is in this game).
7) Explore with Caravels, send Settlers to any unsettled continents or Islands you find, this is a race here.
8) Contact any Civilizations you haven't met yet, and sell your newfound Geographical info, and contact info, to rival civs for huge rewards.

Once here, you're pretty much set. I have no strategies yet for the late Middle ages, Industrial, or Modern ages.</div>

PostPosted:Sat Nov 03, 2001 11:51 pm
by G-man Joe
<div style='font: 11pt "comic sans MS"; text-align: left; '>Wow...sounds a lot more complex than Civ2. But I am hungry for a good turn based strategy.</div>

The game is just as easy as Civilization 2 to pick up and understand, but it's FAR more compelling. Much much more realistic. A few more things I hould mention...

PostPosted:Mon Nov 05, 2001 10:42 am
by Gone to Shakers
<div style='font: 12pt ; text-align: left; '>More basic tips:

-When establishing Embassies with other Civilizations, click the star beside the name of your capital city on the map, once you have learned writing I think. You'll know what I mean when you see it. You need Embassies for a very good number of diplomatic agreements.

-As I mentioned above, setting your Science rate high (at least on Regent difficulty and above) is not going to keep you up with the other civs alone, you have to use your resources to negotiate with others to get better technology. They'll all be doing the same with each other.

Lets just say, I tried playing like Civ 2, maximized my science rate in order to coast on through to Bombers and tanks, and well, I didn't make it through the Ancient age (on the huge map). Others turned on me, and overan my defenses easily. I had no money, and no important resources to negotiate my way out of it.</div>

I used to play Civ II on Deity level exclusively by the end (with admittedly a few save/restores, but not many)...is this game going to humble me?

PostPosted:Mon Nov 05, 2001 4:05 pm
by Drew S.
<div style='font: 12pt ; text-align: left; '>You could never research your way out of anything on Deity unless you had SETI/Computers AND a commanding lead. It was always all about negotiation. Plus as soon as your power became Supreme, all other Civs that you hadn't negotiated with HEAVILY (meaning either an alliance or a buttload of mutual backrubs) became hostile to you. So generally my playing style involved getting two alliances before my power got too strong, or even holding back and setting myself up for quick growth later in order to preserve diplomacy now.

Sounds a lot like what you're talking about.

<b>Spoiler Message:<b>
<span style="background: black; color: black;">6017% on Civ II baby in 1910 on King level!</span></div>

PostPosted:Mon Nov 05, 2001 7:16 pm
by G-man Joe
<div style='font: 11pt "comic sans MS"; text-align: left; '>6017% on Civ II by 1910???? Nah Uh! How the....WHAT? Well.....I destroyed everyone before 1900AD!!! Though my score was a pathetic 200% or so.</div>

PostPosted:Tue Nov 06, 2001 2:35 am
by Gone to Shakers
<div style='font: 12pt ; text-align: left; '>I know exactly how your games go on Deity, my description may be close, but trust me, things are still different =) I forget my highest %, it was on Emperor Difficulty though.</div>

PostPosted:Tue Nov 06, 2001 4:17 am
by Drew S.
<div style='font: 12pt ; text-align: left; '>I have the file at home. I'll post it in a few weeks.</div>

I was kind of hoping that you'd say yes :) it means it's a different game and a new experience

PostPosted:Tue Nov 06, 2001 4:19 am
by Drew S.
<div style='font: 12pt ; text-align: left; '>I didn't mean to be arrogant there. My ego wrestled me to the ground and started typing while I clawed at the floor.</div>

PostPosted:Tue Nov 06, 2001 4:20 am
by Drew S.
<div style='font: 12pt ; text-align: left; '>If you want. :)</div>

PostPosted:Tue Nov 06, 2001 4:23 am
by Drew S.
<div style='font: 12pt ; text-align: left; '>Did you play on Chieftan? With a Tiny map? :)</div>

PostPosted:Tue Nov 06, 2001 6:47 am
by G-man Joe
<div style='font: 11pt "comic sans MS"; text-align: left; '>Yeah, go ahead. And it was KING LEVEL! Not Chieftan! GRRR!</div>