Civ4 Succession Game - Codename: MCA01

[Pidesco]

You guys didn't give up on this little project, did you? I'm actually enjoying myself reading through it all, even though I don't even own the game (but you guys sure make me want to play it anyhow..). It's like following a little story, complete with pretty pictures and everything.

 

So what are you waiting for? Go buy the freaking game now! And then you can get hopelessly addicted to it like the rest of us.

[mkreku]

So what are you waiting for? Go buy the freaking game now! And then you can get hopelessly addicted to it like the rest of us.

Uhm.. I've noticed I've become very cheap since I started reviewing games. I only buy games I really, really want, unless they end up in the bargain bin.

 

Of course, stupid as I am, I've paid full price for such "gems" as Morrowind and Dungeon Lords.

[Pidesco]

But Civ 4 is a game you really, really want. Even if you don't know it yet.

Hear it calling: "Buy me, buy me. Succumb to the power of gaming goodness."

[alanschu]

So what are you waiting for? Go buy the freaking game now! And then you can get hopelessly addicted to it like the rest of us.

Uhm.. I've noticed I've become very cheap since I started reviewing games. I only buy games I really, really want, unless they end up in the bargain bin.

 

Of course, stupid as I am, I've paid full price for such "gems" as Morrowind and Dungeon Lords.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

While we disagree about Morrowind (I didn't mind the game)...but Dungeon Lords? HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAAH

[Diogo Ribeiro]

Of course, stupid as I am, I've paid full price for such "gems" as (...) Dungeon Lords.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

...Dude!

 

I'm looking at this thread and I'm finding myself in one of those cases where I see a game which seems very interesting, but then I can't bring myself to buy it. Nevermind that my finances are all aimed at adequately satisfying my girlfriend, but Civilization games always seemed like the kind of game that I'd get lost and never come out of. It just seems like it would become worse than crack.

[Pidesco]

I'm looking at this thread and I'm finding myself in one of those cases where I see a game which seems very interesting, but then I can't bring myself to buy it. Nevermind that my finances are all aimed at adequately satisfying my girlfriend, but Civilization games always seemed like the kind of game that I'd get lost and never come out of. It just seems like it would become worse than crack.

 

 

It is worse than crack.

 

Also, girlfriends and civ don't make a good combination. Unless, I suppose, she plays Civ too but, of course, I've never met one of those.

[Enoch]

I'll take another turn, if nobody else wants it right now.

[Nick_i_am]

Also, girlfriends and civ don't make a good combination. Unless, I suppose, she plays Civ too but, of course, I've never met one of those.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I had one, but it's not all it's cracked up to be.

 

You know those stupid relationship arguments you can have over nothing? Imagine having one over the optimal posision of city placement vs wonder production.

[alanschu]

But then when it works out, doesn't it just result in mad lovin'?

 

That's the geek dream!

 

"Wow, your ability to flank those spearmen was hot!"

 

"I know! Take me big boy!"

 

etc.

[Enoch]

Okay, new batch of turns:

 

Turn 0 (1025BC): Considered switching to slavery as mentioned above. But the difference between civic costs at this stage rounds down to zero, so we can keep putting it off. As for our deficit, I'm not worried. Pre-Currency, the only thing cash reserves are good for is running a deficit. So I do.

 

Turn 2 (980BC): Discover Writing! Start Alphabet (which will take a while). With this many rivals, being the first Civ who can trade techs will be huge. I know some of you have been pushing for Masonry->Monotheism. I'm not that big an organized religion fan, myself. The upkeep cost is huge, so I don't think we should prioritize the tech until our economy is strong enough to support it. Plus, the benefits only accrue when you're constructing buildings and wonders, and I see most of our production in the immediate future going towards units.

 

Writing allows Open Borders agreements. The only real cost to signing these is if you've cut off another civ's expansion with your borders. So, I go ahead and sign an open borders agreement with everyone who is willing (this turns out to be everybody but Isabella, who thinks we're heathens, and Tokugowa, who is just a jerk). This will enable international trade routes (which will get us more $ and spread Hinduism for free). None of these start just yet, but they'll come as the AIs discover sailing and sign separate open borders agreements with civs that block the coastline.

 

Also, Archer is complete in Moscow. I switch to a Worker-- our terrain is still rather under-developed.

 

Turn 3 (960BC): Barbarian time! We spot one near Green dot, and our warrior off to the East finds one in the wild. This is a threat-- I moved him before he was completely healed, and he's one a plains tile when he spots it. I mobilize our Moscow archer to cut off the western barb from getting too close:

 

Turn 4 (940BC): Our warrior beats the odds and wins! He gets Woodsman II as a prize:

The barbarian to the west wandered off. I decide not to pursue him-- he may discourage Hatshepsut from claiming that land.

 

Turn 5 (920BC): St. Pete's finishes its archer. I fortify it and begin an Axeman.

 

Our exploring warrior spots a barbarian city-- it's under the magenta circle:

 

Turn 6 (900BC): The barbarian pops up again, this time right on Green Dot. I ignore him. Also, the road to St. Petersburg is completed!

 

Turn 7 (880BC): Novgorod's borders expand. We've now tied Isabella for the highest score.

 

Turn 8 (860BC): Hinduism spreads to St. Petersburg. Yay!

 

Turn 9 (840BC): Worker finished in Moscow. I move him to cottage the second floodplain. Now, we've got a tough call as to what to build next. Settler for Green Dot? Library? Temple (so that we can get a priest specialist working on GP points for our Shrine)? Barracks/Axeman? I decide to make the Settler, figuring that we can pause and build our military & economy after Green Dot is in the fold. A library is a close second, though.

 

Turn 10 (820BC): The worker who had been making roads begins a forest chop in Novgorod, to finish the archer there. I intend the overflow to go to a barracks. As I mentioned way back when it was called "Pink Dot," Novgorod can be a production powerhouse, if we irrigate everything we can, then mine or workshop everything else.

 

Here's an overview of our territory:

We're second in score, but in the middle of the pack in Power, which is more important at this point:

The AI tends to attack civs whose power rating lags behind their score. The Archer being made in Novgorod and the Axeman being made in St. Petes will help that.

Edited March 3, 2006 by Enoch

[alanschu]

I sign an open borders agreement with everyone who is willing (this turns out to be everybody but Isabella, who thinks we're heathens, and Tokugowa, who is just a jerk). This will enable international trade routes (which will get us more $ and spread Hinduism for free).

 

It will also let them know what your cities and defenses are like.

[Enoch]

I sign an open borders agreement with everyone who is willing (this turns out to be everybody but Isabella, who thinks we're heathens, and Tokugowa, who is just a jerk). This will enable international trade routes (which will get us more $ and spread Hinduism for free).

 

It will also let them know what your cities and defenses are like.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I edited that point a bit in the original post (although I didn't mention the spying). To that point, I'll say that it both ways-- we can now scout them out, too. And, realistically, we're far more likely to invade them in the near future than they are to invade us.

[Llyranor]

Point. Though, we would indeed need to actively pursue exploration if we want to take advantage of that. I also agree on expansion right now. Given the limited land, we'd best get some cities up ASAP before we really flesh out the cities.

[alanschu]

I edited that point a bit in the original post (although I didn't mention the spying). To that point, I'll say that it both ways-- we can now scout them out, too. And, realistically, we're far more likely to invade them in the near future than they are to invade us

 

I'm not so sure. Monty is a psycho, but even then it looks like all of your immediate neighbours have more Power than you.

Edited March 3, 2006 by alanschu

[Enoch]

Which is why I think we need to ramp up the military production once we get Green Dot (which, if I remember the Russian city list accurately, will be Rostov) settled.

 

Anyhow, on the open borders, here's my case:

 

Pro:

--Potential religion spreading: this is particularly important because we've delcared a state religion. If we can get Hinduism into a civ before Izzy gives them the truths of the Buddha, we've got an ally. If we don't, we have another enemy.

--International trade.

--Diplomatic bonus.

--We can scout out rival terrain. (We should build a scout or two to do this once we've got a decent defense.)

--I find that civs will usually (though not always) withdraw from the Open Borders agreement if they're thinking about attacking. This gives us a warning of a few turns to prepare.

 

Con:

--Cutting off the AI: Not an issue here as we're surrounded.

--Lets rival scouts in.

--AI civs can benefit from international trade routes with us.

 

I think the balance is clearly in favor of open borders.

[alanschu]

True enough. I don't typically go for religions as often anymore, so the religious trade is a bit moot.

[Enoch]

True enough.  I don't typically go for religions as often anymore, so the religious trade is a bit moot.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'd argue that it's even more important then. You need the trade routes to bring in foreign religions (the more the better) so you can build temples and monasteries.

[alanschu]

Not at this stage of the game. As you said, I don't need organized religion because I'm building units, and the happiness bonus for a state religion is usually mitigated by the fact that I can get representation from the pyramids.

 

And while I don't get any bonuses from similar religion types, I don't get any penalties either.

 

 

I don't hardline the Open Borders....I do eventually open them up. Just not at the beginning of the game.

[Enoch]

Not at this stage of the game.  As you said, I don't need organized religion because I'm building units, and the happiness bonus for a state religion is usually mitigated by the fact that I can get representation from the pyramids.

 

And while I don't get any bonuses from similar religion types, I don't get any penalties either.

 

 

I don't hardline the Open Borders....I do eventually open them up.  Just not at the beginning of the game.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Fair point.

 

Actually, in my own games, I find it's usually better not to adopt a state religion. One happy face per city isn't enough payoff for alienating a substantial number of the other civs. But that means that I'll need the temples even more. The 10% science bonus from a monastery is also very nice. Lastly, religion is a good way to get some rudimentary culture in your new cities. (When you have no state religion, each faith in the city gives +1 cuture/turn.)

[Llyranor]

When I was first reading about the game, I didn't particularly care whether the religions were different from each other or whatever. In hindsight, though, I realize how much more they could have added to the game if there was actually incentive to adopt a certain religion depending on what it actually provided gameplay-wise. Too bad.

[alanschu]

That's why I value representation. It gives me +3 happiness in my 6 largest cities (I usually play the bigger world sizes), and has the same upkeep cost as despotism (which provides no bonuses).

 

Another concern I have is that by allowing other religions to come into my lands, I end up giving other nations free money.

 

I've never really tried it, but I could see an advantage of going for respresentation and mercantilism, while maintaining closed borders. I can't remember if you can still trade techs with closed borders though.

 

 

How much will opening the borders for trade help you at the moment? Do you have any connections to anyone outside of along that river?

 

 

 

EDIT: I'm pretty sure some mods have come out to modify the attributes of the religions.

 

 

I don't blame them for not touching that subject though.

Edited March 3, 2006 by alanschu

[Nick_i_am]

Yeah, you know how touchy people can get about stuff like that.

[Llyranor]

lol lol society

[SteveThaiBinh]

Wow, so few takers. No matter, maybe it'll pick up later in the week. I'll go next.

[SteveThaiBinh]

This set of 10 turns was mostly preparation for the next guy. :D

 

780BC: Our finances sadly ran out, and I reduced research spending to 90% just before we hit rock bottom. I've also set St. Petersburg to build a settler.

 

We are the most cultured civ in the world! :cool:

 

680BC: Our worker at Moscow is finished - Moscow is quite well developed, so I've sent him to work on Novgorod, where there are now two workers.

 

620BC: My final turn, and the next player will have two settlers to play with. I strongly recommend the green dot for the first settler available, as I'm sure Hatshepsut has her eyes on those ivory. :ph34r: There's an archer unit on the road who I was planning to send to green dot ahead of the settler. For the second city, there's a pair of wine resources SE of Novgorod that might be worth claiming, but other credible locations too.

 

 

 

Edited March 5, 2006 by SteveThaiBinh