Prince Level Challenge...

[AAHZ]

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[Swiss Pauli]

Had a quick look and here are some comments:

- Marathon speed is not so good for learning. Normal is better because of the relatively quicker speed of research. And because you'll be able to play more games in the same play time...

- Research is confused: with Carthage, Bronzeworking would have been a stronger opening than Hunting. I would have opened with Agri - AH - Bronze, building a workboat first to scout, followed by a worker. Also, you don't need Drama at all; Mysticism is fine for early border pops, especially as it gives +1 happy to CHM civs.

- Military: your units are idling in your cities when they should be out busting fog so that you can send out settlers unescorted. Don't pre-promote units, especially defensive promos like CG; units don't unfortify (any more) when promoted, so you can choose depending on the situation.

- Build order: Granaries are vital buildings because of the efficient growth they give and they should be whipped at the right time to allow pop re-growth soon after completion (see attached save). Hadrumetum didn't need to pop its borders, so a workboat should have been build 1 and probably build 2.

- Expansion: too slow. I've marked some possible cities and you should put units nearby to clear fog and grab them.

- Strategy: you don't seem to have a plan. Check Vel's strategy threads and look up approaches like the Philo slingshot. Aiming at certain medium term goals will help you make better choices in your play.

- Finally: try the opening again (trying to avoid using the knowledge you have from the first attempt) and compare the results.

[AAHZ]

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[joncnunn]

One note I'd make is that the value of Hunting as the first tech to reserach is dependent upon the map. The more land there is (on your landmass), the more useful it is as the first tech for exploration.

On religion as any civ that doesn't start with Mystism, with Blake's mod the earlyist practical one is Judism, and often Confucism is a better bet.

[jbp26]

this isnt quite what i meant in the other thread. while posting your save games for critique is a good way to learn, it works a little different in apolyton university. the way its typically done is to post a save from the very first turn. then everybody plays the game from the same start and posts a report of how they did it. its very interesting to see all of the different strategies unfold, and to be able to compare them. also while marathon mode is good its a little slow for comparison purposes. id say epic.

[AAHZ]

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[Dominae]

Just looking at the screenshot from your second game: you could use more Workers.

[jbp26]

Originally posted by AAHZ
ok... sorry jbp26,

i have the autosave from the first turn from this particular game. sorry for "breaking the rules" so to speak... i will post it if you like, but i DO believe i see what i have been doing wrong.

its not breaking the rules. by all means, post the save, i'll play through it. im far from great, but i can usually win on prince. maybe we can learn from each other.

[AAHZ]

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[AAHZ]

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[Swiss Pauli]

More tips: Game 2 Hadrumetum is poorly sited - coast is your friend. I don't know if you intentionally move your city sites from game 1, but they were both perfectly good, so I hope not. Ands you've also failed to put a city on fish/iron site (by the scoreboard on the screenie).

Also, you don't seem to have thought about how you plan to win. Finally, Marathon speed is unbalanced in favour of warmongering. Try Epic if you wan't a more, er, epic feel that normal gives.

PS: No idea what happened to my save.

[AAHZ]

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[Addled Platypus]

Originally posted by jbp26


its not breaking the rules. by all means, post the save, i'll play through it. im far from great, but i can usually win on prince. maybe we can learn from each other.

it's always the same rule


just how we interpret them...


dont worry about it

[Kataphraktoi]

Originally posted by AAHZ
Swiss Pauli,

you have just hit the nail on the head... City placement is a HUGE problem for me, and often is the difference in whether i win or lose a particular game.

Also I will not play Marathon for training purposes anymore (after this game.)

Winning IS the biggest problem of them all for me, as i do NOT seem to have a clear strategy on Prince Level. You see on Noble, i just won by diplomacy or space race every time so i carried this, and other, bad ideas over to Prince level. I AM going to try the warmongering tactic though, just to see if is effective for me. That will be at least the START of a plan...

Turn on the resource marker for one(bottom right ? button) That marks out your city spots for you(anywhere within two tiles of a food bonus)

[AAHZ]

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[Kataphraktoi]

Whoops i didnt look at the date