Best Civilization for my Playstyle?

[sportsfreaklgg]

Hey all, I was curious what the best civilization(s) would be for me considering my playstyle. I will try to describe myself as best as possible.

Throughout the early game and mid game I love to focus on getting the technological edge. During this time, it's all about pumping up research, and founding a religion or two to fund expansion. I also like to wonder whore a little bit in case I need to go for a Time victory. I wont build up military much except for defensive purposes (barbarians.) Also, right when I research astronomy and then Communism (for state property) I leak out some galleons containing settlers and send them to obscure but productive Islands. (I play on Big and Small generally) I continue along this path generally until i begin to reach the endgame. Here is when I use my technological edge to my advantage and begin making superior military units. Once space on Earth begins to run out (I play on the biggest maps possible, on marathon) I start to take some of the land myself from enemies.
So optimally I go for the Space race, if not, time victory.

I would also like to be generating a lot of great people throughout the game but I know I can't have everything.


I'm willing to make some modifications to my strategy if there is a civilization that fits all the other aspects of my strategy.

[snoopy369]

Inca, would be my gut feeling for that... FIN/IND, so technology and wonders, and a UU that helps with barbs.

[Willem]

Either that or someone who's Financial/Philosophical. Popping a number of Great Scientists would certainly give you a technological edge. Though I'm not sure who that would be. Either way, you're most certainly looking for some sort of Financial civ.

[sportsfreaklgg]

Hmm... ok.

A question about the Financial Civic:

Does the +1 commerce to 2 commerce tiles apply to tiles that are already above 2 commerce?

In other words, will having the financial civic benefit you on a tile that has, lets say, 4 commerce already? Would it give you 5?

[snoopy369]

FIN gives +1 commerce to every tile at 2 or more commerce, yes. It benefits you the most in the early to mid game, when your cottages are only cottages or hamlets; once you have towns and printing press and such, it is less of a factor (simply because 5+1=6 is less significant percentage wise than 2+1=3).

It's very useful in avoiding the pre-Currency/CoL blues while allowing expansion above the normal rate.

[snoopy369]

BTW, FIN is a solid strat for cottage economy, it is not that useful for a pure GP economy (though it works for a hybrid economy). PHI of course is if you want a GP economy, PHI and IND/EXP most likely.

[TriMiro]

Regardless of how one plays, economy of of top most importance. The options are cottages or specialists or some sort of hybrid. PHI goes great with SE and will boost the effect of those wonders that you are building.

If you are going for peaceful expansion, you need to get as much land as possible before the others. Things to consider are: IMP more settlers and CRE more culture = more land. In my experience, Catherine of Russia is a very good choice. One can go either way, peace or war with her and still do well. Pericles of Greece is another option (for strong SE). Those are my favorite leaders.

I have done some great peace games with Cyrus of Persia, IMP = more settlers and CHA = more population early on. Also consider the Ottomans, they get a great early UB which gives them huge boost in population and respectively production (wonders) and commerce (science).

[Supr49er]

Welcome to Apolyton sportsfreaklgg.

I find Mansa Musa to be a good tech leader.
He's the only one to start with the Wheel and Mining, so you can get copper/iron hooked up fast.
He's SPI and COLOR=red]FIN[/COLOR], so you can get early temples and expand.
Skirmisher UU is good defender.
Mint UB generates +10%

[johnmcd]

Carthage is good, financial and charismatic is a nice mix for sitting and teching and going fighting. Plus, the Cothon is incredible strong for building big commerce with a minimum of effort.

Won't help your wonder building though.

[Arrian]

The Inca are clearly a good choice. FIN/IND = money and wonders. That's your style (and mine - I play the Inca a lot).

Roosevelt of the Americans wouldn't be bad (ORG/IND), especially if you like to expand a bunch - ORG really helps with that. If you tend toward smallish empires, then forget ORG.

Elizabeth of England (FIN/PHI).
Who is CHA/IND again... DeGaulle? Gives you the wonderbuilding edge + some indirect economic benifit from the extra happiness from CHA.

-Arrian

[couerdelion]

The only problem with the Incas is that they play well to an aggressive start to take out the nearest civ or two.

But beyond that with FIN/IND for teching and wonders and a Mysticism start for an early religion, they've got all you want.

Having said that, I'm wondering if you are probably trying to be too greedy. There are many ways to get an early tech lead other than via the FIN trait.

Some choice wonders are always useful and key among these would be Oracle, Pyramids, Great Library, Great Lighthouse. And don't forget that ORG gets a bonus when building the Great Lighthouse.

Then there is the GP route which plays well to a PHI civ - but there are no IND.

CRE is also great because your cities expand to use more resources. Better placed cities mean more city output for fewer cities earlier.

But for an easy start, you can't go too wrong with Huayna Capac.

[Arrian]

It should be noted that the Inca, due to their UB (Terrace) are psuedo-creative. It's not nearly as good as being CRE, of course, but terraces are generally good early builds anyway, and give you +2 culture/turn. I actually find it helps me, because it gives me added incentive to build granaries, which I can sometimes neglect.

-Arrian

[sportsfreaklgg]

Yeah i'm definetely going to try the Incas the next time I play. Thanks for the advice.

[rah]

Yes and even good when you're expanding through conquest. Even the most useless AI cities that you capture will have a granery in them that becomes a Terrace giving you instant culture once it comes out of revolt. Yes psuedo-creative.