Civilization III Feature
Civilization III will soon be appearing in stores. Begin preparing for the epic game today with the Adrenaline Vault's strategy briefs, written by Firaxis producer Jeff Morris.
 

As I mentioned before, my favorite games are those that involve strong, established empires going to war with each other. In these situations, the vocabulary introduced into diplomacy and trade is fantastic, and you can revel in the fun of invading an opponent's continent. This completely shapes my approach to advance research. My overall game strategy is to focus on not falling behind the AI and building large, well-defended, and improved cities in the first two eras. After that, it's World War time.

During the Ancient Era, I go to the Tech Tree and queue up the advances leading to Literature. While an optional advance, the Great Library wonder is a critical Wonder for my play style. It pretty much ensures that as long as I'm actively establishing contact with other civilizations, I won't fall too far behind in advance research until at least the late Middle Ages. Plus, it's nice being able to reallocate research gold into entertainment or the treasury. After that, I pursue Monarchy. This is my default government type unless I'm alone on a continent or I decide to go for a heavy culture game--with its corresponding high maintenance costs. Then I simply mop-up any required advances, usually focusing on the Iron Working and Construction branch of the tree.

In the Middle Ages, I'm gunning for Gunpowder. It's not a quick trek, particularly because you need to survive the Knights and Cavalry that populate the era, but it's a prudent goal. With the discovery of Gunpowder, I usually am flagging civilizations as targets for future wars. If I've got the saltpeter strategic resource, I will plan on attacking the most vulnerable or unpopular. If I don't, it's time to start heavy diplomacy, swapping maps and making friends from whom I can borrow saltpeter. Next, I may start acquiring naval advances like Astronomy, Navigation, and Magnetism. Otherwise, I'll take advantage of the research already completed and secure cannons with Metallurgy. While they pale in comparison to the Industrial Era's Artillery, they can be upgraded and are fairly effective defensive units.

The Industrial Era starts, as it probably will for most players, with Medicine and Sanitation for their hospitals. Without these elements, it's fairly difficult to amass enough population to produce the increasingly expensive improvements and units. Then, it's time to secure the bread and butter of my military: Replaceable Parts. Next, I'll start mass-producing artillery and infantry and then acquire Flight and possibly Amphibious War. Both Amphibious War and Advanced Flight are very useful advances on small island maps, since they enable versatile assault units like the Marine and Helicopter. If I'm attempting a Space Race victory, I'll pick up Espionage since sabotaging production is a very effective way to ensure you launch for Alpha Centauri first.

By the time I get to the Modern Age, the stage is usually set for both my opponents and me. If you're not careful, pollution can be a very devastating handicap in this era. While I'm usually good about keeping production cities well staffed with workers to clean them up, I'll sometimes still find Ecology and Recycling worthwhile. I don't always go down this road, but if global warming is turning your grasslands into desert, it can be a lifesaver. After that, I'll usually pick either Synthetic Fibers if I'm feeling the pressure in my campaigns of conquest, or Genetics for it's Great Wonders that sooth and boost the population. Occasionally, Integrated Defense can be an early priority if nuclear weapons are in play. To be honest, though, it's a better preventative measure than cure. Usually, if there are mushroom clouds sprouting across the globe, global warming will starve you and everyone else back into the Stone Age no matter what you do.

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Real War Interview with Jim Omer - 16 March 2001
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Ancient Era Strategy Brief by Jeff Morris