Apolyton Civ4 PREVIEW (By Solver) - Part 3 online

[MarkG]

Third and final part online!

http://civilization4.net/3/171/313/

[alva]

EDIT:
Those who are confused:
pision = Division

Solver has some weird obscure tic, every time he should write 'div', he does in fact write 'P'.
Like I said...Weird.

[Fidel]

thank you for our daily fix

[volcanohead]

Thankyou thankyou thankyou

[Ninot]

thats an AMAZING diplo screen

Still no news on naval units tho

[volcanohead]

No espionage or air combat either...

But, really, isn't it better to have something new to discover when we actually get the game...?

[volcanohead]

One question for Solver: have you seen a friendly AI turn the tables on you and perform a successful sneak attack against you when you were not expecting it? Or are they 'faithful' ?

[Atahualpa]

Great

Yeah, I missed naval combat as well... I've heard very little about it, every preview seems to focus on land combat and siege weapons.

Civ Live Long and Prosper!

[Jaybe]

Civ Live Long and Prosper! -- NOT! That's a misquote, surely.

Civ Long and Prosper!

[Harovan]

Very good review, thank you.

[GeoModder]

Now we only need to await the game.

A big Thanks to the 'Poly staff giving us all this information.

[yin26]

You will not see the AI trying to take your heavily defended city with 2 units. If 2 units is all it has in your land, the AI will pillage instead. The AI is willing and able to wait for reinforcements, assemble a sizeable group and strike against your cities. It also knows how to use its promotions and siege weapons to make the task easier.

While I fully expect that a non-cheating (or non bonused) AI that gives us a true run for our money might be a long way away, if what Solver says here is true and not just a fluke, then this is substantial. If, for example, the AI is clever enough simply to raze your land to ashes rather than commit suicide against a fortified town, then I'll be floored. Combine that with actually waiting for reinforcements before launching an attack?

Have to see this to believe it!

[alva]

Even if it does that sometimes it be some achievement.

[GeoModder]

The same "pillaging" behaviour could be seen in SMAC already, especially native life destroying improvements.

[yin26]

True, but I suspect this is something more targeted and less broad brush, particularly combined with waiting for reinforcements. One of the worst things the AI does with its units is to send them in useless packets. Anyway, I'm not holding my breath, but this is fun to think about.