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Bismarck, Qin or Gandhi?

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  • Bismarck, Qin or Gandhi?

    Hello, fellow Civ IV Addicts.
    I'm trying to figure out which Civilization to play on a long-term basis.
    My Playstyle can adapt to suit whatever is more effective, but I prefer to maintain a defensive empire with strong production.
    I've narrowed my favourite Civ to the 3 mentioned in the title. Here are what I see as the playstyles of each:

    Bismarck: Captain Locust!
    Expansive, and starts with Mining.
    Also Industrious - so you're getting more Chop for your Buck when you build Wonders, and what else would you chop for, besides an early settler?
    Five words sum up this German powerhouse:
    Great Lighthouse and Harbors, Noob!
    Expansive lets you spam the harbors, starting tech gets you a chop advantage, and Industrious pretty much guarantees you the GLH if you beeline for it.
    The Forges (Industrious) are bolstered by the +2 Health (Expansive), to make Bismarck a powerful producer.
    Starting with a Scout is always good for the Trash Huts. =)
    The unique unit comes late in the game, but is pretty strong. Free Blitz, anyone?

    Qin Shi Huang: Cottage Cheese!
    Starts with Agriculture, leads to Pottery, is Financial.
    Again, has the Mining to Bronzeworking + Industrious chop combo, though not as useful as Qin doesn't have any I Win Button Wonders, save perhaps for Pyramids + Universal Sufferage so you can exploit your cottage cheese. =)
    I don't tend to use Crossbowmen much, but I suppose if I ever have to get off my builder butt and tech to something other than Civil Service then they'd be quite useful.

    Gandhi: Temple Spam.
    Different playstile to both Qin and Bismarck. He starts with Mysticism and is Spiritual, which basically screams "Temple please".
    Industrious + Mining->Bronze combo still applies, and Stonehenge is quite powerful in Gandhi's hands - free culture!
    If you were going for a Cultural victory, there's no question - it's either Gandhi or Saladin. I prefer Gandhi because Industrious is a lot more versatile than Philisophical, and ...
    Fast Workers.
    Most useful unique unit in the game to anyone who doesn't start next to the Incas. The ability to move onto a forest and chop it on the same turn gives them a significant leg up in getting their first Settlers and Workers rolling.

    So, which do you folk think is the stronger leader?
    What other tactics might work with these leaders?
    Also, if there's another leader that you think is even better, feel free to say why and give them a free plug. =)
    33
    Bismarck
    24.24%
    8
    Qin Shi Huang
    18.18%
    6
    Gandhi
    30.30%
    10
    Banana Plantation
    27.27%
    9

  • #2
    I see 3 votes for Gandhi so far.
    What makes him so popular? The ability to get religions easily, and thus stay on top of Culture?

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    • #3
      I think most people really underestimate Qin.

      Financial is the best trait in the game, hands down.

      Industrious is at least top 4.

      And a properly timed Chu-ko-nu assault can be unstoppable.

      Gandhi can be insane with some forest chopped religion wonders VERY fast.

      Bismark Late UU combined with Expansive. No thanks.

      Comment


      • #4
        Erm, Saladin?
        Speaking of Erith:

        "It's not twinned with anywhere, but it does have a suicide pact with Dagenham" - Linda Smith

        Comment


        • #5
          Meh, Financial. Nothing more than a crutch, in my opinion.

          I like Bismark. Starts with Hunting, so can quickly research archery to rush people, and stand a decent chance of capturing a capital, never mind choke someone pretty damn well. The expansive trait helps you overcome the problems later in the game where health is the limiting factor of city size and not happiness, and cheap Forges are always nice. And cheap granaries..great. One forest shop, and boom, there is the granary. Now that is powerful for new cities, getting them up to speed more quickly than your opponents.

          The main problem I have found that Bismark has is getting the happiness at the start of the game. Religion is not easy to get, starting without myst, and so I generally find myself racing to take a religion away from someone, and conquering more civs to get the happy resources, and not specifically for the land...

          though to tell the truth, Industrius is not the most powerful trait. Sure it is nice to have cheap forges, but if you don't want to invest shields into wonders or get stuck behind in the tech race and can't build them, or pour the shields into military instead, industrious looses it's bonus.

          IMO, Bismark works more because of the sunergy of the traits, then eithers individual power.

          Greater than The Sum of Their Patrs, so the speak.
          You just wasted six ... no, seven ... seconds of your life reading this sentence.

          Comment


          • #6
            I'd hardly call extra coins a crutch, I'd call 'em extra coins. =)

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