Emperor and above

[CBR1100]

Is anyone playing these levels?
It seems inevetable that you are going to fall well back behind the AI at the start but I just wondered how far back is too far back.

[rjmatsleepers]

I'm currently playing at Emporer level and getting soundly beaten. In my experience your play needs to be much more precise than at lower levels. Delaying wonder construction will often mean you lose that wonder. Similarly, you need to optimise the order you research the early techs so that they match the resources available. And as many people have noted, you need to find copper or iron fairly early in order to defend yourself against barbarians.

RJM at Sleeper's

[Blake]

I find emperor easier than I was anticipating (not a huge jump up from monarch, other than health/happy caps). But I would NOT like to brave the upkeep of emperor without an organized leader, the upkeep is savage and crushing and relieving even some of that pressure makes it easier to prosper.

On the other hand I've had to change some of my thinking, like some games my capital is so small that I use my first Great Scientist as a super-specialist - if my capital is only producing (say) 15 commerce, and running 50% science, then that's only 8 science, which is only +4 with the Acadamy. A great Scientist is +6 science and +1 hammer, and that +1 hammer... it can help.

But overall the same (organized-leader) strategies from Monarch are working fine.

[Robert]

I've won my (first) Monarch game yesterday (Huge map, 11 civs, continents)
I'm about to start a new emperor game.
I'll let you know if it's a huge difference from Monarch.

Monarch is quiet a challenge already, but I feel like I've nailed the challenge now I've won one game and barely lost the one before. (only 4 turns too late for space race victory)

I must say btw. that the space race is really really interesting in civ4.
Though it's ending is a little bit abrupt. I prefer the civ1/2 version of the space race. Decide to develop your spaceship further so it'll travel faster, or send it away as early as possible with a longer travel time. That way you can even make strategic decisions on that level, and the arrival on AC is what matters in the end.

I was surprised by the space race victory movie, eventhough I thought that one was a bit short as well. It lacked the "Aller menschen werden bruder" musical victory theme as well But it may be that after SMAC that's not really a good idea anymore after reaching AC

[Dominae]

I play Emperor/Immortal. It's challenging in that, you need to know what you're doing. Just "seeing what happens" and reacting to it will not work.

ORG is not a requirement for Emperor/Immortal play. Getting too hung up on Upkeep/Maintenance costs can make you forget the strengths of the other traits.

[Blake]

ORG is not a requirement for Emperor/Immortal play. Getting too hung up on Upkeep/Maintenance costs can make you forget the strengths of the other traits.

Oh yeah, it's just that Org happens to be my best trait and pretty much always has been. Playing other traits would be more out of my comfort zone. I'm sure I'd suceed as Alexander, Catherine and a few other non-org civs... And I wont touch industrial leaders with a 9foot pole, I probably should, but I can't, the one industrial tatic I like - "chopping cash" (ie powering economy by refunds), seems a bit dodgy. The leaders I use always have a second trait, and that is the trait I focus on .

[Hauptman]

blah blake, screw organized...

Try Philo and after your first scientist, switch to merchants... then place that merchant in a city and that does more than your organized does.

Granted anyone can make g-men, but philo makes them come into play sooo much earlier. and an early g-man is a HUGE bonus.

I can have 1 scientist and 1 merchant in about the same time it takes you to do the first scientist.

[Blake]

Maybe I play Mao? (org/phi) :P

There's a reason I said I could pull it off with Alexander too... Philo ROCKs.

Tho i'm still partial to Great Prophets, their bonuses seem somehow better than the merchants.

Only problem with Philo is it's a little bit reliant on actually getting.... food. Some games I somehow end up starved, like no nearby city site with better than a single non-freshwater rice. Some grassland pigs would be nice.

Not that Philo is a total loss in such a situation - far from it, it means less time spent with food locked up in specialists, but I still like to be able to run at least 3 priests/scientists/merchants and hopefully have a food surplus too. A GPP pump like that makes me happy.

[One_more_turn]

I just achieved a domination victory at monarch level. I must say that Roosevelt is the best empire builder and warmongering leader. Cheap forges, wonders, and organized rock!

[Saurus]

After winning a cultural victory on Monarch, I moved up to Emperor yesterday.

It's not that much different from Monarch as far as as I can tell judging from my limited experience so far.
I was afraid A.I would get some huge Reserach/production bonuses making the game dull...but after a while I realized the game is still very playable on Emperor.
I'm trying to win a cultural victory right now... I don't think I will make it this time... but it should defineately be possible.

The biggest difference you will notice immediately is the higher civic cost.
Unless you play as an Organized Civ, you will pay maintenance from the moment you find your first city!
This cripples your early reserach badly.
The main inpact is that it will be very difficult to get an early religion.

[CBR1100]

Not being able to get religion early was what killed me on Emperor. But that was because I was playing as America. I may try with one of the spiritual civs next time.
I think you eventually find a level that suits you and that may not always be the highest you can win with. I can win on Monarch fairly easly but I have most fun on Prince because it's easy enough to allow a bit of war mongering but still hard enough to punish you if you take too many risks.
On Monarch you can't really plan on a big scale assault untill it's late in the game and by then your nearing the space race ending. I would just like to win one with a domination victory and not have to kiss the other civs asses through most of the game so they'll not kick yours.
BTW I play on Archipeligo/huge maps and I think this helps on the harder levels because it's easier to defend an island and impossible for immediate counter attacks by the AI once you do manage to take a city.