High difficulty level tactics

[MadDjinn]

I've recently started attempting Emperor level Terra maps..

Are there any good, as yet undocumented, ways to level the field with the overcheated starts for the AIs?

not thinking tech related either...

one such thing is stealing workers... I've noticed that if you can get a unit to the AI's borders early, they'll mostly have their workers unguarded.. a quick hop across for the steal, and then dodging angry Archers all the way back home. this can be done to 1-2 AI's at best before they all start protecting their workers. even still, once the barbs show up, the workers are always protected.

[DrSpike]

I tend to see emperor as a race to get my cities down before the AI grabs all the spots, with a constraint that you have to stay in the tech race or conquests (probably necessary as you probably wont get as much land as you want) will get extremely hard.

Unless you're settling in for a prolonged warlike game or have one of the civs with a really early UU I don't think the attack-straight-away strategy should necessarily be your banker. With some starts the CS slingshot works, and you can get back in the tech race, then use a catapult enhanced attack to grab land regardless of resources. Another option is an alphabet rush with more early expansion.

[Snotty]

the only deity game I survived for any length of time I took my neighbours Isabllas religion when she asked me and spread it through my cities, so at least I had one buddy who was really pleased to help me

[Dominae]

You cannot afford to delay researching Alphabet and using tech trading to keep up in research.

[MadDjinn]

is it me, or do we almost have to go with Settler first on Terra maps/Emperor?

I'm finding that even taking the time to build a warrior is too long.. the AI's will have settled all the good areas right beside your capital, and prevent you from expanding...

[trev]

I have always used a worker first strategy, followed by warriors until my capital is close to or at health/happy limits before building settlers continuously to fill the region around my capital, often on immortal this an average of 3 cities, more on emperor. After this point I hope I have copper and begin upgrading my military while heading to alphabet, making sure on emperor I have 1 other tech I can trade at least, maybe iron working, maybe code of laws, so alphabet is not traded immediately, on immortal trade alphabet, as the AI's will be close to it anyway. This way I can keep up technologically, and I prioritise particular techs, the best example is 'paper', even on immortal you will beat the AI's to it and get a lot of trades for it.
At the same time I will keep a competitive military at all times, and will often assault on neighbour for brief wars every 50 turns or so, capturing 2 -3 cities each time hopefully, as I find i need to progress to be the biggest in land area to be competitive in the later stages of the game, and win by spaceship usually on emperor, on immortal unfortunately I have not won yet, but I regularly have games where I almost win, and expect to win one soon.

[couerdelion]

The tech race is one you need to get under control quickly but they key is really to acquire an early military and take the cities from the AI. Only take those you can use or those you don’t want the AI to have (eg Iron from Rome, Ivory from any neighbour) until you’ve got the costs control of Courthouses.

Once you’ve got a decent money machine from your first round of conquests move to stage two with swords and grab another 3 or 4 cities. As long as you’ve got the costs under control, you should be able to maintain a tech lead and a production lead so from that point on can pick your fights as you wish.

[Dominae]

Originally posted by MadDjinn
is it me, or do we almost have to go with Settler first on Terra maps/Emperor?

I'm finding that even taking the time to build a warrior is too long.. the AI's will have settled all the good areas right beside your capital, and prevent you from expanding...

I have never tried the Terra maps, but on Fractal, Pangea, Inland Sea, and pretty much all the other SP maps that I can think of this has never happened to me. You should be able to expand to 3 cities without a problem, make that 4-5 if you forego early Wonders. You definitely do not have the luxury of always picking "the best spots" on Emperor, so be a bit more conservative (that is, found your cities closer to home) and you will not be out-REXed. With about 5 cities on a Standard map you should have the tools you need to grab a few more and starting dominating from there.

Another trick is just building one additional city, and build military units with your cap and that one. Such an early rush should net you the extra cities that you would have built during your REX phase. This works especially well with Cyrus and the Khans, but is doable with any start that has Horses or Copper within reach .

[MadDjinn]

hmm.. on Terra Maps I am 'choosing close to home'.. It's usually packed in, and the AI tends to go for the closer places to me, rather than better positions.

[vodkak15]

Originally posted by Dominae

Another trick is just building one additional city, and build military units with your cap and that one. Such an early rush should net you the extra cities that you would have built during your REX phase. This works especially well with Cyrus and the Khans, but is doable with any start that has Horses or Copper within reach .

yay, that's right, i always do that, but all i've reached is mornach, i can't imagine how u beat the damn AI on higher level ,so curious ,pff...

[Blake]

Originally posted by MadDjinn
is it me, or do we almost have to go with Settler first on Terra maps/Emperor?

I'm finding that even taking the time to build a warrior is too long.. the AI's will have settled all the good areas right beside your capital, and prevent you from expanding...

Correct. Terra maps are insanely cramped, if you delay the settler much at all you'll have to settle for a coastal spot...
Fighting to gain some space is pretty much essential.

[Dominae]

Originally posted by vodkak15
yay, that's right, i always do that, but all i've reached is mornach, i can't imagine how u beat the damn AI on higher level ,so curious ,pff...

Post an Emperor save you're having trouble with and I'll have a go at it.

[Datajack Franit]

Disabling Tech Trading is a must if you want to have a chance in winning at Emperor

[DrSpike]

Not really. Getting alphabet early and then systematically abusing the AIs deficiencies on defence will do it. You can even make a few errors at emperor.

[trev]

I totally agree, easy to amintaintech parity on emperor with good trading and maybe get brief leads as well, always easy to get to say assembly line first and expand substantially with the infantry advantage.