Always out-teched by AI

[kyuss]

Hi,

I'm playing warlords in Prince, Marathon and huge map. The Ai always develop techs much faster than me, and about 1400AD someone declares war killing me softly

I usually play Huayna Capac (Ind/Fin) in order to avoid the economic crisis and to produce as much wonders as I can.

First I go to polytheism to get hinduism, then to masonry to get the pyramids, but by that that time the other available wonders are already built (or almost).

Then my focus is in expand my empire but with the economic crisis preventing the over-expanding and the barbs super hordes (I hate that super axeman), my power in research seems to be greatly reduced.

I need some tips to avoid the AI killing my precious empire.

[Qwertqwert]

Keep a larger military... Go for polytheism first (At prince I wouldn't bother though) but then get archery to get some archers to defend your cities. And Animal Husbandry so you can get Chariots to fight off the Axemen.

[Loader2k]

Dont build the Pyramids and think twice about going for a religion early.
Wonders and religions can be useful, sure, but since the difficulties they are opening up are killing you, let them go.

Pyramids are really nice to have, sure. But they are also very expensive and a HUGE commitment.
And for happiness management, Monarchy is even better than Representation. So you can do without them.

You'll certainly miss the Great Engineer, but on the other hand you can get yourselve a Great Scientist earlier (with a library) and build an Academy.


A safe opening would be to research to bronze working at the start, then found your second city next to copper. Additionally, you can slave whip and forest chop with bronze working. This tech should be a very high priority, especially if you are having problems with barbarians - once you have connected copper, barbs will be easy to defend against.

If you dont have copper you have to be careful and see how to defend your young civ - be it archers, chariots or going for iron.

After BW, if i have copper, i usually go for Pottery so that i can build hamlets with my workers - those will speed up future research.

Sometimes i go for Pottery first, then BW.

I only build the Pyramids if i have stone. Otherwise i find it just too risky - you're lacking in so many departments, military, growth, so that you might run into big troubles shortly afterwards. Plus Representation is only really worth it if you want to go specialist heavy - for happiness, Monarchy beats it.

[Cort Haus]

kyuss, the best thing to do is post a save and ask people to critique it.

From what you say, I also suggest dropping the Pyramids and getting worker techs to improve resource tiles, including BW and pottery. Get cottages down and work them to build up your commercial output.

[trev]

Courthouses are necessary as early as possible also, learn Code of Laws and build those courthouses, in the early and middle game organised is more powerful than financial, as it allows more expansion with lower city cost which is controlled easier with cheap courthouses. However from the industrial age in particular financial becomes very powerful and clearly overtakes organised as a civ. However a well played game will result in victory before that time on all levels up to emperor.

[Cort Haus]

Originally posted by trev
However from the industrial age in particular financial becomes very powerful and clearly overtakes organised as a civ. However a well played game will result in victory before that time on all levels up to emperor.

It's a bit difficult to get a space ship win before the industrial age, though.

[trev]

Domination and Conquest is possible much earlier though.

[Cort Haus]

Originally posted by trev
Domination and Conquest is possible much earlier though.

Sure, but I was questioning your use of the term 'well-played-game' to mean well-played-warmongery. Buildery space ships wins are not 'bad play'.

[Hauptman]

You want6 to know how they Outtech you? They TRADE techs amongst themselves. So you need to do that too!

On later level it is absolutely Imperitive that you tech deep and trade to keep up.

[PrinceBimz]

One thing, trade techs as much as you can however you can. This will help you keep up in techs. Some of them at times are not easy to deal with and won't trade anything. I went to war many of games because of this reason.

As far as them attacking you... keep in mind, a larger more advanced military = respect. Its just that you need to get the techs and be able to build and maintain one which is not always easy. Military is a must, even when not at war during peace times. It helps keep peace thats for sure.

I will say, there were times when I built a very small military, one unit per city and nothing else. This worked because I gave the AI anything they asked for. Eventually, I started to get other countries angry with me for giving stuff to their rivals, so it caught up with me. I ended up at war and begging for mercy due to having a weak military.

[One_more_turn]

It's important to get to Alphabet first. It can easily catapult you to the most advanced nation.

[Cort Haus]

Originally posted by One_more_turn
It's important to get to Alphabet first. It can easily catapult you to the most advanced nation.

While Alphabet is essential at the higher levels of play, and at medium levels can give a strong tech lead, it can also open up the threat fest if you don't have enough military.

There's nothing worse that having Monty or Alex demanding Civil Service off you on the same turn as Alphabet is researched after a slingshot.

[khumak]

Re: Always out-teched by AI

Originally posted by kyuss
Hi,

I'm playing warlords in Prince, Marathon and huge map. The Ai always develop techs much faster than me, and about 1400AD someone declares war killing me softly

I usually play Huayna Capac (Ind/Fin) in order to avoid the economic crisis and to produce as much wonders as I can.

First I go to polytheism to get hinduism, then to masonry to get the pyramids, but by that that time the other available wonders are already built (or almost).

Then my focus is in expand my empire but with the economic crisis preventing the over-expanding and the barbs super hordes (I hate that super axeman), my power in research seems to be greatly reduced.

I need some tips to avoid the AI killing my precious empire.

Coincidently, your set up is almost exactly what I've been playing lately (Prince, Marathon, Large, Terra, Huayna Capac). The key to getting wonders built as Huayna is to maximize that early advantage you get from being Financial. Huayna is tailor made for the CS slingshot.

The first 3 techs you want to research are Wheel, Pottery, Writing. I'd recommend starting off building worker, settler, warriors til writing, then library. Put your worker to work building cottages, roads, and mines immediately. You primarily want to be working cottages because those give you at least 3 gold per square initially.

Another initial option is to build work boats if you start off on the coast with fish, clams, etc. These are actually better than cottages initially because they pump out the same initial gold plus a lot more food. So if you start on the coast build at least 1 work boat first, then worker, settler.

When you have your first library built, finish expanding til you hit the population cap and then put 2 people to work as scientists until you get a great Scientist. Build an academy with him. This will give you a massive boost to research.

Now your captitol is at max pop with an academy. It's new job is wonder builder. If you don't have any stone or marble accessible then Pyramids are going to be your first wonder. There are others that would be nice but Pyramids is very important. If you have stone and/or marble then you can squeeze some other wonders in as well. You can afford to neglect your cottages a bit while cranking out wonders, switch to primarily mines while you're doing this.

Your second city's job is to crank out workers, settlers, and warriors. You did remember to found that second city in a high food production area right? This is very important because you need it to be able to crank out settlers and workers quickly. You don't care if it has access to mines or any other production resource, just lots of food.