A mythical best civilization

[fed1943]

But ger arrives later than chariot; why not a mounted unit after

ger to profit from it?

Best regards,

[Kuciwalker]

A couple themed (powerful) civs:

Ind / Phi
Mysticism / Mining
Madrassa (or maybe Obelisk)
Skirmisher

Agg / Cha
Mysticism / Mining
Ikhanda
Praetorian

[Blake]

The War Chariot is still worth training after Horse Archers are available, it's really a better unit (costs half as much and has a bonus vs Axes).

Also both War Chariot and the Ger have individual synergy with Charismatic.

[Thedrin]

Traits: Charismatic/Protective
Unique building: the supposed native american unique building - free archer XP
Unique unit: Skirmisher
Starting technologies: Hunting, Mysticism (optional)
Alternate starting technologies: Hunting, Mining

Can immeadiately research archery. If the unique building is a monument replcement it can be built immeadiately for 5XP skirmishers who already have the 2 free protective promotions and are just 3 XP from a fifth promotion (drill IV maybe).

Alternatively mining as a starting technology so that spears are that little bit closer.

[couerdelion]

Originally posted by Blake
The War Chariot is still worth training after Horse Archers are available, it's really a better unit (costs half as much and has a bonus vs Axes).

Also both War Chariot and the Ger have individual synergy with Charismatic.

I'd agree with this although I think that the Praets may still edge out the War Chariots for their longevity and overall strength. One of the bigger reasons for the War Chariots strength is that it is the earliest of the UUs requiring just one tech (and a resource) to acquire. But with your starting techs, you've left yourself three techs which is not that different to the research path for Praets.

Charismatic Praets would be scary and probably don't need the help of any military UB. They can be double-whipped too and will quickly acquire the XP necessary for the special buildings leaving the GG free to settle and set up an ultra powerful military factory churning out Praets (almost as a sole army component) that will last until Renaissance. Praets will generally be able to look after themselves while War Chariots still need looking after.

I take your point on me overdoing the happiness with the sacrificial altar. Maybe a Terrace would do the trick for my ideal civ by giving the early game culture that I might not quite achieve through the religious slant of starting with Mysticism and having Spiritual trait.

Krill, the Zulu UU is not the killer unit that you believe it to be. With 4 strength, it can't even fight an archer on a hill at even odds and is generally a sitting target for any axeman.

[Krill]

Seeing how I've already completed Arrians' Deceptions with just Impis I'd beg to differ. You have to promote some of them to city raider, sure, but they get odds then.

[couerdelion]

Originally posted by Krill
Seeing how I've already completed Arrians' Deceptions with just Impis I'd beg to differ. You have to promote some of them to city raider, sure, but they get odds then.

In isolation, I can't see how this proves anything. What I can say is that Axemen are better at taking cities than Impis (just a little slower) and arrive at the same time. Chariots are probably just as strong and Swords are stronger than all of them.

The Impi is not really designed to be a strong city raider.

[ben04]

Certainly one Preatorian beats one war chariot. However you have to consider that you get 2 war chariots for one Preatorian. And a Preatorian has only 1 movement point. That second movement point really changes strategies a lot.

There are only few things that war chariots and immortals really have to fear : Spearmen, Swortmen and any UU replacing them. All of them either need chopper or iron. If you let your target get those then you are not using your second movement point correctly.

With Preatorians you kill one civ after the other slowly. With War chariots, Immortals or even normal chariots you go to war with all your targets at the same time. Run through those civ, take all cities you can get and siege those that are too well fortified. Even spearmen aren't that much of a problem as you can run away from them.

With sieging I mean place 2 chariots around the city and kill everything that leaves the city. All the sieged civ can do is ask for help, which wont do anything as you're basically at war with everybody, or build up archers. It will only tech very slowly so you don't have to fear that longbows come into play. Just siege until you have catapults.

Don't wait until the siege is over, just go to the next civ. This way you can have control over whole continents faster than you could even dream with Preatorians.

[couerdelion]

Are you suggesting taking on three of more civs at a time and, cutting off all copper/iron/horses, crippling their economies and maintaining sieges on fortified cities with just chariots.

If the game is this easy, why not go up a level so that one war at a time is challenging enough?

[ben04]

Originally posted by couerdelion
Are you suggesting taking on three of more civs at a time and, cutting off all copper/iron/horses, crippling their economies and maintaining sieges on fortified cities with just chariots.

Yes

If the game is this easy, why not go up a level so that one war at a time is challenging enough?

Actually one war at a time is a lot more challenging without going up one level.

[fed1943]

I tried a game almost as Ben said:

Monarch, Immortals,Pangea; never at war with everybody, but with

two at same time, since almost the begin for long time.

Other civs could not develop because my immortals give them no

rest.

Unhappily my braves could not find and kill the banker...

Best regards,

[MasterDave]

I find it interesting how varied everyone's answers are to this (age-old) question of the best combination. It just goes to show how deep the game really is...

My ideal combo coming from a multiplayer builder and occasional warmonger perspective is:

Financial (need them early techs and cottage cheese)
Industrious (for wonder whoring and forges)

Industrious/Philo also seems like it would be cool to get cheap wonders, then get double the GPP's from em (drool).

Starting techs: Mysticism (religion whoring), and mining

UU: Probably the immortal, chariots with defense bonuses AND a bonus vs. archers = early game chariot rushes that are devastating. I also like the conquistador for many of the same reasons (although it does not arrive until fairly late in a multiplayer game). The Hwacha is pretty kick-ass too, and it is resource independent.

UB: My favorite UB is the Terrace. Two early priorities for new cities are faster growth and culture- the terrace provides both in a very cheap package.

Color: Electric Blue.

[Pinchak]

My votes are....

Traits = Philo and Industrial

This is a nasty combo simply because wonders contribute to great people, without you haveing to scarifice tile working. Right now I'm in a pittboss game as Greece and I had early access to both stone and marble. So far I have Parthanon (that +%50 great person rate is great with philo), Pyrimids (early representation with the Great Library is just too sweet), Great wall (built it pretty much just for the contribution to great engineer), Hanging Gardens, Great Library, and Noter Dame.
Great Engineers further fuel my whoring, while the Great Scientists beef up my tech city. My GP pool is slightly tainted by Parthanon, but even the occasional GA has it's purpose...


Techs = Myst and Mining (for same reasons discribed earlier)


UU = Schermisher

Requires no special resorces, appears early in the game, has a long run before obsolete, and replaces a unit that is almost always built anyway. Unlike alot of UU's, they almost always make use of their bonus since they are primarily city defence units.


UB = Oden

Good culture and 2 happy faces in one package without the need for religion? By the time I get to Construction I am usually looking for a way to generate more happy faces, and this is a perfect answer. Love this UB. Terrace is a close runner up.

[Brael]

Traits: Agressive, Charismatic
Unit: Praetorians
Techs: Wheel, Mining
Building: Not really sure here... I'm kinda thinking Cothon for an additional trade route to fund the expansion. I'm a fan of the Aphotecary too since I usually hit grocers right around the time health is becoming an issue, but in this case I'm not sure about that.

Pinchak: If your ideal civ would be based around increasing GPP generation wouldn't the Forum make a good choice for the UB?

[rjmatsleepers]

One thing I forgot to mention at the begining. I presume everyone would rather start with a scout than a warrior?

RJM