How do you play Charlemagne?

[Addled Platypus]

I will be the first to say

Like a fool

then again, what leader dont I

[Blaupanzer]

Originally posted by Addled Platypus
I will be the first to say

Like a fool

then again, what leader dont I

At the risk of being suckered into something, I must ask, what does that mean? Is there an implied conclusion in there somewhere, or are your stimulants of choice really that good?

[eris]

Originally posted by Blaupanzer


At the risk of being suckered into something, I must ask, what does that mean? Is there an implied conclusion in there somewhere, or are your stimulants of choice really that good?

I understood it as being the answer to "How do you play Charlemagne?" "Like a fool." (like I play all the other leaders due to my lack of skill)

I felt it was an answer I could relate to. With or without my stimulants of choice, I am probably going to play the leaders badly. However, I am still having fun trying. Trying the game, I mean, not the stimulants. On second thought...

As to the OP's real interest in useful suggestions... I think Charlemane is directed towards early and military based expansion, but I cannot claim to have pulled it off yet. I think pushing towards Code of Laws harder would be one of the keys.

[Blaupanzer]

Yes, get to CoL quickly (thru Priesthood), then build those Rathauses as rapidly as possible. That would seem to be part of the strategy for him. Thanks for the interpretation of Addled's response, Eris!

[Theben]

Well, "addled" IS part of his name.

I prefer the 'unrestricted leaders' combo of Zara and Holy Romans. The last time I played I got 4 of the 1st 5 religions on Monarch level (admittedly, I got mining and masonry from huts). I also had stone and was able to get the GW and Pyramids, Oracle got me CoL. After that it was expand, expand, expand and by 500 AD the game was in the bag.

[Blaupanzer]

Pretty lucky hutting to get two techs on Monarch. Well done!

[ColdPhoenix]

Are you less likely to get good results from huts at higher levels?

[Blaupanzer]

Yes, positive hut results are less likely each step up the difficulty ladder. Negative results (i.e, low or high levels of barbs) are more likely. These mods were discussed in another thread; but darned if I remember which one. For that thread, I took a look at the file that actually brings these changes about, and that trend is quite clear. The AI also gets techs and units at the start at higher levels and those increase as well. AI costs for maintenance and to upgrade units go down as well. Ah, well -- there had to be some way to make it harder. The AI is never going to get any smarter than whatever patch you are up to, no matter what level you play.

[guermantes]

Originally posted by Nikomakkos
He's Imperialistic and Protective, right? I've never played him but I would guess warmongering and specialist economy (SE). With these Rathauses you should be able to have a decent number of cities at a low maintenance cost, each with two scientist specialists. So you can have the science slider set at a low percentage giving you the money to maintain a big military.....

Sorry, a dumb question: Are those suggested two scientists anything particular to Charlemagne, or is what is alluded to just the general strategy of the specialist economy to farm a lot of tiles (rather than cottaging) so as to be able to use two citizens as specialists?

[snoopy369]

You can probably manage two science specialists in a lot of games, even not officially running a SE, at the medieval stage, pre-calendar. When you still have a happy cap, it's not hard to get 4 extra food to allocate to scientists...

[snoopy369]

Originally posted by ColdPhoenix
Are you less likely to get good results from huts at higher levels?

More specifically, there is a 'list' of like 20 results possible from a hut, that is different for each level; it picks one result at random. (Some results have 2 or 3 listings out of the 20, to give them a higher shot.) You can only get a free worker/settler at the lowest two levels, and you have a dickens of a time getting a free tech at anything higher than emperor, I believe (1/20 shot?).

[Blaupanzer]

Only 2 tech results out of 20 shots for Monarch versus about 5 heavy barbs. Gets nasty up there.