A change in style

[Diadem]

In MP most people in fact play blazing turn timer, which is even faster (starts at 30 sec a turn, and may go up to 1 min later in the game, if you're lucky). And they manage to chat while playing too!

Of course in MP your style is very different, and in fact much more suitable for faster play. You'll have fewer cities, fewer workers, and more units. But those units will usually be in huge stacks. In team games religions and wonders usually play barely any role.

Personally I'm still a great fan of this classical setup: 5 vs. 5 teamgame Renaissance start, Inland Sea map script. Pick civs, but each civ at most once per team.

It's awesome.

[fed1943]

I never played simultaneous MP.
If I understood right the most important skill is a perfect domain
over the interface. Is that?
Best regards,

[Krill]

Not really; in the team games the overall skill is being able to develop ones economy without dying from a rush and knowing how to handle a choke. After that the most important skill is the team work within a team.

[Blaupanzer]

We went a bit off subject. My fault. I tend to play a builder's game with a good-size army and fight only for resources in the early game (up to cannons and riflemen). In response, I usually find that one AI opponent builds a big army and vassalizes a couple of other AIs while another (usually financial) roars thru the techs so that civ has infantry and is studying artillery by the point I get rifles/cannons. At that point only a cultural win is dimly possible and in fact the big bad guy (with vassals and possibly allies) soon comes to put me out of my misery. Obviously, this strategy is not working.

So ..., the question is how do I switch over, which traits should I look for, which techs should I emphasize on a large, epic map? Is one map-type better than another (I usually use fractal, low water)? which special units are best. I have had luck with the Romans, the Ethiopians, and if I can last long enough, the Dutch. Monty lets me go after everyone like a wargame. I had thought that either the Incas or the Japanese might help. No real luck. I also tried the Native Americans with their masterful archers, and they kept me from being overwhelmed, but I still was stuck with only an outside chance at cultural. I want someone to convey some useful clues on that domination strategy thinking!!

[jbp26]

you don't need any particular civ or map to be a successful conquerer, you just have to get out of the mentality of being a "builder". builders are just people who are afraid of risk. your overarching goal needs to be early conquest. expand aggressively and build only the buildings that are essential; everything else is units. then pick the closest enemy and smash.

obviously there are mitigating factors here; if sitting bull is your nearest neighbor, attacking him early will be extremely expensive and is not a great investment.

its also quite helpful to learn how to choke out enemies. plant two archers next to an enemy capital in the early BCs and he won't expand for centuries.

[Theben]

Originally posted by Blaupanzer
I also tried the Native Americans with their masterful archers, and they kept me from being overwhelmed, but I still was stuck with only an outside chance at cultural. I want someone to convey some useful clues on that domination strategy thinking!!

The 1st thing to do with NA is get BW and upgrade/chop/slave Dog Soldiers if you have a nearby enemy who hasn't adopted Slavery yet. I've managed to chop/slave + upgrade warriors (dropping research to 0% for 5-6 turns) and gotten 9 Dog Soldiers by turn 70 on Epic since no copper hookup needed. You can wipe out the neaby civ and then switch to peaceful building. Use your capital for a GP farm and use those Great people to catch up/ pull ahead in tech. The PRO trait will help you later when you're launching invasions with gunpowder units... earlier crossbows with barracks/totem pole/theo/vassalage will net you Drill IV and can kill almost anything. Cats w/accuracy knock down walls, CR II(I) trebs bombard units, and Drill IV crossbows/CR II(I) sword/macemen mop up.


Incidentally, you can try the same start with the Mali and Skirmishers since they have the same strength and are cheaper + can be used for city defense when done... plus no anarchy due to Spiritual. The downside is no food techs at start which hurt your slaving potential and you need to research both BW and archery which takes time. The FIN trait will help somewhat in that area and if you pull it off the SPI/FIN combo will help you to pull ahead in tech and stay there.

[joncnunn]

Well, the last couple times I won via military I ended up with a Diplomatic victory instead, so I'm not sure it really counts.

The earliest though was an AP victory. I played the Germans, one civ voultary became my vassal and I foricably turned the other 2 into vassals as well; Calvary was my most advanced unit in that last war.

I used a few missionaries to get the AP religion over to the other landmass, that was before the change came down from missonary gifts to be refused from those running Theocracy.
I did have to grant one of my subjucated vasals Liberalism and then bribe him to switch to Free Religion as well.

I think it amounts to having an army size week enough for the AI to singly declare war on you but with enough of one + a strong enough economy to keep your cities from being overrun while you crash-mobilze your economy for war.

That other was a late game UN victory just below territory threshold needed for domination.

[johnmcd]

I'm with the OP, I just can't handle domination and conquest - it's so slow. I only do them if I'm playing OCC, so I know the cities will be raised and not become a driver of ever longer turns.

I never take more than a few second a turn!

[Fleme]

I used to be all about "civilized" victories, meaning that I'd build a small and effective nation and just tech, tech, tech. My most common victory used to be space, followed by cultural and diplomatic and I simply did not even try to win the game by domination or conquest back in the day.

Then, one day I decided that it's time to warmonger and so I did. I started playing rush strategies (Quechua rush on Continents to get a full continent), Praetorians, Immortals, a simple Axe rush... you name it, I tried it and in the end I believe that thanks to this change I became more versatile as a player. I no longer feel the need to simply tech to win and can make warring a natural part of my strategy.

Also, a good way to pick up on military is playing MP because there you simply can't survive if you can't live up to the balance of power.

[Blaupanzer]

BUMP. This issue just arose recently. Fleme's advice about trying it out 'til you feel how aggressive warring works is probably very sound. I am trying it, and it seems to help.