Trouble on Warlord with AI...

[Norselord]

I don't see why people would play with Espionage off.

Another thing that I suspect people are not savvy with is in setting up the ration of ESP points in the Espionage main screen.

In my opinion, it is a good idea to work a 3:2:1 ratio, corresponding to Techfiend:warmonger:cannon fodder. Obviously this is an approximate rule of thumb and not carved in stone.

Building the great wall will get you a great spy as your first great person. You can time the arrival of that great spy with research of alphabet to create 4-5 spies and backfill just about all of the early techs you missed in beelining writing/alphabet/COL.

Code of Laws is a key tech for the two topics in this thread: religion and espionage. First discovery gets you a religion and the ability to build courthouses (extra espionage)

[rah]

Yeah, when a civ DOWs me, I have to remember to drop his ration down to 0. No use wasting anymore points on a civ that is not going to exist much longer.

[wodan11]

Heck, I don't see why people would play with barbs off on an underpopulated 2x huge map. But we won't talk about that.

Good point about setting the ESP ratios. I pretty much do that several times each game. But it took me a while way back when, to realize that it was a good idea. Besides what you both mention, I generally will have a lower rate against AIs on other continents, a higher rate if I plan to do espionage (such as civic revolts to drop walls), etc.

[Garth Vader]

I always forget to do anything with my ESP ratio. I might have to try the great spy thing one time. Last game I actually built the wall (I almost never get it), but I settled my great spy.

My next game is going to be a combat fest, but maybe I can sneak the wall out. With all the talk in other threads I thought I would try unrestricted leaders and am going with Bodicia of the Japanese.

[rah]

I do change the percentage a few times during the game but probably should do it more.
When one of the leaders DOWs a bottom feeder, it's probably a good idea to 0 out the bottom feeder. (at least if you're playing aggressive AI)

[Garth Vader]

I am so bad I usually just leave everybody at 0 all game. Probably less than half of my games do I actually adjust to focus on certain civs.

[rah]

Early it really doesn't matter. When you start building courthouses, it's probably a good time to assess the situation.

[Norselord]

Yeah, when a civ DOWs me, I have to remember to drop his ration down to 0. No use wasting anymore points on a civ that is not going to exist much longer.

Wouldn't you rather use your siege for collatoral damage rather than taking down defenses? Won't that make your trip through your opponents territory that much quicker?

I speak of the spy mission that gets a city to revolt for one turn. Reducing defenses to 0%.

[rah]

I usually already have enough points for that and the odds are that I will not need any additional before they're eliminated. And doing that requires some pre-planning. Having the extra spies available and having them sit in those cities for a few turns to reduce costs. Prior to A DOW each civ usually only has one spy in it prepping the counter-esp mission. I usually don't screw around once I'm DOWed. Kill the SOD he sends on the first or second turn and then start trashing their cities. It's a coin flip on what will slow me down more, taking a turn to bring down the walls or waiting for the spy to get there long enough for any discount.

BUT mainly, as I said, I usually already have enough points and I know I won't be needing any more.

[Norselord]

The first time you're playing on Immortal with trading on, get a Great Spy early game, send him to Mansa or some other trading whore and take the points, then "send in the clones!" and steal (literally) 8-10 techs, you really have your eyes opened to espionage.

Another minor advantage of a great spy. She can explore rival territory without open borders and CANNOT be uncovered the way normal spies can.

[rah]

I do usually check my EP point ratio with a civs after a Great SPY is born someone else to see if they used it against me. Especially important in MP games.

[Melboz99]

Wow, thanks all!

Sorry I'm late repsonding, my wife laptop died (fried mobo) and my laptop's power supply got left an hour's drive away just shortly before a rather large snow storm, my desktop is also an hour's drive away, that's where my new studio is. It seems my settings aren't giving me notifications of responses, I thought that was still enabled, apparently not.


Well, as far as habbits, I've been a builder for most of my years. Lately though I've been going more of a hybrid. I'm debating as to whether or not to lean more warmonger or not.

My goals with the above mentioned game were mostly to get a single religion, which I normally find easy in multiplayer, but my wife is normally teamed up with me and therefore we share research points towards such things. I guess I often forget just how difficult such a feat is to get an ancient rel without a civ that starts with mysticism.

I believe I played as Louis of France, large map, continents, default number of AI, Warlord, Epic, most settings default.

My other goal was of course to win via culture.

I will now try a pure warmonger game, see how that pans out. I'll try and shift from my usual tech path and building habbits.

Thanks!
Dan O.

[rah]

For a warmonger game, the easiest way is to beeline to steel/cannons. The AI doesn't prioritize it so once you have them, you have a good window to romp and stomp.