Another deity game

[Marcel I]

I never was any good at deity, but I thought I'd give it another shot, after reading the terrific thread about "early landing games".
I was however greatly disapointed at how aggressive my rival civs are. I tried every trick out of the book giving money and tech.
It just doesn't work. I'm constantly replacing units instead of rushing to a tech lead.
How do I get my caravans to my rivals quick enough?
I read about ship chains to move them quicker, but ships are expensive
The game is now at 1860 and I'm still only second in tech.
I still think I can win the game but I just can't understand what I'm doing wrong.

[duke o' york]

Are you playing with the MGE version (Multiplayer Gold Edition)? The AI is far more aggressive in its diplomacy with that version, but otherwise the normal game isn't very different.
But no matter what version you have, then you should still be able to win, and in style too! I suggest that you visit the Great Library at the top of this page as a starting point, and then if you need any clarification feel free to ask again! Best of luck!
To solve one of your problems, then build (or capture) Leonardo's workshop! You'll never need to replace a unit again, and can spend all of the taxes on science or celebrations to grow your cities.

[Marcel I]

Ì'm playing MGE.
Like I said, I think I still can win, But I just can't understand why those guys keep picking at me. I'm at war with 3 nations now. I did absolutely nothing to anger them. Gave 'em tech they asked for. There is no way I give them 650 gold to be sneak attacked the next turn. And I need that reserve to bribe attacking units or to buy other stuff.
I'm now considering a short war to take out two or three of them. That will take me high on the powergraph I think. I can forget appeasement after that I guess

[debeest]

Where are you on the power graph right now? The AI will usually become pretty hostile when you're #1, and as noted, MGE is much more so than the single-player game. And if your reputation is bad, you'll have a tough time overcoming the hostility.

Usually an AI civ will offer a ceasefire when you capture a city and then encounter any of their units on the same turn. That can allow you to pick off cities, end the war, and retreat to safety before they sneak attack.

You don't have to send your caravans to foreign cities. Deliver to home cities if necessary, forgoing the double delivery bonus. Deliver to your own cities on other continents and you'll get that double bonus. Deliver to cities next door, connected to the caravans' city by road, and you'll get increased ongoing trade bonus.

[Elephant]

Playing MGE seems much more difficult for the diplomacy part. Did you build Marco Polo or get embassies early? Did you ever back-stab anyone, or break a treaty or alliance? After making peace, did you visit them often with little gifts, or just a few times? More visits with single gifts seems to outweigh fewer visits with a lot of gifts. If your research is going well you should be hitting a tech every other turn at least - aside from NucFission, I tend to give them all away. Don't give money if they do not demand it; try to keep your treasury pretty low with RushBuying so there is not much to demand.

The other area you must master to really do well is trade. Read Solo and Samson's articles in the GL about it, and switch to making caravans almost exclusively after getting Trade. A ship chain is worth the cost if you can get a camel to another continent half the map away in the same turn. Do everything you can to pump up your SSC, but then switch to increasing the number and size of your secondary cities and their trade routes.

[Marcel I]

Ah, thats something I didn't do: Colonies.
That 'll make a difference.
I'm just 5th in the powergraph. At best I've been 3rd.
I'm 1st in literacy. Second most advanced.
I started off quite good and have all the necessary wonders (Col, CO, ST and NC) in a SSC. I even got Mike's
It seems though I did something wrong in the mid-game. I guess because I didn't get my trade up. Caravans were too long on their way or attacked.
It's just a pity I didn't get statue of liberty. That would make it easier to start a war in fundy and switch back to demo. That way I could control the AI's aggression somewhat better.

NB
I didn't start any war till 1500 or so. I was really pissed off when the Indians took one of my cities. So I kicked them out of it. Babylonians and Russians had declared war at me before that without reason. My rep was "spotless" at the time

[rjmatsleepers]

Re: Another deity game

Originally posted by Marcel I
I
The game is now at 1860 and I'm still only second in tech.

This sounds like you haven't got your SSC working at top speed.

Did you get Collossus, Copernicus and Newton? Have you built library and university (and research centre if you've reached that point)? Did you celebrate your SSC up to at least size 20? Have you got three good trade routes. Are you getting arrows from every city tile?

I suspect you've missed a few of these, but if not, then you need to build and deliver many caravans.

That's my 2 bits worth anyway.

RJM at Sleeper's

Edit - I've just seen your later post in which you mention the SSC wonders. (Makes mental note to read the whole thread before hitting the reply button!

[duke o' york]

You have to have trade routes (to and) from your SSC! This will benefit you through out the whole game, so the earlier you get them the better. If you're that far advanced, then build an airport in the SSC and use it to airlift in freights from large cities on other continents with decent trade. That will pay for everything pretty quickly, especially if you can get a demanded Uranium.
In fact, regardless of the size of your city, if you find a Uranium supplier then buy the freight! You can keep it until the home city is large enough to generate a decent pay-off and deliver it to the SSC.

Other piecemeal tips to follow....

[Marcel I]

I postponed building happiness improvements because I got shakespeare's in my SSC. It was hard to get my city celebrating that way it seems. That must've been one of the things I didn't think of quick enough.
I'm somewhat further in the game now.
The spanish stole spaceflight from me and built apollo. I'm the only one with plastics this far. But I'm low on cash. So rushing parts isn't easy. Is switching to fundy the best way to go now?

[Scouse Gits]

don't switch to Fundy before you get all the SS techs - use camels from the smaller cities into dummy WoWs in the larger cities - switching from a WoW to a SS part is free - did you build Superhighways? they are incredibly good science boosters

Stu

[rah]

How many cities do you have.

In most of my games, I've beaten the other civs back to the stone age by the time my ship is ready to fly.

[Elephant]

Rah launches spaceships?





From your posts, I thought you didn't get past MobWar...

[Marcel I]

I didn't have much cities: About 10 on a normal (random) map.
I did lose the space race by the way. I was the first to build a minimal ship. My rivals launched later but with faster ships (note: build faster ships ) . And I didn't have time enough to destroy their capitals.
I started the same game from scratch (I know it's a bit like cheating because you know where your rivals are )
I did win that game even when I missed ST AND Newton's. I build about 15 cities. And protected my borders so the AI couldn't steal spaceflight in time.
By the time they started their ships I was nearing completion and started conquest. (I was in Fundy, but they declared war. Who am I to pass up such an opportunity ).
All in all, I seem to get the hang of it now. Only micromanaging trade is still a bit difficult for me. It's still hard to see how anyone could get up colonies and profitable trade routes before AD.
I guess I'll start another game this weekend to see if I really have learned some things

[Bloody Monk]

Good luck with your new game. If you can get Ike's College for the extra science and ST, in your SSC, to allow for increased city size, you should have nooo problem. Have fun.

Monk

[rjmatsleepers]

Originally posted by Marcel I
It's still hard to see how anyone could get up colonies and profitable trade routes before AD.
I guess I'll start another game this weekend to see if I really have learned some things

One of the factors that is important is the number of trade arrows available in your starting position. A rivered silk tile as part of a 4 special site gets things humming. After that avoid researching anything you don't need or that you can get from an AI civ. Celebrate quickly and get those trade routes operating early.

Of course this is all theoretical - I've never actually landed before AD 1800

RJM at Sleeper's