Global Warming help

[Bloody Monk]

Originally posted by duke o' york
Be aware that you get a bonus to trade routes if the two cities between which are linked by road (and later, railway). Now they have to be linked directly, according to the AI definition of the best route, so you can't have a road to the other city going via another city of yours and get the trade bonus for both cities. The AI definition is the most tricky bit, though, because while it is often the most direct route, this isn't always the case, and you may have to build a road across a mountain rather than the more sensible route of over plains instead. But if done early enough, then you'll get a decent boost to income for the entire game.

In the spirit of one picture being worth a thousand words, here is an old chestnut. Many actually claim to understand this vision.

Good luck,
Monk

[duke o' york]

Originally posted by Bloody Monk

Many actually claim to understand this vision.

Good luck,
Monk

Of course! I never did get round to joining the Masons.

Oh, you mean that it has something to do with Civ 2?

[StuporMan]

On the topic of early roading,

When building a cities a single square apart (typically on diagonals to get minimal overlap), many times it is worthwhile building the road between them with the settler founding the second city. This would ONLY be the case if the square between them is grassland or plains, though.

Also, some valuable tactics to learn are:
1) Defending with offensive units. (by attacking the units attacking you).
2) Defending using tech gifting. (Keep the other AI's appeased through the gifting of techs).
3) Defending using Diplomats. (Bribe an opposing unit and attack your opponent with it, useful against barbarians while using tactic 2)
4) Attack using the caravan/Diplomat combo. The Diplomat is the most powerful attack unit in the game. It can singlehandedly take down any opponent city that is not their capital using your gold. The caravan is your best/quickest way of getting gold. Thus, delivering the caravan and using the money to bribe a city is a very powerful strategy for taking over opposing cities. You even get free units using this method.

There are some more useful strategies to learn, but these are some of the basics that will make you more successful. I highly recommend reading the Early Conquest and Early landing guides posted at the top of this forum.


StuporMan

[Bloody Monk]

Originally posted by duke o' york

Of course! I never did get round to joining the Masons.

Oh, you mean that it has something to do with Civ 2?

Sorry, duke (and gang). That wasn't very clear was it??

("Guess I picked a bad week to stop sniffing glue!!"--~Airplane! )

This "vision" is the result of a long and long-ago thread on direct route roading. At the time I neglected to rename the .bmp with the poster's name which is unfortunate. The center of the diagram is the city tile and all the branches are representations of the AI choices for most direct route.

I wrote "good luck" because it will either be very and immediately helpful to look on this "vision", or, as in my case, it will make you dizzy. After long study I think it means this: The AI will follow the main, heavy lines until that hits water and then the path branches in the direction noted. Hope that helps.

If as I suspect you were being playful, my good duke...well then, this extra elaboration might still be useful to some.

Now, as to why "direct route roading" matters. A rightous road to the capital is a happiness bonus, and for trading partners, gives a bonus in the ongoing trade route arrows. This last bit is especially significant if the trading partner is a bigish AI city w/in ~ 21 steps from your city, wherby you get an extra bonus. It is really nice to have three 30+ trade routes in your SSC clicking in each turn.

Monk

[Elephant]

Originally posted by Bloody Monk

("Guess I picked a bad week to stop sniffing glue!!"--~Airplane! )



"A rightous road to the capital is a happiness bonus..."

(you're in rare form this week, Monk - exactly what is that "experimental treatment" you're undergoing?)

[duke o' york]

I was being playful Monk, but that ought take nothing away from your excellent explanation, and also from bringing this plan back to my attention. I knew it was out there somewhere, but just didn't save a copy the first time round. Mind you, I've still got the specials/huts plan printed out for quick OCC reference.

[Bloody Monk]

Originally posted by Elephant




(you're in rare form this week, Monk - exactly what is that "experimental treatment" you're undergoing?)

The approximate quote is from the movie Airplane! . Thus, not actually using glue...just seemed like a good line. The "experimental treatment" leaves me alternately goofy or sicker than three dogs (which in dog math -x7- is 21 times sicker than one dog). I think this is the no-joke version of "if it doesn't kill you...", you will get very strong.

There was an error though--at least it seems to me now that I misstated the rightous road effect. I think now its effect is to reduce corruption and/or waste for the outlying city, not to increase happiness.

Also, please note that the "ideal path" is probably different A to B -v- B to A.

Monk

[StuporMan]

Well Monk,

I wouldn't necessarily say you were incorrect in saying that the rightous road effect increases happiness. More trade arrows equate to more luxuries, making your people happier. That and more trade arrows definitely makes me happier

As to the new treatment, I am definitely into that stronger option. We have lost too many of our number already. T'would be a tragedy of Shakespearian proportions to lose an excellent poster, person, and Austinite such as yourself.

A toast to strength, experimental treatments, and Victorious Austinites!

StuporMan

[thegreatbuddha]

Wow.

I tried Deity and got my arse handed to me on a silver platter.

Nothing to do but keep plugging at it....

[Scouse Gits]

Don't worry, tgb, the (fairly useless) manual describes deity as (near impossible) - it's not, but the happiness aspect does keep you on your toes - revisit my first post and note the production of a Warrior in each city prior to the switch to Settlers - this provides Martial Law to keep the citizens under control until such time as a Happy Wonder (HG in my case) can take the load.

Keep on civin', stu

[thegreatbuddha]

Yeah. Ever since I began playing, I build a warrior for protection in each city. It wasn't until your post that I realized it also served another purpose.

As a side note, Washington was size4, and celebrated WLTK day. I zoomed to city, set as many citizens to entertainers as I could, jacked my luxury rate up to 60%, and made sure I had a surplus of food in the city, but it still didn't grow. Did I miss a step in getting that rapid growth?

[StuporMan]

tgb,

Was your government set to Republic or Democracy? From your setting the Luxury rate to 60%, I believe you are in Despotism. Republic and Democracy are the only government types that have city growth during WLTXD.

Here is a listing (AFAIK) of the effects WLTXD has in each gov't type.
Anarchy/Despotism: City behaves as in Monarchy (no -1 food/shield/trade arrow from squares producing 3+)
Monarchy/Communism/Fundamentalism: City behaves as in Republic (+1 trade arrow for every square already producing one)
Republic/Democracy: City grows each turn that it has food and enough luxuries to celebrate.

Also, IIRC each city has a certain number of luxuries that are effective and after that point any more luxuries do not make people happy or content. I cannot remember that number off the top of my head, but I am sure either one of the other posters here remembers or that you can find it in one of the Great Library links.

Hope this helps,
StuporMan

[thegreatbuddha]

Ah yes. I was either in Despotism or Monarchy (It was right around the point where I switched govs), so that explains things.

That results in another change in my general gameplan. Generally, I get monarchy ASAP, and then aim for military/economic advances before going for republic/democracy/etc...

[Six Thousand Year Old Man]

There is a school of thought to the effect of "Don't waste time at lower levels, go straight to Deity and you won't learn bad habits".

Well, bad habits can be unlearned. Play at a level you're comfortable with and have fun playing. Everybody here knows quite a lot about the game; many of us have been playing since it came out, 10 years ago! And we have been killing you with kindness to an extent, overwhelming you with tips and strategies. My advice is to pick an area where things went wrong in your last game, and work on that.

Once you have the mechanics down - which units make the best defenders, what Wonders work best for the game you play, when to build improvements, how to plan a military attack, making WLT(X)D work, etc - then you can worry about winning at Deity.

As for getting clocked by the AI - what specifically went wrong? Unhappiness is usually the biggest issue for Deity newbies, but I'm curious if it was something else.

[rjmatsleepers]

Originally posted by StuporMan

Also, IIRC each city has a certain number of luxuries that are effective and after that point any more luxuries do not make people happy or content. I cannot remember that number off the top of my head, but I am sure either one of the other posters here remembers or that you can find it in one of the Great Library links.

Hope this helps,
StuporMan

It sticks in my mind that the limit is two luxuries per citizen. Any more have no effect. It also sticks in my mind that you can sometimes get a celebration going by using an entertainer to get rid of one of the red faces even though you've hit the luxury limit. However, I may be suffering a grandparental moment, in which case someone will correctme.

RJM at Sleeper's