My latest savegame...

[Verrucosus]

I don't think trading with foreign cities (i. e. delivering caravans) has any effect on AI attitudes. Trading or even gifting technologies does improve relations at least temporarily. However, if you are in the lead after a certain date (1750 AD?) the other civilizations get so desperate about stopping you, that there is little chance of a lasting peace. The UN and Eiffel Tower wonders do help a bit, but they won't prevent sneack attacks.

I'm not entirely certain about this, but I have the impression that the risk of sneak attacks by land can be reduced by avoiding contact with foreign land units. If you have the UN and get them to talk, they will comply with a request to leave. Such a request seems to worsen relations, but it will remove your exposure to a land sneak attack for the time being. I've used this technique with only limited success, because it does not prevent sneak attacks by sea and air and because sometimes they just don't want to talk to me (despite the patch.txt entry for the 1.10 patch that says they should talk at least once every turn).

I'm afraid the term "celebration mechanism" was not a good choice. I was referring to the "We Love the [Leader] Day" that occurs in a size 3+ city when it has at least as many happy as content people and no unhappy people. The effect under Communism is that the affected city collects resources as if its government is a Republic. This gives you the additional trade arrow, but you have to spend luxuries to get cities celebrating. I was wondering whether there are situations when using the rule to simulate a Democracy's trade income under Communism is efficient despite the required investment in luxuries.

[Tim_Augustus]

Originally posted by Verrucosus


Short question: When discussing the merits of Fundamentalism, Monk mentioned the "revival of the 20-line for rush-buying". I'm ashamed to admit I've never heard of it. Could you explain or point me somewhere to read it up?

Verrucosus

I daresay he was referring to the availability of fanatics - at 20 shields apeice they provide a good starting point when using incremental rush-buying, costing only 120 gold for the first two lines, whereas the next cheapest unit available in the mid to late game - Riflemen Diplo/Spies - cost 30 shields or 210 gold. This means that you can make considerable cash savings while purchasing a unit outright in one turn as buying a single "last" line costs 25g with no shield penalty changing between units... For example, engineers (40 shields) normally cost 320g when bought outright, but if you buy a fanatic (120g) and then "upgrade" to rifleman (25g) and then to engineer (25g) your engineer has cost you only 170g or a bit over half-price

Detailed information on rush-buying can be found here.

EDIT: Riflemen cost 40 shields

[Verrucosus]

Thank you, Tim_Augustus. That's exactly what I was looking for.

Verrucosus

[Tim_Augustus]

Originally posted by Verrucosus
Thank you, Tim_Augustus. That's exactly what I was looking for.

Verrucosus

no worries

I hope i didn't insult your intelligence in explaining rush-buying but i'm sure the link at least will be useful for somebody

[Elephant]

I thought Riflemen were 40 shields? Dip/Spy and Explorers are 30 shields.

[Tim_Augustus]

Originally posted by Elephant
I thought Riflemen were 40 shields? Dip/Spy and Explorers are 30 shields.

Indeed

it's musketeers that're 30 shields

Substitute "spy/diplomat" for "riflemen" then...

Cheers Elephant

[jez9999]

Argh!!!

I got addicted to Civ2, stayed up til 2am last night playing (I have a nice Chinese empire going, by the way), and now I overslept by an hour... arghhhhh.

[atawa]

Hehe, anotyher addict is born.

Look me up on MSN if you want to play against thinking oponents for a change

[jez9999]

Born? Heh, nah, I've been addicted since I bought the darn thing years ago. ;-)

As for multiplayer, I'm guessing I'd need Civ2 multiplayer gold edition for that. Unfortunately I just bought the regular version as soon as it came out, which as far as I know has no multiplayer features. Is there a free patch to upgrade to multiplayer gold? Otherwise I suppose the only option I have is to splash out more cash for that version.

[Scouse Gits]

Hi Jez,
You're right there is no multiplayer options in 2.42 - but you can probably pick up MPG for a fiver at Game.

By the bye I am a great fan of celebrating Fundamentalism for huge aggressive empires - once most of your cities have three trade routes the celebrations tend to cascade - once a large city starts celbrating - the increased value of all trade routes with that city cause the recipient cities to celebrate etc.

Stu

[Verrucosus]

Ah, so you use domestic trade routes! To what percentage do you manage to lower the luxury rate once most of the cities are celebrating?

Verrucosus

[Bloody Monk]

Originally posted by Verrucosus
Ah, so you use domestic trade routes! To what percentage do you manage to lower the luxury rate once most of the cities are celebrating?

Verrucosus

Stu is the master but I can outline the main points. The answer is variable depending on number of cities, mix of owned WOWs, size of city, white goods it owns, trade specials it is working, degree of roading, number and "quality" of trade routes in the city, and especially it depends on what the definition of "most" is.

After the first round, which might take a Lux setting of 70%, the celebrations will continue at a reduced setting. It can be as low as 20%, usually it is 30%, but sometimes takes 40%. Whatever, since you are increasing the total trade arrows by a huge percentage, the payoff in per-turn tax receits and increased trade bonuses is very satisfying indeed.

If you want I can attach a late game save that you can play around with.

Monk

[Verrucosus]

Originally posted by Bloody Monk

If you want I can attach a late game save that you can play around with.

Thank you, but I might as well try it in my next game.

Couldn't they have delayed Civ4 for a few more years? Now I always have to make up my mind which version to play!

Verrucosus

[jez9999]

What are 'white goods'?

[Verrucosus]

I didn't ask that question because I thought it was a typo ("which goods"), but I may be wrong and about to learn once more something new about Civ2.

Verrucosus