Emperor Games: how to improve your skills

[ToeTruck]

So, why is no one attacking???

The best thing a builder can do is nurture good relations with his rivals. I've been selling techs and resources and even giving them away from time to time.

I haven't figured out how Gracious, Polite, and ROP all work together to prevent the AI from attacking, but I do know that I've never been attacked when my Foreign Advisor screen looks like this:



My advice to Monarch players trying to improve your game is: Don't hold onto techs. Trade them away as quickly as you get them; a tech lead only makes your rivals envious.

- TT

[vmxa1]

I can hardly believe you got Bismark to smile this late in a game, nice job. Way beyond my patience and temperment.

[Arrian]

Agreed. Bismarck almost always hates me. The last time he didn't hate me (polite), he was nevertheless the first AI civ to drop off that lone Cavalry unit to try and sneak attack me. Bismarck is a *****.

Wonders captured: Pyramids, Colossus, GLibrary, GLighthouse, GWall

That's quite a list.

-Arrian

[ToeTruck]

Diplo Victory? Nah!

It's 1520AD, and I just built the United Nations:


Since all my rivals are still fat and happy, I could take the Diplo Victory and call it a game. No shame there, but I'd kinda like to launch.

Couple of things to note:

1) I miscalculated a couple of posts ago; I forgot exactly how big the UN really is. It takes a ton of shields and is might hard to pre-load.

2) My Scientific freebie was Fission which was a big bonus and Germany's freebie was Ecology. That's that first time I've ever had to research Rocketry while playing Scientific. Yea PTW!

3) Vmxa1 is right; I really should be posting "how to do it" suggestions instead of snapshots.

BTW - I decided not to hold a vote.

- TT

[Mountain Sage]

1695 AD
I am going (as for the past x-hundred years) for a buider's victory. Not much to tell you 'how', except that it's just 'build, build, build', 'diplomacy, diplomacy, diplomacy' and 'trade, trede, trade' (there are threads enough about these topics).
I hit the Modern Times with Rocketry and started to research Ecology in 7 rounds at -23 gold/turn. I have now a 3-lead in techs. Military: 17 tanks (1 in each city) and 17 subs (advanced scouts).
There are only 4 other civs left: France, Carthage, England and Germany, all polite or gracious.
My treasury is now 17'800 gold, which I will spend by running reserach at 90%.
UN is in 7 turns, but I'll go for a space race, it's more fun!
(screenshot below).

1802 AD (no screenshot)
Synthetic Fibers in 6 turns. Got Rocketry, Space Flight, Fission, Nuclear Power, Laser.
Germany and France are at war with each other, as well as Germany against England and Carthage.
I still have my 3 techs lead. 13'000 gold left.

[Mountain Sage]

1842 AD
Game's over. One of my easiest wins on Emperor, but still a lot of fun.

[Arrian]

9 hours... wow.

Last time I won a game, it was 22 hours (standard map). My empire was huge, though, and I did a lot of fighting. That'll slow ya down.

-Arrian

[ToeTruck]

Launch in 1650 AD

Here's my final DAR. I managed a Spaceship Launch in 1650 AD. I believe there were plenty of opportunities to optimize that date, but I'm pretty happy with the results.

My best "totally peaceful" builder games have led to launches around 1700AD so warring in the beginning gained me a few turns.

Here's the victory dialog box and the final status window:




And, here's the map the turn before I launched:


The first thing to notice is that I saved The Laser for last, had the other components built, and was pre-building the Party Lounge in Beijing.

You also might notice that none of my cities were over size 20 and I only had four or five of them anyhow.

And, notice that there isn't a single military unit on my island. Didn't need them. Whenever I accidentally built one, I disbanded it in a city for the shields. Otherwise, I switched everything to Wealth pretty early.

A couple of final stats:
- None of my cities were in the top five
- My score: 4027
- Next closest rival, France: 1606
- Alexander the Magnificent

That was a fun game. Thanks Mountain Sage!

- TT

[vmxa1]

Bravo, nice job and an excellent report.

[Mountain Sage]

Re: Launch in 1650 AD

Originally posted by ToeTruck

That was a fun game. Thanks Mountain Sage!

- TT

You're welcome. Your options:

- play the French game;
- wait for my latest game (if I survive!);
- post one of your own.

Now, who else wants to give it a try?

[ToeTruck]

MS,

Is there something we could do format-wise that would make this thread more accessible to emperor-newbies? I'd love to play another game (like your French post), but other than a series of DAR's, I'm not sure what to post.

Any thoughts?

- TT

[Killazer]

lol nice military ToeTruck

id be dead meat in most of my Emperor games if all ive had was 23 workers and a galley rofl

[vmxa1]

Originally posted by ToeTruck
MS,

Is there something we could do format-wise that would make this thread more accessible to emperor-newbies? I'd love to play another game (like your French post), but other than a series of DAR's, I'm not sure what to post.

Any thoughts?

- TT

I would like to see you do a detail DAR like you see in GOTM. That would be a very instructive report and an opportunity to see trading and relations done right.
I know I for one could use the guidance. My idea of trading is to check in once the mood stricks me and my relations are rarely better than furious after the middle ages get started.

[ToeTruck]

I haven't spent much time at the CivFanatics site other than downloading a game or two. How are DAR's done for their GOTM's? I'll probably take a peak to see for myself, but what do you like specifically about their format?

I know what you mean about diplomacy getting lost in most DAR's. I spend 30-40% of my time conducting diplomacy which I seldom record in my logs other than lame entries like:

3200BC: Contact with Babylon. Traded Alphabet for Ceremonial Burial plus 12 gold.

and

900BC: Made peace with the Russians. Got The Wheel, Masonry, Mysticism, and 45 gold in exchange.

Much more happens in Diplomacy that is *so* central to the game's development. I'll think about how to capture that.

Thanks for the idea vmxa1.

- TT

[Rhothaerill]

Great idea. I wrote a few detailed DARs for AU209 on how I went about certain things (before ultimately losing to a Sipahi rush ), but I didn't really include much on diplomacy. I'd be interested in hearing what anyone has to say about it.