Sid games C3C: how to improve our skills

[Mountain Sage]

I know. I would uninstall it only if I were to play one of my last two saves posted above.

I'm now still on Sid with Spain (archipelago, of course), and 8 other civs. I used a slightly edited map (didn't try to 'cheat' too hard as putting all other civs on 3-tiles islands...). I'll let you know when I've played a bit longer.

[vmxa1]

What is the map size MS? Large?

[Mountain Sage]

Yes, large, both of them. Shall I send you privately the map (the Spanish one, of course)?

[vmxa1]

If you got the time, I would like to see it. I am not much of a fan of Spain as a civ though.

[Drachen]

Originally posted by vmxa1
If you got the time, I would like to see it. I am not much of a fan of Spain as a civ though.

[Drachen]

Originally posted by Drachen

[sabrewolf]

drachen
that's one mean nine tile pillaging monster

[vmxa1]

I have taken the last 8-10 days to play a couple of RPG's and I am about to start back at civ. I am interested in seeing what 1.22 has brought us.

[Drachen]

Originally posted by sabrewolf
drachen
that's one mean nine tile pillaging monster

That’s what I thought. The problem with this game is that the bonehead commander loaded up an army too full to get it to the enemy in time to save the game a couple of centuries ago.

[vmxa1]

Moutain Sage, I like the map and it is not unreasonable. Looking forward to your post.

Like I mention in the PM, I am not a fan of Spain. I feel that Religious trait is not all that useful for Sid. I would make only one switch and that would be to Monarchy or Republic. Mon is the most likely, but it depends on how things are going.

I maybe all alone, but I really don't care for Seafaring on Sid, especially on a large or huge island map. You will still need tech and or wonders to cross ocean tiles to attack. You cannot suicide armies. So you will gain little.

I would prefer Ag and Com. Ag for growth, com for OCN and gold.
You could make a case for Mil to get those promotions, since you will have so many wars and those early MGL's are critical. I would say you can skip it as time goes by you will have so many battles that you need not worry and soon can build armies in the MA city.

I have have games on Demi and above that the lack of an early MGL really hurt me, though.

I have not gotten started yet as I am still trying to figure out if I should play the way I want or take a stab at a pangea map to see if the GL is still available.

[Mountain Sage]

In my first try (the one at the beginning of this thread), I lost 15 turns switching to Monarchy, then Republic. On Sid, it's a killer. This is why I wanted a religeous civ.

Then, I needed Pottery and Masonry asap for Granaries and Palace pre-builts. This is why I chose seafaring, for the early curraghs and trading possibilities.
Half-prices harbors are just a by-product of the trait.
Of course, I could have chosen a commercial/industrious civ, but Spain has Alphabet, and you can't get to Philosophy and the GLibrary without it.

I also wanted to have my GA in the late Medieval Times (if I got that far, that is . Magellan's Voyage would be perfect.

Maybe next time I'll play France or the Dutch....

As for the map, I did a bit of 'overkill' by keeping most of the other civs isolated as long as possible, but we'll see...

You'll get a post by the end of he week (not much time to play).

[vmxa1]

I have found that I do not need a palace prebuild. I have not tried it on a huge map though. It may be harder there due to the increased research cost.

I have also found that 1.22 has made it harder to get the beeline to work. Anyway here is what I have done to get the GL. Go hard for Writing-Phil and just time the arrivial of Phil to sell of my granary with 5 or 6 turns to go. This is that max amount of time it takes to rebuild it. I switch it to the GL and then add in workers. Usually it will take 6 workers to get to size 12.

You should have 12 tiles improved and mined. Maybe you have to get by with one irrigated cow or wheat. On large maps I have found that is enough. On std maps it is tougher. The key to me is that the AI will break the wonder cascade well before GL and have no prebuild.

In an island map you can control the GA for most civs as you do not have wars early, since you do not have contact. If you get one, you can still fight without your UU as the number of troops is small until you invade.

By then you have better units to use in most cases and just hold your UU till you want to trigger. Iroq works very well here. You get to use the UU to bust barbs and hold it for upgrades. Saving a few for triggering.

I would be surprised if you can get the Voyage built as they should beat you to all tech in the first three ages and will have better production with their bonus.

Sid is really a stone warmongers game. You must build troops and ships to haul them endlessly. The numbers are staggering. It is hard to be disciplined enough to not make improvements in your cities for a long time.

You must do all you can to keep research at a slow pace or the AI will run away. I have been in first place in score in the 1400-1500AD time frame and then looked up to see they have moved from close in tech to nearly a full age ahead. Landing tanks to fight my calvs.

Looking forward to your game and go get em.

[Mountain Sage]

You know vmxa, a few months ago I learned a very useful thing from you: to use one's brain.
Remember AU Total Eternal War Forever and Damn the Torpedoes?
We were 3 to win that AU. Two of us had the 'brilliant' idea of playing it rough (that was the idea, after all). The 3rd one, meaning you, just forgot the 500+ military units and won the game culturally. Clever. Very clever.

I'm doing exactly that. I forgot the military build-up and I'm going for either a diplomatic win or the space race.

Yes, I built Magellan's Voyage, ToE and am 5 turns from Hoover Dam. Things are going moderately well...

[vmxa1]

Wow, I never managed to get much more than GL/Zues. I had a few close shots for Leo's, but that is it. No SGL's either.

Once the GL stops, I fall way off the research race, no matter if I have all civs in contact, as I now have. I was toying with the idea of using a palace prebuild to get to another wonder, but have too much to do to risk it.

Trying to bounce the top AI off my land and they have brought in a few other civs. I am holding back my UU trying to get more cities and mines and switch to monarchy before triggering it.

This is a huge map so the cost for research is painful for humans.

[Mountain Sage]

From the Third Holy Book of Civilization:

'Verily, verily, I say unto you, the day is nigh when the voice of peace will thunder down from the snow-capped peaks of a distant land, and the Prophet will cometh forth.
The multitude will follow his footsteps and the new faithful shall tread on the shining path of illumination, exclaiming in rapture: ' Closer to thee, Sid!'

Mountain Sage, the Perfect Peacenik Prophet


Diplomatic win in 1984 AD, and a Perfect Peacenik game too