I seem to be getting worse at this game

[Dis]

For all this time I've continually gotten better at Civ3. But maybe I have peaked, and am now going back downhill. I used to be able to consistantly win at monarch level, but now I cannot beat it anymore. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong.

Here's a screen shot of my utter suckitude. I'm not going to ***** about resources this game. Because even though I don't reload anymore, I did restart several games until I got a resource in my initial city square. I got cows. But as you can see the zulu have horses and iron, and I do not. Not that they need them, but I do.

I hate to go back to regent, because that level is incredibly easy. But I don't know what else to do.

I can post a save, but since I no longer reload, the only save I have is 4000 BC . actually I may have some autosaves, but I never check that folder unless my game crashes.

This screen shot is on a tiny map. 3 opponents I believe. Middle continent setting.

[vmxa1]

Can't say much about tiny maps, I have never tried one. I would guess it is not a good game for France next to Zulus. This is made even more so with that terrain.

No water to irrigate, only one bonus food, moutains in the city and no iron or horses. I would say that is not going to be fun.

I would wonder why you have those forrest left, did you have more? A chop or two could help with say a barracks. Vet archers back with a few spears can do damage.

I would think a very tight spacing and build nearly nothing but troops. You must take that whole island quickly.

I would not be researching hard as you would need the cash for troops.

[Jaguar]

It seems like the Zulus just overwhelmed you with sheer numbers. From looking at the minimap, they out-expanded you by a little, and then with their GA they were easily able to outnumber you.

A few random tips:

Since you're playing at Monarch level, your first two citizens will be content. This means you can leave cities unit-less for a while.

Don't underestimate the power of the Granary. A lot of players shy away from it, under the impression that it's a short-term investment, and their cities will grow to max size eventually anyway. However, with a granary, you can have a city build virtually nothing but settlers, and easily outREX the AI. The granary gives long-term benifits as well.

I see from the resources that you have Conquests. In Conquests, you want to go for Philosophy before Map Making. (If you have, ignore this point)

Have one of your higher production cities build a barracks, and just pump out spearmen. It's far better than having low-production cities try to build their own.

[Jaguar]

Originally posted by vmxa1
Can't say much about tiny maps, I have never tried one. I would guess it is not a good game for France next to Zulus. This is made even more so with that terrain.

No water to irrigate, only one bonus food, moutains in the city and no iron or horses. I would say that is not going to be fun.

I would wonder why you have those forrest left, did you have more? A chop or two could help with say a barracks. Vet archers back with a few spears can do damage.

I would think a very tight spacing and build nearly nothing but troops. You must take that whole island quickly.

I would not be researching hard as you would need the cash for troops.

He's in Despotism. Cash does him no good.

[Antrine]

Gosh I would NOT know what to do on a non-premade map. Funny thing about pre-made maps, always seem to have 'plenty' of resourses. And now that I mention it, seem to have always have plenty of elbow room, when pre-designating those starting positions too, especially on 'larger' maps.

I guess Vanilla can be a real bear sometimes wouldn't know tho....

[Dis]

I'm done with this game. Those 2 yellow cities have french names if you noticed. The zulus can't take my capitol though, my production is too good there.

They attacked me when I was still in expansion phase. I hadn't built up a military yet. It might have been my fault for telling them to **** off when they demanded some outrageous things. The 2 destroyed cities did not have defenders. The 2 cities they took had spearman. But they defeated them using 2 impi each.

But their impi can't take my city with walls, or my archers coming out of my capitol.

This is my first tiny map game as well. I thought it might be interesting.

haven't had a chance to chop forest yet, I was attacked fairly early by the zulu. They were beligerant even when I first met them. *******s

[Dis]

Originally posted by Jaguar
It seems like the Zulus just overwhelmed you with sheer numbers. From looking at the minimap, they out-expanded you by a little, and then with their GA they were easily able to outnumber you.

A few random tips:

Since you're playing at Monarch level, your first two citizens will be content. This means you can leave cities unit-less for a while.

Don't underestimate the power of the Granary. A lot of players shy away from it, under the impression that it's a short-term investment, and their cities will grow to max size eventually anyway. However, with a granary, you can have a city build virtually nothing but settlers, and easily outREX the AI. The granary gives long-term benifits as well.

I see from the resources that you have Conquests. In Conquests, you want to go for Philosophy before Map Making. (If you have, ignore this point)

Have one of your higher production cities build a barracks, and just pump out spearmen. It's far better than having low-production cities try to build their own.

yep, I built a granary in my capitol for settler production. But I had to research it (don't start with it, couldn't trade for it). I like civs that start with pottery . I lose time reserching pottery and building granary. Maybe I should have pop rushed my granary. I worry about pop rushing before I get my temple, sometimes I can't get that citizen content again.

What build do you guys do with your first city?

I build 3 warriors then built a granary- then settlers. But I seem to be getting outrexed by the AI this way.

[Solomwi]

I typically build two warriors and one settler before starting on my granary, depending on when it becomes available. I'll forego the settler if I don't have either good food production at the capital or very good food production at the second site. If possible, I'll chop for the granary, too, especially if I've built a settler.

[Jaguar]

Three warriors is too much on almost any setting. That's part of your problem.

[Dominae]

Dissident, could you post your 4000BC save?

[vmxa1]

Originally posted by Jaguar

He's in Despotism. Cash does him no good.

Oh really, I guess it can't be stock piled to pay for extra units, then. Because that is what I would be doing with it. Supporting my forces.

[gunkulator]

If nothing else, cash is useful for buying tech or sueing for peace.

[Dis]

Originally posted by Dominae
Dissident, could you post your 4000BC save?

let's see if this works.

I'll work on not building 3 warriors. I used to value exploration quite a bit (2 to explore, 1 as garrison). But in a lot of games, there just aren't that many huts to pop. Unlike games like SMAC where they are all over the place. In this particular game I don't think I got any huts.

Forest chopping. What are all your strategies for this? I don't do that much of it. Esp. not in the early game. should I chop more forests? I often only chop forests at cities that already have too much forest in their radius.

[vmxa1]

Forrest chops are best used to cut the time it takes to build that early granary or barrack, maybe even a temple, if you have forrest to spare and workers.

A bit later in the game you may need to chop forrest in core cities to make the tile available for better use. A 1F2SxC tile is great the first 100 turns or so, but you can get to the point that you need to get 2F from that tile and that means chop it. Try to do it when the shields are going to a structure or unit build.

In between times, it depends on what you are doing. I tend to get them all chopped, unless they are need to slow intruders. A few other cases do exist, but not enough to sweat.

[Jaguar]

Originally posted by Dissident


let's see if this works.

I'll work on not building 3 warriors. I used to value exploration quite a bit (2 to explore, 1 as garrison). But in a lot of games, there just aren't that many huts to pop. Unlike games like SMAC where they are all over the place. In this particular game I don't think I got any huts.

2 to explore AND a garrison is overkill. You should build 1-2 to explore, and 0-1 to garrison.

Since this is monarch, you don't have happiness trouble until size 3, even without luxuries. If you time your settler just right so it finishes as you reach size three, you can have a settler without the need for a garrison.