Watch me Get Obliterated!

[Gravy Smoothie]

One more thing -- where I acquired maybe 35-40 techs in my first win from other civs in some fashion, this was only true for 12-20 techs this game, and I could have easily researched many more at the end of the game, but I kept Science at 0 even after Fusion so I had the liberty to build stuff.


Oh yeah, my score was 746, my Power Rating 96%, and I shared the top line of the Powergraph with the Greeks.

And here's the 1929 A.D. save, one turn before I land on Alpha Centauri.

Gravy

[LDiCesare]

Ready for conquest now? If you are not interested in conquest, consider OCC. I think you are going to spend endless hours playing Civ2... as everyone on these boards.

[Cedric Greene]

Originally posted by Bloody Monk


Thanks SG[1]. Unfortunately, I don't have the required tools or I would follow your excellent instructions.

JASC software provides a trial version of Paint Shop Pro at there site for your needs...

http://www.jasc.com/download_3.asp

[Bloody Monk]

Thanks, Cedric!!

Very helpful lead. I'll check it out and give it a go.

[Straybow]

There is also software called Gimp. See this Freeciv graphics thread for links, etc.

[Bloody Monk]

Thanks Straybow!!

What is best choice of tool for a "bloody monk," that is, a 10 thumbed novice?? I'm thinking ease of use

[Six Thousand Year Old Man]

Originally posted by Gravy Smoothie Although I was behind in tech around 1870 (Darwin's was built while I was researching Physics), I hit 4-turn advances after my second growth cycle, 3-turn advances after my third (with +400 gold/turn), and 2-turn advances after putting Superhighways up in most of my cities (with +700 gold/turn). It's very easy to draw the conclusion with 20-25 cities, 1-turn advances are not hard to attain, even on Deity.

That's how I started to win, too. But it's even easier to get 1-turn advances by shipping 6-8 Caravans per turn. AND, those 1-turn advances come with 1000s of gold as well!

Took some time to build up defenses everywhere (3 Mech Infantry, City Walls, Coastal Fortresses) which REALLY helped later

Unless you're sharing a continent, some high quality ships will save you the trouble of building that much in the way of defence. The best defence is an offence. Cruisers, Battleships, and a few mobile defenders at home, and you won't need more than 1 static defender per city.

Four turns later, I had Plastics and Superconductor, these were also stolen (next time when I build my defenses, I'll put a spy in each city as well

Don't bother with the Spy defence. The AI can automatically steal any tech it needs to build a spaceship. Spies will help prevent theft at other times, but they do nothing to protect your space techs.


Good work

[Scouse Gits]

.. and a further thought for you Gravy - caravans, WoWs and SpaceShip parts are interchangable without loss so stock up those caravans use them to build a vacant wonder and shift production to the required SS part - much cheaper than trying to buy them.

Build caravans and then more caravans and when you have enough, build caravans...

Now for conquest - Crooks and Clads and rule the world

SG[1]

[Scouse Gits]

... Oh and for tech protection try having an awake spy in your border cities - they see two squares and can normally spot the intruding Dip before they make their snatch

SG[1]

[-Jrabbit]

NOW you're getting it, Gravy. Very respectable score, too. Way to go!!!!


Yeah, keeping spies (esp. in fortresses) in border cities helps prevent theft bigtime.

I would suggest you start thinking in terms of 30-40 cities. When you're ready to build your SS, you can do so in just a couple turns with a massive frieightl-building program.

I typically do very little tech-stealing and am usually well ahead on techs by endgame. This is in part due to an isolationist approach to SS games. I stake out my territory, rid the continent of any pesky civs, and only explore enough to maintain a steady supply of overseas trade routes. (2-continent trading with my own cities is needed as well.) Find distant choke points, take them, and backfill new cities throughout the land. Once this is established, border cities concentrate on "exploratory defense" (scout for coming incursions with spies and ships) while core cities are built into shield and arrow machines. Usually use Democracy + Trade to maximize techs.

I've gone to AC without even meeting all the rival civs.

[Bloody Monk]

Congrats Gravey!!! And it just keeps getting better and better.

People have given you many good points to consider...build more cities, build/deliver more caravans for example.

I want to echo Straybow's point about uncovering hidden specials. Check out the SG[1] thread on the Strategy Board, "Gits' Hut and Special Finder" or the links Straybow pointed to. Once you get the picture, you can mine some of that plentiful grassland to change it to a more productive forest special, silk or pheasant (irrigates to bison). Early in the game the extra shields and arrows (if silk) are key to faster growth.

For example look at Tara, tile (73,79). If you go back among your .sav files when it is size 5 and mine that tile you'll see a special pop out there. Think about the cumulative effect of those extra shields and arrows (silk) throughout time.

Another example is your capital at (79,107). Also, the wheat at Caernarfon could have been mined to silk after harbors were available for no food loss but a big effect on the value of those trade routes.

On the subject of trade, did you know that you have three cities that could be supplying the very valuable Uranium??

So many new ideas!! The important thing is to have fun; and we all acknowledge that you got a win without using any of this. Over time you'll find the things that you like to do in 'your' gameplay. Here's to you...

[Bloody Monk]

SG[1], Straybow, Cedric,

Thanks for the advice about changing units.gif images. I followed Cedric's lead and got a Paint Shop Pro trial. Unfortunately it was ...a trial...and I am found guilty of incompetance. Oh, well.... But the originals have worked fine all these years so I'm going back to playing. Humility is good for a monk.

[Gravy Smoothie]

Hey, quick question.

I'm still having trouble putting up sufficient early defense. My new habit has been to put a warrior and a phalanx in each city I build, but I find that my phalanxes will not regularly put up even with relatively weak attack units. I've lost vet phalanxes to regular chariots, etc. and it's been causing my problems early game, especially when I spawn relatively near other civs. Ideas?

Gravy

[Bloody Monk]

Gravy S,

A Vet unit has its defense increased 50%, rounded down. So a vet phalanx defends -v- a chariot at 3:3. The chariot should win half the time.

So that's why it may be better to attack first, or, to defend at a distance.

Roads between your cities and vet horsies work well, especially against Barbs. Also, losing a unit in the field wont cost you a population point as happens if you sit in your cities and lose on defense.

Build forts and hold them with a good defense unit and an attack unit. The AI will usually go after your fort. If it is well placed your cities wont be bothered.

Hope that is helpful.

[Scouse Gits]

Originally posted by Gravy Smoothie
I'm still having trouble putting up sufficient early defense. My new habit has been to put a warrior and a phalanx in each city I build, but I find that my phalanxes will not regularly put up even with relatively weak attack units.
Gravy

During the early years the warrior is the main/cheap unit to maintain martial law. You will need the occasional horseman near frontiers or near/in cities prone to barb attacks. The barb archer has only a defence of 1 (not 2 as for the standard archer) so you must kill or be killed! It is useful to choose a city with a high shield output in which to build a barracks. Vet horsemen will see off most attackers so long as you have first strike capability.

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SG(2)