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**Venger** · May 15, 2000, 20:08

quote:

Originally posted by SandMonkey on 05-15-2000 07:07 PM
I just want to get some insight in to how some of you guys win EVERY SINGLE GAME. I would like to apply some aspects of your strategies to maybe help perfect mine..

Expand. Each cities builds two settlers, the first builds a road or two in the direction he will settle, the second improves the part cities lands. Research, get to Monarchy and Republic. Build Pyramids, then other wonders if you have time, just to keep the AI from them. keep your cities connected for defense. Railroad makes defense against the AI pretty easy. Expand.

Venger

**Seeker** · May 15, 2000, 23:21

I would skip Republic, go from Monarchy to Communism using SoL.

**Scouse Gits** · May 16, 2000, 07:39

The quick answer is - We don't! (or at least I don't) - not all the time, just most of it. I have recently been trying to get my mind around perfectionist strategies and only building half a dozen or so cities - result - I have lost the last three such games - I can OCC, I can ICS, but as of now I can't perfectionist. But I am learning - the last one might just have been salvagable, maybe next time...

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Scouse Git[1]

"CARTAGO DELENDA EST" - Cato the Censor

**Oldman** · May 16, 2000, 08:31

Scouse: just a couple of questions? what exactly does ICS mean? i keep on seeing it but can't figure it out?!?! and what exactly is a perfectionist game? i kind of like to think i play perfectly every time ha ha, yeah i know i'm full of ****! but what is it anyway?

Generally, i would be very machiavellian in my style of play! if your allied to the romans, but the mongols are obviously going to wipe them out and go after all their friends, ditch the romans and side with the winners!! I always go straight for monarchy then communism, spread like wild fire, completely occupy the land mass your on and if you still haven't got 25 ish cities, find more land!! then build, improve etc!
Wonders, i always go for the science ones, though never really made use of a SSC. Also pyramids, adam smiths, mich's cathedral and statue of lib (to get commie early).

recently from playing occ, democracy is fantastic!!!!!!! you get sooooo much science, fantastic!!! but it's no good if your at war, even a limited one makes you suffer, so you have to be "nice" to people - urgh!!!

**DaveV** · May 16, 2000, 08:39

Oldman - the IC stands for Infinite Cities; the S stands for Sprawl, Strategy, or Sleaze, depending on your attitude.

I use what I consider "classic" ICS: lots of size 2 cities that crank out settlers until I discover Gunpowder and/or Leadership. Then, low-tech conquest. No city improvements, no irrigation, very few mines. Hanging Gardens is pretty much mandatory for this strategy, but I can skip the other wonders against the AI.

**rah** · May 16, 2000, 08:43

trade trade trade. tribute tribute tribute.

But the most important thing is to be able to protect your cities from spys late in the game. So don't over expand. It's not like you need that many cities to win. Think about where you place the cities. Find some choke points to block easy access for spys. If you're going to take out ai cities, do it in an area that you can block off.

Nothing is worse that spys stealing all the final techs and a faster spaceship beating yours.

Keep you opponents busy. Stacks of units on mountain fortresses in enemy territory is a wonderful diversion. They just keep building units to lose instead of the real important things.

If you follow these tips, almost any strat will allow you to win every time. It is not that hard.

RAH

**Scouse Gits** · May 16, 2000, 08:59

Oldman - DaveV has answered your ICS question and if you ever want advice on how to play it in detail he is the man for ICS. Now Perfectionist - what I mean by this (others may argue) is to emulate the Babylonians have about half a dozen beautiful cities of great size (OCC writ large). The problem I encounter is that I can't seem to get the right ballance of military units to other improvements - if you follow an OCC-like path you are over-run by the AI (your population makes you supreme and therefore target - unlike OCC) if you expend on defensive units your growth is slowed - as I said I am getting there and will doubtless triumph soon, but it is a form of the game of which I have currently no real experience - and I'm finding it hard. As I remarked above MUCH harder (for me) than either OCC or ICS.

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Scouse Git[1]

"CARTAGO DELENDA EST" - Cato the Censor

**Ming** · May 16, 2000, 09:08

Once you have figured the game out, even Deity is easy against the AI. Any strategy will usually work. It becomes more a matter of "when" you are going to win vs. "if" you are going to win. Thats why many of the challanges are so popular for those that don't play MP.

But one of my favorite pieces of advice was said by another poster (when you get older, your memory fails you)... If you don't know what to build, build caravans. And when you have enough caravans, build more caravans.

The initial trade bonus in money and beakers is a game breaker, and the continued additional trade advantage from trade routes can make all the difference in the world

**Oldman** · May 16, 2000, 09:20

All i can say is "Listen to Ming!" build caravans!! then build some more, and when they're coming out of your ears, double 'em!!!!

Scouse: you certainly do know your civilization history don't you!!! quotes from Cato (in latin i might add!), Babylonian history!!! but you made the perfect link in that too, when you have 6 perfect cities, you're in control, way out in front and you get picked on!!! and then wiped out, just like the babylonians!!! ha ha!!

So with the perfectionist game, do you play for AC like in OCC? So how many cities is respectable for a perfectionist game?

**Adam Smith** · May 16, 2000, 09:48

Scouse:
Trade is the key to winning as a perfectionist, as Ming, RAH, and others have suggested. Try this to get the hang of winning as a perfectionist:
1. Play on a large or medium board with land mass = small (more water than land) and continents = normal (as opposed to archepelligo or large continents). This will usually get you easily defensible borders on a continent that will comortably support 8-10 cities.
2. Eight cities (the amount you can get under monarchy without disorder) or 12 (the amount you can get under republic) should be enough. Cities should be close enough that your entire territory is within somebody's city radius. (This allow you to request that unwanted intruders withdraw.) Any choke points or any stray squares (particularly coastal grasslands, or plains, where AI cities can be founded) should be covered by a unit in a fortress. (No unhappiness this way.)
3. Set up your best trade city as a Super Science City (SSC) with all the requisite improvements and wonders.
4. Use other cities solely for production support. (ie build nothing but caravans) These cites have only a temple and maybe walls, plus a factory later. No real need for them to grow beyond size eight.
5. Build a good road/rail network connecting all your cities by the shortest path.
6. One or maybe two good defensive units in each city. They dont need to be veteran, and Leo can keep them up to date.
7. Build one or two strike forces for defense. This consists of a top of the line attacking unit (veteran if possible) plus a diplomat. Centrally located and with good roads, the goal is to have every city within range of one of these units, and still have at least part of a movement point left. If an attack comes, attack or bribe the first wave, and let your defenders withstand the rest.
8. Build caravans, rehome to your Super Science City (larger bonus), and go trading. Stick to high valued commodities if you can. Set up your transport system to support this trade. It is more important to land a steady stream of caravans than that each caravan be hugely profitable.
9. Late in the game keep a battleship or two around to deal with any unwanted intruders (loaded transports).
10. Use production capacity (factories + Hoover), the wonder trick, and accumulated cash to build and launch a space ship before anybody else gets the chance.

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"I fear that I shall die a Prince."
-Edward VII, Prince of Wales

**DaveV** · May 16, 2000, 10:25

Footnote to Adam Smith's point 8: you must go into the city display and select "support from this city" to rehome trade units. Not meaning to start another flame war here, but some consider this an abuse of the game mechanics.

**Scouse Gits** · May 16, 2000, 10:28

Adam - Thank you very much - I shall try that formula
Ming - I'm older than you and I can remember that it was jpk with the caravan quote!
Oldman - wait 'til I get on-line and we can meet at MP.

Thanks all

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Scouse Git[1]

"CARTAGO DELENDA EST" - Cato the Censor

**Bohlen** · May 16, 2000, 10:40

Dave: I am one of those people that consider rehoming caravans somewhat abusive. The way I look at it, rehoming makes any strategy more successful. Wouldn't it be more of a challenge to not rehome and still win?

Adam: Thanks for the tips. I stopped playing the perfectionist style when I tried some other strategies that worked for me, but I'll have to try it out again. Using your notes as a guide, I should do just fine.

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Proud Warrior of the O.W.L. Alliance

**Adam Smith** · May 16, 2000, 10:50

Rehomeing is not necessary, just easier. Sort of like training wheels for trade strategy.

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"I fear that I shall die a Prince."
-Edward VII, Prince of Wales

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