The "Size-5" strategy

[rah]

Not a fair question. I believe this strategy will produce more science, but it depends on the game situation and how it is executed. There are always little setbacks in MP games that force you to modify plans.

RAH
The mp game where I used it I started without a trade special, so I played a modified ics opening, but then I switched back to modified perfectionism when i got enough cities down and they were starting to grow. And once 4 of the got to 5, BANG.
Thanks

[Ming]

I'll give my standard answer...
It will depend on their starting positions

With even an average spread of trade specials, and a decent starting position, I think the Size-5 strategy is more effective. Now, if I have to wander for many years to find a place to start, I'd give it to the ICS'ers who can pretty much start just about anywhere

[Sten Sture]

I generally hate the GL for messing with my tech path, but the GL as a very early wonder - now that is interesting! 5-sci to get GL, then low sci and jack taxes up. Next would you go early Rep or toward Feudalism to get the pikemen?

I haven't MPed much and not in 12 ferret generations, but does the GL pick up dupes that have already passed? Like Monarchy? I would assume that everyone is going to get it pretty soon, and I doubt if GL completion will beat Monarchy discovery...?

[Kitana]

I read your post a couple times and it really makes good sense. I don't always play at deity though, I usually play at King, because I play mostly to relax, not to see how good I am. You can use a similar strategy with king level, except you can go to size 8 cities and just don't build aqueduct. Since you need an aqueduct to get past 8 you don't have to worry about growth. When you get to Democracy start building aqueduct, hopefully Michellangelo's Chapel and set your luxuries to 60, tax to 20 and science to 20. Your population explodes with the We Love the ____ Days every turn.

Just a thought.

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Kitana
Shogun of the Japanese

[Xin Yu]

In 2x production a size 5 capital city will give 20 shields (working on forests). Now what is the earliest time to build the GL?

[Ming]

(A MP double production answer)
Again, that depends on when you started building a wonder. Once you get a wonder science, many people will start building that wonder knowing they will switch it to something else when they can. Plus, maybe you have a city location that provides more than that number of shields in 2x pro...
In addition, if you are near a barb area... you could maybe have hundred of dollars sitting around thanks to some kings... making it easy to buy a wonder whenever you want it...
Now, assuming you might be able to get into monarchy by 3000BC, and that you took writing as your non path science, and didn't get any sciences from huts, and were able to take literacy as your next science, and it only took 4 to 5 turns to research it... you could have it as early 2750...

So to answer your question... too many variables

[My Wife Hates CIV]

'I usually play at King, because I play mostly to relax, not to see how good I am'

now see, i agree with that. what fun is playing all night trying to squeeze out every single little freakin trade arrow?? but in MP you have to because everyone else is.

but as i've always said - it's all luck, at first anyway more so! a few lucky huts and 6 horses comming down on Xin's early (undefended cities)... and it's over for him.

[cavebear]

quote: Originally posted by My Wife Hates CIV on 09-12-2000 08:52 AM a few lucky huts and 6 horses comming down on Xin's early (undefended cities)... and it's over for him.

Right, sure, piece of cake. Maybe 6 vet knights *very* early... *LOL*

[Ming]

If six horses hit anybodey early, they would be in trouble... And that is the way to really hurt ICS'ers

[Ribannah]

quote: Originally posted by Sten Sture on 09-11-2000 01:53 PM I haven't MPed much and not in 12 ferret generations, but does the GL pick up dupes that have already passed? Like Monarchy? I would assume that everyone is going to get it pretty soon, and I doubt if GL completion will beat Monarchy discovery...?

The GL makes a check each time somebody discovers a tech and if this wasn't the first tribe to discover it, you get it too. So if everybody else already has Monarchy before you finish GL, there will never be a check and it will never give it to you.

Btw I just played an OCC game in which only one of the AI tribes had discovered Monarchy by the year 1500 AD ...

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If you have no feet, don't walk on fire

[Sten Sture]

(side note for Ribs - if you edit the rules text to make Monarchy and its prereq's 8,0 the AI will research it within the first dozen techs - sometimes even 5th, but usually around 10th)

[Sten Sture]

quote: Originally posted by Xin Yu on 09-08-2000 08:28 PM f) as soon as city #1 grows to size 3, add the two settlers to city #1.

Since the food box retains the previous food stored when you add a citizen - would it be better to add the settlers when the food box has more than just a couple of food stored or is it a push? Is adding three settlers to a nearly ready to grow size two city better??

Don't you wish the granery worked as well backwards as it does forwards.

[SilverDragon]

I nominate this for the GL.

[Xin Yu]

SS: accrue food before adding settlers to the city is not good since it takes several turns to get enough food just for one turn's consumption. As for adding 3 settlers to size 2 cities, you can do it later in the game, but not at the beginning. Roughly speaking, from size 3 to 4 you need 40 food, so by adding a settler to the city you trade one shield with one food; adding a settler to a size 2 city would trade 40 shields for 30 food.

[Scouse Gits]

Xin, May I add my (somewhat belated) praise - I am trying this new scheme within an ICSish framework pumping the heartland cities up to five - works like a dream! Now where exactly are the French ... ?


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Scouse Git[1]

"CARTAGO DELENDA EST" - Cato the Censor
"The Great Library must be built!"