The Deity Level...

[DaveV]

In my experience, building roads does lower corruption (and waste), but has no effect on happiness. What you're running into is the "riot factor" - once you exceed a certain number of cities, your citizens get less happy. There are three ways to deal with this:

1) Go republic/democratic and use luxuries and happy wonders/improvements to offset the extra unhappiness. Note that beyond some number of cities, two luxuries will convert a very unhappy citizen to a happy (not unhappy, not content, but happy) citizen.

2) Go Communist. No riot factor; garrison troops are doubly effective at quelling unrest.

3) Go Fundamentalist. No happiness worries whatsoever.

[Edward]

DaveV has good advice. If corruption is your problem, a new government is the answer.

Is it true that Communism doesn't suffer from any riot factor due to the number of cities in your empire (Tieneman Square, anyone)?

I thought all governments suffered from the riot factor. It was merely that the number of cities threshold was different depending on your difficulty level and government type.

[DaveV]

Edward - Communism has no riot factor, no waste, and no corruption. One of the best ways to put the "infinite" in Infinite Cities Sleaze.

[Bohlen]

Communism is king in my book. Lately, I've been going to Communism straight from Monarchy and it is beautiful. Of course, I'll probably say that Democracy is king next week. Always trying different ideas with SP...

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Proud Warrior of the O.W.L. Alliance

[Kitana]

I like Communism and usually go to it after building the SoL. But I've only played about 6 games a deity so far and never got the SoL. Right now I just concentrating on surviving.

BTW, I never like starting on the same continent as the Vikings or the Mongols.

[patriot]

I started playing Civ II last month and always play diety/raging hordes/large world. One of my strategies is to create many diplomats and steal technologies everywhere I can. Any comments on this?

--Patriot

PS. I am a newbie here.

[Edward]

Wow!! Communism's much better than I thought.

I guess anything lost to corruption, graft, and bribery still goes to the government; because the government and the mafia are one-and-the-same.

Thanks, DaveV.

[jpk]

Patriot:

If you are able to steal technologies you are behind the AI civilizations. When you go to war with the AI you will have more or less equivalent units. Knights vs. knights, armor vs. armor, etc.

When you deliver a caravan you not only get a money bonus but you also get a science bonus of an equal numerical value. The science bonus from a single caravan can easily equal the entire science output of you entire civilization for several turns. If you deliver enough caravans you can easily create a substantial technology lead over any of the AI civilizations.

The way to maximize your science bonus is to deliver the caravan to an AI city that is on a continent that is different from the continent of the caravan's home city. Ideally the city should demand the caravan's commodity.

When I frist started playing Civilization I did not apprecieate the value of caravans. Now I would not leave home without one.

[kcbob]

Oh, Patriot, are you in for some looooooooong games.

It took me about nine months to work my way up to Deity level. I would play at a level until I had about two or three good wins and then move up. The higher I went in levels, the longer it took to get to the next one. And Raging Hordes was the same way. I bumped it up slowly as I progressed.

As for the large world, I used to think that a large world was the only way to go. The bigger the world, the more enjoyment. I hve totally, reversed that thought and now play only small worlds. Sending a caravan, armada, army, whatever, from the south forty to north BF Egypt takes way too long. And if you conquer or bribe enemy cities along the way to create staging areas and increase your empire, the micromanagement becomes more than I can bear.

BUT, and that's a big but, it really comes down to what YOU enjoy. Who cares what I play. I'm having fun with the greatest computer game ever created and so are you (I hope).

And if you are a newbie here, you are going to be amazed at how much you'll learn from this site. Without it, I'd still be on Prince level and milktoast barbarians.



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Frodo lives!

Better dead than "Red"... or green... or blue... or yellow... or orange... or purple... or white.

[Scouse Gits]

Patriot - I play most of my games on a large map. I like exploring and working out effecient methods of conquest. The civs found towards the middle of the game have had time to grow far more than those on a small world.

Playing 2.42/Deity/Hordes I would recommend:
Plan your tech path for Monarchy/Democracy, picking up Map Making/Navigation when possible. Then Steam Engine (Ironclads)/Feudalism (Sun Tzu)/ and generally head for Tactics/Amphibious Warfare.

The Wonders I MUST have are HG (for ICS): Magellan's: Leo's: SoL.
Depending upon how the game goes I like: Colossus (in same city as HG): Lighthouse (Super Ironclad): Marco Polo (for early identification of where other Civs are by map trading): Sun Tzu for conquest games.

After SoL go Communist or Fundy. Communism is very useful if you decide to go for AC as an alternative to conquest.

On a large map you must trade and TRADE. This is where being a large naval power helps as control the seas is vital. Caravans must be delivered quickly and safely. The larger distances provide better returns, and on a large map there are
several continents - which again enhances the caravan bonus.

Have fun!

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SG (2)

[patriot]

Thanks for the info on Caravan's contribution to science. This should eliminate my worst deficiencies. Trade was where I understood the least.

[Hueij]

quote: Originally posted by patriot on 07-08-2000 07:17 PM Thanks for the info on Caravan's contribution to science. This should eliminate my worst deficiencies. Trade was where I understood the least.

And to complicate it even more: here is a trick to increase the science bonus
Just before delivering the caravan max out the trade output of its home-city. Place all the workers on trade squares and don't care about a production and/or food deficit. The higher the trade the better. This will increase the science bonus. After you delivered the caravan just place them back before you end the turn.