What will your strategy be in your first Civ3 game?

[Tventano]

The first game is mainly checking everything out, how all the new stuff works. Having chosen for the Zulus this means fast exploration in the beginning, knowing there the needed resources are, making contact with others asap. If the first contact should be smothered or loved I don't know yet, normally depends on geography and other contacts.

So probably mainly military and finding out how much of the culture stuff you really need. Of course trying out lots of the diplomacy. For the second game a pure cultural approach can then be chosen.

[Nikolai]

I will most problaby try to win by technology, or maybe culture. I know that conquering the world aren't my way, I hav enever been good at it. I have managed one time in Civ2 and a couple of times in SMAC(SMAC is easier, though )

[JosefGiven]

A combination of machievellian diplomatic wheeler-dealing backed up by some ferocious military might should bring the world under the shadow of the Soviet hammer and sickle nicely.

[Ilkuul]

Informal Poll Results!

Well, from the above responses we get the following results:

7 military strategies for the first game; but

9 peaceful approaches!

So it looks like most Apolytonians are going to ease into Civ3 peacefully before starting to throw their weight about!

Beware, warmongers -- if you play with the new fire of Civ3 without understanding it, you're liable to get burned!

[The diplomat]

Make that 10 peaceful strategies.

In my first game, I want to explore the new tech tree, and the new diplomacy and trade. I want to see how the new strategic ressources and diplomacy fit in. I'll take a good look at culture too. I'll probably go for a space race or diplomacy victory first.
There will be plenty of oportunities later to conquer the world!

[splangy]

BURN!! PILLAGE!! DESTROY!!!!

[Sitting Bull]

I will try for a tech win, because I don't think my playstyle will change. The idea of world conquest is very tiresome. The idea of a diplo win is suspicious to me, I wonder how much butt-kissing that will take. But my mind is open.

[dainbramaged13]

I thihnk that I will go for a tech win, while exploring the other peaceful options on my way. The second game will be my first conquering game because i think its just silly to try to conquer the world if a complet++++new game.

BTW, sitting bull
I think (its just my opinion of course) that a diplo win will not involve so much kissing butt as just being powerful, but non-agressive. You know, if you've always kept good relations with people, but youre basically stronger than everyone else, not so much as to take over the world, but enough just to have them repect you for your greater prowess.

[SSBLoveU]

I like the peaceful solution, and I will hope to be able to fly into space

[hetairoi22]

I will play peacefully in my first game. I will negotiate all kinds of deals with my opponents and explore the techtree. I will also try the new features (e.g. strategic resources, stacking and culture). I wont try so much to win as to try out the new features and get familiar with the game.

When I have made myself familiar with the techtree/units I will try the conquest win, and later I will try out the new ways to victory.

(I can't wait to play the game )

[Provost Harrison]

I reckon I will probably start as the French as I like the look of their attributes. And I will just go on from there depending on the situation. Try and build a reasonable number of cities and just try and play a fairly hybrid game...and assess the situation...

[Provost Harrison]

I'll probably be peaceful but want some opportunities for war so I can put the new combat system to the test. But I would be more interested in building up my civilisation...

[Ilkuul]

Informal Poll results

OK, the score now stands at:

8 warmongers in their first game; but

14 peacemakers

(...omitting those like Provost who sat on the fence and refused to commit themselves)!

When we've all actually had our first games we'll have to compare notes and see who came out best -- the warmongers or the peacemakers!

My bet is on the peacemakers...

[cyril25376]

My strategy will be a peaceful one (Building a space ship). I will also try to dominate by culture in order to conquer cities in a quite peaceful way.

[Inverse Icarus]

me and my fridns have it all worked out.

our first civ game is going to be an all night multiplayer fest.

4 of us banding together and 4 AI civs, on the world map (now 6x larger)

i am germany. william is france. arthur is rome. geoff is england.

the AIs will be castoff Euraisa, the Americans, the Iroquois, the Aztecs, and the Zulu.

we really want to see how this resource trading and culture works out, and if the AIs can handle it.

we can also test the war model, all four of us ganging up on those poor zulu