Civ 3 Strategy guide is out!

[Jason Beaudoin]

Do any of you think that these "strategy guides" are a little off on the facts? ...because I always thought that the Manhattan Project was a small wonder, meaning that each civilization would have to build one in order to create nuclear weapons.

Forcing each civilization to build the Manhattan Project is certainly more realistic.

Are these facts correct?

[albiedamned]

We've already found quite a few areas where the strat guide is incorrect. Manhattan Project is apparently one of them - I think we've confirmed it is a small wonder that each civ must build, despite what the strat guide says. The strength of battleships appears to be another one.

[m5cents]

When playing the world map - are the civ located in their logical place (ie Americans in North America) or is it random?

I've seen reviews elsewhere where this issue is not fully explained..

Thanks!

[CapTVK]

Originally posted by m5cents
When playing the world map - are the civ located in their logical place (ie Americans in North America) or is it random?

I've seen reviews elsewhere where this issue is not fully explained..

Thanks!

Probably you can play with historic and random locations, just as civ2. This feature is truly standard, so it's probably in.

[Jason Beaudoin]

Originally posted by albiedamned
We've already found quite a few areas where the strat guide is incorrect. Manhattan Project is apparently one of them - I think we've confirmed it is a small wonder that each civ must build, despite what the strat guide says. The strength of battleships appears to be another one.

Good! I was becoming disappointed by some of the so called "facts" from that strategy guide.

That's pretty pathetic then, wouldn't you say? You buy a strategy guide that has serious errors in it. Waste of money.

[Andrew1999]

Originally posted by Xmudder


No +1 commerce for flood plain? Flood Plains can't be mined, and never have shields? That contradicts a number of screenshots we've seen.

How much does it cost to build a Scout? 20? I know it takes 1 gold to maintain it.

Any tile that borders a river gets a +1 commerce bonus, so most (if not all) floodplains would get that benefit.

Scouts only cost 10 to build.

[albiedamned]

Originally posted by Jason Beaudoin


Good! I was becoming disappointed by some of the so called "facts" from that strategy guide.

That's pretty pathetic then, wouldn't you say? You buy a strategy guide that has serious errors in it. Waste of money.

There's almost no way the strat guide could have any actual strategies that we won't figure out here on Apolyton in a matter of days (if not hours!). So the only reason to get it is for its info on the game. Since that's flawed, and since the game is out in 48 hours, I think I'll pass on the strat guide.

Not that I don't appreciate those who bought it and are posting info from it here! Three cheers for Andrew1999!

[Andrew1999]

Re: Interesting info!

Originally posted by old dog
Can this be true? Although Civ 3 is now up to three "depths" of water, the Lighthouse does NOT upgrade ships' ability to end a turn in deeper water?

Also, harbors produce veteran ships? This seems a bit cheap. I would expect the result to be that almost all ships are veteran. (On second thought, with the new "elite" level, maybe this will play out fine.)

Once again, thank you Andrew!

Yes, the Lighthouse also allows your ships to enter deeper waters.

[Andrew1999]

Originally posted by old dog
One more question: Does the first civ to discover philosophy still get a free tech advance?

Nope, that's been taken out.

[Andrew1999]

Originally posted by CapTVK



Reading this I can only conclude that Civ3 is even more slanted towards the defender than the attacker. Take note that the quote doesn't say anything about the experience levels of troops. It seems a couple of Phalanxes on a hilltop will still be able to keep an entire army at bay. Could someone explain how the exp level of units factor into the defense bonus?

The guide emphasizes several times the importance of bombarding a fortified city or fortress before you attack it. I think we're going to see some impressive sieges in this game.

[Jason Beaudoin]

Yes! I'm glad that Firaxis made bombarbment important.

[Comrade Tribune]

Can you give a short description of what the wonders do? Especially new ones and those whose effects have changed.

[mrknightly]

Age Advancement

With regards to advancing into an new age, if we had decided not to research the various optional techs does that mean we can no longer research them once we are in another age???

I guess there's always the dastardly option of commerical epsionage...

[Andrew1999]

Originally posted by Comrade Tribune
Can you give a short description of what the wonders do? Especially new ones and those whose effects have changed.

I did the small wonders a few pages ago; here's the rest:
Colossus: Generates one extra commerce in any square already producing commerce in that city. Expires with Flight
Copernicus' Observatory: Doubles research in that city
Cure for cancer: Makes one unhappy citizen content in all your cities
Great Library: Gives you any advance two other civs have discovered. Expires with Education.
Great Lighthouse: Allows ships to go one level deeper into the ocean. Increases ship movement by 1. Expires with Magnetism
Great Wall: Doubles effects of walls in cities that have them. Doubles attack strength vs. barbarians. Expires with Metallurgy.
Hanging Gardens: Makes 3 unhappy citizens content in its city and one unhappy citizen content in your other cities. Expires with Steam Power.
Hoover Dam: Acts as a Hydro Plant in all your cities on that continent.
Bach's Cathedral: Decreases the number of unhappy people by 2 in each city on the same continent
Leonardo's Workshop: Allows you to upgrade units at 1/2 the cost
Longevity: Population increases by 2 instead of 1 when the food box is filled
Magellan's Voyage: Movement of all naval units increased by 1
Manhattan Project: Allows nuclear weapons*
Newton's University: Doubles Scientific research in its city
The Oracle: Doubles the effect of all temples. Expires with Theology
Pyramids: Acts as a granary in all your cities on the same continent
SETI Program: Doubles research in its city
Shakespeare's Theater: Makes 8 unhappy citizens in that city content
Sistine Chapel: Doubles the effect of Cathedrals
Smith's Trading Company: Free maintenance for Marketplaces, Banks, Harbors, and Airports
Sun Tzu's Art of War: Provides benefits of a Barracks in all your cities on that continent
Theory of Evolution: Gives you 2 free advances
United Nations: Allows diplomatic victory
Universal Suffrage: Reduces war weariness in all your cities.

*The Manhattan Project was changed to a small wonder after the book was printed.

[Andrew1999]

Re: Age Advancement

Originally posted by mrknightly
With regards to advancing into an new age, if we had decided not to research the various optional techs does that mean we can no longer research them once we are in another age???

I guess there's always the dastardly option of commerical epsionage...

You can go back and research older techs if you want.