What civ you like best? Why?

[Ironwood]

I like the Greeks, but I like them for early war fighting!

Anybody who thinks that a +1 defense is a defensive trait has never seen what a stack of 2 hoplites and 4 swordsmen can do. I fought an early war against the Russians in this manner. I won't tell you exactly how it went, but I'll put it this way: there was no Golden Age as a result of this war. Oh yeah, and I did win this war, also. I had to arbritrarily declare war on the Americans and drop a lone Hoplite on a mounain top to get my GA! It happened at the very end of the Ancient era, a very good time to have it.

A well timed GA can be immensely helpful, and given the sheer number of buildings that become available during the middle ages, I like the Chinese and the Japanese, since they both get middle ages CSUs. The Rider is *immensely* useful, BTW. The ability go go directly from the home city, cross a border, and immediately attack an enemy city, without pause, is a very good thing.

I wish I could like the Russians. I like the idea of playing scientific expansionists, who have a late middle ages GA. But they're RUSSIANS, and their flag is GRAY. And their leader is GRAY. It's depressing to play them.

[Worthingtons]

I have found my perfect Civ to be the ROMANS.

The Reason I like the Romans is that lovely UU they have. I cannot think of a better UU than the Romans. With the English i used to attack with Horsemen, but it annoyed how 'weak' they were even if they did seldom lose a battle. When the AI piles 50 Swordsman into my Terrority there was NOTHING I could do about it, without losing half my Military, boy i hate that. but now , I have these Lovely Legions!

So, I get a few cities up and running, just as normal, Gun for a Ancient Wonder, Pyramids or GL will do me fine - Just as any other game. Discover Iron and get my roads set up, by this time I'll just be finding out who I'm going to tear apart. Anyway, Set up a Military Camp or two, and start Churning out Veteran Legions en masse, I dont need ANY other units. So I Build up a decent force for attacking my first enemy, a Few Legions will easily get past a couple of Spearmen, and the Beuty is , once the city is taken, I keep it. I can remember my old days with the English, attacking with Horses and getting slaughtered on the counter, No more of that, a couple of Elite (becausue the Militaristic trait means promotions!) Legions defending a city is INVINCABLE in the ancient times. Whats more I combine it with the following Stratagy - The (Usually useless) Great Wall. This is a Dream if i have the spare production, Take an Enemy Town, Rush build a wall (double effect!),and a couple of legions that i've just taken the city with will be absolutly invincable behind double strength walls, If the AI is stupid enough to attack then I can look forward to some Leaders!!, On the Rare chance the AI gets lucky with about 20 units, then one of my nearby legions can take the city back. Anyway, Once I take this civilisation early in the game, I can Build the fp with one of my Leaders (), and I got a large land area, Corruption is Managable (Commercial) and I'm well set up, By this time we're just entering the Middle ages, and My early conquest game should have set me up very well.

People will say 'but legions become obsolete', But i play on largish (not huge tho) maps with quite slow tech, The Middle ages take long enough to get running... My UU has a MASSIVE Shelf life. Even when Feudalism is discovered My Legions are STILL a better bet then Pikemen!! and Knights will struggle against them too (although I will start building them myself). When the Middle of the Middle ages is reached, the AI will have now built a steady force of Knights, Probably Regulars but maybe vets, Are they REALLY going to Compete with my Fortified ELITE Legions??? I dont think so. This UU has a shelf life of TWO Whole ages, because only when the AI can build (and has had the time to build) Cavalry and Riflemen will my UU Expire.

By This time my Early game should have already practially won me the game, and I'll let the Commercial attricbute do the rest of talking.

Romans Kick ass for me -