How conduct an ancient era war?

[jshelr]

What I mean is that you don't need to do research yourself, if you are behind on tech. In fact, put the slider on zero. By pumping the resulting gold into the civs that are just behind the tech leader, you can be sure that they use the gold to augment their own tech research to catch the leader. So, the leader does not gain on the whole pack. Meantime, by buying tech on a three turn cycle, you catch up to the leader, and to the others, very quickly. If the AI were strategically smart at that point, tech leaders would do anything to stay out of war and the need to change governments. Inevitably, they do fight, however, and at that point, an isolated civ that refuses to do more than defend its coastline will forge a lead. The lack of government change alone will allow a lead. But, on top of that, you get to stay a democracy, so your GDP is miles ahead of the commies. Switch to doing your own research and move toward the SS.

The only flaw I can see is if you don't have a key strategic resource or lack woefully in lux. If you have a decent sized continent, it probably won't be a problem that trading can't fix. But, playing the world map, I was even able to catch and pass the others on tech recently when stuck on Australia.

To summarize, I think Civ III is all about war in the beginning and all about peace-through-strength in the end. Vote Republican!

[Stuie]

Originally posted by planetfall
....sim city style for playing civ3 definitely reduces magnetism of game.

Funny. I was wondering why anyone would play the game this way in the first place. I'd rather have a new map to explore every time I play. In fact, I took some suggestions from another thread to slow down how fast the map is revealed, just to leave that sense of wonder a bit longer. I wouldn't want to know who my neighbors are and where they are every time (in fact, I do not play with culturally linked starts....)

[planetfall]

Stuie-- I also don't like to use culture links or a know world geography. Part of the fun is finding out where you are and who are your neighbors. Only reasons to finish simcity type of game are 1) to be able to measure the impact at year 2040 of ancient war vs no ancient era war and 2) see if can get higher than 5000 points in faulty scoring system and then decide if want to try for game of month HOF.

Jshelr-- Ok, now understand. Your strategy would work under your play environment but not under mine. I turn off SS because 1) too boring and 2) don't buy the idea that this is a win. It is just a restart. If civ hasn't changed, how will expanding civ to another world help. USA "won" the race to the moon. Other than bankrupting Russia, how does that translate today in influence with OPEC, or European Politics, or Middle East, or Asia?
Since I need either 2040 or conquest, your strategy would have to be modified to work in my play environment.

BTW, if you are going to "vote republican" why isn't your default government Republic? Other than tribal villages, are there any democracies today? Today's "Representative Democracies" seem not too different than "Special interest government". If you edit republic to change worker productity to match democratic government you will find the default government of most AI civs will be republic.

[jshelr]

I don't like the spaceship either. The SS is, however, the only reason that peace is rewarded and that Civ is not a pure war game at the end. Since my experience suggests the AI doen't rush for modern armor with the SS turned off, the human player can do so, and then can easily kick butt. Rolling over everyone with modern armor lacks glamour as well. And the result is often the same as if the SS were turned on.

The game would be improved if there were a more realistic way to establish enough military strength to assure defense and then engage in a "struggle" to be the best civ on other ground. One half-baked thought is that the histogram could be changed to reward qualilty more than quantity. You should get more credit when do all the civic improvements, bring in all the lux, and then juice up the entertainment slider.

[planetfall]

Ok, finally "finished" sample game. Actually quit because of boredom at 1976 in both game with no ancient war and game with ancient era war. Score in 1976:
no ancient war-- 2100
ancient war----- 3800

An 80% improvement just by conducting an ancient era campaign. Definitely more interesting with chariots and horsemen and warriors and spearman than modern era. Much faster to conquer cities.

Now there are still some things about ancient warfare I don't understand:
My readings of forum seem to suggest it is better to reduce other civs to vassals rather than eliminate. Thus,
1. Is this the advantage of a vassal civ:
quicker source of techs & gold than if I developed land?
1.a. If so, how do you set up a vassal civ? min size? max size?

2. When do you start the ancient war?

The problem I have is settler explosion has other civs at many 1 pop cities and a few 2 pop. In current game, waited until France & England had at least 10 cities each and 4 2 pop cities. I was only able to get 2 of the 2 pop cities as the AI would rush soldier and give up citizen. I think the idea is to let the other civs build cities and some improvements and then take the benefit of their development. I seems like you want to start the war just before the other civs get literature so they don't all gang up on you, or does that matter?

3. What size do you prune the other civ to?
2 cities?
3 cities?
4 cities?
5 cities?

I pruned to 1 and 2 cities and think that may have been too much as they don't have much to offer at that size.

4. Is the basic idea to prune civ and then leave an open area for them to settle and then about every 22 turns, capture that city, sue for peace, get goodies, abandon city, leave area open for next cycle?


Again thank you for your ideas.