My first Win.

[King_Xerces]

Hi all,

Firstly, I'm just curious if any of you remember me posting under the screenname elbaz or flamesrock or something about that, on how I stupidly bought this game right before exams. I can't remember if I posted on this forum, or some other. I'm just getting the feeling that I've posted here before, and my memory sucks thanks to Great Wonder known as television...

Anyways, I know I'm a latecomer to Civ3....I just had doubts, thanks to some reviews......
They basically made it sound like it was impossible to win above chieftain, and battles were near impossible to win as well. The enemy AI are liars who'd pillage your organs if they could. etc. etc. (I've noticed a bit of that, LOL)

-THis is on patch V 1.21

Never played a civilization game before this.

But Civ3 is sweeeeeeeet.


Anyways, I've just completed a game on chieftain diplomatically. The .SAV file is attached (hopefully) in the turn right before I win. I played as the persians in this game, and they've faired much better than the french, chinese, or greeks (in my first game). Although, I didn't really know how to play before those cultures. Now my first question is, which civ should I play as Next. As in, which is the most like the persians, but still has enough distinctness to keep me trying, considering I've royally whooped some booty in my first win. --I'm moving up to the next level for newer game.

second question: how difficult a jump is it from chieftain to the next level...warlord I think?

Lastly, I'd be honoured if some of you experts could open my .SAV file, and tell me what I did right, where I was trippin', and how I could improve my skills for the next game.

-Thanks

[Inverse Icarus]

if i were you i'd forget warlord and go for prince.

before that, the AI actually cheats IN YOUR FAVOR.

do not let that take away from your victory though.

[Grrr]

Regent or Prince. The only fair levels.

[alva]

Since you are still very much in the learning process (to be honest, who isn't , i'd just pick a random civ and see what happens. This might just force to change your style/manner from your previous game, and thus you will probably learn more from it. Also this will give you the chance to learn the finer aspects of the game.

BTW: good to have one more positivo around

[Kingof the Apes]

Congrats, Xerces.

I would reccomed you to go right up to regent after this, to avoid picking up bad habits(I coined this from somewhere).

To get strategy tips, go to the strategy section in this forum, I'll post a link to a particularly helpful thread for Regent in a second.

[Kingof the Apes]

Bah, my first DP.


grrrrrr...

[Kingof the Apes]

http://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=51754

Some good tips in here.

[Theseus]

I'd suggest Egypt or Japan, and an immediate jump to Monarch.

Congrats, and welcome.

[alva]

Originally posted by Theseus
I'd suggest Egypt or Japan, and an immediate jump to Monarch.

Congrats, and welcome.

wow, That is quite a big leap, isn't it

I recommend at least 1 more on regent

[W4r_Machine]

If he wins monarch on the first try he'll be my new GOD.

[vondrack]

Re: My first Win.

Congrats, Xerxes! It took me much more time to win my first game... playing Romans on Regent. That damned pride of mine... would never resort to a lower level...

As others, I recommend going for Regent - that is the level Firaxis fine-tuned the game on. It gives a decent challenge there.

My strategy was to start with Romans (they were first on the list). After winning with them, I picked Egyptians... right next to the Romans in the setup screen... and so on. I have done it as far as Germans only so far... difficult to say, which nation was the easiest to play, but I like the industrious trait (being more of a builder than a warmonger).

I would say that China or Egypt might be a good choice now. They are also industrious - and I find this trait to be pretty distinct. Workers really work faster...!

Or try a completely different civ (like Japan), you will be surprised, how much the gameplay will differ from your recent game.

[Kingof the Apes]

Go up to regent; If you go up to Monarch right now you will lose your love of the game quickly.

I reccomend Egypt.

[David Murray]

Originally posted by Kingof the Apes
Go up to regent; If you go up to Monarch right now you will lose your love of the game quickly.

I reccomend Egypt.

Well, if Xerxes is anything like the quality of player as I am, even going straight from Chieftain to Regent on the second game will drain a lot of enthusiasm in itself.... (Even now, after about 15 complete games, I still struggle at times on regent....)

But if you're better than I am, Xerxes, which surely can't be hard, then you might be all right.

[King_Xerces]

Thanks for the advice, all!

Well, heres what happened. Last night, I started a new game as Egypt on Regent. This was with a 3 billion year old earth, both normal in terms of climate and humidity. At first, everything was going great. I was situated well in terms of luxuries and such, and my cities were growing well. Soon though, I came into contact with the Babylonians. AHHHHHHH!! I hate them Babylonians! I'd been situated next to them in all of my previous games, and let me tell you, they're the most malicious and vengeful civ there is.......

But No prob, I've been able to take care of them in the past.

So I continue all of my progress....>And then I come into contact with Persia. I've heard about these swinging merchaant persians. Apparantly, Xerces is nasty too----no prob, I can take care of that. But then I begin to realize that my civ Is CORNERED on the edge of a continent! To make it worse, I'm enclosed by bablyon and persian who seemed to be lovy dovy with eachother, and wouldn't trade any tech with me. That's when I start to fall behind. I decide, well, I hate Bablyon, so maybe I should get into a war with them. -------if I could find a way to antagonize them on Persia's terms, I'd be right back in the tech race, and have a passage out of the continents edge. So I start to suck up to persia by giving them some money. Then I declare war on Babylon. I know those two are friends, so I go back, and give the persians some more money.

Well, you know those crafty Babylonians, they go right for an undefended city I just sat up on the very edge of the continent. As soon as they were about to attack, I disbanded the city. That'd give me enough stalled time to go attack their nearest city. So I start moving a few of my troops--But Babylons forces outnumbered mine, and After loosing quite a few guys and falling even further behind technologically, I decided it was best to cut a treaty, and milk as much tech as I could. I managed to get two techs from Hammaburi. Then, Xerces comes along and starts demanding stuff from me! Even though his forces outnumber mine, I decide to go to war with him, and attempt the same thing, because now I had the war chariot, which costed much less than horsemen. So I start getting all of my city's to pump out war chariots and attack Xerces' closest city. I eventually destroy it, and lot's of his crappy troops with my war chariots and couple of archers. So I've got tons of war chariots stacked there, when I decide to attack the rest of his empire. It was then I realized that a mountain range seperated us! and the only way I could get my war chariots to his cities was by travelling through my sworn enemy Babylon!. I cut a deal with him, milking out a few techs in the process, but I was even further behind than before!

That's about the time I gave up. If the AI realized that my chariot units couldn't get to his cities, I can only imagine what'd happen. Bad break I guess. Hopefully, my next game will be better.

I plan on starting a new game this evening as China on prince, as they're militaristic (A trait I've come to need)and Industrious (A trait I also rely on now). 3 billion year earth and smaller continents with a normal climate, and wet environment. I think this will give me the advantage I need over the non-industrious civs to get used to prince. What do you guys think about these specs? Or should I use a different civ, perhaps Egyt?

Once again, thanks for all the great advice and link!
Now, hopefully I can learn to keep track of time to prevent 3AM bedtimes..........

[King_Xerces]

Also, one more, ?.

How do you buy temples or units? I can't find the control for that, although I've heard it's possible.

-Thanks