Uncooperative maps, any suggestions?

[theohall]

Didn't get to play much the past couple of days, but a reply to the most recent post.

Horses were used to subjugate the continent. That part was easy. Only had 1 source of iron. It has been exhausted which hurt.

Have built cities with Harbors which has helped some, but not enough to create major income. Currently in the process of building more coastal cities so as to maximize the number or possible sea squares and generate some commerce to support the army.

There were only two civs on this continent. Turns out the Russians took out the Americans and Iroquois on another continent. It's now a 3 Civ game - Russia by themselves with Gold, Iron, and most of the luxury resources; French with the remaining luxury resources and Gold. This creates a problem in trading. My only luxury resource is incense and not generating enough income to get the French or Russians to trade. This is creating happiness problems for the newer cities when they reach 6 population. Having to create entertainers due to lack of commerce to support happiness facilities is killing growth with the lack of fresh water.

Trying to do anything militarily to the Russians or French involves moving troops across the seas. I did take one Russian city - it reverted back to Russia after 4 turns. So it's going to be darn near impossible to fight with the French or Russians until some commerce gets created somehow. Why commerce? If I can get a city on the opposition continent and rush-build the cultural facilities, I should be able to maintain a foothold. That's going to be a key I think to making this game work. Anxiously awaiting electricity so I can start irrigating my large island continent.

Diplomacy - I'm trying to get the French to ignore me and go after the Russians. If the French can get on the Russian continent, I should be able to get a city on the Russian continent near the French city and have time to develop it.

It's gotten interesting to say the least. Russians sued for peace after culturally recovering their city. I have no idea why. They are way more powerful than my little Civ - which happens to be on the smallest of the 3 continents. There are a couple of small islands which I've settled. Hoping strategic resources in the later ages will appear on them.

[Pyrodrew]

Originally posted by adaMada
I think that captured wonders do produce culture -- they just don't get the bonus for having been built for however long...
Might be wrong on that though...
-- adaMada

Captured wonders produce 0 culture, trust me I have several. However, Hanging Gardens (& possibly others) do work after they are captured, even if they should be obsolete - a bug.

[arborman]

One method that seems to work in terms of narrowing the gap a little is sending a few horsemen (or newer units) into their land and pillaging the roads and mines on resource spaces. It doesn't hurt to capture and disband the odd worker as well. I realize it doesn't get the resources for you, but it does tend to creat disorder and serious problems for the enemy, and maybe give you a chance to get a foothold near some real resources. A long shot, maybe, but I have this foolish tendency to try to stick it out on any map, until I quite obviously have no hope. Also, if you manage to capture a city that you won't be able to keep due to culture, raze it, so their culture drops. If you have your back to the wall, try to reduce their power and give yourself some time. I doubt genghis khan got much in the way of culture, and all he had were horses. It also never hurts to foment a little war between the more powerful civs. If you don't raze the city, consider giving it to someone in exchange for luxuries or strategic resources. The AI is usually willing to sell its soul for a city.They will probably end up going to war, and you will get some of the resources you need. You can do many things if you capture one city, which is almost always possible for at least one turn. Don't get caught in the "capture and build" mindset. Every city is a diplomatic tool, especially the cities of your enemies.

[theohall]

good plan arborman on the cities. I actually fomented some hate and discontent this evening.

On one turn, I took a Russian and French city. Next turn - sue for peace. Then sold them to each other. Result was over 200 gold/turn for 20 years, 5 techs and a 1200 gold lump sum payment.

That should fund the military long enough to establish a foothold on one of the continents. Just trying to decide if I go after the French or the Russians.

Conquest might actually be possible this way.

[Matthevv]

Good strategy, I think you will find that if they have a city on each others continents and none on yours, they will be at war with each other before long.

[theohall]

Update - Victory in 1960 by Conquest. Score wasn't too hot, but I did manage to win.

arborman's plan with some tweaking worked very well.

After selling the cities, built up a large navy and large army. Decided to invade the Russian land since it was larger. 1st thing - conquered all the cities surrounding the French city on the continent. Why? To keep telling the French to go home and stay in their own territory. When 20 years were up - sold a city on my homeland which only had a harbor and temple, but was bordered by 3 high culture cities - got the income for 20 turns and the city back in 5 turns. Kept repeating this as I took over the Russian continent.

Complete conquest of the Russians occurred just as the Industrial age ended. The French, being hemmed in on their smaller continent and continually being told to go home when trying to go to war with the Russians weren't keeping up technologically. Once the Russians fell, it was just a matter of time since I had all but 2 of the non-luxury strategic resources.

Thanks arborman for the sound advice and thanks to all for the ideas.

Don't give up on bad maps. They are great learning experiences.

[sophist]

Captured wonders produce no culture. And all culture-generating improvements are destroyed when you acquire a foreign city (by whatever means).

Originally posted by adaMada


I think that captured wonders do produce culture -- they just don't get the bonus for having been built for however long...

Might be wrong on that though...

-- adaMada