The Best Civilization

[georges bonbon]

Babylon.

I always go for winning the scientific race and reach Mobile Warfare first. After that it is a piece of cake.

With the religious trait one does not lose time with anarchy, so the science race does not lose time.

So be friendly with the AI. Make as many ROP and other deals with them. Give them a few small favours (money) and make deals for twenty years and renew them all the time.

Do not agress them in any way: breaking deals, breaking deals between them.

Do not go for MPP or alliances but give them something small.

Go for the Great Library as fast as possible. Turn back your scientific research to 20%, accept the research given by the others and pile up the money. You are going to need it for the upgrades.

Lastly make friends with those militaristic guys. They are bad.

If you do this you can sit back and relax, watch them hurting each other.

Go for the kill with Mobile Warfare and Synthetic Fibers.

You will not need nukes.

Babylon, are these not the ancestors of Saddam?

[MeaCulpa]

Good to see there's no uber civilization everyone is keen on playing without exception. There are many nations I have never played (e.g. Americans). Sometimes I try to (when I read about a special strategy like German bow rush or how someone outplayed the AI on deity with "his" civ), but then I always end up going back to my beloved Persians. Militaristic is ok, scientific...huh. But you are only one step (iron working) away from your UU, which I use regularly to clean my continent. Nothing can withstand an ancient attack of 4, you can even crush Greece with those, and the GA helps you to pump them out even faster. And you don't have to worry about upgrading them to medieval infantry; yet you don't have much money then anyway.

[High_Lord]

I agree with all youse about the industrial trait, it truly is nice to have fast builders. The militaristic civs are my favorites, though (dont have PTW just regular)...I like the Roman Legions best of all as far as UU goes, but somehow I always have my best games playing as Germany. I like to play standard\continent with I suppose 70%?? ocean (the middle choice)...poop out a barracks while my wimpy worker infrastructures 4 or 5 good squares while i build up archers to destroy any neighbor civ who shares my continent !! then i have enough little archer dudes to patrol around and kill any warriors and settlers that may try to land

[High_Lord]

[QUOTE] Originally posted by High_Lord
I agree with all youse about the industrial trait, it truly is nice to have fast builders. The militaristic civs are my favorites, though (dont have PTW just regular)...I like the Roman Legions best of all as far as UU goes, but somehow I always have my best games playing as Germany. I like to play standard\continent with I suppose 70%?? ocean (the middle choice)...poop out a barracks while my wimpy worker infrastructures 4 or 5 good squares while i build up archers to destroy any neighbor civ who shares my continent !! then i have enough little archer dudes to patrol around and kill any warriors and settlers that may try to land

[metalhead]

France, man, it's gotta be France!

[High_Lord]

Wow I just had to post here that Iriquois has just jumped up on my fav list...those Mounted Warriors really are kick-ass!!

[DaveMcW]

I've tried the Mounted Warrior rush and the Immortal rush, and Immortals are better. Maybe that's because I don't play large maps.

[Arrian]

Dave,

Really? Immortals over MWs?

The immortal rush is probably easier to assemble b/c you can upgrade 10 shield units (warriors) to Immorts, and Persia is industrious, which lets you set up your basic infrastructure better.

However, MW's have mobility and the advantages that go with it. I prefer them. But they do take longer to get going.

Anyway, I'm curious: why Immortals over MWs?

-Arrian

[DaveMcW]

Like you said, immortals are easier to get going. Besides the industrious and upgrade advantages, immortals can attack/defend in any group size. MWs require a critical mass to prevent counterattacks.

I wouldn't use Immortals to clear a pangea map, but they accomplish my goal of establishing two productive cores faster than MWs on any difficulty.

[High_Lord]

yeah , the MW is great for Pangaea...i did my game up random on a standard map, ended up being Iriqouis(well, Irq civ but my own race of Bongolians) on a Pangaea...anyway I wiped out Bab with 12 MW and used them to form a moving line to keep Persias stupid settlers running back and forth, keeping them from building cities on MY land

[Zero]

Name one civ with religious civ that sux in civ3 and ptw. even india is a good civ if u put time playing them.

Therefore, if I may I would like to conclude, once and for all, religious is the best trait.

PS For all you iroquois lovers, once you get over the fact that you dont have ur favorite MWs and stop crying about it as i have, the arabs are just as good civ as the iroquois. Its got the mixed feeling of iroquois and China, as the UU is very good at implementing chinese rider strategies.

[Pyrodrew]

I wish there was a trait that would allow me to produce Settlers faster in the Ancient Age. Oh wait there is! Industrious! Quicker built mines = Quicker built settlers! Not to mention quicker built roads (our settlers/troops get there first ), irrigation, tree cut rush aid, etc...

Aeson made some good points about Expansionist for settlers, but that is a gamble & map dependent.

The other traits are good 2nd place backups for Industrious tho.

[CerberusIV]

"Best" is subjective but as I am still at Regent/Monarch level I would say you can't go far wrong with a Religious/Militaristic civ. From civ3 I would go for the Japanese as they have the best early medieval UU - golden age for Sistine and Leo's.

I once took the last Zulu city on an adjoining continent and stuffed it with Samurai and Musketmen. The Persians attacked. I lost one Samurai and they lost eleven Immortals on their turn. Then it was my turn and they lost three more Immortals and two cities with their pikeman garrisons.

My PTW favourite is the Celts. You can accidentally trigger a GA too early but I like the Gallic Swordsman combat animation.

Best industrious civ is Ottomans. If you can survive to late medieval then you will have good science and culture and Sipahi with artillery or air support can even take out infantry. Particulary useful if the AI doesn't have rubber or you pillage their supply so they are reduced to rifleman/guerrilla.

[XarXo]

Egypt and Aztecs , in all the games that Iplayed they had bif empires. Germany is good on too. The worst is pretty easy: English. They always loose.

BTW, the one that I find more "out" is america, is quite disappointing look a wonderful map of middle earth and see New York or Los Angeles...

[DuncanK]

France

Wow! Only one other person claims France. I'm not sure if they were joking or not. Everyone jokes on France when it comes to war. In this game though, I have definitely been most successfull with them.

First Industrious and Comercial are my favorite civ specific abilities. I've always like industry, especially in SMAC, so originally I was attracted to that ability. I also like comercial for two reasons. In the early game I can support larger armies, and in the late game there is less corruption. The UU is kind of funny (until they are kicking your a$$). Their timing is great though if you can get leonardos workshop and then develop gunpowder. Just upgrade your spearman and pikemen, then go kick your enemies butt. Then its all gravy.