The Best Civilization

[Brizey]

I guess I just think that that 25% OCN makes a big difference at a key time in the game. And in the early game, the extra commerce bonus is magnified, and it compounds.

I still disagree with the Cathedrals. I don't think the WLTKD is worth 2-3 good offensive units per large city, which is the opportunity cost of a Cathedral. Suppose you have 12 large cities. In the time you build a Cathedral in each, you could build ~20-30 knights. I'll take the knights, especially if I am playing the Chinese.

I too wish there was a trait that made marketplaces cheap, but as you implied, it would upset game balance.

I have never tried to buy my way through the ancient age on emperor. I'll have to take your advice and try it. I usually don't like to buy early techs because I am an upgrade fiend and need all my gold for that. I've been playing on Monarch and experimenting with the new civs, especially Scandavia now that archers upgrade to Berzerks.

Culure does play a part in the score, but so does a swift victory. I guess somehow I slipped from being a builder to a pure warmonger.

I agree that industrious is probably the best. The early roads make a huge difference, and like I said, they make captured workers effective.

Bad luck can ruin any game. Militaristic does rely on luck, but good luck can break a game. If you get 5 or six leaders it is almost impossible to lose. I am playing a Scandy game and I have had 4 leaders by 1300 AD.

My favorite civ is China. Militaristic, Industrious and a great, well-timed UU.

[Konquest02]

I wonder why anybody brought up the Indians or the Aztecs...?!?

--Kon--

[badams52]

Being a builder from Civ 2, I started with Babylon a lot. But not being used to the number of units I would need in defense I would often get caught up in the new improvement to build while my Persian neighbor (culturally linked start) amassed his immortal army...

Let's just say, since then, I've started most of my games as Persia

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Originally posted by Konquest02
I wonder why anybody brought up the Indians or the Aztecs...?!?

--Kon--

I like the Indians -- they gave me my first Warlord win, for one thing -- except that their UU, which is nice in and of itself, shows upat at time when I don't want to be making war (I'm too fond of medieval wonders). But the religious/commercial combo means you've got a great early-game trait, a great late-game trait, and the opportunity to switch in and out of democracy at will. They're quite nice.

[Arrian]

I like the Indians -- they gave me my first Warlord win, for one thing -- except that their UU, which is nice in and of itself, shows upat at time when I don't want to be making war (I'm too fond of medieval wonders). But the religious/commercial combo means you've got a great early-game trait, a great late-game trait, and the opportunity to switch in and out of democracy at will. They're quite nice.

Actually, the timing of the Indian UU is the only thing that's good about it, IMO. If you get to chivalry without horses or iron, you're in trouble anyway. It can happen, so there is something to say for the "no resources" required nature of the WE. But mostly it's the timing. You say you like Medieval Wonders, right? Well, what better way to ensure you get them than to be in a Golden Age?

When playing Japan and China, I often trigger my GA via wonders, actually, despite their lovely UUs. I love the Colossus, and often build it. That covers "religious" for Japan (if not, then it's gonna be the Sistine). I also really like the Hanging Gardens, which covers "industrious" for China. If I miss the HG, I sometimes (depending on the situation), will do the GW instead, which triggers a GA for Chinaa all by its lonesome. Otherwise, it's Sun Tzu or Leos (either of which also does the trick for Japan in conjunction with the Colossus or Sistine). It all depends.

If, however, my early wars haven't gone quite as well as I hoped and I'm scratching and clawing in the early middle ages, there are few things that say "it's all gonna be ok" like a stack of Riders. That's true to a lesser extent with Samurai. The 3 moves trump the 4 defense, though I will say that Sams do vicious, horrible, unspeakable things to attacking knights.

-Arrian

[joncnunn]

I ranked the Aztecs 9th best and the Indians 10th best.
(In orignal Civ III. With PTW, both of them fall at least two slots.)

Originally posted by Konquest02
I wonder why anybody brought up the Indians or the Aztecs...?!?

--Kon--

[joncnunn]

It's a better idea when playing any of the Asian civs to have your GA via wonder combo when culturaly linked starting locations is on.

(Otherwise, trigering your GA while at will will be followed up by your oppoent trigering theirs.)

Athough, a well timed wimpy foreign invasion by the AI in original Civ III (without PTW) can result in getting your GA at the ideal time playing those civs.

[Datajack Franit]

Lord Merciless- actually I still have to finish the first

I usually get so lazy to quit playing games when I reach the final stages

[Mazarin]

if the best civ is the one you can make many points with...take persia on a tiny map/pangea/80% ocean...20.000 points should be possible

Generally I'd say, that Egypt is the best-balanced civ...Rel./Ind. is great for building, Ind.+WarChariot is great for early wars. Second is China, the mil./ind. combination is really powerfull for archer rushes. Third would be the persians...Though I consider scientific trait not as strong as religious...the immortals really make up for it: research Iron in 40 turns...build up some infrastructure...enjoy! The tons of cheap immortals you build will often be enough to destroy any opponent until Nationalism.

[Mad Bomber]

I love to play with the Americans, the UU isn't the greatest, but the expansionist/ industrious combo is lethal on a huge map with 8-10 civ's.

I also like Egypt but I want the scouts more, they pay huge dividends on a map of large or huge size.

On huge maps taking any civ that is not industrious is a mistake, I get the feeling of being stuck in time, and I tend to start pestering my workers ("arn't you done with that mine already?" and "Hurry it up will Ya? I've got to keep on schedule!" are too of my favorite comments)

[Saint Marcus]

Egypt.

If I play any civ without the industrial (fast workers) and religious (cheap temples, free gov switching), I lose on levels Emporer and Deity.

[Zero]

Everyone should just admt that the Azteckys are the best

That was a lil biased statement there, I love the Aztecs, but seriously the best civ has to be either Aztecs or Iroqouis.

[Eli]

Ottomans :

Both traits are great, and the UU and golden age come exactly at the right time to conquer half of the world.

[War4ever]

i still like japanese and chinese civs the best....havne't used my ptw much so i can't comment on those civs....but most of the new ones had weak traits

[ducki]

Originally posted by joncnunn
The next three are America, France, and Celts for the powerful Industrious traight.

IIRC, Celts are Mil/Rel with a *****in' UU.