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This thread is the logical sequel of Dominae’s ‘Civ-Specific Strategy: Americans’
Why not have threads for each Civ with comments, strategies, tips etc.?
Therefore, here we go for the second one:
1. French civ-traits
A. Commercial:
This trait is often overlooked, because it is insidious. You don’t see the benefits immediately, meaning in the Ancient Times, but they accrue turn after turn for the rest of the game. In fact, the commercial trait really kicks in by the mid-Middle Age.
What is the usefulness of the commercial trait? Well, it lowers corruption and boosts commerce, which in turn gives you a more productive and balanced empire.
Corruption: this is a true civ-killer. Not for the first few core cities, of course, but the bigger your empire expands, the more its effects will hurt you. In fact, it’s like dogs, cats and fleas. Every settler will bring it along with him.
But how much is corruption reduced? I don’t have any statistics, but let’s assume its only 1 gold/city/turn (the IA cannot make it ½ gold, ¼ gold etc.). Now, 1 gold saved/turn x 300 turns (the total maximum turn of the game is 540) = 300 gold saved per city.
Extra commerce: You get 1 extra gold for cities up to size 12 and 2 extra gold for cities size 12+. Now, 1 x 200 turns -about 250AD- = 200 gold. Add another 50 turns at size 12+ = 100 gold.
Total commercial trait: 600 gold PER CITY over 300 turns – about 1700AD. Now you can really plan your empire of 30+ cities…
Finally, the optimal number of cities on a set map is increased by 25% instead of 12,5% (dixit Soren). The only drawback I can see is that on small (and sometimes standard) maps it will be more difficult to build the FP.
Of course, the bigger the map, the more effective this trait is (more cities = less corruption = more production + more gold).
B. Industrious:
This trait has two advantages.
Extra shields: each city from size 7+ produces 1 more shield. If not a big difference for the core cities, this is still helpful for fringe-cities. Add a courthouse and they’ll look less hopeless.
Double-speed worker ability: by far its most important advantage.
First of all, you get 1 free worker on turn 1; it can immediately start a road, irrigate or mine. Then, 1 worker costs 10 shields and 1 pop point, plus 1 gold/turn for the upkeep. Therefore, for the same amount of work, you can build only 50% of the needed workers. For instance, on a 20-city empire with 10 workers, the difference is +10 gold/turn AND 2 size 5 cities (now, 10 gold x 300 turns = …), and of course the saved shields spent on something else (the saddle of a Horseman, for instance).
But this is not everything: double-speeded irrigation and mines improves your food and shield output. On average, it will take your worker about 22-24 turns to irrigate 2 tiles, mine 2 others and build a road on all of them. So, after 24 turns, your city can happily grow to size 6 and your worker can start on the next one.
But the most important feature is certainly double-speed road building. In the early game, time is your enemy, and an early road network gives you faster
- access to resources and luxuries, including denial to other civs,
- settler movement, therefore better city placement,
- military movement (Horsemen at 6 tiles/turn!),
- road networks linkage, i.e. trade opportunities.
Finally, you are cursed with jungle? In 12 turns, your patch is ready for irrigation.
2. The tech race
A. Industrious:
The starting tech is Masonry. Add a pinch of water to it and … instant Pyramids! (well, almost, just add a few turns and some shields). A free granary in each city, besides the effect as a ‘normal’ granary, makes you save 1 gold/turn/city. Again, 20 cities x 1 gold x 200 turns…
B. Commercial:
The starting tech is Alphabet. Get writing after 40 turns (and Pottery with a goodie-hut!) and you have two possibilities, either go for Literature and the Great Library, or go for Map Making and the Great Lighthouse.
Put the two traits together and via Mathematics, Philosophy and Code of Laws go for the Republic. Since these techs are not the first researched by the AI, milk it dry.
3. Assorted Wonders
A. Industrious: Pyramids, Hanging Gardens, Great Wall, Hoover Dam, Manhattan Project, Internet.
B. Commercial: Colossus, Great Lighthouse, Magellan’s Great Voyage, Smith Trading Co., United Nations, Internet.
You have 5 Ancient Wonders, 2 Medieval ones, 2 Industrial and 2 Modern Times ones.
4. Golden Age
The main problem with 5 Ancient Wonders is that some of them are easily built (even on Monarch), which will trigger your GA. If it’s too soon, well, let another civ build them and get them later, if you cannot live without them.
On the other side, the French UU, the Musketeer, is available only in the mid-Middle Ages. In a tight race, a medieval GA, when most of the other civs have already spent theirs (under Despotism!), can pull you ahead of the game again.
5. UU
The Musketeer is by far not one of the best UU. But look at the bright side: it’s a strong defender and can trigger your GA in the Middle-Ages. Just compare it with Carthage’s, (which is also commercial/industrious): Carthage’s GA is triggered in the Ancient Times, which, IM(H)O, is not the best thing if you are at war, since you want your GA for rexing and building improvements, not military units.
Conclusion:
Playing the French gives you a more productive empire than most other civs. Less corruption, more shields, more gold. This is especially true if you gave big one (through conquest or on huge maps).
The extra gold is specially a real boon: I usually finish my games with at least 10’000 ‘useless’ gold (sometimes I get 25’000+), having build everything possible (and some rather stupid on top of that). Marketplaces, banks, stock exchange and Smith Trading Co. means that you can buy cash all your factories, for instance, or maintain a huge military and still build everything (building is easy, paying the upkeep is a different story).
Even the military is not that bad: a French Knight is still a Knight, after all.
So, give the French a chance, they will reward you well.
PS: it’s time for me to say adieu to the French for a while, other civs are looking interesting (a PP or PUP game with the Americans, hmmm…).
Why not have threads for each Civ with comments, strategies, tips etc.?
Therefore, here we go for the second one:
1. French civ-traits
A. Commercial:
This trait is often overlooked, because it is insidious. You don’t see the benefits immediately, meaning in the Ancient Times, but they accrue turn after turn for the rest of the game. In fact, the commercial trait really kicks in by the mid-Middle Age.
What is the usefulness of the commercial trait? Well, it lowers corruption and boosts commerce, which in turn gives you a more productive and balanced empire.
Corruption: this is a true civ-killer. Not for the first few core cities, of course, but the bigger your empire expands, the more its effects will hurt you. In fact, it’s like dogs, cats and fleas. Every settler will bring it along with him.
But how much is corruption reduced? I don’t have any statistics, but let’s assume its only 1 gold/city/turn (the IA cannot make it ½ gold, ¼ gold etc.). Now, 1 gold saved/turn x 300 turns (the total maximum turn of the game is 540) = 300 gold saved per city.
Extra commerce: You get 1 extra gold for cities up to size 12 and 2 extra gold for cities size 12+. Now, 1 x 200 turns -about 250AD- = 200 gold. Add another 50 turns at size 12+ = 100 gold.
Total commercial trait: 600 gold PER CITY over 300 turns – about 1700AD. Now you can really plan your empire of 30+ cities…
Finally, the optimal number of cities on a set map is increased by 25% instead of 12,5% (dixit Soren). The only drawback I can see is that on small (and sometimes standard) maps it will be more difficult to build the FP.
Of course, the bigger the map, the more effective this trait is (more cities = less corruption = more production + more gold).
B. Industrious:
This trait has two advantages.
Extra shields: each city from size 7+ produces 1 more shield. If not a big difference for the core cities, this is still helpful for fringe-cities. Add a courthouse and they’ll look less hopeless.
Double-speed worker ability: by far its most important advantage.
First of all, you get 1 free worker on turn 1; it can immediately start a road, irrigate or mine. Then, 1 worker costs 10 shields and 1 pop point, plus 1 gold/turn for the upkeep. Therefore, for the same amount of work, you can build only 50% of the needed workers. For instance, on a 20-city empire with 10 workers, the difference is +10 gold/turn AND 2 size 5 cities (now, 10 gold x 300 turns = …), and of course the saved shields spent on something else (the saddle of a Horseman, for instance).
But this is not everything: double-speeded irrigation and mines improves your food and shield output. On average, it will take your worker about 22-24 turns to irrigate 2 tiles, mine 2 others and build a road on all of them. So, after 24 turns, your city can happily grow to size 6 and your worker can start on the next one.
But the most important feature is certainly double-speed road building. In the early game, time is your enemy, and an early road network gives you faster
- access to resources and luxuries, including denial to other civs,
- settler movement, therefore better city placement,
- military movement (Horsemen at 6 tiles/turn!),
- road networks linkage, i.e. trade opportunities.
Finally, you are cursed with jungle? In 12 turns, your patch is ready for irrigation.
2. The tech race
A. Industrious:
The starting tech is Masonry. Add a pinch of water to it and … instant Pyramids! (well, almost, just add a few turns and some shields). A free granary in each city, besides the effect as a ‘normal’ granary, makes you save 1 gold/turn/city. Again, 20 cities x 1 gold x 200 turns…
B. Commercial:
The starting tech is Alphabet. Get writing after 40 turns (and Pottery with a goodie-hut!) and you have two possibilities, either go for Literature and the Great Library, or go for Map Making and the Great Lighthouse.
Put the two traits together and via Mathematics, Philosophy and Code of Laws go for the Republic. Since these techs are not the first researched by the AI, milk it dry.
3. Assorted Wonders
A. Industrious: Pyramids, Hanging Gardens, Great Wall, Hoover Dam, Manhattan Project, Internet.
B. Commercial: Colossus, Great Lighthouse, Magellan’s Great Voyage, Smith Trading Co., United Nations, Internet.
You have 5 Ancient Wonders, 2 Medieval ones, 2 Industrial and 2 Modern Times ones.
4. Golden Age
The main problem with 5 Ancient Wonders is that some of them are easily built (even on Monarch), which will trigger your GA. If it’s too soon, well, let another civ build them and get them later, if you cannot live without them.
On the other side, the French UU, the Musketeer, is available only in the mid-Middle Ages. In a tight race, a medieval GA, when most of the other civs have already spent theirs (under Despotism!), can pull you ahead of the game again.
5. UU
The Musketeer is by far not one of the best UU. But look at the bright side: it’s a strong defender and can trigger your GA in the Middle-Ages. Just compare it with Carthage’s, (which is also commercial/industrious): Carthage’s GA is triggered in the Ancient Times, which, IM(H)O, is not the best thing if you are at war, since you want your GA for rexing and building improvements, not military units.
Conclusion:
Playing the French gives you a more productive empire than most other civs. Less corruption, more shields, more gold. This is especially true if you gave big one (through conquest or on huge maps).
The extra gold is specially a real boon: I usually finish my games with at least 10’000 ‘useless’ gold (sometimes I get 25’000+), having build everything possible (and some rather stupid on top of that). Marketplaces, banks, stock exchange and Smith Trading Co. means that you can buy cash all your factories, for instance, or maintain a huge military and still build everything (building is easy, paying the upkeep is a different story).
Even the military is not that bad: a French Knight is still a Knight, after all.
So, give the French a chance, they will reward you well.
PS: it’s time for me to say adieu to the French for a while, other civs are looking interesting (a PP or PUP game with the Americans, hmmm…).
, but my computer skills are below those of a 10-years old kid... 
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