No Resources???

[TheShadow]

I'm a newbie. I've started 4 new games at the WARLORD level. Usually American, but at the moment French.

My problem (?) is that I can't seem to find some resources. Playing HUGE, and after exploring most of the world, I've NEVER found COAL. In one game, I found only ONE source of IRON that EXPIRED!!!

Yes, I believe I'm finding the "proper" Advances, but even with the discovery of STEAM ENGINE, I haven't ever found COAL.

In the current game, after discovery of GUNPOWDER, I haven't found ANY SALTPETER.

Am I doing something wrong, or is their a bug of some kind, or maybe I need to re-install?

THANX in advance for your replies and help.

CIV RULES!!! LOLOL

[Thoth]

It's not uncommon to have a lack of resources within your trade network. Try trading with the AI, it'll be pricey for key resources, but well worth it. Take advantage of the resource while you have it. Then go conquer the nearest supply.

[Kolyana]

Well, I've just had the strangest game ... seven civs, large map, *ONE* resource of coal. Yes, you read that right, ONE.

Ofcourse, I didn't have it and the French - who did - monopolized on the fact. It was weird, only they had railroads ... the rest of us were screwed!

[Chuckles]

The coal could have been in hills that had already been mined. In that case you will never see any coal even though it is there.

[Skanky Burns]

Just some tips for finding resources:

First, looking for them on the map can be impossible (especially if the resource is underneath a city. So try to avoid it.

Use the F2 trade screen. It will list the civs you can trade with, and the resources they have that you dont. Unfortunately it doesnt list the resources enemies have, or resources of civs you cant trade with for whatever reason.

If you plan on conquering another civs resource city, then obviously you need to find where that resource is.
1. The clean map shortcut can be useful here ( Ctrl-Shift-M ) to remove cities and terrain improvements, allowing you to spot resources more readily. Even under cities.
2. Make the resource squares stand out. Download a resource mod from This Thread. There are several to choose from. This will allow you to see resources under mines, irrigation, in forests or jungles. They will still be hidden under cities though, but see point 1.

This doesnt really help with maps where there is only 1 of a particular resource, however, unless you want to capture that resource.

[TheShadow]

WOW!!! Y'all have some GREAT ideas. I'll try them IMMEDIATELY!!! THANX for the PROMPT replies. You KNOW how I've been "chafing at the bit!!!" LOLOL

[Gaius Marius]

I think it's "chomping at the bit." Chafing at it would be rather painful, I think...

Have fun...

[uh Clem]

Conculting the advisor to see what other civs have will work only if they have the technology to KNOW that they have them. In my latest game, I had to give the Russians the Steam Power advance because that ugly cow Catherine didn't know she was sitting on five coal tiles.

[TheShadow]

LOLOL -- Well, I guess I just gave away one of our "cowboy" SECRETS!!! "Chafing!!!" LOLOL BTW: Houston.

SKANKY: Downloading shortly. Again, THANX and y'all are really on the ball!!!

BTW: Saw Harry Potter this morning. Done VERY just right. Going to be a blockbuster. My son-in-law is CHOMPING at the bit -- LOLOL -- to see LOTR. I've arranged for him to attend a PREVIEW of the film 1-2 days BEFORE it's general release!!!

Kind of off the subject, I guess. Just wanted to share with y'all.

[Kekkonen]

You too, Clem? I've seen the large but somewhat backwards Germans having a nearly total monopoly on coal (they had like 4 or 5 tiles, the only source of coal outside Germany was in Rome, and they had one lousy tile). Had to give them Steam Power too to get my share. The problem was, it took awhile until Steam Power was even on the list of techs I could give to them. (Assault was not really an option, since all of that coal was very deep in their territory, in the inland.

BTW, is coal usually very scarce?

[gfrazieror]

Scarcity or the lack thereof varies a lot from game to game.

In my current game, I'm playing the Germans, and I seem to have a near-monopoly on coal. I'm not only supplying it to myself, but to three of the seven AI civs. Unfortunately, the French, who are my bosum buddies right now and HUGE, have their own supply so I can't use coal as leverage against them. I fear that inevitably we will cross swords, even though we've jointly stomped the English and the Russians over the past millenium or so.