Civ choice for the "builder"

[rpodos]

Excellent work. Good example of how relatively early warfighting can help the builder strategy, both via GLs and lebensraum.

I still a little bit towards the warmonger, although I do build everything, just a little later.

See my Egyptian story in the early warmonger thread.

R

[MysteryMan]

I typically follow a 100% builder pattern. But I've found if you spend all your time building up a nice enlightened culture and some fat rich cities someone else who has built an army comes and takes them all.
So I swing my production and my economy around at the start of every age. The start of the age is when I build units and expand. Once I have enough dudes that no one will try to attack me I will be peaceful IF I have all the land and resources I need. Sometimes if I am far ahead I will pick the most troublesome leader (Germans usually) and destroy them. I find that the other AIs dont' really respect you until you have annhiliated someone.
However, if I don't embark on a war of extermination, I will just switch between 'expand' and 'consolidate' about halfway through each age (when I start getting the chance to build the sweet wonders and buildings and whatnot).

[Theseus]

I saw the Marcinko quote, and said to myself: "Hmmm, that's the kind of tagline I would use."

[vmxa1]

Now this is a real blast from the past (18 months), how did yu ever find it?

[Theseus]

It's a Must Read, silly vxma1.

[MysteryMan]

Yeah, thumbs up for making the whole collection of Posts Which Must Be Read. A HUGE resource of excellent information covering every spectrum of this vast and multifaceted game. Those who haven't read it have missed out.

[Theseus]

/me bows.

[vmxa1]

Originally posted by Theseus
It's a Must Read, silly vxma1.

Not silly, just forgetful.

[Yahweh Sabaoth]

Wow... I've never read this thread before... it's great.

Now, would anyone like to reissue some grades on each civ? Don't start groaning just because C3C is coming out and that will "change everything". I'm sure one of you 'Poly Gods has enough time on your hands to re-rank the builders. Please, do it for us little guys.

I'd do it myself, except I've only played one Monarch game to its glorious conclusion, and that was by waging war constantly, so I don't think it's appropriate material for this thread.

[Ragnar_84]

I'd still favor the Egyptians for any hybrid or pure builder, industrious is just too powerful to ignore.

[Mountain Sage]

YS,

You already know my favorites: France and Carthage. Commercial and Industrious traits are the best for a builder's play.
Of course, you can adapt almost any other civ (or trait) to a builder's dream. Even military!
BTW, what about moving full-time to Monarch with C3C?

[Yahweh Sabaoth]

As a side note, MS, I'm there already... playing my second Monarch game to conclusion, as France. Hard to beat those Commercial civs, when your goal is an unbeatable huge empire... I know that doesn't necessarily mean taking a "pure builder" approach... but OT for a second, Monarch is definitely NOT as hard as I thought. The AI civs practically scream, "No, me! Victimize me!" when their pathetic attacks...

[Yahweh Sabaoth]

Er, excuse me, WITH their pathetic attacks.

But no one answered my question. Where is ze list? I vant ze list!

[Mountain Sage]

Look at the 'Best threads of the past year' thread. I *bumped* it for you.
Some threads about specific civs are quite old, but still very valuable.

Have a nice reading...

[Arrian]

Wow, this is a blast from the past...

Looking back on my original rankings, I definitely undervalued the Americans. I may have slightly undervalued the English. In both cases, this had to do with my dislike of the Expansionist trait.

-Arrian