Thread: Civilization 4 Advanced Start

So in preparation for the match, I have been playing with the advanced start option. It makes the game much more challenging. It puts the other Civs on even footing right away. Usually I beat them to almost all technologies and wonders, but with advanced start, they might just build 'em first. I have way less wonders and a much smaller geographic space. Normally I am at least double the next leaders points (on noble, terra, large...) but I am only about 70 points ahead on a 300 point spread. Way more challenging, I like advanced start!

There is a strategy about it...

I may have to write a Civilization 4 article.

Originally Posted by SoySoldier

So in preparation for the match, I have been playing with the advanced start option. It makes the game much more challenging. It puts the other Civs on even footing right away. Usually I beat them to almost all technologies and wonders, but with advanced start, they might just build 'em first. I have way less wonders and a much smaller geographic space. Normally I am at least double the next leaders points (on noble, terra, large...) but I am only about 70 points ahead on a 300 point spread. Way more challenging, I like advanced start!

There is a strategy about it...

I may have to write a Civilization 4 article.

Teach us! I usually win Civ on the third lowest difficulty level but I have trouble even with that. I'd love to read an article on the subject.

Originally Posted by QuickLightning

Originally Posted by SoySoldier

So in preparation for the match, I have been playing with the advanced start option. It makes the game much more challenging. It puts the other Civs on even footing right away. Usually I beat them to almost all technologies and wonders, but with advanced start, they might just build 'em first. I have way less wonders and a much smaller geographic space. Normally I am at least double the next leaders points (on noble, terra, large...) but I am only about 70 points ahead on a 300 point spread. Way more challenging, I like advanced start!

There is a strategy about it...

I may have to write a Civilization 4 article.

Teach us! I usually win Civ on the third lowest difficulty level but I have trouble even with that. I'd love to read an article on the subject.

The difficulty slider in Civ is interesting...

At the lowest difficulty, you get bonuses: More starting units (multiple settlers, workers, military) increased health per city, lower inflation, tribal huts have workers, settlers, techs, money and no hostiles, production rates are faster, etc.
On the hardest setting, you get penalized in all those areas, huts only have hostiles and you start out with one settler and nothing else.

Also, as you turn down the difficulty, the AI civs get penalized. So their difficulty goes up as yours go down.

At the setting: Noble, you are in balance with the AIs. They have the same resources/penalties/bonuses you do; which in essence means no penalties or bonuses I guess.

I like Noble because it is balanced. the difficulty has no bearing on how the AI behaves or strategizes unfortunately...well, except the "settler" setting in which they will never attack you. Turning the game past noble is VERY hard.

The AI in Civ III cheats badly. It's not as noticeable in Civ IV...

I just bought Civ IV on Steam when it was on sale. Played a few games this weekend on the easier levels. I managed to win the space race by 1920 once. Time to up the difficulty.

Originally Posted by WileECyte

The AI in Civ III cheats badly. It's not as noticeable in Civ IV...

I just bought Civ IV on Steam when it was on sale. Played a few games this weekend on the easier levels. I managed to win the space race by 1920 once. Time to up the difficulty.

you'll have to join us now.

Originally Posted by SoySoldier

So in preparation for the match, I have been playing with the advanced start option. It makes the game much more challenging. It puts the other Civs on even footing right away. Usually I beat them to almost all technologies and wonders, but with advanced start, they might just build 'em first. I have way less wonders and a much smaller geographic space. Normally I am at least double the next leaders points (on noble, terra, large...) but I am only about 70 points ahead on a 300 point spread. Way more challenging, I like advanced start!

There is a strategy about it...

I may have to write a Civilization 4 article.

I have been pounding out advance starts with 1200 start points, noble, hemispheres, Quick speed games. While only winning a 4 players or less games. Quick speed is very difficult. One long war will put you behind.

Espionage is critical, whether your stealing techs or performing counter espionage. While building my space ship the Germans stole a bunch of techs from me, soon enough Panzer's tanks rolled though my civ.

The AI always always builds a larger army than me. I can't seem to keep up, even with two production cities producing troops at the speed of 1 or 2 turns most of the time. I do play the Agg trait. Later in the game with numerous Great Generals(GG) planted in just one city, I produce 4+ promotions units which is nice.

I can't seem to get the AI to like me much either. I have poor diplomacy.

I also notice the AI builds cities larger than me. I have city maybe just cracking the 20 size in comparison to the AI's multiple 20 plus size cities. Most likely my reduced micro managing of my cities later in games.

I am going to try a game at epic speed. Troops won't go obselete as fast. I'll have more time to micro manage.

BL

Yeah, I have been playing Hemispheres, with 9 AI's on Noble at quick speed using 1600 starting funds. The point spread is small and one war does set me waaaaay back.

I usually prefer to play on marathon, but our games are always set to quick so I have been trying to practice.

I think Hemispheres, with snaky continents and large islands with a low sea level makes a pretty good map, perhaps we will play that for the next match.

JB was talking about some all day multi player games... COuld be fun and we could turn down the speed to allow for better wars.

*cough* difficulty information, QS points games and strategies could be useful addition to tips thread *cough*