Any gamers around here?

[Cavebear]

That's the boomer strategy.  It works when you're far away from enemies or you have excellent natural barriers.  Otherwise, you're going to want to divert at least some funds to protecting your borders.  It's way less costly than watching your territory get overrun.

Though, the other extreme is going full rush and neglecting resourcing.  That might work if you can destroy or cripple your opponent early on.  If you can't, that's pretty much a guaranteed loss.

Most strategy games require a mix of resourcing and militarism.

Good point!  My outlaying units are never attacked in this game.  I need to establish fortified hill borders with other military units.  But the settlers are still driving me nuts. 

[Baruch]

How often have you Played any Civ game.  Just curious.

Rome Total War and some older games.  But it is very hard to reach a "virtuous circle" level ... too many opponents, not enough resources .. and lots of patience.  Once you reach that higher level, it isn't fair ... to the other computer algorithm players ... like Czarist Russia invading Central Asia in the 1870s.  I play several times a month ... on a long game it takes months to finish.

[Hydra009]

The Total War series can be very challenging.  Especially because territories seldom earned enough to support much of a garrison, rebellion was so common, and armies took forever to arrive at a hotspot.

I remember that with medieval 2, trading ports on the Mediterranean were a godsend.  Also, I could sometimes get huge sums of money through diplomacy.  It was so weird how sometimes they wouldn't agree to any terms and sometimes paid out the wazoo for trifles.

[Baruch]

The Total War series can be very challenging.  Especially because territories seldom earned enough to support much of a garrison, rebellion was so common, and armies took forever to arrive at a hotspot.

I remember that with medieval 2, trading ports on the Mediterranean were a godsend.  Also, I could sometimes get huge sums of money through diplomacy.  It was so weird how sometimes they wouldn't agree to any terms and sometimes paid out the wazoo for trifles.

I always decimate rebelling cities ;-(  Very annoying.  Some territories are rather poor in resources or manpower.  I can have a lot of money in the central treasury, yet I can't recruit any soldiers in many locations.  One can spend however on mercenaries, but they aren't always around where your general is.  But slow transport can be your friend ... if the defender is too far away to raise a siege of a weak city, you can take it before they arrive.

[Cavebear]

I got a LOT better at Civ V tonight.  Moved units around at will, and got my demographics into the 1 to 3's with 10 civs.  And I've started to catch on to what other civs will consider an acceptable trade session.  Took a while.  I learned that if you start low and offer upwards, they keep refusing.  But if you start high and work down, you do better.  Live and learn.  I now have the top population, am at least "friends" with all civs, have the newest Wonders, am automatically upgrading to higher military units, and more gold than most of the others combined.

On the other hand it is 1882 AD and I'm barely into Riflemen.  I'm not going to Alpha Centuri in THIS game.  But apparently, neither is anyone else.  This, (and the next few I expect) are learning experiences.   

[Hydra009]

I now have the top population, am at least "friends" with all civs, have the newest Wonders, am automatically upgrading to higher military units, and more gold than most of the others combined.

Beating everyone else to wonders is so important in that game.  Every success is a huge step forward for your civ and makes it easier to build the next wonder.  Before you know it, you're light years ahead of everyone else and crushing them is a breeze.

Also, don't worry too much about other civs liking/disliking you.  When you're the top dog, they have a tendency to be jealous and hate you.  So unless you really need an alliance or trade partner, don't sweat it.

[Cavebear]

Beating everyone else to wonders is so important in that game.  Every success is a huge step forward for your civ and makes it easier to build the next wonder.  Before you know it, you're light years ahead of everyone else and crushing them is a breeze.

Also, don't worry too much about other civs liking/disliking you.  When you're the top dog, they have a tendency to be jealous and hate you.  So unless you really need an alliance or trade partner, don't sweat it.

Thanks.  I really missed out on the early Wonders as I tried to build military units to protect my cities.  I didn't realize how many shields they got just by existing!

In this game, I got to the point where I could buy Wonders as soon as the appeared.  Had I understood that at first, I would have owned most of them.    And when I realized how well my cities protected themselves, I stopped building military units.  Ranged attacks kill almost anything approaching them, and they are nearly impossible to take.  So next game, I'll build for cities faster and add Workers ASAP.

[Mike Cl]

Thanks.  I really missed out on the early Wonders as I tried to build military units to protect my cities.  I didn't realize how many shields they got just by existing!

In this game, I got to the point where I could buy Wonders as soon as the appeared.  Had I understood that at first, I would have owned most of them.    And when I realized how well my cities protected themselves, I stopped building military units.  Ranged attacks kill almost anything approaching them, and they are nearly impossible to take.  So next game, I'll build for cities faster and add Workers ASAP.

I would give you advice, but I play almost always for the dominance win.  So, my strategy is totally different than yours.  For example, I only build military wonders--take the rest.  Don't care about like/dislike, will conquer all of them sooner or later. 

[Baruch]

I would give you advice, but I play almost always for the dominance win.  So, my strategy is totally different than yours.  For example, I only build military wonders--take the rest.  Don't care about like/dislike, will conquer all of them sooner or later.

The dynamics of gaming ... there are only so many resources, and in the end you have to fight for more, and to defend what you have.  Allies are temporary.

[Cavebear]

I would give you advice, but I play almost always for the dominance win.  So, my strategy is totally different than yours.  For example, I only build military wonders--take the rest.  Don't care about like/dislike, will conquer all of them sooner or later.

I am a builder, and oddly faithful to alliances and agreements.  I think I will start my game over and apply what I've learned to the new game.

[Mike Cl]

The dynamics of gaming ... there are only so many resources, and in the end you have to fight for more, and to defend what you have.  Allies are temporary.

Especially in the Civ games.

FO4 not always so much.  One can thrive with allies.

[Cavebear]

Especially in the Civ games.

FO4 not always so much.  One can thrive with allies.

Well, I like alliances.  But I do watch the countdown of turns for it.  As one person I disliked more then than I do now said "Trust, but verify"...

But I have started a new game erasing all the previous ones.  Same civ (Babylon), just a "New Hope".  I doubt I will reach spaceships in this one but I may get to modern warfare and a decent navy.  Apparently it is really hard to capture cities in Civ V.

[Mike Cl]

Well, I like alliances.  But I do watch the countdown of turns for it.  As one person I disliked more then than I do now said "Trust, but verify"...

But I have started a new game erasing all the previous ones.  Same civ (Babylon), just a "New Hope".  I doubt I will reach spaceships in this one but I may get to modern warfare and a decent navy.  Apparently it is really hard to capture cities in Civ V.

For me, I had to totally surround a city with melee units with a battering ram.  The ram was critical.  Without that (or a tower) getting in was nigh impossible.  With a ram and a few archers or cannon then getting the city was not too bad.  The 2-range artillery made it much easier.  Plus I was only after the capital, not any other city if I could simply bypass it.  My fav unit was the panzer tank--loved that one.

[Cavebear]

For me, I had to totally surround a city with melee units with a battering ram.  The ram was critical.  Without that (or a tower) getting in was nigh impossible.  With a ram and a few archers or cannon then getting the city was not too bad.  The 2-range artillery made it much easier.  Plus I was only after the capital, not any other city if I could simply bypass it.  My fav unit was the panzer tank--loved that one.

How do you get melee units around a city without being killed by ranging attack form the city?  I attacked a mere city-state with riflemen, crossbow archers and regular bowman, both enhanced by defensive and assault benefits and never made a dent!

[Mike Cl]

How do you get melee units around a city without being killed by ranging attack form the city?  I attacked a mere city-state with riflemen, crossbow archers and regular bowman, both enhanced by defensive and assault benefits and never made a dent!

You must have a battering ram or tower against the city wall along with the melee units.  Keep them all out of range until you can move in all in one turn.  Some die, but not all.