Normally with Civ, I either totally dominate by the 1400s and lose interest in continuing or I get my ass handed to me when all of a sudden some small country shows up with about 35 units on my capital doorsteps.
One problem I have had with the game is that the combat hardly ever seems fair. Naturally, this depends on the AI setting. Some people are like "Dude, I always play on monarch or higher" which really gets my goat, because 'noble' is a challenge for me (somewhere around the 4th difficulty rank).
If the enemy has Axemen then I need muskets. It never seems one for one.
If he has archers, then I need longbowmen. In a war of attrition it always seems that I lose when I am not killing 4 for every one of the enemies 1.
These Barbarians don't produce through any 'normal' means, they just show up enmasse due to the fog of war, which on a huge map is huge!
So Anyway, I know I have another thread about Civ in general, but just wanted to give you a quick review of my game. It took 9 hours of play time. I watched a very nice review and read all the stats. Only down side = no export utility.
I am actually proud of myself, because as I say, this is the first time I finished the game.
So I play on the Huge Earth map, which is really nicely done as the mongol horde. My plan: don't be like I normally do, and just mass produce cheap keshik warriors and conquer all in my path. Rest my heels in the capital of my enemies. Stay on the move.
In the start of the game, I am right next to china, who again the game seems to 'cheat' if you ask me.
I do nothing but create warriors getting ready to kick this guys ass.
By the time I get there with about 5 units, he has three cities, most of which have three units each or more. He makes about a unit a turn (although slavery could have been helping him there).
I kick his ass anyway and add china to my mighty empire. With their initial starting position this is great. They have some awesome resources, but I decided I wasn't going to build up as a primarily peaceful trader.
Instead, I decide that Japan needs to be taken out. If I push to the West then my concern is imperialist japan will land raiding parties on my shores.
problem is, Japan is a tough nut to crack.
So I crank out a decent enough navy (galleys) to bring my catapults and keshiks across the bay and through sheer tenacity end up conquering all of Japan (I leave him his little islands. forgetting that Australia would probably have been a nice to have. Conquering Islands is tough in the game, and probably worth it, but I decided to have mercy).
Instead, I spend a few centuries of peace, and by 900 AD or so, I am ready to take on Ashok the mighty Indian War King. I am bringing Knights, Pikeman, Maceman, Swordsman along with catapults. Its really a lot of fun. The idea is you must have a variety of units. Your pikeman can make work of cavalry, your cavalry can make work of melee units, and your archers are just bad ass defenders.
By the time I call India my home, the persians have split Russia right down the center. I have all of china, india and japan though.
So I make peace with persia and proceed to spend the next two centuries colonizing the new world.
America is teeming with "Barbarian" tribes. They had set up in really perfect locations. Texas, California, Detroit, Boston (even has a clam resource). I conquer them all.
I had a really awesome nation, with several nice colonies running along the east side of south america, safely protected by mountain ranges.
Sadly, even though I had about 3500 'points' with the other nations have about 2,000 or so, I get a notice at 1942 "Frederick has completed the space ship victory"
I am like, wha?????
bastard.
I still declare it a victory for the mongol horde, (just that I made it through the game, especially). However, I was rated just above Dan Quayle on the all time leader scale. Yuck.
I had gotten complacent. I didn't even think about works of wonder really. I focused mostly on a conquest victory.
well, happy halloween. time to get ready to go trick or treating. Iam going to be a Pirate!
