It's getting to the point I should redo my Graphing Scripts. As with all the previous Games, The Combat is packed at the end. Essentially, I turtled until Turn 480 or so, when I got Cannons; and then, dominated.
Out of 145 Combats, I only lost one. And thus, I lost interest in The Game, long before my opponents were willing to Concede Defeat. It, perhaps, shows how out of touch with reality they are.
Notes & Such
Workshops
I was impressed with the power of Workshops. I more-or-less beelined Cannons (after acquiring Civil Service from The Oracle). And in order to avoid the need for any Buildings, I was running Caste System. So, my Workshops yielded 1F/4H, which beats Mines (1F/3H).
Workshop: -1F, +1H
Caste System: +1H
Guilds: +1H
Chemistry: +1H
I coupled these with Cottages where Food was required if I wanted to bump up The Population and was pleased with the results.
Friendly Neighbours
Since I tend to Turtle, it is important for me to have good relations with my Neighbours for the first 500 Turns or so. This leads to two consequences neither of which have I been able to take much advantage.
Good Relations: Yes, this is obvious and it follows logically. We have good relations, so we have good relations. But it hardly ever works into War Allies, Defensive Pacts, or Permanent Alliances. So, it is lacking in some regard.
Powerful Neighbours: Because I turtle, my Neighbours have more opportunity to expand, which makes them amongst The Most Powerful on The Board.
I don't have a pat solutions for this. What I tend to do is discount my close neighbors as adversaries (when deciding who to Attack) and call The Game (granting myself an Implied Victory) if only they remain. But that's hardly taking advantage of the situation.
Teching Strategy
This is another one of those vague ideas, not fully developed... more of an open ending question, really.
Trade or No Trade: Trading Advances one faster. And clearly, if one can Trade the same Tech twice, one has made a profit. But then, one is allowing one's opponents to catch up. Do I really want my future enemies (and they are all future enemies) to have faster access to Cannons?
Beeline or Organic: Cannons Rule! Especially against Swords. But does one Tech at a Faster Rate if one takes the circular route? Currency provides Extra Trade Routes, which increases Commerce; and thus, Research. While something like Literature enables the Building of The Great Library, which comes with Two Free Scientists, who directly add to Research.
My working assumption is that Multi-Trades are advantageous. And although Beelining is The Preferred Strategy, one should not get too locked up into dogma.
The Pyramids
I did not Build The Pyramids nor did I overly miss them.
First, The Pyramids are expensive: 1,500 Hammers, if memory serves correct. This can be knocked down to the equivalent of 600H with access to Stone and The Industrious Trait. But I had neither.
Secondly, since I was not growing my Cities Tall, the chief advantage of The Pyramids was the +3 Beakers per Specialist from Representation. But I wasn't running a lot of specialists and it would have been a close call just paying back 600 Hammers, let alone 1,500.
I didn't miss The Pyramids at all. And in fact, when I captured them, I switched to Police State (for the increased Military Production, mainly). So, all this talk about Representation (where the +3B/GP comes from) is pretty moot.
Focused Great People
Not having Every Wonder in Existence, I was short on Great People. Well, short might not be accurate. But I certainly acquired far fewer than the quantity to which I have become accustomed.
On the other hand, I got the types I wanted with greater accuracy, by just running the appropriate type of Specialist, which was nice.
Great Scientist: Academy +50% Science
Great Prophet: Shrine +1G per City with Religion
Settled Great Generals
I pretty much always Settle Great Generals. The +2 Experience adds up. And if running Representation, that's +3 Beakers, which can add up, as well.
Some folks use a Great General to make a Great Healer. But due to the logistics of Campaign Life (for the Troops, I am referring to here), it's just not that important.
{My Stacks are tall enough (and I always spend a Turn or two Bombarding City Defences, anyway), it really doesn't matter if Half The Stack is in need of Healing, at any one time.}
Stack Management
CIV is very much a Game of smashing tall Stacks of Units into one another. Enemy Civilizations only have one or two Stacks in them. And once destroyed, it's just a matter of mopping up. They have yet to mount an effective Counter Attack.
I don't like losses. And clearly, better Units help to prevent casualties, as does having enough Units. It's hard to Defend against Stacks two and three times as large. Even if the first Unit to Attack is a loss, subsequent Units will have a greater-and-greater chance of victory.
All that said, my ideal Late Game Stack might contain 18-36 Units (2-4 Rows), consisting of:
2x Siege
1x Mounted
1x Meelee & Archery
Invariable, my losses come from the first few Siege Units, as I pound the Defenders within inches of their lives.
Also, I should note, Siege does not cause War Weariness but grants Combat Experience and Great General Points. So, pounding a City endlessly can be strategically sound... even if it seems like a bit of an exploit.
{Note: Siege never destroys Units, so a Stack of Cannons stationed outside of a City Defended by Archers is in absolutely no risk of being destroyed, while yielding experience Turn after Turn for as long as desired.}
The Oracle
The Oracle costs 450 Hammers (or 180 Equivalent Hammers with Access to Stone and The Industrious Trait) and yields a Technology, up to and including Metal Casting, Code of Laws, and Civil Service (all 1,000+ Beaker Techs), making The Oracle a stupendous way to convert Hammers to Beakers.
Begging For Gold
Begging Gold from an Enemy is a wonderful way to get a 10 Turn Peace Treaty: Try It Today!
I mean, sure, I've said this before. But in This Game, I locked up the entire field by Begging from Everyone.
Begging immediately before Declaring War is a wonderful safety net, lest everyone joins The Dogpile.
Selective City Capture
I did not see the point in losing any Cannons (not even one) taking worthless Cities on Hills defended by Longbows. Best just to walk around. I mean, if the City is important, by all means. But if The City is just a City, why bother?
Dynamic Plot Improvements Bonuses
The final item is just a bit of Wishful Thinking. The Game would be very different if ALL Tiles were essentially the same and were Dynamically Modified by player action.
Grasslands → Farm → Corn
Hill → Mines → Gold
It's just a thought.
