Quote:
Originally Posted by zippyriver
A "first ten moves" tips list would be cool.
Checked out the manual, the tutorials, the strat guide and here. being a civ player, I have one quick question regarding bonus terrain (farms, trees, orchards, etc).
Should you avoid building (your city) on them? (as, some games you lose added potential production from mines, farms and such, because you can't improve city tiles).
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Forget everything learned playing civ.
You can only choose a place for your capital to be built (not in beginner mode!), and tiles which can be improved (mountains, hills, swamps woods,...) can't be taken. So don't worry about that. The only thing to keep in mind: Any capital (the initial and also conquered ones) counts as a railway station AND as an harbor. So the resources from adjected tiles are transported to it for free.
Some other hints for the beginning of the game:
1. Feed your Workers! Improve any agricultural tile which is accessible (i.e. adjected to the capital).
2. Buy/ train another engineer! This unit is worth the price. Start to prospect at once, to find places, where the engineers can place tracks.
3. Get your production going! Focus at least on one key industry. The first key industry will be lumber >> timber >> furniture next is iron/ coal >> steel >> hardware. You will need those intermediate products to build up your transportation, production and later for warships.
4. Train your workers first instead of attracting new ones. New workers have to be fed.
5. Start your transportation network. Resources from distant places can be easily acquired by sea transportation via harbors. Sea transport costs transport capacity but does not need tracks. during a war sea transport can be endangered, but you can connect the distant harbors to your railway net later. Place your railway stations wisely! They cannot be removed later.
6. Try to establish a constant income by producing and selling consumer goods. In the beginning, don't waste important intermediates (steel, timber), produce textiles instead.
7. Buy steel! This will establish diplomatic relations and slow down other major powers, cause they lack steel for developing their industry.
8. Don't waste money for diplomatic missions in the beginning. Open up trade missions, for they are cheap. Focus your diplomatic efforts on only two or three minor nations with interesting resources. Start with trade subventions and an embassy, give grants later when you can afford it. Don't try to get a nation adjected to yours as a colony, it's easier to conquer it. Accept any pact or alliance, which is offered.
9. Building up your army the mixture is important. If you prefer to fight tactical battles, you need a balanced army. Armys of only one or two kinds of troops are not very efficient. Infantry is not that important for attacks. If you don't a horseranch on your territory, you might be in trouble.
10. In a fight it's important to smash the enemy units totally. Any unit, which escapes gains experience and can be turned against you in the next battle.
11. For Warships there's one Rule: The bigger, the better. Frigates (and raiders in the later game) work fine, if the enemy does not guard his frighters with heavier units. Unfortunately seafights are always strategic.