Intermediate Interlude
Look our first intermediate interlude! I envision these as slightly deeper examinations of the beginner topics for when someone’s got a few games under their belt. These still aren’t exhaustive and can safely be skipped by beginners, but I include them for the ambitious newcomer.
I said every civ & leader was good and you couldn’t go wrong. Perhaps you doubted: “Fine, they’re all good. But which one is the best?” Relax. You really can’t go wrong, but if you want, here is how to evaluate your possible choices.
Ask, what is my civ/leader like? Or more specifically, what would it feel like if I didn’t have my civ or leader? So for the Celts, our unique building is like a wall, except it gives an extra promotion and an additional culture point. Our Aggressive/Industrious Stalin leader is like having more soldiers and more wonders. Another leader might give you more gold or more workers. “But naufragar!” I hear you ask, “I have no idea whether it’s better to have more gold, or more workers, or more soldiers.” Of course not. No one does. That’s why they’re all good choices, and Civ4 is a beautiful game. If a vet tries to convince you otherwise, tell him, “Pop quiz, hotshot. Which is better, +1 movement on a musketman or +1 strength on a chariot?” Then watch the vet be reduced to incoherence.
It all comes down to what you’d like to play. Are you the kind of player that likes lots of money? Lots of soldiers? That imagines swarming the plains with chariots or running through the jungles with swordsmen? If you really need to have a mechanism for picking, choose what you like and then hunt through the Civilopedia in the game for something that looks better than the baseline for what you’d like to do. (We’ll return to evaluate other players’ and our own combo after the pick phase of this game.)
Look our first intermediate interlude! I envision these as slightly deeper examinations of the beginner topics for when someone’s got a few games under their belt. These still aren’t exhaustive and can safely be skipped by beginners, but I include them for the ambitious newcomer.
I said every civ & leader was good and you couldn’t go wrong. Perhaps you doubted: “Fine, they’re all good. But which one is the best?” Relax. You really can’t go wrong, but if you want, here is how to evaluate your possible choices.
Ask, what is my civ/leader like? Or more specifically, what would it feel like if I didn’t have my civ or leader? So for the Celts, our unique building is like a wall, except it gives an extra promotion and an additional culture point. Our Aggressive/Industrious Stalin leader is like having more soldiers and more wonders. Another leader might give you more gold or more workers. “But naufragar!” I hear you ask, “I have no idea whether it’s better to have more gold, or more workers, or more soldiers.” Of course not. No one does. That’s why they’re all good choices, and Civ4 is a beautiful game. If a vet tries to convince you otherwise, tell him, “Pop quiz, hotshot. Which is better, +1 movement on a musketman or +1 strength on a chariot?” Then watch the vet be reduced to incoherence.
It all comes down to what you’d like to play. Are you the kind of player that likes lots of money? Lots of soldiers? That imagines swarming the plains with chariots or running through the jungles with swordsmen? If you really need to have a mechanism for picking, choose what you like and then hunt through the Civilopedia in the game for something that looks better than the baseline for what you’d like to do. (We’ll return to evaluate other players’ and our own combo after the pick phase of this game.)
There is no way to peace. Peace is the way.