User Guide

outnumber happy people in a city. A Temple improvement makes some unhappy
people content, as does martial law (stacking military units in the city to control
the people). Eventually you must begin providing luxuries to larger cities to create
happy people to counteract unhappy people. Keeping cities out of disorder is a
high priority because the city will eventually revolt and join another civilization.
For more information on civil disorder and controlling it, see Chapter 2.
Trade: The second key internal problem of growing civilizations is balancing the
budget. At some point, tax revenues fall short of expenditures each turn for the
maintenance of city improvements. Most city improvements require maintenance
paid in coins each turn. If your civilization does not earn enough coins each turn
to pay maintenance, your treasury begins to shrink. When the treasury falls below
zero coins, random improvements are sold to raise money. This is a step backward
for your civilization.
Balancing the budget of a civilization is not easy. Tax revenues can be increased
in several ways. The most important way is to increase the trade harvested by your
cities. The most significant ways to increase trade are building roads through
Plains and Grasslands, building trade routes, and changing to a type of
government that fosters trade. Tax revenues from existing trade can be increased
by raising tax rates, building some improvements (Marketplace, Bank), reducing
corruption, and creating Taxmen.
Technology Goals: For the mid-game, we recommend taking paths of
technology that lead to learning certain important advances. Look up theses
advances in the Civilopedia, manual, or Civilization Advances Chart to see how to
reach them.
Construction makes available the Aqueduct improvement which is necessary for
cities to grow beyond populations of 10. Bridge Building makes it possible to
build roads across River squares, perhaps filling in gaps in your road network.
Navigation makes available Sail units which can move beyond coastal squares for
sea exploration. Trade makes available the Caravan unit which is used to build
trade routes and is also helpful for building Wonders of the World. The Steam
Engine makes available the Ironclad unit which is an excellent sea explorer and
good for sinking enemy ships attempting to invade your coasts. Railroads allow
the building of railroads in squares already containing roads; they increase city
harvests and speed ground movement dramatically. Industrialization makes
probably much cheaper than losing a city or two and having to recapture them.
After paying for a temporary peace (and it will be temporary, whether you like it
or not), switch all of your production over to military units and prepare for war.
The next time this king comes calling, be in a position to destroy his units and
take the war to his cities.
During the lull while you are at peace with a belligerent neighboring
civilization, consider moving a Diplomat throughout his empire to scout the
location of his cities. Diplomats can move around enemy units where normal
units would have to stop.
Further Turns
Once you have a few cities started and have explored most of your continent, if
not the entire continental land mass, your civilization is on its way. From this
point until approximately 1000 AD, continue building a viable civilization. Keep
in mind these few suggested goals for various aspects of the game.
Civilization Size: Found at least 5-10 cities, and the more the better. With fewer
cities you are likely to be overwhelmed by one of your neighbors.
City Development: Each city should have 20 available squares within its radius,
or not many fewer than that. All cities should have a Barracks, Granary, Temple,
Marketplace, and Library. Cities on the coast or on the frontier should have City
Walls. When a city’s population approaches 10, build an Aqueduct so it can grow
past that size. Build roads through all Grasslands and Plains squares that you are
harvesting to generate trade. Plains squares should be irrigated. Grasslands should
be irrigated and Hills should be mined in preparation for new types of
governments.
City Defense: Until you acquire the advance of Gunpowder, coastal and frontier
cities should be defended by two Phalanxes behind City Walls. Add a Catapult on
sentry duty to attack enemy units that move adjacent or keep a Chariot unit
nearby. Cities not on the frontier or on the coast can be held with one unit. Build
a road network between your cities to speed the movement of military units in an
emergency.
Civil Disorder: This is one of the two key internal problems that must be faced
by growing civilizations. When your cities grow beyond 4 or 5 people, they may
go into disorder and stop producing. This occurs when unhappy people
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CIVILIZATION
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CIVILIZATION
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