Two questions

[daran]

Archived from groups: alt.games.civ3 (More info?)

1. I'm in the final push to a domination victory, and have just switched to
Communism, after holding out in Democracy for as long as I could. This is
the first time I've used this government in Conquests, and I expect to
remain in it for the rest of the game, which will be many turns, as my
opponent is a superpower, and my territory and population are only 17% and
32% respectively. It seems sensible to build the Secret Police HQ. I
notice that while corruption is flat across my empire, both my capital and
my FP city have zero corruption. Is there any other factor - besides the
total production of the city building it - which should influence my
decision on where to locate the SPHQ?

2. This is the first time in Conquests, that I've faced an opponent with
air-power, and my front-line cities are getting bombed to hell. I've just
deployed a whole load of flak, but haven't noticed any difference. Does the
flak have to be the strongest defending unit in the city for it to operate?
If so, then this is both stupid (like your flak would really remain silent
during an air-raid simply because you've a infantry regiment stationed
nearby!), and severely limits its usefulness, because my front-line cities
need to be well fortified against ground units.

--
Daran

"I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but my chief duty is to
accomplish humble tasks as though they were great and noble.  The world is
moved along, not only by the mighty shoves of its heroes, but also by the
aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker." -- Helen Keller

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.civ3 (More info?)

"Daran" <daranSPAMg@lineone.net> wrote in message
news:bdf6v1-et1.ln1@wheresmeshirt.clara.net...
> 1. I'm in the final push to a domination victory, and have just switched
to
> Communism, after holding out in Democracy for as long as I could. This is
> the first time I've used this government in Conquests, and I expect to
> remain in it for the rest of the game, which will be many turns, as my
> opponent is a superpower, and my territory and population are only 17% and
> 32% respectively. It seems sensible to build the Secret Police HQ. I
> notice that while corruption is flat across my empire, both my capital and
> my FP city have zero corruption. Is there any other factor - besides the
> total production of the city building it - which should influence my
> decision on where to locate the SPHQ?

You should build the SPHQ in a city that has high commerce since it will
have 0 corruption w/ courthouse & police station.


> 2. This is the first time in Conquests, that I've faced an opponent with
> air-power, and my front-line cities are getting bombed to hell. I've just
> deployed a whole load of flak, but haven't noticed any difference. Does
the
> flak have to be the strongest defending unit in the city for it to
operate?
> If so, then this is both stupid (like your flak would really remain silent
> during an air-raid simply because you've a infantry regiment stationed
> nearby!), and severely limits its usefulness, because my front-line cities
> need to be well fortified against ground units.

My understanding is that you should stack 4 flak for maximum effectiveness.
They are like other passive defensives in that you only see them work when
you score a hit.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.civ3 (More info?)

In article <bdf6v1-et1.ln1@wheresmeshirt.clara.net>, Daran <daranSPAMg@lineone.net> wrote:
>1. I'm in the final push to a domination victory, and have just switched to
>Communism, after holding out in Democracy for as long as I could. This is
>the first time I've used this government in Conquests, and I expect to
>remain in it for the rest of the game, which will be many turns, as my
>opponent is a superpower, and my territory and population are only 17% and
>32% respectively. It seems sensible to build the Secret Police HQ. I
>notice that while corruption is flat across my empire, both my capital and
>my FP city have zero corruption. Is there any other factor - besides the
>total production of the city building it - which should influence my
>decision on where to locate the SPHQ?

To the best of my knowledge, no. Building the SPHQ will effectively raise the
optimum number of cities by 50% across the board no matter where it is
located.

The other things you can do to reduce corruption are Courthouses, Police
Stations, and WLTxD (all pretty standard). Remember that you can station
troops in a city to improve happiness, I guess they shoot the unhappy ones.



>2. This is the first time in Conquests, that I've faced an opponent with
>air-power, and my front-line cities are getting bombed to hell. I've just
>deployed a whole load of flak, but haven't noticed any difference. Does the
>flak have to be the strongest defending unit in the city for it to operate?

No, but there must be a lot of it. I've read that you need four flak unit per
city for maximum effect. Also I've noticed that the Bombers hit Fighters in
the city first so it id difficult to move defenders into a city when it is
under massive air attack -- they get blown up. Perhaps an air field outside
the city with Fighters on air superiority would work better, but I've never
tried it.

>If so, then this is both stupid (like your flak would really remain silent
>during an air-raid simply because you've a infantry regiment stationed
>nearby!), and severely limits its usefulness, because my front-line cities
>need to be well fortified against ground units.

I've never heard SAMs either but I'm pretty sure they work.

Mike G

 

[daran]

Archived from groups: alt.games.civ3 (More info?)

On Mon, 16 Aug 2004 18:44:48 GMT Mike Garcia
<mtg@cornellc.cit.stumbling.block.cornell.edu> wrote in message
<cfqv77$r71$1@news01.cit.cornell.edu>...

> In article <bdf6v1-et1.ln1@wheresmeshirt.clara.net>, Daran
> <daranSPAMg@lineone.net> wrote:

> The other things you can do to reduce corruption are Courthouses, Police
> Stations, and WLTxD (all pretty standard). Remember that you can station
> troops in a city to improve happiness, I guess they shoot the unhappy ones.

Smile. Or else...

I already have courthouses and police stations in most of my cities; just a
couple close to my palace and FP need building. Unhappiness is no longer a
problem, now that I'm out of Democracy, except in newly captured cities,
where any units I station can do triple or even quadruple duty - defend the
city, reduce unhappiness, reduce the risk of defection, and quell resisters.

> >2. This is the first time in Conquests, that I've faced an opponent with
> >air-power, and my front-line cities are getting bombed to hell. I've
> >just deployed a whole load of flak, but haven't noticed any difference.
> >Does the flak have to be the strongest defending unit in the city for it
> >to operate?
>
> No, but there must be a lot of it. I've read that you need four flak unit
> per city for maximum effect. Also I've noticed that the Bombers hit
> Fighters in the city first so it id difficult to move defenders into a
> city when it is under massive air attack -- they get blown up...

Yeah, I've noticed that too. >:-{

> ...Perhaps an air field outside the city with Fighters on air superiority
> would work better, but I've never tried it.

Good idea. I'll give it a try.

> >If so, then this is both stupid (like your flak would really remain silent
> >during an air-raid simply because you've a infantry regiment stationed
> >nearby!), and severely limits its usefulness, because my front-line cities
> >need to be well fortified against ground units.
>
> I've never heard SAMs either but I'm pretty sure they work.

Thanks, both of you, for the advice.

> Mike G

--
Daran

"I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but my chief duty is to
accomplish humble tasks as though they were great and noble.  The world is
moved along, not only by the mighty shoves of its heroes, but also by the
aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker." -- Helen Keller

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.civ3 (More info?)

On Mon, 16 Aug 2004 18:44:48 GMT,
mtg@cornellc.cit.stumbling.block.cornell.edu (Mike Garcia) wrote:

>I've never heard SAMs either but I'm pretty sure they work.

I think SAMs only work to defend a bombarded city. I don't think they
will defend terrain squares.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.civ3 (More info?)

On Mon, 16 Aug 2004 12:38:03 +0100, Daran <daranSPAMg@lineone.net>
wrote:

>2. This is the first time in Conquests, that I've faced an opponent with
>air-power, and my front-line cities are getting bombed to hell. I've just
>deployed a whole load of flak, but haven't noticed any difference. Does the
>flak have to be the strongest defending unit in the city for it to operate?
>If so, then this is both stupid (like your flak would really remain silent
>during an air-raid simply because you've a infantry regiment stationed
>nearby!), and severely limits its usefulness, because my front-line cities
>need to be well fortified against ground units.

Jet Fighters are the only thing I know that work well although I have
not tried the flak. You have to put them on air superiority to defend
the city. Regular fighters work but they get shot down alot.

Terrain squares will get some extra protection if you cover them with
defense units. It also helps some if you have more than one
improvement on a square since bombing is less likely to destroy it all
in one turn.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.civ3 (More info?)

On Wed, 18 Aug 2004 02:02:42 -0400, P12 <nomail@all.com> wrote:

>On Mon, 16 Aug 2004 12:38:03 +0100, Daran <daranSPAMg@lineone.net>
>wrote:
>
>>2. This is the first time in Conquests, that I've faced an opponent with
>>air-power, and my front-line cities are getting bombed to hell. I've just
>>deployed a whole load of flak, but haven't noticed any difference. Does the
>>flak have to be the strongest defending unit in the city for it to operate?
>>If so, then this is both stupid (like your flak would really remain silent
>>during an air-raid simply because you've a infantry regiment stationed
>>nearby!), and severely limits its usefulness, because my front-line cities
>>need to be well fortified against ground units.
>
>Jet Fighters are the only thing I know that work well although I have
>not tried the flak. You have to put them on air superiority to defend
>the city. Regular fighters work but they get shot down alot.

Air defense very much depends on the forces attacking. Air
superiority *always* offers a chance to intercept, but the intercept
is handled as a combat. Weaker interceptors die more often than tough
ones.

Anti-air units seem to act kind of like artillery defending a city
-- the game manual really doesn't explain it well. Flak, as an early
defense, has a low rating. If it doesn't hit, you don't see it try to
shoot. Enough of it, however, and you'll see bombers shot down.
Also, of course, every now and then *if* enough enemy units hit the
city.

Stealth changes the defense a lot. I don't know if it affects
anti-air, but it definitely makes it a lot easier to get past fighter
defenses.

>Terrain squares will get some extra protection if you cover them with
>defense units. It also helps some if you have more than one
>improvement on a square since bombing is less likely to destroy it all
>in one turn.

Flak is good for helping with this, as it might shoot down a bomber.
Air superiority within range of course is also helpful.

The AI is pretty good -- amazingly good at times -- at hitting
places where you don't have any active air defenses. Getting your
fighters into position to defend the location which will be attacked
isn't easy. The AI will hit them the turn they relocate, and in C3C
air units are usually hit first in a bombardment, so they may not
survive to the next turn to intercept. Or they may be badly wounded,
and not survive the attempt to intercept.

Airbases and aircraft carriers can give you a way to deliver air
cover to cities. The AI rarely hits these things in preference to
cities or wounded land units -- especially those recovering in cities.
At least, as long as you have enough other units as escorts -- land
units defending the airbase, especially flak, and ships like
destroyers and aegis cruisers (once you get those) for the carrier.



--
*-__Jeffery Jones__________| *Starfire* |____________________-*
** Muskego WI Access Channel 14/25 <http://www.execpc.com/~jeffsj/mach7/>
*Starfire Design Studio* <http://www.starfiredesign.com/>

 

[daran]

Archived from groups: alt.games.civ3 (More info?)

On Wed, 18 Aug 2004 18:21:00 -0500 Jeffery S. Jones <jeffsj@execpc.com>
wrote in message <ul37i09r6jm4sll01o9v59f7ei8hhcapga@4ax.com>...

> The AI is pretty good -- amazingly good at times -- at hitting places
> where you don't have any active air defenses. Getting your fighters into
> position to defend the location which will be attacked isn't easy. The AI
> will hit them the turn they relocate, and in C3C air units are usually hit
> first in a bombardment, so they may not survive to the next turn to
> intercept. Or they may be badly wounded, and not survive the attempt to
> intercept.

Yes, I've lost several fighters this way without ever managing put one on
air superiority mode.

> Airbases and aircraft carriers can give you a way to deliver air cover
> to cities. The AI rarely hits these things in preference to cities or
> wounded land units -- especially those recovering in cities. At least, as
> long as you have enough other units as escorts -- land units defending the
> airbase, especially flak, and ships like destroyers and aegis cruisers
> (once you get those) for the carrier.

I'm on a Pangaea, so carriers are of limited utility. Also Aegis cruisers
won't be available for a while, I've only just started researching fission
(for the UN, which I don't want anyone else to get.). After that, I'm
heading for synthetic fibres for modern armor. Now that I'm in communism, I
can't so easily rush-build cultural improvements in my acquisitions to
expand their borders. Consequently, many of his cities are three squares
behind his borders. Tanks can't reach them in one turn. Modern armor will
be able to.

I have a different plan to help my fighters survive deployment. Stack a
load of flack in the cities my fighters rebase to. Hopefully his bombers
will go elsewhere that turn. Then I can put the fighter on air-superiority,
and move the flak elsewhere. I will be trying this, this coming turn.

I also found another solution to the problem - I wiped out 2/3 of his bomber
fleet by capturing seven border cities in one turn, and two more the
following. He has four bombers left, most or all of which are probably
on his other border, hammering my allies. He'll rebuild them, of course,
(He's a superpower, who won't have been significantly hurt by the loss of a
few cities very remote from his capital.) and for the time being my
jugganaut must pause in its advance to quell resistance.

On a more somber note, I've only just realised just how much I have to do to
win domination. I now have 20% land area. India (my enemy) has 30%. Even
if I wipe him out, I'm still at least 16% behind. (According to the F8
screen, I need 66%. According to the Civilopedia, it's 70% of both.)
Suddenly, a diplomatic victory looks much more attractive. Out of six AI's
left, three are really pissed off with me, and three aren't. I could win
four votes to three.

Again, thanks to everyone who has contributed their advice.

--
Daran

"I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but my chief duty is to
accomplish humble tasks as though they were great and noble.  The world is
moved along, not only by the mighty shoves of its heroes, but also by the
aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker." -- Helen Keller