How to get a challenge??

from GalCiv2 Forums
Since playing a few incomplete games to learn the ropes, I have beaten the "tough" AI 1 v. 1 in the smallest galaxy, and beaten 2 tough AI's in the 3rd smallest galaxy. One game was at beta 4 and one at 1.1.

The 1 on 1 game, I sort of out colony rushed him, then just stayed ahead of him in tech, particularly military tech. That was an easy win.

I thought the game against the 2 AI's was going to be difficult because I was sandwiched in the middle of the Korx and the Torians, and the Torians grabbed a lot of juicy worlds quickly. They out colonized me initially seemed like, but for some reason they let me flank them and take colonies on the far reaches of their empire. I had maybe 2 or 3 extra colonies, but they had nice worlds, and spent a lot less time and effort to get them. The Korx only grabbed 4 worlds. Since I was playing Yor and made evil choices, the weak Korx were my friends and the Torians did not like me a bit. Since the Korx were no long term threat, I made sure they would stay with me, trading a bit and giving them some useless tech gifts. The Torians had much better resources available to them, which they did use. Nonetheless, they went seriously wrong somewhere in the middle game, not getting military techs. Just as I was spitting out 5 medium ships with 4 mass driver/4 defense against their tech (mass driver), they built an armada of small ships with 2 mass driver and no defense. They just sat them on their planets doing nothing. Once I started my attack, they built a lot of transports that they sent out unescorted which were picked off again and again. This was on 1.1.

I am not really eager to go higher than tough because the AI cheats, but I guess I'll have too. I don't have the patience to play too much bigger of a galaxy than the 3rd smallest. Maybe could go up a size or two and add another AI if that would make it harder.

I guess some AI are different (tougher?) than others...don't recall the AI in the 1 v. 1, but the Torians at "tough" certainly were not tough.
7,502 views 8 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
In the full 1.1, the Torians are a pain at larger maps. The AI depends on big maps, because then optimising numbers (an AI's biggest natural advantage) comes into play. If you're playing small maps, you're effectively weaking the AI.

Besides, gigantic are fun. So much tech
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Try using the accelerated start option (or the battle of the gods scenario), and have every AI start the game in a state of war with you. This should provide you with an intresting play experience.

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Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion
Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
try huge maps with 9 AI on tough.. the experience it totally different when you are playing on small galaxies with only 1 or 2 AI to concentrate on.
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
n the full 1.1, the Torians are a pain at larger maps. The AI depends on big maps, because then optimising numbers (an AI's biggest natural advantage) comes into play. If you're playing small maps, you're effectively weaking the AI.



My understanding was that most of the AI played best on medium maps because it is tweaked playing on ithose maps. It can usually out colonise me, unless i go on a wild colony rush..... But once we go to war it's weaknesses show.

I have tried Tough with 3 opponents, ended up controlling most of the map, while the Comp AI's fought among themselves. Result- Easy win with influence victory

I have tried Tough with 1 opponent head to head. No other AI to complicate matters. Pretty interesting game, with the AI out pacing me in development, but once the war started, it was clear it was inferior in matters of waging war. Result- fairly easy win with military victory

I also tried with 6 opponents. It was wild. I got sandwitched in the corner with the least number of colonies, the humans and the Korx as my neighbours. Managed to win with a tech victory, by bribing Korx to eliminate the Humans, and serve as my shield from the Iconian who was the strongest, while i researched like crazy using Neutral learning centers.

I find 'tough' with more opponents, medium map, more difficult, because my prefered style of play involves
a period of quiet consolidation and development, something not really possible when there are lots of opponents.
It's also pretty luck dependent the more opponents there are, because you can be stuck in a bad position through no fault of your own.

I will be try bigger maps next, I suspect it will be easier than in medium maps.
Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
i recommend muving up with the difficulty ...ai always puts ships on their planets becouse to prevent sneak attacks...atleast on higher difficulty leveles the ai will get some decent fleets thanks to all the bonuses.
Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
It appears that smaller maps reduce the effectiveness of the AI, and I have another working theory that the AI is weakened when you play against fewer civs. I suspect that if you play 1 on 1 on ANY size map, you have a big advantage over the AI. On a gigantic map, anything less than all the Civs probably weakens the AI.

All my evidence is empirical, but not enough data points to say anything conclusive. All of my games that had only a few civs were easy to win.

I suspect that it has something to do with all the interactions that the AI can develop internally, like Trade, teaming up on an aggressor, surrendering to another civ right before you complete your conquest.

YMMV

Cheers,
Reaver
Reply #7 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I never play less than 9 rivals. What's the point? I mistakenly left it on 'random' number once, and ended up head-to-head with the Dregin - by the time I found them, I was so much more powerful than them it was a done deal.
Reply #8 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
A challenge I thought of trying was to never purchase anything, and never go into defosit spending...

I suspect that that would end in a swift defeat though...