Best Cultural Civ???

[Nosrettap]

In your opinion, what is the best Civ for culture? I don't mean cultural victories, just culture in general...other factors aside.

[xbman22x]

i was thinking eathier french or romans. i chose romans. 1/2 priced wonders is just too good.

i dont use them though cause i feel cheap using rome.

[dsmatt]

English because in the beginning they almost always have bigger boarders than everyone else. Maybe sometimes tied with french though.

[xbman22x]

the french get much bigger borders if the french guy knows what he is doing and the romans will get much bigger borders later in the game.

[Hellogoodbye123]

i was thinking eathier french or romans. i chose romans. 1/2 priced wonders is just too good.

i dont use them though cause i feel cheap using rome.

dont worry, i dont use the zulu because i would feel cheap, but use french

[MorteEterna]

I would say romans, if you can use them, you could get a lot of culture, a city with huge production could have all wonders fast, getting +1 point for culture milestone, and +3 culture points, plus the wonder bonuses. They have also more great people that is really good, plus the other bonuses I think they are much better than French

[Hellogoodbye123]

I would say romans, if you can use them, you could get a lot of culture, a city with huge production could have all wonders fast, getting +1 point for culture milestone, and +3 culture points, plus the wonder bonuses. They have also more great people that is really good, plus the other bonuses I think they are much better than French

one time i got a great thinker/artistrs, in one of my weak cities.....and i flipped a roman city with 2 wonders....it was pretty cool, then i fliiped 2 other roman cities next to the first one i flipped, so french do have power...

[MorteEterna]

one time i got a great thinker/artistrs, in one of my weak cities.....and i flipped a roman city with 2 wonders....it was pretty cool, then i fliiped 2 other roman cities next to the first one i flipped, so french do have power...

No, so you do have luck, do you know what means? French have a big bonus in the CAPITAL, romans have a big bonus in all cities if they want

[eireksten]

No, so you do have luck, do you know what means? French have a big bonus in the CAPITAL, romans have a big bonus in all cities if they want

Nope, the romans don't have any other bonus to culture than getting half-price wonders. And each wonder only generates 3 culture/turn. The wonder bonus is good for getting wonder bonuses and having it count towards the victory... Not for actually having lots of culture. You need temples and cathedrals for that.

Also, it's the capital that is most important in a cultural game. It gets culture from the palace (and more from monarchy).

I think Egypt should have been an option in the poll. Chose the french, though.

[MorteEterna]

Romans get great people faster, however, and that helps. French have only a bonus that could be destroyed

[eireksten]

It helps towards winning by culture, but not for a cultural war. And no ones ever been able to destroy the cathedral when I've played as the french. It is too easy both to get defensive spies, and to capture the spies before they reach the destination.

I don't really think you can compare the two civs so easily. I like them both, but play as France more :)

[xbman22x]

Nope, the romans don't have any other bonus to culture than getting half-price wonders. And each wonder only generates 3 culture/turn. The wonder bonus is good for getting wonder bonuses and having it count towards the victory... Not for actually having lots of culture. You need temples and cathedrals for that.

Also, it's the capital that is most important in a cultural game. It gets culture from the palace (and more from monarchy).

I think Egypt should have been an option in the poll. Chose the french, though.

1/2 priced roads helps culture indirectly and COL's makes it easier to expand to the edge of your borders.

but even if they didnt have those 2, 1/2 priced wonders is SO powerful, i think that power is very OP

[eireksten]

1/2 priced roads helps culture indirectly and COL's makes it easier to expand to the edge of your borders.

but even if they didnt have those 2, 1/2 priced wonders is SO powerful, i think that power is very OP

France has 1/2-priced roads as well. And the faster riflemen is good for supporting kidnappings. Also, the french cannons help conquering wonder cities.

CoL is good, but having it in the ancient era isn't something I consider a cultural trait.

I agree that the 1/2-priced wonders is a nice bonus, but I don't consider it OP.

[MorteEterna]

1/2 price roads in the ancient era is much better than the medieval era, you can build roads to prevent rushers, and I have used that paying only 15-20 instead of 30-40 or more. In the medieval era you should have more gold and rushers could have killed french before.

[eireksten]

1/2 price roads in the ancient era is much better than the medieval era, you can build roads to prevent rushers, and I have used that paying only 15-20 instead of 30-40 or more. In the medieval era you should have more gold and rushers could have killed french before.

Morte, we are discussing culture here...

[MorteEterna]

Morte, we are discussing culture here...

So I could research ceremonial, building temples fast and saying the civ I have used is the best on culture and after that dieing in one turn? Uhm, a culture civ should need also to defend

[Nosrettap]

I think Egypt should have been an option in the poll.

That's interesting...Is the early wonder really enough to keep up with France's cathedral, or the English Monarchy.

[xbman22x]

That's interesting...Is the early wonder really enough to keep up with France's cathedral, or the English Monarchy.

hell no, egypt is not a good cultural civ at all, IMO

[danthechan]

i am going with rome because of the culture based wonders and great people. the best culture game i ever had was a team game with the greeks. i don't know why.

[eireksten]

That's interesting...Is the early wonder really enough to keep up with France's cathedral, or the English Monarchy.

Not they aren't. But combine the strong economy of Egypt with faster riflemen and a little extra early culture from the wonder, and you get a strong cultural civ.

In addition, the wonder does count towards the 20 :)

[MorteEterna]

Not they aren't. But combine the strong economy of Egypt with faster riflemen and a little extra early culture from the wonder, and you get a strong cultural civ.

In addition, the wonder does count towards the 20 :)

And starting with 1/20 would mean strong cultural civ? Well, I don't see where they are strong in cultural, only at the start

[eireksten]

And starting with 1/20 would mean strong cultural civ? Well, I don't see where they are strong in cultural, only at the start

I just explained why. Both good economy (in egypts case) and the faster riflemen will in my opinion help culture.

And even if they're only good in the beginning, doesn't that still mean they should be in the poll (which is the only thing I've claimed)?

[MorteEterna]

I just explained why. Both good economy (in egypts case) and the faster riflemen will in my opinion help culture.

And even if they're only good in the beginning, doesn't that still mean they should be in the poll (which is the only thing I've claimed)?

Best cultural civ means best cultural civ. Can you explain how economy and RIFLEMEN could help the culture? The first could improve culture by building buildings but not the second.

[Russian_Roulette]

I think japan can also be a culture-producing civ, specially in the beginning. They start whit ceremonial burial and, more importantly, they can get good population cities thanks to the +1 food from the seas.

The population factor could also make Russians good for culture. I have managed to do that in some games, but not allways...

[MorteEterna]

I think japan can also be a culture-producing civ, specially in the beginning. They start whit ceremonial burial and, more importantly, they can get good population cities thanks to the +1 food from the seas.

The population factor could also make Russians good for culture. I have managed to do that in some games, but not allways...

The population or getting ceremonial burial fast gives nothing to culture. If you waste production on a temple in the first part of the game and one uses maybe 20 hammers more to build a catapults army you could do nothing.

In my opinion best culture civs could be only Romans, English and French, at the moment I don't think there are other civs

[Russian_Roulette]

The population or getting ceremonial burial fast gives nothing to culture. If you waste production on a temple in the first part of the game and one uses maybe 20 hammers more to build a catapults army you could do nothing.

In my opinion best culture civs could be only Romans, English and French, at the moment I don't think there are other civs

Well man, I´m not going to rush a temple in the first turn you know. You tend to answer with concrete things (spam catapults) to a general thought, and that is not very usefull. Just to explain myself (although I thought this was taked for granted): if I have a decent defense in my cities and/or I´m not in danger of getting attacked, if I´m doing well in the tech race, and if every other obvious thing is happerning I will consider bulding a temple.
You have to adapt your strategy to the situation, opponents, etc.My points was that Japan will grow at the same time it researchs, so it can get to lets say 6-8 quite fast. Ceremonial burial is not a very usefull technollogy at the beginning and most times it would be an important waste of time to reserch it as you 4th or 5th technollogy, but as Japan you have it for free.

(also in the case you mentioned, just to reply in your own terms, my culture would show me your cats coming 3-4 turns before they reach my citie giving me time to defend, conterattack, set tramps, etc)

Now if you want to say that the only thing you can do in this game is choose between zulu an arabs and start spamming units, well, just say straight ahead

[MorteEterna]

Well man, I´m not going to rush a temple in the first turn you know. You tend to answer with concrete things (spam catapults) to a general thought, and that is not very usefull. Just to explain myself (although I thought this was taked for granted): if I have a decent defense in my cities and/or I´m not in danger of getting attacked, if I´m doing well in the tech race, and if every other obvious thing is happerning I will consider bulding a temple.
You have to adapt your strategy to the situation, opponents, etc.My points was that Japan will grow at the same time it researchs, so it can get to lets say 6-8 quite fast. Ceremonial burial is not a very usefull technollogy at the beginning and most times it would be an important waste of time to reserch it as you 4th or 5th technollogy, but as Japan you have it for free.

(also in the case you mentioned, just to reply in your own terms, my culture would show me your cats coming 3-4 turns before they reach my citie giving me time to defend, conterattack, set tramps, etc)

Now if you want to say that the only thing you can do in this game is choose between zulu an arabs and start spamming units, well, just say straight ahead

Another one that doesn't know how I play and says I play zulu? :rolleyes:

My favorite civs are arabs, romans, greeks and chinese, and I don't spam civs, maybe only with arabs few times. You can't know that 3-4 turns before with only 6-7 culture, in that case with arabs I could do the same with religion. A temple early isn't usefull, stop, you should wait and build libraries, first

[Madhatter]

Gooooo Romans :d

[Madhatter]

@Russian_Roulette

i like your thought and if you some how can support your temples with the stonehenge you are off to a very strong cultural position.
off course not (should go without say but appently it doesnt) not on the account off defense or tech

but say 3 japanese (assuming average off 5 citizens) cities with temples and stone henge probobly could give about 30-35 culture pr round early in the game
and "only" investment is 3*40 hammers + 50 hammers

[Aenima]

i always play with japanese, but it's very hard to build all temples in all cities (even in only 3 cities) at the beginning. But i already won a cultural victory in deity (single player) mode with japanese .... so it's possible :D

[xbman22x]

@Russian_Roulette

i like your thought and if you some how can support your temples with the stonehenge you are off to a very strong cultural position.
off course not (should go without say but appently it doesnt) not on the account off defense or tech

but say 3 japanese (assuming average off 5 citizens) cities with temples and stone henge probobly could give about 30-35 culture pr round early in the game
and "only" investment is 3*40 hammers + 50 hammers

you try that whole stonehenge thing, but if i play as the chinese i can obsolete it 25 turns from the begining of the game. i dont think you can build it that fast..........

[august29f73]

The greeks start with a courthouse and democracy ... you build the magna charta and win culturally super easy

[MorteEterna]

The greeks start with a courthouse and democracy ... you build the magna charta and win culturally super easy

Super easy? Uhm, I don't see where, maybe in SP but in MP games you would lose very easy

[eireksten]

you try that whole stonehenge thing, but if i play as the chinese i can obsolete it 25 turns from the begining of the game. i dont think you can build it that fast..........

Stonehenge obsoletes with Literacy? I don't think the chinese bonus will obsolete it...

[Matrix49G]

The French, or the English. But the French have the upper hand because it start off with a cathedral. But the English start off with Monarchy.

But if anyhting, any civ can be good with culture, especialy if you get the artifact that give temples/cathedral in each city. Aztecs are good too for the fact you generate science from temples aswell. I was dominating once with the Arabs using culture, using feudalism. I guess it had something to do with relgion that they start with.

[ctmarco3]

Super easy? Uhm, I don't see where, maybe in SP but in MP games you would lose very easy

do you argue with everything Morte? seems your responses are always argumentative ...I dunno maybe its just me *shrug*
Edit...oh and by the way I have been reading a lot of your posts by the way, I just dont post often...a lot of your posts are also informative

[goldtupac]

I am surprised you dont have egyptions on there. They start out the game with a wonder and depending on what it is you get great culture in my eyes that is.

[MorteEterna]

do you argue with everything Morte? seems your responses are always argumentative ...I dunno maybe its just me *shrug*
Edit...oh and by the way I have been reading a lot of your posts by the way, I just dont post often...a lot of your posts are also informative

I do that on everything I am not sure it works, and I try also to explain why. Greeks start with a corthouse, the palace doesn't work and more great people. Magna Carta gives the effect of the temple, and +3 culture, I don't see why is that huge to win a ranked/mp game, you should need to wait too many turns and other civs are better.

And can you please explain to me why egyptians should be the best cultural civ having only 1/20 and +3 culture bonus??

[Predator WH]

I think the French are the best cultural civ. I actually lost a game the other day to the French. He flipped 2 of my cities with great artists but I wasnt worried about it because I had a good tech lead and a city with lots of hills, workshop, barracks, and great leader. I was banking hammers in that city for when I got knights. 2 turns before I got knights he flipped that city with another great artist. Stupid me, I had almost 1000 gold so I could have easily put walls in that city.

[Russian_Roulette]

I think we are missunderstanding things a little bit with culture. One thing is winning in the cultural way (having 20 great persons, wonders or flipped cities) and the other thing is producing culture.

Of course both are related and a good culture-producing civ will pump more great people, but they are no dependant in any way. In fact, I feel is much easier to reach 20/20 by capturing cities with wonders and/or great persons or stealing them with spies.

In my opinion a "cultural civ" should be the one that can produce culture easily, not the one that would get faster to 20/20. If it was like that the best cultural civs would be the most powerful military civs, but then we should say that the best economic and technological civs are also the military civs and I think this is missunderstanding the point.


Culture is a complementary aspect of the game. It can be powerfull and determining but you could never focus only on it forgetting the other factors. As Morte likes to say, Plato wont stop the tanks.

Dont get me wrong, i love culture. The feeling of being intelectually superior to other civs is great, but I doubt it can be the winning factor by itself (as the other factors can).