Starting Locations for Scotland

[Scroller]

Does Scotland always have to have dire start locations? I just tried around 20 different huge maps and all but one were appalling (starts beside volcanoes, huge mountain ranges, narrow landmasses with too many mountains to be worth playing). The one map that was 'worth it' consisted of decent land but no natural wonders on or around the starting landmass.

For those who play solely for the 'challenge', I dare say that this type of start is one of their greatest pleasures. However, for those of us who simply what to develop a civ for fun then CIV VI is often a quite empty experience.

[grognardgary]

You ever looked at the starting location for actual scotland?

[Catalytic]

Some civs have some pretty atrocious start biases. I'll give you that, but part of the challenge of the game is to play the map. I'd suggest something here. Instead of looking for some sort of ideal optimal start, clear your mind of that. The game doesn't end in the Classical era.

Each terrain in the game can be exploited either early or late. Volcanoes end up being incredibly productive tiles that are fantastic for very high yield natural parks. Mountains are protective. That's a shield from attacks you don't have to worry about until air power becomes a concern. They provide a lot of safe time. Once you have tunnels, they're convenient, fast transport as well. Further, they also mean great adjacency bonuses for campuses and holy sites. No natural wonders? That happens. There are 5 in the game. Even as standard map has 8 civs, meaning 37% chance you won't have one in your starting territory - and you're on a huge map making that possibility more remote!

Change your expectations. You're going to see hills early on. Again, good defensive territory. Good production. You'll worry more about food and growth than production, so plan for it. Remember that Scotland isn't supposed to get good until later in the game. The Scottish enlightenment was in the Industrial Age! They were sod-covered peasants fighting with sticks when the English rolled up in the Middle ages.

[poke_ravi]

Originally posted by grognardgary:

You ever looked at the starting location for actual scotland?

Lmao

[Scroller]

Originally posted by grognardgary:

You ever looked at the starting location for actual scotland?

My actual, real world, start location was Scotland. Best keep your ignorance and prejudice to yourself.

[Oaks]

Originally posted by Scroller:

Originally posted by grognardgary:

You ever looked at the starting location for actual scotland?

My actual, real world, start location was Scotland. Best keep your ignorance and prejudice to yourself.

It's not prejudice, it's geography. Have you looked at Scotland on a map?

[Scroller]

Originally posted by Catalytic:

Some civs have some pretty atrocious start biases. I'll give you that, but part of the challenge of the game is to play the map. I'd suggest something here. Instead of looking for some sort of ideal optimal start, clear your mind of that. The game doesn't end in the Classical era.

Each terrain in the game can be exploited either early or late. Volcanoes end up being incredibly productive tiles that are fantastic for very high yield natural parks. Mountains are protective. That's a shield from attacks you don't have to worry about until air power becomes a concern. They provide a lot of safe time. Once you have tunnels, they're convenient, fast transport as well. Further, they also mean great adjacency bonuses for campuses and holy sites. No natural wonders? That happens. There are 5 in the game. Even as standard map has 8 civs, meaning 37% chance you won't have one in your starting territory - and you're on a huge map making that possibility more remote!

Change your expectations. You're going to see hills early on. Again, good defensive territory. Good production. You'll worry more about food and growth than production, so plan for it. Remember that Scotland isn't supposed to get good until later in the game. The Scottish enlightenment was in the Industrial Age! They were sod-covered peasants fighting with sticks when the English rolled up in the Middle ages.

Scotland certainly seems to be one of the worst (but there are certainly are others which are way worse). I have almost 900 hours of gameplay on CIV VI alone, so I understand the mechanics.

The issue I have with CIV VI, and one that has stood since it first came out, is that the weights are too extreme in some cases. For a comparison to Scotland, playing America almost guarantess a good map with a fair number of natural wonders and few to no volcanoes.

As for the "sod-covered peasents..." comment, I will put that down to an attempt at humour rather than a deliberate attempt to cause offence.

[Scroller]

Originally posted by Oaks:

Originally posted by Scroller:

My actual, real world, start location was Scotland. Best keep your ignorance and prejudice to yourself.

It's not prejudice, it's geography. Have you looked at Scotland on a map?

You really don't seem to have understood that I actualy live in Scotland. You are attempting to explain Scotland to a Scot. But, by all means, keep proving my point...

[Exemplar]

civ 6 scotland has no start bias. this tends to mean that once all the leaders with start bias are positioned, ones without bias, like scotland, get "what is left".
https://civilization.fandom.com/wiki/Starting_bias_(Civ6)

[grognardgary]

Originally posted by Scroller:

Originally posted by grognardgary:

You ever looked at the starting location for actual scotland?

My actual, real world, start location was Scotland. Best keep your ignorance and prejudice to yourself.

As was the case with more than a few of my Antecedants, I expressed no predjudice no bias just the fact Scotland's geography is isignificantly vertical. For what it is worth I much prefer the company of peasants almost none of whom are actually simple to that of the jackasses who think themselves better than others because the peasants chose to vote them into office.

[Oaks]

Originally posted by Scroller:

Originally posted by Oaks:

It's not prejudice, it's geography. Have you looked at Scotland on a map?

You really don't seem to have understood that I actualy live in Scotland. You are attempting to explain Scotland to a Scot. But, by all means, keep proving my point...

You don't need to be Scottish to look at a topographic map of Scotland and think "huh, that place is pretty hilly."

[Scroller]

Originally posted by Exemplar:

civ 6 scotland has no start bias. this tends to mean that once all the leaders with start bias are positioned, ones without bias, like scotland, get "what is left".
https://civilization.fandom.com/wiki/Starting_bias_(Civ6)

That I was not aware of. That means the quality of the start location could be managed (to some degree) depending on the other leaders in the game. Interesting. Thanks for the info.

[Scroller]

Originally posted by Oaks:

Originally posted by Scroller:

You really don't seem to have understood that I actualy live in Scotland. You are attempting to explain Scotland to a Scot. But, by all means, keep proving my point...

You don't need to be Scottish to look at a topographic map of Scotland and think "huh, that place is pretty hilly."

"Hilly" is not the problem. Scotland is not as mountainous as the game suggests. I have played Japan quite a few times and it rarely starts with as many mountains as Scotland does.