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Basics - Carthage
By Ryan
Hello, this is a quick video guide of what to expect if you are to pick the Carthagenians as your Civilization.
   
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Ryan
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Category: Characters, Classes, Co-op, Gameplay Basics, Multiplayer, Walkthroughs
Languages: English
Posted
Updated
May 8, 2013 @ 6:41pm
Jul 9, 2013 @ 2:41pm
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Guide Index
Overview
Video of how to play Carthage. 
Victory Conditions 
Social Policies 
Factoids 
Other Basic Guides 
Cont. 
Cont. 
Cont. 
Brave New World Basic Guides 
Comments
Video of how to play Carthage.
This will tell you what to expect out of the special units, what to expect out of the playstyle, and what victory conditions to expect to dominate with.

Victory Conditions
Hello, if you really didn't want to watch the video I'll give a quick rundown of what you probably should be thinking if you are randomly paired up with the Carthagenians or are just new to Civilization and think they would be fun to play.


Victory Conditions

  • Domination
    Honestly, Dido is a Civilization that is somewhat difficult to play in any scenario considering she does not have a strong personality trait. The free harbor really does help - but only to an extent considering if you are not playing on a "coastal" type of map or mountainous you have 0 benefits. With that said if you are playing on a map such as that you will dominate the sea and can flank enemies that are hiding behind mountains. Fortunately, this is what makes Dido a force to be reckoned with but it's difficult if you are paired up with her on a map without much water/mountains. The special units she receives will help you destroy enemies early on, only for a limited time and ONLY if you have mountains/sea. Recommended.

  • Scientific
    With all of the coastal cities you have you should highly invest into building up some population and developing scientific research. The way to excel with Science as Carthage is to make sure to pick the Commerce Social Policy. With that you will gain more money, gain some additional happiness to allow extra growth, and most importantly gain science from Mints/Banks/etc. With that it really does set up a fairly strong ability to win Scientifically. Recommended.

  • Diplomatic
    In order to win this one I'd stray away from much contact with other Civilizations and try your best to keep the peace. Find some cities states and try your best to become friends with majority of them. If you are to strive towards this playstyle your going to want to try to get some points into the Patronage tree but is risky considering the benefits your enemies will have against you. Not recommended.

  • Cultural
    Probably the worst option to go - but remember anything is possible in Civilization with any leader. There is not really anything you benefit with culture. You'll have to be one lucky person to get this victory as Carthage considering coastal cities do not usually produce much culture unless you are the Polynesians. Unless you get natural wonders around your coastal cities along with some other added benefits towards cultural I highly advise you to divert to another victory condition. Not recommended.
Social Policies
Won't get into as depth as the Victory Conditions only because Social Policies can usually go anyway for any Civ and still win. Will only note those that are very important to each Civ.
  • Commerce
    Carthage is a Civilization that is about the seas. They are about coastal cities. They excel with Commerce due to this, you should generally ALWAYS have coastal cities considering you do not pay for the harbor. It's essentially free roads. Commerce gives huge advantages to those who are primarily coastal Civilizations. You'll obtain more gold, happiness, and more importantly gain science from all of the gold producing buildings (most, at least). Highly recommended.
The rest are really up to you on how you're playstyle will be for policies, Tradition for hunkering down with few cities - Honor for cutting down enemies early on - Liberty for expanding like a mad-man but again, that goes for any Civ, not just the Carthagenians.
Factoids
Unfortunately, since Carthage did not last very long as a dominant nation there is not much known about them in terms of a Facts. Instead, I'll give some history about them!

After the collapse of the Hittite empire, the Phoenicians began to prosper. They were a seafaring people intent on trade, not territorial hegemony. With the press of the growing Assyrian empire in the ninth century, and perhaps an increase in population, the Tyrians sent colonists to the site of what they called "New City," Carthage. Carthage would grow to rival her mother city of Tyre and she is the only colony that founded new colonies in Spain, Sardinia, Sicily and North Africa.

A virtual graveyard of ships have been found in the waters between Sicily and Carthage. Most of the wrecks appear to be Roman transport ships.
2 Comments
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I <3 GHOSTS May 19, 2018 @ 1:50am 
Carthaginians*
Ryan  [author] Jul 13, 2013 @ 3:16pm 
Hell, it makes sense, I just never preferred it over the other two Victory types just because it was easier and felt more fluid with their personality trait. Doesn't mean that everyone should ignore Diplomatic Victories or that they are impossible, but you already know that. I totally agree with the closing statement too, if you are able to meet and greet everyone before anyone else you've got a huge advantage and should strive towards a Diplomatic Victory. I suppose sometimes that can be a rare occurance (espeically if Polynesia is in the game) that I've always avoided it.

Great input, love the feedback and appreciate you checking out the guide!