What is the most valuable Strategic Resource?

Mad Bomber · February 20, 2004, 10:26

What is the most valuable resource in CIV 3? The one you need the most? And the one that you pray to Sid to appear when pressing the enter key hoping beyond hope that your new tech gives you control of at least one of the resource that you desperately crave?

I have narrowed down the choice basically to Iron, Coal, Rubber, Oil, Aluminum, and Uranium. Horses and Saltpeter are just to specialized to be considered as the most valuable (unless your civ has a horse UU or you are French) overall.

My choice is Iron. Its needed for Factories, Iron Works, and most of the Offensive units of the Ancient- Midieval Age. I typically find that if I have Iron in my control then I have control of the game until Cavalry comes onto the scene, without Iron and you are pretty much screwed until the Industrial age.

Caesar2760 · February 20, 2004, 10:36

Coal. Railroads, with their infinite movement, so vastly increase your attack and defense powers that it can't be ignored. I find that I can get away without others, depending on the civ, of course, but without coal you are vastly disadvantaged against those who do. And hey, Ironclads aren't bad, either...

Dominae · February 20, 2004, 11:00

The availability of Iron definitely changes the face of the game more than any other Strategic resource. Also, with Iron you typically have enough game to secure the rest.

The one that I most hope to get within my borders, however, is Coal. I really dislike delaying my rail network, and if the game is not won by then I'm probably having a tough time grabbing resources by military means. I've had mixed success trading for Coal.

Dominae

ChaotikVisions · February 20, 2004, 11:27

Definitly Iron as well, it holds its usefulness until the lndustrial Age, and even then its still needed for building railroads. On the other hand, no rubber/oil can kill you in later ages as well.

Boracks · February 20, 2004, 11:53

AS a builder, I don't necessarily go to war for iron, but I definitely do whatever I have to in order to get coal.

CerberusIV · February 20, 2004, 12:13

Coal. Without it no RR's. Also no coal plants - I only build 2 or 3 but they are crucial in outbuilding the AI to the Indusrial Era GW's.

Iron is a bit easier to get through war, especially as you know where it is from an early stage so you have more time to grab some.

Oil is the second most crucial as it is needed for the effective later units.

eris · February 20, 2004, 12:15

I have figured my way around the lack of other resources. The funniest one was fretting over a lack of horses (lost the REX race for that horse on the edge of my borders) and then realizing I was India and could build War Elephants. (DUH!!!) I had picked India to experiment with the traits and hadn't really thought about the UU.

But getting around not being able to do railroads is something I have not figured out. I can work around the transportation issues, clumsy as that may feel, but the loss of extra production lets the other civs just leave me in the dust. I have traded for coal ssuccessfully once, and then the trade would not renew at any price. I am not sure about the modern day real life ethics of war-for-oil, but I have come to understand war-for-coal as a political reality of my civ games. (Although I usually mutter under my breath, "You know, we could have done this the easy way." as I demonstrate the folly of not being a cooperative trade partner.) I have given up games where I had neither might, nor money, nor tech to obtain coal.

Sovereign · February 20, 2004, 12:33

You guys give up too easily!

Build 100 artillery / catapults and 100 infantry or cavalry type units, then flatten the AI.

That's basically what I do whenever I'm in sore need of resources.

In addition, you could pray for the resources to pop up in your territory as the AI "uses up" their resources. It happened to me a few times.

Oil / rubber is the most important resource IMHO. Coal isn't that necessary for me, since I can pretty much grab it from the AI at any time I desire, using BamSpeedy's strategy.

Oil / rubber enables you to build battleships and tanks, which can assure you victory (assuming you build sh*tloads of them to bombard the enemy to hell).

:) Smiley · February 20, 2004, 13:20

I miss the Civ2 banana

PGM · February 20, 2004, 13:27

Iron.
Coal is a distant #2.
Iron has lots of uses, while coal's main purpose is railroad (and you will still need iron to build that).

gunkulator · February 20, 2004, 14:07

Iron without a doubt. Lacking iron puts you at a big disadvantage through a long period of time.

As #2, I'm gonna say Horses. If I have Iron AND Horses, I can basically just go in and grab any resources I may be missing. No saltpeter? Muster your Knights and take it. Now you can build dozens of Cavalry which in turn can quickly grab that coal you didn't get either.

Early in the game, Horsemen reinforce your poorly protected cities at the edges of your fledgling empire. I can't imagine anyone not building Horsemen given the chance. Without horses (and outside of UUs, Ancient Cav and such), you have NO two movement units at all until Tanks.

Mad Bomber · February 20, 2004, 18:28

So far its basically an Iron or Coal debate (with a second for horses and OIl) Can Anyone make a case for Rubber, Aluminum, or Uranium? These resources do have their merit and could be as crippling a loss as Iron or Coal in a tight game.

Arrian · February 20, 2004, 18:55

Iron.

Coal is big too.

After that, I'd say rubber.

After that... ivory?

-Arrian

Rhothaerill · February 20, 2004, 19:03

Iron, then coal, then oil. The most important age is the ancient age and that's when iron rules. It's just too useful for too many different units.

Aeson · February 20, 2004, 23:50

Ivory. Tends to make the game feel 2 difficulties easier if you have it. (1 if Deity/Sid)

notyoueither · February 21, 2004, 01:36

Tobacco!

Ermmm, OK, iron to enable me to secure more tobacco. *Cough, Cough*

lethe · February 21, 2004, 02:01

Quote:

Originally posted by Sovereign
You guys give up too easily!

Build 100 artillery / catapults and 100 infantry or cavalry type units, then flatten the AI.

Way too few artillery pieces compared to regular troops. You just need foot soldiers to protect your artillery, fortify cities you take and polish off that last hp. Other than that it's all artillery.

There are just sooooo many uses for artillery. More is always better. Too bad there are no good sound effects when firing artillery. Anyone who has spent time near a real life artillery piece knows what an earthshaking audio experience it is.

Ok, threadjacking complete. Back to main topic: Why can't I vote Ivory? Ok, I'll settle for Iron. Atleast it starts with the right letter.

Fosse · February 21, 2004, 02:27

Give me iron, and I'll get the rest.

asleepathewheel · February 21, 2004, 02:30

iron

Theseus · February 21, 2004, 12:02

None... I like a challenge.

If I had to pick though, I'd say rubber.

bvoncranium · February 22, 2004, 00:25

Iron and Coal; which is more important depends quite a bit on the scenario I think.

Bananas are less a strategic resource, and more a status symbol I think.

-bvc

Dis · February 22, 2004, 03:48

Iron.

The risk of being pummeled early on without this is very high. Most civs will just crush you if you're military is lacking.

geniemalin · February 22, 2004, 04:19

I can quite happily go throughout the Ancient Age without iron, using Archers, Horse and Catapults. Swords are nice but not essential. In the Middle Ages it gets harder, but Longbow-based counterattacks can let you survive long enough.

But if you are without RR in the industrial age you lose the game. Yes, you need iron too but there is more of it, so snatching some or trading for it is generally more feasible.

Aqualung71 · February 22, 2004, 19:35

Coal is my favourite resource, since the Industrial age is usually game-deciding. I will go to war without a moment's hesitation if I don't find Coal within my borders once I get Steam.

However, without Iron, you may not last long enough to get to Coal.....so for that reason, Iron is the most important resource in the game for me.

Aqualung71 · February 22, 2004, 19:45

Quote:

Originally posted by notyoueither
Tobacco!

Ermmm, OK, iron to enable me to secure more tobacco. *Cough, Cough*

Yep I agree NYE.....as predicted by the developers, those Tobacco wars really dominate my games!

Boracks · February 22, 2004, 23:53

Quote:

Originally posted by Mad Bomber
...the one that you pray to Sid to appear when pressing the enter key hoping beyond hope that your new tech gives you control of at least one of the resource...

While I agree iron is very important, it was the phrase I quoted that caused me to say coal. Iron I may not have right away but I can usually get to it once I see where it is. By the time coal appears, if it isn't in my area to start with I have a big problem.

Boracks

Dis · February 23, 2004, 00:26

hmm, well after my most recent game as the egpytians, iron didn't seem that useful.

But horses sure came in hand for my war chariots

. I conquered my nearest civ with those.

I suppose the most important resource can vary game to game depending on things like your civilization, and situation on the map and relation to nearest civs.

bvoncranium · February 23, 2004, 23:10

"Oh great... none of us can vote in this poll for the ONLY important strategic resources"
- overheard from a group of Cavalry and Cossacks.

Daz · February 24, 2004, 04:16

I guess I could survive without Iron. But without coal for the rr? I say Coal.

Dominae · February 24, 2004, 09:06

Railroads and Factories require Iron...