This game is based on the ww79 Scenario in Microprose's Conflicts in Civilization. I enjoyed playing this game very much, it is very challenging trying to survive Nuclear Winter AND Win a War. But I found it had a lot of shortcomings. A united Middle East was not politically accurate, and North America and Europe kept having Wars. Also America was Impregnable, with no Foreign Cities near it, Governments could be switched, and the Ancient Wonders hadn't been built. Perhaps they had to rush it due to deadlines. Please send me an Email and let me know whether you think this is a better version, and point out any historical inaccuracies I may have forgotten.
Objectives
Now it is your chance to change history play as the Islamic Fundamentalists, Pro-Western, Pro-Soviet, NATO, Warsaw Pact, Neutrals or China. Be careful though this is the age of Atomic Weapons, and if you trigger a War between the Superpowers Billions could die, the Planet could be critically Polluted and Nuclear Winter could set in, thus destroying Civilization. During this period NATO and some Pro-Western Countries were also known as the First World, the Soviet Bloc as the Second World, and everyone else as the Third World.
The Islamic Fundamentalists (Middle East)
Free every Islamic City from the Foreign Infidels and drive the Israelis into the Sea. This is complicated by the fact that they divided between every other Power Bloc. However you (and you alone) have the Military Superior Fundamentalist Government which can support 10 Units free of charge, raise Taxes from Religious Buildings, have cheap Fanatic Units, and never suffer Disorder. Many Islamic cities are ready to Revolt (providing you have sufficient funds) and there are also many Fanatical followers who have already taken up Arms across the Region. You can prevail but you much use Cunning, Diplomacy, Timing, Trade and Force to its upmost.
The following Cities can be regarded as Islamic: Rabat, Algiers, Tripoli, Kano, Cairo, Aswan, Khartoum, Port Sudan, Mogadishu, Mombasa, Istanbul,
Ankara, Beirut, Jerusalem, Baghdad, Riyadh, Teheran, Mashhad, Esfahan,
Bandar Abbis, Karachi, Islamabad, Kabul, Tashkent, Alma Ata, Urumqi,
Jakarta, Kazan, and Baku.
The Communist Bloc (Warsaw Pact, Pro-Soviet Countries and China)
Your task is to defect the Capitalist Imperialist Dogs (by presumably being even more Imperialist than them!). The Soviet Union can not move directly against NATO as it risks Nuclear Armagedan, so it stages Wars across the globe by Arming its Clients and letting them fight for it. The Warsaw Pact and Pro-Soviet Countries have an unbreakable Alliance.
Churchill said 'Russia is never as strong as she would wish, but never as weak as she appears, and has the great advantage of Depth'. Russia's problems stem from having too many boarders and too much territory, with too small a population. Meanings she is always in danger of being attacked on one front or another. Communism further weakened her by imposing collective farming which lead to starvation, and purges of the military which weakened the Army. Russia must maintain an larger Army than she can afford or risk fragmentation which leads to barbarism, like the Mongol Hoards, or the War between White and Red Russians.
Although China is Communist its version is not quite the same as the Soviet version so there is constant tension between them and other Communist states which often erupts into rather ineffectual Campaigns, but with Modernisation and the Right Leader they could perform miracles.
China is prone to large scale Nuclear attacks by the Soviets leaving most of its Cities defenceless for a turn, any neighbouring Player would be wise to take advantage of this situation and Occupy them. There will be a lot of Partisans, so station Units outside all Cities before you begin Occupation, Occupy Capitals last, so that the Government may not flee, leaving the remaining Cities easy pray to Subversion. Cities with a Courthouse cost twice as much to Subvert, so have a Spy go in and destroy them. Communist Spys are always Veteran which means Cities only cosy 2/3 as much to Subvert. China will have few Nuclear Weapons left so will not be a great threat (of course the Partisans may retake Cities), but you might want to broker a Ceasefire and let other Players finish them off for you. Once all their Cities are taken the Partisans will disappear. Presto! One less unpredictable power to stab you in the back. With this method Vietnam and North Korea can take over China, realistic? Maybe in the chaos following a full scale Nuclear Strike.
The Free World (NATO, and Pro-Western Countries)
Your task is to speed Freedom, Democracy, Capitalism and the American Way across the Globe, not to mention McDonalds and Tin-Pot Dictators (Hah who cares what they do as long as they say their Pro-Western). Again NATO would not be wise to start lobbing A-Bombs about, but is quite happy to fight through her Pro-Western Allies. this Alliance is also unbreakable (unless a Human is playing as one of the Blocs that is).
The Non-Aligned Countries (also known as the Third Way)
This Bloc headed by India (the India ruled by Ghandi's Peaceloving Congress I not the Right Wing BJP that is) wants nothing to do with Superpower rivalry. It wants Peace and Democracy. Its aim is to expand by getting Cities to join it of their own will (Subversion). It could be viewed as moral to occupy a Nuked City (they usually don't contain any units the first turn after a strike), in order to safeguard it from further attacks, or being constantly lost and re-taken, and to allow Pollution to be cleaned up - however the attacking and defending Power might not view it this way. The Non-Aligned have the great advantage of the United Nations Geneva Offices which usually end any troublesome Wars, but would be wise to retain a strong defensive force incase of sneak attack.
Tactics
Surviving a Nuclear War
Pollution is a big problem, the longer is stays and the more of it there is the sooner Global Warming will occur, which reduces the Productive Capacity of Land and leads to Mass Starvation. There are a number of ways to prevent this:
Don't start Wars, this only means Nuclear Bombs will be dropped. Make Alliances, you can't attack everyone at once, then that Power will never attack you, and may come to your Defence. Attack one power at a time, and have frequent Ceasefires to allow your troops repair themselves in Barracks, Port Facilities and Airports.
NEVER use Nuclear Bombs yourself, their only useful function is as a deterrent. Powers respect you more, and offer Tribute more willingly. However if you only have a few, they may launch a surprise attack to get them. They reduce the Productive Capacity of Cities and its Population, and increase Pollution. The only time you might want to Nuke a City is if it is an Island (like what American did to Japan). These can be difficult to take, as you will need to build up a large amount of air and/or sea power in the area, these Units cannot be moved as quickly or safely as land units. If it has a Coastal Fortress or SAM Missile Battery you will take large casualties, you might be able to destroy them with a Spy though. Once you drop the Bomb you can occupy with Paratroops or Helicopters. If possible have Bombers, Cruise Missiles, Battleships etc... to take out any Partisans, before they have a chance to sue for peace, don't use Ground Units for this. Make sure to build or transport Engineers quickly, to clean up the Pollution.
Don't have too many Units in any one City. The computer will probably Nuke it, even if it means breaking a Treaty. Particularly if it is near its boarder.
If a Foreign City gets Nuked near one of yours, its Population will be halved. This means a lot of squares will be empty, get the people in your City
to use them, thus making it more Productive and Populous (and less prown to Starvation), and reducing the strength of the other City permanently, and without going to War.
If Cities have been bombed and have not been Occupied (this happens frequently), consider declaring War and Occupying them yourself, its a cheap conquest! Or it will get bombed again and again. Have Paratroops and Transports standing by for this eventuality. Your reputation need not be damaged, get another Power to declare War on them by Diplomatic means, then you might also be dragged in. Or get an Ally to request you fight with them, you Reputation won't be damaged as much. Take great care of your Reputation or you could be subject to sneak Nuclear Attacks. Take all the Cities you can in one turn, then sue for Peace (save and hold out for Tribute), or risk Nuclear Attack, other powers will finish off any Partisans, eventually...
Build lots of Engineers to clean the Pollution up. You only need one per square, two won't work any faster on a Polluted square. For anything else team two up and the job will be done in half the time. The Engineers have been upgraded to deal with Total War conditions, they have a movement of 3 so they can move onto difficult terrain and start work immediately, there Armor is equal to Mech. Inf. (unprotected computer Engineers died in huge numbers during playtest which wasn't very realistic, particularly when there was vast qualities of radioactive waste to be cleared), and they can ignore Zone of Control so they don't need to be tediously accompanied everywhere by Spies (I'm sure Nuked Cities wouldn't care where help came from). This of course costs more 80 Shields, but its worth it due to increased productivity, survivability, and ease of use. The increased cost has the added advantage that the Computer does not build so many new Cities in stupid places, there are also less places to build due to the improved Map. An added advantage of the new Map is take there are more Cities for Ships to attack, and get destroyed so the Oceans don't get full up. Perhaps there aren't so many Cities, as the Author was probably American, and didn't want to include Vietnam. The old Engineer model is unavailable. Don't kill Foreign Engineers, bribe them (very expensive, try bribing the nearest City if they're next to it), or use Spies to get round their Zones of Control, if you want your Military Units to get round them.
Stop your Cities Polluting, always build Mass Transit when you can afford it, this deletes all Pollution coursed by City Size. I don't bother with Recycling Centres, they reduce Pollution coursed by Shield Production by 2/3 but a Nuclear or Hydro Plant reduces it by 1/2 AND increases Production. Nuclear Plants are cheaper but may blow up if the City is in Disorder (common during War and Global Warming) or if you don't have Fusion Power. Don't build Power Plants they increase Pollution, if you upgrade one you already own, remember to sell it. One VERY useful technology to get is Environmentalism, this allows you to build the Solar Plant which eliminates all Pollution caused by Shield Production (not very realistic), it also negates 1/2 a Pollution Square, so if you have enough of them Global Warming can be slowed. Give Environmentalism to all players so they can also build Plants. Also having this advance in itself reduces Pollution as your Citizens become more aware of the problem. If you gain the Plastics Advance this will increase Pollution.
When you can afford it build SDI in all your Cities (5 GP Maintaince Each, NOT Cheap). Remember it extends 3 squares every way so neighbouring Cities, yours and others can be saved. There's a bug in the program so the Computer only checks the City it attacks for an SDI, if a neighbour saves it, it keeps attacking uselessly, thus wasting loads of expensive Weapons, and reducing the potential for Population Loss and Global Warming. Give SDI (The Laser Advance) to all players. Their SDI may save YOU! SDI saves a City every time, not very realistic, 50% would be better, with over lapping ones increasing survivability. But it fooled the Russians didn't it!
Build Granaries to store surplus food incase of starvation. If food it running out build a Supermarket and double irrigate land. Double irrigating desert has no effect, don't terraform land as it takes too long. If a City is about to stave and has an Engineer, this will die first, try reassigning it to another City with surplus food, thus saving it, and making more food in the original city. Don't clear Jungle, Swamp produced by global warming, as most likely the next round of warming it will just reappear - only do this if the City is about to starve, or to get some food stockpiled in the Granary.
If one Power is too strong (NATO?) and another too weak (Warsaw Pact, China?), clean up Pollution around the weak Powers Cities first, thus allowing increased Production and Pollution Growth. Leave the strong Power alone for the opposite effect.
Consider a small War against a Weak Non-Nuclear Power, this will allow many Non-Veteran Units to be promoted. An opportunity may arise when one of their Spys steals Technology. Make sure you have some Barracks, Ports Facilities, and Airports to repair them. Consider saving first to see if your Unit is likely to Win a particular encounter, I view this as consulting my Military Advisor, and NOT cheating. If it loses don't attack, if it is a marginal victory, this might be considered as cheating. Having all Veteran Units will increase your chances of surviving sneak attacks.
Subverting Cities
Cities are particularly eager to join after they have been attacked by a Nuclear Weapon (half Population halves price, no Units halves price gain!) or don't have a Courthouse (destroyed by a Spy?). Capitals will never revolt. Try to incite as far away from the Capital as possible, as this is cheaper. Also the smaller the Powers treasury, the cheaper the City, so try Demanding Tribute before you take ANY offensive action (only works if your Communist or Fundamentalist). Send a Spy in to steal a Technology before you take the City (there is no Technology from Conquest in this Scenario, its too advanced and well guarded for Soldiers to acquire). If you lose the City, you can steal again. The Spy may be promoted to Veteran, then subverting the City will be cheaper. Demand Tribute, and the power may withdraw Units to the City you are about to get, so you get them instead of them disappearing.
Trade
Trade is most important for buying Cities Improvements, Maintaining Current Improvements and Bribing the Enemy. It is particularly important for the Communists. Once Communists have a lot of trade set Tax to 70% and Luxuries to 30%, then you get 'We Love the Comrade Day', which means an extra Trade Arrow for each square ie. more money, at a lower Tax Rate! If you take Communist China as an example, it could be compared to declaring a Special Economic Zone, where the people as more interested in acquiring wealth, than Politics, off course this only works when the people are reasonably happy.
If you get this in 'We Love the President Day' Democracy of Republic it is bad because your Population will grow to the maximum size and your Granary will always be empty, meaning starvation is very probable. This could be compared to mass immigration, from poorer areas.
Have Transports in every port (it's not to important whether they're Veteran or not, chances are they'd still get destroyed), more on a popular route, so you can have one waited, another on the way there, and one more on the way back. Some items get bonuses:
Also if you trade with another Continent you get more, the Continents are North American, South America, Eurasia, Africa, and a lot of Islands. If the Cities are far away you get more, connected by Road you get more, by Rail more still, but not as much as transcontinental. Also it both Cities have Airports you get more. Think whether you want to Trade with the West, they pay the most, but are to strong already, lots of Freight will swell their treasury allowing them to buy lots of Cities. There Cities cannot be bribed as they are a Democracy.
Have every City build 3 trade routes, this will bring a lot of money in initially and then a steady income. Then build Superhighways to increase there value, remember this creates Pollution if you don't have Mass Transit, also make sure you have the multipliers (Marketplace, Bank, Stock Exchange, and Airport?) The best Cities to Trade with are those that seldom get Nuked, ie. the Americas, Africa and Australasia. It would be more realistic to Trade Routes were suspended when you are at War with a Country, or at least have a lower value. This would mean you would have to have variety, instead of always sending them to the best payer.
Science
Don't build Libraries, Universities and Research Labs (Keep them if you have them - don't be a total Barbarian). Build the SETI Wonder if you can because it increases Science Production by 50% for no Maintainence and deletes Research Labs from the build menu. It would be more realistic if certain Units and Improvements were only allowed once one type of Science Building had been build. Perhaps a new Research Lab for each new High Tech Advance, which would have to be retained if you wanted to continue building that item. For every Freight you get Money and a equal amount of Science so when the Light Bulb is bright, switch some money to Science and get a cheap Advance.
It isn't worth spending a lot of money on Science, steal it with Spies (when at War or your reputation will suffer). Have some standing by, and just before you occupy a Cities steal something, choose the anything option you have a greater chance of success. Then if it is re-taken you can steal again. Don't steal from the same City Twice, you're odds are reduced. Also demand tribute or request gift, and trade but don't give Robotics, Stealth, Rocketry, or Nuclear Fission these are too Powerful. Technology is the key, the more you have the better chance you have of surviving, The Laser and Environmentalism are critical to surviving Global Warming. You can expect at least two rounds of Global Warming. The first will reduce food surpluses to about zero, and the second will create starvation in places, so make sure the Granaries are full, and your Engineers improve land in affected areas. Raise Engineers from Taxmen, Scientists and Entertainers in Populous Mega Cities.
Make sure you have enough Spies on hand, preferably one per City and Veterans (Communist ones are Veteran when produced, others must first survive a mission). Once War is declared, either by you, or due to a sneak attack, send your Spies in to get all their technology. They are also good for temporarily occupying squares, around a enemy City while you invade it, thus preventing Partisans appearing, and they can get your Units across zones of Control, without a fight. They can also sabotage strong Units, which can then be destroyed by weaker military Units, but may be killed in the process. And they can check Cities before you invade, to see which Units our best to attack with, and if you have a realistic chance of success. Capitals have to be taken by force, or let another Power occupy it, and then it can be subverted.
Production
Buy a Factory, Offshore Platform (if on the coast) and Non-Polluting Power Plant in every City. Mine hills and put Railroads on them, this should give you between 30 and 70 Shields per City, which can them be used to build other Improvements and Military Hardware. If Pollution is high build Pollution Reducing Improvements first. Manufacturing Plants cost a lot to build and run and increase Pollution, there only really useful in low Shield Cities, or if you have a lot of spare cash, as they take so long to build.
Defence
Try and have City Walls in every City, otherwise Population will die during attacks. Have Veteran Mech. Inf., 3 per City, then one can be called away to Occupy new Cities or Reinforce Weak Cities. With Coastal Fortresses and SAM Missile Batteries they can stand up to anything except Battleships, Nukes, and Bombers. Have some Armor (for Clearing Enemy Ground Units), Fighters (for taking out damaged Bombers and Helicopters), Battleships (for taking out other Battleships) and AEGIS Cruisers (they're better at defending against Air attacks which the Computer is quite good at) -- all Veteran of course. Have at least 7 Robotic Artillery for taking one City (check its defences with a Spy first) and destroying defenders on Hills or Mountains. Stealth Fighters are particularly good as they have strong Attack Strength and can attack up to 9 times in one go. Have a Courthouse to double subversion cost, in the very unlikely event of the Computer trying to subvert your Cities. Those far away from the Capital are most at risk. Note the Computer can subvert other Players Cities even if they have Palaces. There are lots of Palaces in the Game to make it more difficult for the Human Player, and more Historically Accurate.
Maintaining Order
General: Temples keep 2 Happy, Cathedrals 3 (+1 with Theology Advance, -1 with Communism Advance), and Colosseums 3 (+1 with Electronics Advance). Marketplaces, Banks, and Stock Exchanges increase Luxuries by 50% each. Trade Routes, Superhighways, and Airports also have an effect. But remember all these Improvements have an up keep cost, so make sure you can afford them.
Fundamentalism:
No disorder can occur EVER! For improvements that would keep
people Happy, you get 1 GP per Person. A 30% Luxury Rate will make 'We Love the President' in Cities with good Trade Routes and enough relevant Improvements, which will almost double Trade generated in that City!
Communism:
Each Military Unit reduces Unhappy People by 2, up to 3 Units. There are no penalties for Units away from Cities. A 30% Luxury Rate will make 'We Love the President' in Cities with good Trade Routes and enough relevant Improvements, which will almost double Trade generated in that City!
Republic:
Each Miliary Unit not in one of your Cities or Forts, will make 1 Person Unhappy (0 if you have a Police Station or Women's Suffrage). Helicopters, Bombers and Missiles always make People Unhappy whether their in a City or Not. A 10% Luxury Rate should be enough to maintain order in a well run Empire. Don't go any higher or your Cities will grow to there maximum Population with 'We Love the President Day' and starve when (and it is when) Global Warming occurs.
Democracy:
Each Miliary Unit not in one of your Cities or Forts, will make 2 People Unhappy (1 if you have a Police Station or Women's Suffrage). Helicopters, Bombers and Missiles always make People Unhappy whether their in a City or Not. A 10% Luxury Rate should be enough to maintain order in a well run Empire. Don't go any higher or your Cities will grow to there maximum Population with 'We Love the President Day' and starve when (and it is when) Global Warming occurs.
Wonders
The only Wonders that work are as follows (the rest are window dressing):
Pyramids (Pro-Soviet in Cairo) - This doubles population growth and reduces the treat of starvation. Beware if you lose it you could be in trouble, don't sell existing Granaries, if it is unsafe.
Michelangelo's Chapel (Western in Rome) - Reduces unhappiness by 3 people (4 if you don't have Communism), acts as a Cathedral in each City. More useful to Western or Pro-Western Governments. A big cash cow for the Fundamentalists (3 GP per City).
Shakespeare's Theatre (Western in London) - No disorder in City. This means you can put as many Helicopters, Bombers and Missiles in London as it can support without coursing disorder. Historically Shakespeare's Theatre was destroyed, a replica close to the original site has recently been built. It was however included to represent the Strategic and Diplomatic Importance of Britain in the NATO Alliance.
Isaac Newton's College (Western in London) - +100% Science in City, not much use really, put build all Science improvements in the City to maximize its usefulness, and have 3 good Trade Routes.
Adam Smith's Trading Co. (Western in London) - pays for all improvements that normally cost 1 GP in the Empire! MEGA! This allows the West even when playing as the Computer to subvert a lot of Cities. If you're Soviet get it, and get it quick. Once the whole of Britain is Occupied it will be difficult to retake.
Eiffel Tower (Western in Paris) - when taken this improves your reputation by 50%. Countries dislike you only half as much. It also continues to improve it over time, but so slowly that it makes little difference. If you mount a sneak attack on the West, get this and your Reputation will be saved. You could loss it and retake it again to further improve your Reputation, but that's not very realistic.
Women's Suffrage (Western in New York) - this means Units away from Cities only course 1 unhappy Person (0 for Republic) instead of two, good for maintaining Order and fighting big Wars.
Hoover Dam (Western in Los Angeles) - increases Shield Output by 50% for Factories (not Cumulative with Power Plants of any kind) AND reduces production related Shield Pollution by 50% for ALL Cities! MEGA! This gives the West a tremendous advantage and should be a key target, once you get it, it will work for you.
Magellan's Expedition (Pro-Western in Madrid) - increases ship movement by 2 MP per turn. Very useful for this widely spread Bloc. Particularly useful for making quick Trade Routes and outrunning superior Naval Vessels.
Copernicus' Observatory (Soviet in Warsaw) - +50% Science for City, same rules apply as for Isaac Newton's College. Very venerable to Miliary takeover, but don't worry it's not much use anyway.
United Nations (Non-Aligned in Geneva) - keeps you out of most Wars, and allows Peace without Tribute. The downside is you have great difficulty starting Wars when you want to take over a weak opponent, particularly as you're a Democracy.
Cure for Cancer - the West usually gets this as they get they technology first (Genetic Engineering). Makes one extra Happy Person in each City, good for maintaining order and making 'We Love the President Days'. If you can build this do so.
SETI Program - most Players can build this providing they have the resources. +50% Science in each City, very useful, but only if you're going to have a Science Program. Note, getting it means you deny it to the Enemy, particularly useful if the West is about to get it. More useful for Communists, particularly useful for Fundamentalists as they suffer -50% in Science. But its probably easier to steal Science than make it yourself.
Credits
I would like to thank the following people for their graphics and advice:
Ibewatson, Allard Hofelt, Gollum (of the Chilean Units Site), and Alex the Magnificent.
Technical
You must have a copy of the original Civilization II CD, and Fantastic Worlds CD. The file self extracts to the scenario directory (mps/civ2/scenario).