> Building an Empire
> Expansionist Philosophy

Empire building is an expansionist's mainstay weapon, but also its main vulnerability. Rule number one: If you are planning on surviving in the upper levels(King and above), do NOT forget about your core cities. No matter how many small cities you have, or large your empire spans, every empire must have a core of cities to build the "big ones", such as wonders, spaceship parts, etc... Theoretically, your core cities should be your innermost and least vulnerable, but it often turns out that you barely scrape by building one when the terrain suits you. But, in the stray chance that luck falls upon you, you should base your empire on a simple model: Inner cities are the core, quality ones. Middle rim cities make the expensive military units, like a navy, or cheap city improvements, like libraries. Outer fringe cities should trot out cheap little cannon fodder, to throw in a relentless tide toward your opposition. As outer cities become middle, middle become core, and the cycle continues. If you are an expansionist at heart, but run out of room early, build up a massive military and have a lot of fun taking over the AI's hard-built cities!

> Isolationist Philosophy

Isolationists tend to ignore empire building because of the very nature of the phrase. This can be a mistake! Remember, you can have a decent-sized nation and still remain isolated; remember China. Work on making all your cities just perfect, and on building up a huge military and large technology base while you sit around. I prefer to think of isolationism as waiting to pounce, as there is little more satisfying than having a tiny enemy army stroll into your defenses, get chewed up, and in the process divulge the approximate location your next fleet should head if you have the whim to destroy a civ.

> Militarist Philosophy

The goal of a military empire-builder should be, not to waste precious turns on building all your own cities, but to sally forth and capture everyone else's. A nice thing about this strategy is that you can concentrate on "only" a few goals. Another is that it only gets easier; take down one AI and there's one less grabbing for a piece of the pie. Also, needless to say, you have more cities. I'm not going to take the time to explain the military strategy to you, you should check that out in the Military Strategy - Militarist chapter.

> Technologist Philosophy

A technologist interested in empire building can gain one distinct advantage in the technology tree; exploration undoubtedly increases your advancement base. Not only does an empire-based economy inevitably have a foundation in trade, and therefore science, but captured enemy cities and goody huts can give you a base of the "must have" technologies and allow you to concentrate on the bigger and better. I have a few pieces of advice for an empirical scientist. One: it is a common habit of scientists to ignore the so-called military-only technologies, those that only lead to better units. These are viewed as a kind of "dead end" on the technology tree. Don't. The backbone of a successful empire civ is its military, and while it is not vital to have a large quantity of units, you might as well make them a few centuries ahead of the times. It'll make your job a lot easier. For more info on this line of reasoning, check out Domestic Policy - Technologist.

- #### Technology Trees

These "Technology Trees" are ideas on what advances to research, and when. Following each of the techs is a short reason why I put it where I did. Because of the diversity of the Civ2 technology tree, it's hard to find a "winning" tech path, but I can give a few suggestions. Some of the specialized paths are a little extreme, but remember all these definitely change according to availability and chance.

> Normal

This is a plain technology path, with no special concept behind it except success.

Alphabet - Might as well start with the basics.

Code of Laws - Need the courthouse to fight corruption in large nations.

Ceremonial Burial - Always nice to have around.

Monarchy - A must-have to keep your civ from collapsing under its own weight.

Bronze Working - Your cities are too small in the beginning, especially under an expansionist leader, to make much use of it then, but now it will come in handy.

Horseback Riding - Mobility!

Masonry - Pyramids.

Pottery - Allows Seafaring.

Feudalism - Pikemen! Onward to Chivalry!

Currency - Allows construction.

Chivalry - Knights.

Writing - Gives you the "omnipotent diplomat". Allows Literacy.

Construction - Fortresses and coliseums.

Literacy - The Great Library!

Mathematics - "The Big Rock Thrower". Pretty useless earlier, but now it should be just in time.

Map Making - Starts the meager beginnings of your navy. This advancement is usually found at totally different times, depending on necessity and the world.

Seafaring - Like map making, a variable advance. Harbor is very useful.

The Republic - Some people like it, others don't. Might as well.

The Wheel - Better late than never.

Mysticism - To get to Philosophy. The Oracle is always nice.

Philosophy - With luck, you'll be there first.

Engineering - Allows Invention.

Astronomy - Allows Navigation.

Navigation - This is another one that changes depending on the world. Gives you Caravels.

Iron Working - Legions, allows magnetism(thinking ahead).

Physics - Allows Magnetism. Sparks the Industrial Revolution.

Magnetism - Maybe late, but on the waves now.

Invention - Leonardo's Workshop. Industrial Revolution is closer; allows steam engine.

Polytheism - Don't think I want elephants, I just want monotheism.

Steam Engine - Railroads soon.

Bridge Building - Allows railroads.

Monotheism - Michaelangelo's Chapel!

Railroad - Build a lot of them.

Trade - Allows banking.

Banking - Industrialization is here.

Industrialization - Finally!

The path is hard to make accurate past this point, so you must carry on depending on how things are going(hopefully well).

> Trader

This is a specialized tech tree. It assumes that you are not an isolationist and are not on a totally land-bound world, and hopes that diplomacy is your strong point. It is somewhat extreme, so make changes as you see fit. It is very hard to win militarily with this tree, so your objective should be Alpha Centauri. Make peace with all nations, alliances with the strongest ones, and improve your cities with hordes of cash.

Alphabet - Allows map making. You have to start somewhere.

Map Making - It least it's not too late.

Bronze Working - It is going to have to last for a while, so we should get it early.

Currency - Marketplaces are good.

Code of Laws - You can't do much without them.

Ceremonial Burial - Allows Monarchy.

Monarchy - You have to get the basics before the difficult.

Pottery - Allows Seafaring.

Masonry - The Pyramids.

Trade - Caravans aren't used much, but they're great if you do.

Seafaring - Explorers let you make contact with other civilizations more quickly.

Writing - Diplomats are useful for this type of tree.

Literacy - The Great Library! Allows The Republic.

Iron Working - Finally! A military!

The Republic - For banking.

Banking - The bank.

Mathematics - Another useful military unit, in the slight chance that you'll need it.

Mysticism - Allows philosophy.

Philosophy - You might not be first, but you won't be last.

University - Allows economics.

Economics - Stock exchange and Adam Smith's Trading Co.

Astronomy - For navigation.

Navigation - Caravels and Magellan's Expedition.

By now I think you can see where this is headed. It could obviously be better, but it's fun to play.

> Modern

I know both of the previous paths are cut short, so this one deals mostly in the industrial to modern era. It assumes that the following, and the advances required to achieve them, have already been discovered:

> 1. `The Corporation`
> 2. `Refining`
> 3. `Gunpowder`
> 4. `Sanitation`
> 5. `Democracy`

Refrigeration - This is an excellent advancement, though sometimes overlooked.

Explosives - You need engineers to build railroads and plant farmland.

Combustion - Heading toward flight.

Theory of Gravity - Again, better late than never.

Flight - If you get here before the AIs, you have a distinct advantage.

Metallurgy - While it is a mistake to go for this too soon, it is also a mistake never to get it.

Electricity - Opens up the electronic age.

Communism - An common advancement to get too late, it allows many new possibilities.

Conscription - Riflemen to defend your cities.

Tactics - Cavalry won't be around for much longer.

Steel - Cruisers are the first big naval advancement in a long time.

Automobile - The time of the "big guns" is coming. Battleships!

Mobile Warfare - Tanks!

Radio - Bombers are predicted.

Guerilla Warfare - Always comforting to have. Just make sure your enemies don't steal it!

Mass Production - Allows a lot.

Advanced Flight - Bombers!

Electronics - Going for the Information Age.

Machine Tools - Don't get carried away with artillery; you'll get howitzers soon.

Miniaturization - The Offshore Platform, while expensive, is very useful.

Labor Union - A worthy companion to Mobile Warfare.

Atomic Theory - Allows nuclear fission.

Nuclear Fission - Better you be able to build the Manhattan Project first than them.

The Laser - Just in case.

Genetic Engineering - Cure for Cancer!

Rocketry - AEGIS Cruisers and cruise missiles. The Manhattan Project won't do you much good unless you have this.

Espionage - Spies.

Computers - Allows robotics.

Super Conductor - Allows Fusion Power.

Space Flight - The Apollo Program! Space.

Plastics - To help build the ship.

Robotics - Stealth!

Stealth - The real air force.

Recycling - Allows environmentalism.

Environmentalism - Solar plant.

Combined Arms - Great advancement.

Future Tech - To the Stars.

The Modern Era is really a matter of preference, but that is how I like to do it.

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