Millennia has plenty of familiar 4X gameplay, but there are enough differences that you'll need to learn its unique systems and adapt to them even if you're a seasoned strategy pro. From managing your economy to waging war, mastering Millennia means turning the rules of the game to your advantage.
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PostsIt's easy to get caught by surprise when you're used to doing things a certain way. If your first few runs in Millennia have seen your empire consigned to the dustbin of history, try these tips to make sure that you're the one wearing the crown at the end of the day.
Pick A Starting Bonus
Rather than unique bonuses for each nation, Millennia lets you choose a single bonus at the beginning of a new campaign, regardless of which empire you're playing. As fun as it is to just roll the dice and make the best of what you get, it's much better (and more consistent) to choose a bonus that suits your play style.
Apart from the obvious ones like starting with a free Archer, it's very hard to tell which bonus you got when you select one at random. However, there is a way; each nation's starting bonus is listed on their Diplomacy menu. This also lets you know what your opponents chose once you meet them!
Give Your Cities Room To Grow
Thanks to the ability to expand via towns and National Spirit perks, the area covered by your Regions grows faster than in most other 4X games. Plan ahead by spacing your cities out; otherwise they'll stymie each other's growth when their borders meet.
Build towns and outposts between distant cities to connect them via roads; just make sure to have a unit or two to defend them from rivals and barbarians, especially the vulnerable outposts!
Try to plan for each Region to have two towns pushing their borders outward, in addition to the regional capital. If there aren't enough tiles to build on, you may find yourself unable to expand your industries or public services in the late game without having to demolish other useful Improvements.
Always Escort Your Civilian Units
Millennia lets you stack units together to form armies. This goes for civilian units like Settlers, Envoys, and Pioneers as well. Grouping a civilian with one or two military units gives them much-needed protection when they venture outside your nation's borders.
All it takes is one surprise barbarian to kill off an unescorted civilian, wasting the important Domain XP that you spent recruiting them. Since Domain Powers get more expensive each time you use them, unnecessarily losing a civilian is a major setback. Don't take the risk - always send an armed escort.
The same goes for troop transport at sea. Always have at least one warship to chase off enemies; barbarian activity tends to be rampant on the waves.
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PostsSettle Cities One Tile Away From The Coast
Walls and towers are critical for defending your cities from invaders. With the best available fortifications and a decent garrison, cities can hold out several turns and inflict heavy losses against would-be besiegers. The biggest danger comes from bombardment, which can destroy walls and towers in one to two turns.
Coastal cities are at risk of bombardment from both sea and land. By placing cities just slightly away from the coast, you can rob your opponents of the opportunity for a naval invasion. If you have enough troops to cover the nearby coastline, you can even prevent them from landing altogether.
This is especially important on water-based maps like Islands and Archipelago.
Counter Enemy Troop Types
Basic combat in Millennia uses a rock-paper-scissors mechanic; Line troops deal extra damage to Cavalry, Cavalry are strong against Ranged units, and Ranged units can pick off Line troops. A balanced army will have all three types represented, plus maybe a siege weapon if you're going after a city, but if an opponent leans heavily toward a particular unit, you can recruit troops that counter them.
Some troops, notably those available through Innovation Events or Variant Ages, break up the triangle. Usually they take the form of Berserkers, Longswords, and Grenadiers, all of whom are Line troops that deal extra damage to other Line troops. Including these strategically within your ranks can give you an advantage without ceding any to your opponent!
Turn A Crisis Age To Your Advantage
Plagues, warfare, and ignorance are just some of the threats your people will face if the world descends into a Crisis Age. These periods are the most challenging in the game, as you'll need to dedicate lots of resources just to keeping your empire's head above water. However, they offer alternate technologies, with unique buildings and units that you can use to rise from the ashes stronger than before.
If you're at risk of causing a Crisis Age, the best thing you can do is embrace it. If you're on the verge of starting an Age of Plague, go for it - it means your cities have a higher population overall and will be able to better withstand the impending decline. If there's an Age of Intolerance coming, work on strengthening your religion so that you can leverage it to force other nations to convert.
Turning a Crisis into an opportunity is one of the strongest plays in Millennia; if you can master this strategy, you'll be able to handle anything the game throws at you.
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