Civ 5 'Movement and Exploration' tutorial walkthrough
Detailed walkthrough of the first and simplest Civilization 5 tutorial.
The tutorial 'Movement and Exploration' is dedicated to teach a novice to perform the simplest actions in Civilization 5: exploring the map with units. Actually it is a small scenario with a lot of limitations, and where all advisors switched on maximum level.
The scenario features and limitations:
- Only two units are available.
- Automated explore command for units is removed.
- No cities, economy, culture, science, etc.
- No rivals or barbarians.
Let's start this tutorial (Single Player > Tutorial > Movement and Exploration) and see what will happen there.
Great King Alexander (Greek) is on the greeting screen. However, as we will see later, the civilization and leader absolutely don't matter in this scenario: you can skip reading the info about the unique abilities.
The game initializing takes just a few seconds (this scenario is on the Duel map) and finally a map appears.
We have two warriors standing on sea coast near a river between two mountain ranges (the starting position of the warriors may slightly differ with each game load). Also Ancient Ruins are shining nearby. There are various types of terrain around: plains, hills, mountains, forest, jungle, river, desert, and sea. Very good for beginners to examine how units move through terrain of different type.
What should we do here? The goal of this scenario is written in a small text box at the top of the screen: find all 5 Ancient Ruins (actually collect them, not just find).
Let's take one more goal to make this scenario more challenging and interesting even for an experienced player. How about collecting all Ancient Ruins in as few turns as possible? Remember, we don't know the map yet. OK, think first, move later.
General strategy is obvious: each warrior explores his own part of the map.
Give them names West Warrior (one to the left) and East Warrior (one to the right), because they will probably be more happy with that.
East Warrior has nothing to do but moving towards the nearest Ancient Ruins. Will be there the next turn.
West Warrior is better to go west (W) because going north-west (NW) means that a small part of unexplored area will remain to the south, and the south-west (SW) direction seems to lead in a mountain trap from where the unit will have to spend a turn to escape.
Moving west... Great! Now we can see that there is nothing to do in the south.
West Warrior moves the only possible way: NW.
East Warrior explored Ancient Ruins (4 remaining). Before returning to the north, ask him to climb the hill to the east and confirm that there is nothing interesting left here. Hmm... It seems that I've lost one turn by doing this. Fortunately, as we will see later, it is the other warrior who will be the slowest one.
East Warrior moves slowly through hills and forest along the coast where possible, trying not to left unexplored territory on the east side.
West Warrior climbed the hill with sheep and saw the second Ancient Ruins on the other side.
They said that West Warrior found an advanced weapons in the ruins. And he is no longer warrior with that weapon. He is Hoplite now! West Hoplite!
There is only one sad thing here: West Warrior Hoplite have lost the rest movement points due to the upgrade.
Do not rush to climb the observation hill to the SW, but spend 2 movements of the unit more reasonably. At first move West Hoplite one tile to W. Notice that he still has movement to climb that hill.
What is seen from there? Surprise! It is seen now that there is nothing to do in the south so reconsider climbing the hill and bravely move another tile to NW. Saved one turn!
As West Hoplite reached the coast, his nearest future task will be moving along the coast, trying not to left unexplored territory on the west side.
West Hoplite moves another tile to NW and a small peninsula-like area reveals to the north-west. Although the far side of it is under the fog, the form of the coastal line makes me think that there is a sea tile there. Enter the jungle to NE.
Rumors came from East Warrior: he found another Ancient Ruins!
East Warrior discovered a map in the ruins. Lucky! We can see one more Ruins to the north! And also the end of the world if zoom out.
Meanwhile West Hoplite slowly moves through jungle and forest to NE exploring the west part of the world.
East Warrior grabbed gold from the north Ruins. Only one tile with Ruins remains somewhere probably between the two units.
West Hoplite is in two minds: whether to climb the hill with gold (E) or get round the mountain (NE). Climbing the hill will reveal wider territory at once, but left one tile unexplored just behind the mountain...
Thinking of probabilities, decided to climb the hill... No Ruins visible from there.
Start the turn by moving East Warrior because he can reveal the last fogged tiles in the middle. What? No ruins there.
West Hoplite is the last hope. Order him to move NW to the foot of the mountain. This reveals the last tiles of this continent and the Ruins just behind the mountain. Can reach there only the next turn.
West Hoplite explores the last Ruins and the game is over.
It took 9 turns to finish this scenario. However if West Hoplite did not spend a movement for climbing the gold hill, he would reach the last Ruins one turn earlier. Thus, it seems that at least 8 turns required to finish this tutorial.