Except for the very first run through the tutorial, I've played the French in every game. Given my style of play, I just can't give up that com-ind combination. Anyway, in my current game, which just started about an hour ago, I was surprised when the opening screen popped up, and I did not have my usual advances.
'Oh, well', I thought. 'Maybe this is like Civ2'. There was beautful grassland underneath my settler, and I figured that maybe I had some advantage that precluded having starting advances. So, I built Paris where I stood.
Lo and behold, there was a Scout option in my build list! First time I'd ever seen that. So, I build him, even before warrior. Long story short, turns out I'm on a small continent with only Germany. All the terrain types are here, including tiny patches of desert, mountains, and jungles. And so far, 3 huts! Looks like this'll be a pretty easy game to play.
'Course, I probably have no resources, but still, as the French, I can build a pretty good civ on this continent and reserve my Forbidden Palace for the neighboring one (whose shore I can see).
So, there ya go. The commericial, industrious,
and expansionist French!
