What is a good FF time?

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GeneralMichael
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What is a good FF time?

Post by GeneralMichael »

After Craz kept on FF when he was fighting me I decided to try to work on some ff srategies. I remember hearing somebody say that FF means that somebody ages up to the fortress age before 10 mins. So I was wondering what is a good FF time. I think for craz he was getting there at around 7 mins since that is usually when I would rush.
Also what is a good FF time for aztecs. For my first try I was able to reach age 3 at 9:12, though this was without making any military.
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36drew
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Re: What is a good FF time?

Post by 36drew »

Port FF = 6:00 min
Spain FF = 7:30
France FF = 7:40

Aztec not sure.
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IndyBrit
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Re: What is a good FF time?

Post by IndyBrit »

My guess is that 9:12 is quite long without any military. I don't know the Aztecs, but if you post a rec, I can probably help you get quicker with it. Macabee probably has a more definitive answer for that civ - I hear he's played it once before.
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Re: What is a good FF time?

Post by Soccerman771 »

"generally speaking" I try to be in fort sub 7:00 (7:30 @ the latest) if I straight FF with any civ except ports and then I try for the 6:30 like drew says.

FI is usually sub 12 mins.
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Re: What is a good FF time?

Post by ruminator »

Any race with a fast age up poli (including natives) should be able to age up sub 7:00. It's just a matter of collecting 300 gold during transition from age 1/2, putting all settlers on food and sending 700 gold and collecting the shipment.
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Re: What is a good FF time?

Post by I__CHAOS__I »

7.30 max, the faster, the better :)

otto can FF in 5.30 :twisted:

(dutch used to be fast too, haven't tried in a long time tho)
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Re: What is a good FF time?

Post by hallchr »

Just don't play aztecs. Problem solved.
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Re: What is a good FF time?

Post by Aaryn_GenD »

[quote=""36drew""]Spain FF = 7:30
[/quote]

i would go even further and say 7:10
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Re: What is a good FF time?

Post by deadhanddan »

also depends on map type, lets say an ff would be considerably faster on deccan compared to bayou, or great lakes vs sanora, etc., also depends on what civ you are facing, age up times are hindered if you have to garrison your vills from early raiding, poor hunt locations and vill times walking them to resources, spainish ff can be done by 7:30 but depending on map and resource locations, attacks, it can be pushed back to 8 minutes even 9 if facing heavy harrassment and have to call out minute men
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Re: What is a good FF time?

Post by Kaiser_von_Nuben »

I think my quickest German straight FF was 6:21. But that's "no frills" and housed.
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Re: What is a good FF time?

Post by 36drew »

[quote=""Aaryn_GenD""][quote=""36drew""]Spain FF = 7:30
[/quote]

i would go even further and say 7:10[/quote]

It depends. If you want zero idle TC time then you have to train 3 villagers from your TC in colonial, which makes 7:10 mathematically impossible. It can be done with only training two villagers if you snag some nice food/gold treasures to help you (or cdb/villagers).

But to everyone who is fixated on times in this thread. Please stop. There are a million factors that influence age up time. It's called adaptation. Each situation provokes a different response from a player and each map is unique.

Maybe your hunts are far?
Maybe you snag a 315 coin treasure?
Maybe some uhlans snag a few of your villagers?
Maybe you're under pressure and need to call minute men (or make wardogs)?
Maybe you get a map like texas where you have some free defense and you go for a 5+4 villager FF? Or maybe a 4 bank FF? Both are slower but more economical.
Maybe you are playing someone and you are fairly confident you won't get touch until 9-10 minutes?
Maybe you have scouted and need to changed your agenda in one capacity or another?
Maybe you semi-ff or sea-semi-ff?
Maybe you opt to snag some TP's with stagecoach before hitting iii?

My point is this: times are just times and nothing more. This reminds me of a point I made in a VOD that a build order is just a build and nothing more. A build is useless if there is no adaptation to the situation. Obsession over all these builds and times won't help gameplay a lot (albeit some for lower players) -- i've been down that road and each situation is unique.

The problem is a result of the question. The question should not read "what is a good FF time?" But rather "What is good decision making in the scenario I am in?" That can encompass a time in it, but it is much more specific. Don't get fixated on times, but get situation specific feedback. It's way easier to post a replay and see that someone only started making their first vill @ 12 seconds rather than 7-8 and discussing implications of that. I may sound a bit like I am preaching (and maybe it's because of my education background), but the best way to learn is from mistakes rather than theoreotical discussion.
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Re: What is a good FF time?

Post by I__CHAOS__I »

I think times have much more value than u make it sound Drew.
It's true that from PR30 adaptation becomes more important, but I still see many PR40 doing the same BO with little adaptation and still win.
Knowing that most of the clan members are PR25 or lower, BO and times have great value. It helps to get well started and create a comfortable situation to build on.

I noticed in other discussions that often the 'mathematical-people' get trashed... I dunno why, it's a game and for those people it's a way to have fun, to understand things and use in gameplay.
Some have analytic minds, others don't, hard to change that and both should be respected imho
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Re: What is a good FF time?

Post by Aaryn_GenD »

you're right drew, but when i read the topic i read "What is a good FF time?"

with good, i associate under very good conditions(decent treasures, hunts at your feet, etc.)

and i think that most ppl won't be too obsessed with these times, but just use them as guideline values
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Re: What is a good FF time?

Post by NEO_CrAz3n »

I usually get high 5's (5:54 was my best ever with Ports) low 6's with Port unless I don't pick the fast age up poli, then around 7+ mins. The 10 minute FF Mike's talking about was a semi FF with Germany. I raided with Uhlans first to try to keep him in Colonial.
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Re: What is a good FF time?

Post by NEO_CrAz3n »

I usually get high 5's (5:54 was my best ever with Ports) low 6's with Port unless I don't pick the fast age up poli, then around 7+ mins.

The 10 minute FF Mike's talking about was a semi FF with Germany. I raided with Uhlans first to try to keep him in Colonial.
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