quill18
Nov 15, 2005, 08:26 PM
Disclaimer: This was originally posted on my blog, so there is some background info for people unfamiliar with the game. I'd love to hear feedback about things I may have done wrong!
Almost all settings are as "default" as possible:
Map type: Continents
Climate: Temperate
Sea Level: Medium
World Size: Standard
Civ: RANDOM
Difficulty: Prince (Giving the computer a slight advantage)
Game Speed: Normal
Game starts and...hey look, we're Germans!
http://martin.glaude.name/civ4/001-001.jpg
And here's where we find ourselves in the world:
http://martin.glaude.name/civ4/001-002.jpg
This is a pretty sweet starting spot! Our settler (the southern unit) is in a great location and I definitely decide to found Berlin here. We'll have pigs within our city radius right away, giving a huge boost to food production once we research Animal Husbandry (something I will likely do quickly). Once our city's borders expand, we'll also have deer and crab in the borders contributing extra food. Furthermore, each resource grants us +1 health, allowing our city to grow very large. The coastal position has other important benefits that will come in to play. Settling next to a source of fresh water (the river) grants us an additional +2 health and will significantly affect trade down the road.
The lack of hills within range (I will only have 1) will hurt my production rate - so this will likely be primarily a research/commerce oriented city. I will have to focus on founding a more industrial one soon. (The forest will help me for now, and also provide ANOTHER health bonus!)
4000 BC - Berlin is settled and begins working on a scout. The already existing scout heads north, confirming my suspicions (based on the tundra on the map) that we are near the north pole. Note about civ 4: The mini-map does NOT give you any indication where you started in the world and only shows up to the edges of your exploration.
At the end of our turn, we are asked to make a decision about what technology to pursue and opt for Animal Husbandry to take advantage of the pigs as soon as possible.
3960 BC - My settler discovers a source of Stone to the west of Berlin. If I settle nearby and build a quarry, it will give me a huge edge in building certain World Wonders, which for which I already get a +50% bonus for being Industrious.
3880 BC - I explore a small tribal village which teaches me Archery! I really like discovering techs from "goody huts", but normally prefer ones that give me production or research advantages. Nonetheless, this will come in handy as I will require defenses soon and an archer is much better than a warrior with a club!
I also discover more deer near the stone, which is a good thing as the spot seems otherwise food-poor.
3800 BC - The borders of Berlin expand due to high culture (because it's my capital), encompassing the village that you saw in the previous screenshot. I get Bronze Working! Hmmmm...two military technologies in a row...maybe the game is telling me I have to get ready for something?
Bronze Working also grants me the Slavery civic. Civics are options that you can elect to use. Yes - these are unenlightnened times. However, this will work out exceptionally well for production-poor Berlin, as I'll be able to put my copious overpopulation to good use.
3640 BC- Buddhism has been founded in a distant land. It's a good thing I'm getting techs for free, because I haven't discovered one on my own yet (Animal Husb is still turns away) and I'm clearly behind. Realistically, I probably won't be able to get any of the early religions, which will put me at a disadvantage later.
5520 BC - The German people learn Animal Husbandry! I decide to start studying Mysticism for a few reasons:
- The ability to build Obelisks to help expand the borders of future cities
- The chance to possibly build Stonehenge, especially with my wonder-building boosts
- To start working my way to a religion. I probably can't make Hinduism first, but Judaism might be an option. (You found a religion by being the first to research the appropriate tech, like Monotheism.)
- Monotheism requires masonry, which gives me access to the Quarry that I want anyway
3480BC - Eek, a lion!
http://martin.glaude.name/civ4/001-003.jpg
Now, my scout has a great bonus to defend vs. animals and an additional bonus from being in the woods, so I'll probably be fine.
Meanwhile, Berlin has finished the scout and has now reached size 2. I juggle around a little with which squares are being worked to maximize hammers (how quickly I build) and start building an archer because I'm seeing a LOT of critters going around right now and my city is undefended.
3440 BC - Or maybe I'm not fine! The lion eats my scout.
3320 BC - Same lion, different scout. This one survives! He also finds a pretty sweet spot for a city, with more pigs and *horses*, which are an important strategic resource. I also find another village that gives me Writing! Holy crap, I should have a decent tech lead now!
Arg! But I ended my turn next to another lion and I'm at half health...I'm toast...
3280 BC - Discover Mysticism all on my own! Berlin grows to pop: 3.
3200 BC - Berlin completes an archer and begins work on a worker. I'll desperately need to hook up the pigs and deer quickly so I can start powering out settlers. I feel like I'm "late to the game" and that the other civs are starting to expand already. (Although the demographics screen tell me I'm #1 in population with 21,000 citizens vs. and average of 6,000 with my rivals - so yay!)
(Hey - I just realized I also have Silk next to Berlin! I won't really be able to take advantage of it until I can build plantations, but it still nets me +1 commerce right now.)
2880 BC - Unexpected! I am the first to discover Polytheism and found Hinduism! I can probably make a grab for Monetheism/Judaism pretty easily from here since I don't have any other critical tech right now. Founding religions generates a ton of culture and money down the road...
2760 BC - Berlin trains a worker. I then arrange things so I complete another archer at the same time as Berlin will grow to size 4 (in 8 turns), which will be optimal as I'll want to start a Settler then, and cities don't grow will training settlers or workers. My worker starts building a pasture for the pigs. (Oops - that will actually mean I end up growing a couple turns early, but that's okay!)
2600 BC - Berlin's borders expand and I learn Masonry.
Interestingly, because Berlin, the pigs, and the deer are all on the same river, I won't need to build roads to bring the resources into town for the health bonus! Which is good, because I still haven't researched the Wheel...
2480 BC - Archer completes its training and size 4 Berlin begins work on a settler, which will take 10 turns. Every square I'm working along the river is giving me +1 commerce which, combined with my large population, is probably giving me more research points than anyone - I just realized I'm probably way ahead.
2400 BC - My worker completes the deer camp (having already completed the pasture a few turns ago) and I realize that he has nothing to do. I don't have the Wheel, Agriculture, or Pottery. I'll have to do something about that...
I do have mining though, so I figure he can go ahead and build a mine on that one hill, even though I probably don't need it right now.
2360 BC - Just as I arrive on the hill, the nearby forest expands to it. In practice, I usually prefer to leave the forests - but I'm going to continue with my plan to build a mine here. By chopping down some trees, I also send some production back to Berlin which will assist in making settlers.
2160 BC - Discover Monotheism and become the HindJew Germans! While I'm still sorely lacking in Worker tech, I decide to research Fishing so I can take advantage of the crab within range of Berlin.
2120 BC - Complete Settler, which will be sent out with an archer as an escort. I debate the merits of building another right away and sending my second archer with it (leaving Berlin undefended) which probably wouldn't be the end of the world, but I notice that if I don't go Settler right away I will grow in 4 turns, which is exactly how long another Archer will take.
Now, here's my world map. (http://martin.glaude.name/civ4/001-004.jpg)
To me, the roughly "Australia" shape and the fact that I haven't seen any other scouts yet indicates that I'm on a private, small to medium sized continent. This is good news in that I won't have to worry about someone settling on one of "my" resources. However, it also means that I have to start considering naval units, and soon - something I normally avoid like the plague.
I've enabled the resource icons in the map you see to better determine the spot for my settlement...then I accidently clicked in the direction of the stone - so I guess I'll colonize there first! Actually, I've taken another look around and I still think that it's the best spot. I can colonize on the hill by the river source to get stone+deer+free water and lots of production bonuses from mining the hills.
2000 BC - Learn Fishing, research The Wheel. Start working on a Fishing Boat at Berlin and queue up a Settler next. After that I'll need to pop out a couple workers.
1960 BC - Gibbon has completed his greatest work, The Wealthiest Civilizations of the World! The germans come in dead last, which is understandable since it's been 2000 years and I haven't generated a single penny. All of my commerce is going into research.
1840 BC - Hamburg is settled! My nearby worker starts building a quarry. I'm actually going to have it start on Stonehenge right away, as it'll soon have a big kick to production. This will slow it's growth though, as I'll be working a quarry instead of a farm, but I think it'll work out well in the end. Once its borders expand and it can start on the deer camp, it'll grow up fine.
1800 BC - An exploring archer just found Marble! This is the other (along with Stone) speed booster for early wonders. What a coup! Along with Industrious (Bismark's trait) I can start poping out world wonders like crazy.
1720 BC - I switch to Organized Religion, which gives a building boost to my cities with Hinduism.
1400 BC - After several uneventful turns (plus one skirmish with a barbarian warrior vs. my archer that was on a hill and thus, nearly unbeatable) Munich is founded! I opted for a rich spot near pigs and horses. The Marble spot will wait until I learn sailing so I can better work the sea (it is in a relatively resource-poor area).
Munich starts work on an Obelisk, which will help it expand culturally.
1360 BC - Another barbarian beats against my archer fruitlessly. I'm concerned about where they're coming from though. Barbarians can forms cities in Civ 4, and that will definitely slow me down here.
1240 BC - ARG! I leave my hilltop to find the source of the barbarian menace to the south and get ambushed in the desert! Despite good odds, I get smashed.
Doh - and now a barb has appeared from the west to threaten my worker near Hamburg. I've really got to get moving on taking control of this island.
My worker moves towards Munich to build a pig pen.
1160 BC - Munich completes Stonehenge! I start training a second archer to combat the barbarian menace, but I plan on starting the Pyramids afterwards.
"You cannot continue building a Obelisk in Munich."
Huh? Why not?
Duh! The real purpose of Stonehenge is to give you an Obelisk in every city for free. Hehe - I was focusing on the cultural aspect and was also trying to stop the AI (computer players) from getting it. I guess I'll build a second archer there too.
1080 BC - Discover Sailing and start work on Priesthood, which will give me access to temples and the Oracle, as well as lead towards Code of Laws, in case I want religion #3. :)
900 BC - Cologne founded on the coast, with fish and marble in range.
750 BC - I've got a few more workers now trying to connect my cities with roads. Hamburg is building the Oracle (sans Marble, at the moment) to get double Great Prophet points. I'm making a run for Code of Laws right now, which will give me three religions. I'll use these to spread happiness in my civ, and eventually to others as well for financial incentives.
700 BC - Munich starts work on the Parthenon. Maybe I can turn it into a Great Artist factory.
500 BC - Found Essen and learn pottery (side tracked), then back to studying Code of Laws. I start building cottages to counter the money I'm losing from having so many cities. My pacing here was probably too aggressive.
350 BC - Arg! Someone beat me to the Oracle, which I find surprising. Oh well, the 147 gold will help with my poor finances.
300 BC - Someone beat me to Code of Laws. Okay, time to buckle down and get my civ in order...the upkeep from so many cities is killing my research. How to get out of this hole?
75 AD - The Great Prophet, Moses, arrives. Man - I am so far behind now and totally isolated on this island until I hit Astronomy and can sail across the ocean. Rushing to Currency right now to try and solve my financial issues, then working on ships.
820 AD - I am officially the least advanced civ in the world. With zero contact with anyone else, and no way to leave my island for a long, long time (Astronomy is fairly advanced tech). I am toast. Gave over. Not worth finishing.
What a depressing first walkthrough report. :(
Here's my final map. (http://martin.glaude.name/civ4/001-005.jpg)
So - what went wrong? I think I may have expanded too quickly. If I had held off on a couple of the last cities, my finances would have been in better shape and I'd be able to devote a larger portion of my budget to research and maybe had a hope to get to Astronomy quickly enough to reach another island and keep expanding.
Part of the issue was not getting enough +1 happiness resources (any?) that I could use before learning Calendar. As a result, my city size was capped pretty small, despite trying to spread two religions.
In the end, this setup *may* have been beatable, but probably not. I really needed to be able to trade with someone...
Oh well, there's always next time!
Almost all settings are as "default" as possible:
Map type: Continents
Climate: Temperate
Sea Level: Medium
World Size: Standard
Civ: RANDOM
Difficulty: Prince (Giving the computer a slight advantage)
Game Speed: Normal
Game starts and...hey look, we're Germans!
http://martin.glaude.name/civ4/001-001.jpg
And here's where we find ourselves in the world:
http://martin.glaude.name/civ4/001-002.jpg
This is a pretty sweet starting spot! Our settler (the southern unit) is in a great location and I definitely decide to found Berlin here. We'll have pigs within our city radius right away, giving a huge boost to food production once we research Animal Husbandry (something I will likely do quickly). Once our city's borders expand, we'll also have deer and crab in the borders contributing extra food. Furthermore, each resource grants us +1 health, allowing our city to grow very large. The coastal position has other important benefits that will come in to play. Settling next to a source of fresh water (the river) grants us an additional +2 health and will significantly affect trade down the road.
The lack of hills within range (I will only have 1) will hurt my production rate - so this will likely be primarily a research/commerce oriented city. I will have to focus on founding a more industrial one soon. (The forest will help me for now, and also provide ANOTHER health bonus!)
4000 BC - Berlin is settled and begins working on a scout. The already existing scout heads north, confirming my suspicions (based on the tundra on the map) that we are near the north pole. Note about civ 4: The mini-map does NOT give you any indication where you started in the world and only shows up to the edges of your exploration.
At the end of our turn, we are asked to make a decision about what technology to pursue and opt for Animal Husbandry to take advantage of the pigs as soon as possible.
3960 BC - My settler discovers a source of Stone to the west of Berlin. If I settle nearby and build a quarry, it will give me a huge edge in building certain World Wonders, which for which I already get a +50% bonus for being Industrious.
3880 BC - I explore a small tribal village which teaches me Archery! I really like discovering techs from "goody huts", but normally prefer ones that give me production or research advantages. Nonetheless, this will come in handy as I will require defenses soon and an archer is much better than a warrior with a club!
I also discover more deer near the stone, which is a good thing as the spot seems otherwise food-poor.
3800 BC - The borders of Berlin expand due to high culture (because it's my capital), encompassing the village that you saw in the previous screenshot. I get Bronze Working! Hmmmm...two military technologies in a row...maybe the game is telling me I have to get ready for something?
Bronze Working also grants me the Slavery civic. Civics are options that you can elect to use. Yes - these are unenlightnened times. However, this will work out exceptionally well for production-poor Berlin, as I'll be able to put my copious overpopulation to good use.
3640 BC- Buddhism has been founded in a distant land. It's a good thing I'm getting techs for free, because I haven't discovered one on my own yet (Animal Husb is still turns away) and I'm clearly behind. Realistically, I probably won't be able to get any of the early religions, which will put me at a disadvantage later.
5520 BC - The German people learn Animal Husbandry! I decide to start studying Mysticism for a few reasons:
- The ability to build Obelisks to help expand the borders of future cities
- The chance to possibly build Stonehenge, especially with my wonder-building boosts
- To start working my way to a religion. I probably can't make Hinduism first, but Judaism might be an option. (You found a religion by being the first to research the appropriate tech, like Monotheism.)
- Monotheism requires masonry, which gives me access to the Quarry that I want anyway
3480BC - Eek, a lion!
http://martin.glaude.name/civ4/001-003.jpg
Now, my scout has a great bonus to defend vs. animals and an additional bonus from being in the woods, so I'll probably be fine.
Meanwhile, Berlin has finished the scout and has now reached size 2. I juggle around a little with which squares are being worked to maximize hammers (how quickly I build) and start building an archer because I'm seeing a LOT of critters going around right now and my city is undefended.
3440 BC - Or maybe I'm not fine! The lion eats my scout.
3320 BC - Same lion, different scout. This one survives! He also finds a pretty sweet spot for a city, with more pigs and *horses*, which are an important strategic resource. I also find another village that gives me Writing! Holy crap, I should have a decent tech lead now!
Arg! But I ended my turn next to another lion and I'm at half health...I'm toast...
3280 BC - Discover Mysticism all on my own! Berlin grows to pop: 3.
3200 BC - Berlin completes an archer and begins work on a worker. I'll desperately need to hook up the pigs and deer quickly so I can start powering out settlers. I feel like I'm "late to the game" and that the other civs are starting to expand already. (Although the demographics screen tell me I'm #1 in population with 21,000 citizens vs. and average of 6,000 with my rivals - so yay!)
(Hey - I just realized I also have Silk next to Berlin! I won't really be able to take advantage of it until I can build plantations, but it still nets me +1 commerce right now.)
2880 BC - Unexpected! I am the first to discover Polytheism and found Hinduism! I can probably make a grab for Monetheism/Judaism pretty easily from here since I don't have any other critical tech right now. Founding religions generates a ton of culture and money down the road...
2760 BC - Berlin trains a worker. I then arrange things so I complete another archer at the same time as Berlin will grow to size 4 (in 8 turns), which will be optimal as I'll want to start a Settler then, and cities don't grow will training settlers or workers. My worker starts building a pasture for the pigs. (Oops - that will actually mean I end up growing a couple turns early, but that's okay!)
2600 BC - Berlin's borders expand and I learn Masonry.
Interestingly, because Berlin, the pigs, and the deer are all on the same river, I won't need to build roads to bring the resources into town for the health bonus! Which is good, because I still haven't researched the Wheel...
2480 BC - Archer completes its training and size 4 Berlin begins work on a settler, which will take 10 turns. Every square I'm working along the river is giving me +1 commerce which, combined with my large population, is probably giving me more research points than anyone - I just realized I'm probably way ahead.
2400 BC - My worker completes the deer camp (having already completed the pasture a few turns ago) and I realize that he has nothing to do. I don't have the Wheel, Agriculture, or Pottery. I'll have to do something about that...
I do have mining though, so I figure he can go ahead and build a mine on that one hill, even though I probably don't need it right now.
2360 BC - Just as I arrive on the hill, the nearby forest expands to it. In practice, I usually prefer to leave the forests - but I'm going to continue with my plan to build a mine here. By chopping down some trees, I also send some production back to Berlin which will assist in making settlers.
2160 BC - Discover Monotheism and become the HindJew Germans! While I'm still sorely lacking in Worker tech, I decide to research Fishing so I can take advantage of the crab within range of Berlin.
2120 BC - Complete Settler, which will be sent out with an archer as an escort. I debate the merits of building another right away and sending my second archer with it (leaving Berlin undefended) which probably wouldn't be the end of the world, but I notice that if I don't go Settler right away I will grow in 4 turns, which is exactly how long another Archer will take.
Now, here's my world map. (http://martin.glaude.name/civ4/001-004.jpg)
To me, the roughly "Australia" shape and the fact that I haven't seen any other scouts yet indicates that I'm on a private, small to medium sized continent. This is good news in that I won't have to worry about someone settling on one of "my" resources. However, it also means that I have to start considering naval units, and soon - something I normally avoid like the plague.
I've enabled the resource icons in the map you see to better determine the spot for my settlement...then I accidently clicked in the direction of the stone - so I guess I'll colonize there first! Actually, I've taken another look around and I still think that it's the best spot. I can colonize on the hill by the river source to get stone+deer+free water and lots of production bonuses from mining the hills.
2000 BC - Learn Fishing, research The Wheel. Start working on a Fishing Boat at Berlin and queue up a Settler next. After that I'll need to pop out a couple workers.
1960 BC - Gibbon has completed his greatest work, The Wealthiest Civilizations of the World! The germans come in dead last, which is understandable since it's been 2000 years and I haven't generated a single penny. All of my commerce is going into research.
1840 BC - Hamburg is settled! My nearby worker starts building a quarry. I'm actually going to have it start on Stonehenge right away, as it'll soon have a big kick to production. This will slow it's growth though, as I'll be working a quarry instead of a farm, but I think it'll work out well in the end. Once its borders expand and it can start on the deer camp, it'll grow up fine.
1800 BC - An exploring archer just found Marble! This is the other (along with Stone) speed booster for early wonders. What a coup! Along with Industrious (Bismark's trait) I can start poping out world wonders like crazy.
1720 BC - I switch to Organized Religion, which gives a building boost to my cities with Hinduism.
1400 BC - After several uneventful turns (plus one skirmish with a barbarian warrior vs. my archer that was on a hill and thus, nearly unbeatable) Munich is founded! I opted for a rich spot near pigs and horses. The Marble spot will wait until I learn sailing so I can better work the sea (it is in a relatively resource-poor area).
Munich starts work on an Obelisk, which will help it expand culturally.
1360 BC - Another barbarian beats against my archer fruitlessly. I'm concerned about where they're coming from though. Barbarians can forms cities in Civ 4, and that will definitely slow me down here.
1240 BC - ARG! I leave my hilltop to find the source of the barbarian menace to the south and get ambushed in the desert! Despite good odds, I get smashed.
Doh - and now a barb has appeared from the west to threaten my worker near Hamburg. I've really got to get moving on taking control of this island.
My worker moves towards Munich to build a pig pen.
1160 BC - Munich completes Stonehenge! I start training a second archer to combat the barbarian menace, but I plan on starting the Pyramids afterwards.
"You cannot continue building a Obelisk in Munich."
Huh? Why not?
Duh! The real purpose of Stonehenge is to give you an Obelisk in every city for free. Hehe - I was focusing on the cultural aspect and was also trying to stop the AI (computer players) from getting it. I guess I'll build a second archer there too.
1080 BC - Discover Sailing and start work on Priesthood, which will give me access to temples and the Oracle, as well as lead towards Code of Laws, in case I want religion #3. :)
900 BC - Cologne founded on the coast, with fish and marble in range.
750 BC - I've got a few more workers now trying to connect my cities with roads. Hamburg is building the Oracle (sans Marble, at the moment) to get double Great Prophet points. I'm making a run for Code of Laws right now, which will give me three religions. I'll use these to spread happiness in my civ, and eventually to others as well for financial incentives.
700 BC - Munich starts work on the Parthenon. Maybe I can turn it into a Great Artist factory.
500 BC - Found Essen and learn pottery (side tracked), then back to studying Code of Laws. I start building cottages to counter the money I'm losing from having so many cities. My pacing here was probably too aggressive.
350 BC - Arg! Someone beat me to the Oracle, which I find surprising. Oh well, the 147 gold will help with my poor finances.
300 BC - Someone beat me to Code of Laws. Okay, time to buckle down and get my civ in order...the upkeep from so many cities is killing my research. How to get out of this hole?
75 AD - The Great Prophet, Moses, arrives. Man - I am so far behind now and totally isolated on this island until I hit Astronomy and can sail across the ocean. Rushing to Currency right now to try and solve my financial issues, then working on ships.
820 AD - I am officially the least advanced civ in the world. With zero contact with anyone else, and no way to leave my island for a long, long time (Astronomy is fairly advanced tech). I am toast. Gave over. Not worth finishing.
What a depressing first walkthrough report. :(
Here's my final map. (http://martin.glaude.name/civ4/001-005.jpg)
So - what went wrong? I think I may have expanded too quickly. If I had held off on a couple of the last cities, my finances would have been in better shape and I'd be able to devote a larger portion of my budget to research and maybe had a hope to get to Astronomy quickly enough to reach another island and keep expanding.
Part of the issue was not getting enough +1 happiness resources (any?) that I could use before learning Calendar. As a result, my city size was capped pretty small, despite trying to spread two religions.
In the end, this setup *may* have been beatable, but probably not. I really needed to be able to trade with someone...
Oh well, there's always next time!