COTM 22 - first spoiler

To qualify for this spoiler, you must have reached the middle ages. You must have contact with all other civs in the game, and know the location of their capital city. Please don't post screenshots that show middle-age (or later) resources.

Where did you settle? Did you follow the shallow waters, or risk a trip across the oceans? Did you struggle getting a foothold on the main continent? Did you have to change your plans from your normal recipe for a monarch game?

My people got lost in the sea, giving me a conquest loss in 3800BC without scoring. :lol:

Went east, saw game but a border close by. Went south, found a nice spot, settled, met the Germans, who fairly soon took both my capital and my horse and iron city. Game over.

Given the late start and that the AI had three to five cities at start on a very confined space -- and that it went so badly -- this felt more like demigod than monarch.

My first post ever and only my third GOTM/COTM.
Well, as I finished COTM21 too late for submission I started early on this one. I settled on the first spot I found and met my neighbouring civs soon. They had 4-5 cities (Monarch???). I managed to found 3 cities (one of them had iron) before I was completely surrounded and only fighting for survival.
But hey, I made it to the MA on tech parity. From then on it only went downwards, but that would be for another spoiler.

I did the obvious thing and followed the coastal squares to the east, founding MacOsten at the first reasonable spot in 3900BC. I researched Pottery and then went for the Republic slingshot, obtaining it without trouble around 1450BC.

The AI threatened me several times. I usually backed down but when the Program threatened me around 2000BC, I decided to tell them to screw off in order get some war happiness. I brought Linus into the war to distract Denise.

As other have noted, the AI grew at a frightening rate. I did manage to put down eight towns before being hemmed in, the last one in 1000BC. I learnt Currency and traded around to enter the Middle Ages in 975BC. The world then went up in flames. I tricked the Virologists into declaring war and brought the Satan and the Dells along. Gatter and I both drew Engineering as our free tech :(

QSC stats:
8 towns, pop 25
10 workers and 5 slaves
3 horsemen, one hoplite, one warrior, three cats
3 granaries, 1 harbour, 2 barracks
All AE techs except Construction, Currency and Monarchy.
Currency and the Middle Ages due in one turn.

Opening moves
Similar to Più Freddo, I too moved east, spotted the Game and was happy for just a moment until I moved another tile east and looked upon a black border. Went South and Settled on a hill next to a GH.

First builds
The GH gave a Warrior so he went out into the world to explore it. First in the direction of the black border. I actually built another two warriors and sent them out, one to check out the immediate area the other headed west. Had some luck with a GH giving me a Settler and founded Glendale with him. Another Settler finished in 2800BC moved SW to claim the incense. After this I built a Granary in Macosten.

Meeting the neighbours
Virologists in 3700BC
Consoles destroyed in 3650BC
Linux in 3450BC
Windoze in 3450BC
Programmers in 3350BC
Dells in 2390BC

Research
Started researching Writing at 100% with a plan to get Republic from a Philosophy/CoL gambit.
Masonry traded from Virologists in 3700BC
The Wheel and WC from Windoze in 3450BC
Pottery and CB from Virologists in 3450BC
Mysticism from Programmers in 3350BC
IW from Windoze in 2950BC
Writing researched in 2470BC, unfortunately Windoze gets it the very same turn so chances of me getting CoL and Philosophy is too small to be worth the gamble. I go for Philosophy to at least get a free tech.
Literacy from a GH in 2270BC
Maths and HBR from Dells in 2030BC
Polytheism from Programmers in 2030BC
Philosophy researched in 2030BC and I pick Monarchy as my free tech. Revolt and 4 turns of Anarchy. Next tech to research; Currency
MM from Windoze in 1870BC.
Construction from Dells in 1550BC
Currency researched in 1525BC
None to trade CoL with so I start on it.
CoL in 1350BC? And I enter MA w. Engineering as my free tech.

Builds in new cities
I had a somewhat different approach in this game with Libraries being the first builds in most cities. With Literacy available in 2270BC and being a Sci tribe it sort of made sense, at least to me.

Relations with other tribes
Tried to keep them happy and on my side at least during the AA. In 1790BC Programmers demanded Philosophy and DoWed me when I declined. Them being on the other side of the known world made the war a real phony war. I quickly entered into negotiations with the other tribes to form a grand alliance against them but when I had established embassies with them all only Linux was in contact with Programmers. They did enter the war on my side for Literacy.

Military might
Having a beneficial trading program with my immediate neighbours, paying them all gpt's for ROP's, luxuries and resources, made them happy enough to stay out of armed conflicts with me.

Locations
Macosten 3800BC
Glendale 3500BC
Miniton 2670BC
Intellimac 1375BC

Summary
Squeezed in between Windoze and Virologists. This had a huge impact on my game, at least as a monarchy game. I had fewer locations than normally at the end of the QSC period but entered the MA at about the normal time for a monarchy game. Building Libraries did help in in keeping the tech pace with so few locations.

After the initial expansion and building my libraries I totally converted to a military approach with Barracks and an occational marketplace the only civics built. But that is for another thread.

Map is of my save at 1000BC but the area owned here is eqivalent to the area I managed to expand peacefully into.
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads11/wotanc22.JPG

My cotm was very ... educational ... as in: testing my ability to lose a game without quitting beforehand or throwing my comp out of a window.

I have a full page log, but the short version is: I got crushed by 280AD, just a few turns into the MA.

I was actually wondering if the cotm_open.sav wasn't the predator-game by mistake, since my rival civs had 3-4 towns by the time I settled and my tech pace was near stand-still ...

C3C Open.

4000BC - Load the galley, go East.
3900BC - Unload Settler on the G, Worker on Game. Galley sails North, meets Viruses. Trade Alpha&BW for CB, Pottery & 10g.

3850BC - Capital founded. Builds warrior and granary - a mistake in hindsight, should just have built settlers & warriors. Research Writing.

3600BC - meet Linux. get WC+10g for Pottery&CB
3500BC - meet Programmers. Get Wheel for Alpha+20g.
3300BC - exploring Warrior sees Horses and 1st Barbs.
3050BC - Granary completes. Start Settler.
2950BC - meet Windoze. Get Masonry+25g for Pottery.
2430BC - ship settler to the South river but get beaten by Windoze to the location. :( It's the one with Flood Plains & Insense. :(
2390BC - Get Mysticism from Windoze for Alpha.
2310BC - Glendale founded.

2310BC - Writing researched. Get Worker+80g from Abe for Writing. Get Hbr+40g from Windoze for Writing. Get IW from Linux for HBR+40g. Get Math from Virus for HBR+50g. Start Philosophy as AIs seem to be researching very fast, no hope for a slingshot.

1950BC - Miniton founded to grab Iron & Cow.
1910BC - See Windoze Archer heading our way. Trade Math to him for 77g and gift him 1gpt.
1790BC - Research Phil 1st and pick Lit. As I dare not hope for a slingshot in this game. Trade Phil around for a lot of gold.
1675BC - Console have been destroyed by somebody. Satan?
1650BC - We hear that Satan are building Glib, so trade Lit to Programmers for MM+40g.

975BC - forgot to save 1000BC. At this point we have: 5 towns, 17 pop, 1 granary, 2 barracks, 3 libraries, 5 workers, 10 warriors (mostly Vet), 2 Hoplites, 1 galley. Missing Curr & Poly.

950BC - Dells meet us, we get Poly+6g from them for Construction.

800BC - Research Republic, sell it to Dells for Currency+Monarchy, enter MA, draw Engineering, same as Programmers. Germany has Mono. Sell Republic to Linux for 60g+11gpt. Germany wants all our money +Eng for Mono. We'll wait, as need money to upgrade to Swords. Revolt. Draw 2 turns of Anarchy!

At this point we are undesided whether we should go military route or do fast research. But the nearest plan is to add land of Viruses to ours.

We are at 975BC:

C3C Open
I settled in a similar spot to Wotan. On the way to this site I saw the black border but didn't stop. I landed near the goat and then when the galley showed up a blue border decided settler must walk a few squares before settling. Galley managed to tour inner sea before being destroyed.

Barbarians took first worker and looted city.
I managed a warrior and then a worker. Barbarians camped on the hills then came in to destroy improvements.
I decided on second city by incense and went out with Hipolite. Started on temple. Settled third city when second city switched to blue. I rejected first cash demand and thereafter all but Dell declared war.

I certainly wasted a couple of turns walking the settler. I couldn't believe my second city would flip so early on. I only survived so long because my golden age was triggered and hoplites were suddenly quick to come by.

Initially I managed some tech trades. It wasn't long before i was impossibly behind.

A very quick game. Barbarians robbed me and I didn't recover.

Open

Early Moves

I went east and settled on the grass next to game in the third turn. I was tempted to move further but the idea of raging barbs and an undefended settler did not strike me as particularly appealing.

Research
Research to writing at max, hoping to still make a slingshot of some sort. For this I initially held back on trading Alpha to our, very close, neighbours the virologists but as soon as I met Linux I realized that would not work. As my galley sailed counterclockwise around the inner sea, I met two more opponents and I brokered techs to keep up. This also got me a decent amount of money and two additional workers. I met the Dells by an exploring warrior, a civ called 'The Console' was destroyed pretty early IIRC.

I was not the first to get to writing, but I came in second. Next was philo with construction as our free tech. After a few heavy rounds of tech trading I was in the MA while self-researching the republic. I ended up trading for it when I got a good roll of the dice with Feud as my free tech (traded for engineering with the Dells).

Expansion

Initially I was thinking to make a stack of archers and hoplites to take on the virologists. Those hoppies would make me practically invincible! But I ended up expanding peacefully, getting about 8 cities, claiming incense, two furs, horses and two iron.

One anomaly was that I got my second city from a goody hut settler! I thought this was impossible in xOTM! I did not benefit from it that much though, as it ticked off the Satan who declared. I barely survived using archers only, I really did not want a despotic GA. In any case, I had to devote all my resources to producing military for a good number of turns. Had the Satan not been fighting the Programmers as well, I would have been crushed.

Another safe-sailor here. Macosten was founded on the hill NE of the game, dispite the black borders. Seeing how advanced the AI was already, I decided to go for the ultimate in farming and chopped the gameforest for an early granary. Boy, this one backfired! Without the bonus vs. barbarians, they did wreak havoc, destroying ~40 shields in Macosten in 3450bc. So no early granary and all those important turns were wasted. My plans for an archer-rush were buried too, of course. Instead, I had to pop-rush the granary after getting 2 warriors out and built my first settler in 2310bc only. Shortly thereafter, barbs kill 2 citizens in Macosten. At about the same time, they also took my worker and a slave I had aquired.

QSC-stats:
6 towns with 12 citizens, 1 granary and 1 barracks
5 workers, 1 (satanic) slave :lol:, 3 warriors, 1 hoplite
missing Currency, Republic, Literature, Monarchy
69 tiles owned and 777 gold in the bank

I don´t really recall my research-path (I think I made a futile attempt for the slingshot), but that doesn´t matter, as I didn´t self-research a single AA-tech for the first time in my Civ3-career! :eek:
So I had to buy my way through the tech-tree, which brought me into the MA in 730bc.

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads11/730bc_MA.JPG

This is easily the toughest game start I have played since joining the Cotm-competition. I still cannot believe how much of a pain a monarch-AI can be!

I settled on hills NE of game.
I only founded 4 cities and then build swords and hoplites. When the Virologists declared on me, I was prepared. They didn't have iron, so slowly I captured their cities with swords. My GA was in Monarchy which I bought for much money.

As the Virologists hat the GLib in their capital, I captured the surrounding cities until they only had the capital and a city very far away. I captured the GLib city and went to the MA far in the ADs.

What really helped me is that the Virus never went out of Republic, even after a few turns of anarchy. WW has crippled them.
And it was the first time where I pillaged land I soon wanted to capture.

has anyone met The Console? They got destroyed in 3600 BC in my game.
Where did they start?

Open

I took the safe route and settled as soon as possible sw of the game.
Science writing @ full.
Build 2 warriors then granary.
Between the galley and one conscript warrior (the only good thing I got from a hut) all surviving civs were met by 2590.
A demand from Linux lead to a long phony war starting in 2150. No real war action in AA.


Cities
3900BC Macosten
2430BC Glendale (towards Satan by the incense)
2150BC Miniton (east near cow; grabs iron)
1750BC Geefive Towers (horses se)
1725BC Intellimac (backfill towards Glendale)
1525BC Firedwire

That's all in AA, though 2 more cities settled before 1000BC.

Science
3800 traded for masonry, pottery
3450 traded for TW, WC, CB
2900 traded for IW
2550 bought the last turn off writing (virus), trade for mysticism. Decide to go for philosophy directly.
2030 philosophy researched, trade for math then take currency as free tech. Buy HBR.
1950 trade for MM.
1525 literature researched
1450 trade for construction
1275 CoL researched trade for poly, enter MA, get engineering and can trade for mono and feud right away :D.

With the good science luck, I will go for some high research victory, probably diplomatic.

has anyone met The Console? They got destroyed in 3600 BC in my game.
Where did they start?I stuffed-up with them. There was a slight bug due to something with the editor, a crappy monitor and dodgy colour-blindness. Fortunately, its the same for all classes. :ack:

i followed the eastern coastal route.

unload as soon as i found land. next to the river and game.

i went min research for writing. was second to it. my tech rate was so slow, and thinking the slingshot was out of reach i went for philosophy. a different civ had code of law and i hoped using the big picture to trade for it and still get republic for free. i missed philosophy be one turn :cry: . i went for literature, and with that monopoly i was able to pull even. with still such a slow rate i fell behind again missing currency. i don't remember the year, but after reaching MA i recieved engineering for free. a few trades got me monotheism and feudalism along with the republic. all civs near parity at this point.

because of my weak empire i had many demands made of me for gold. i usually gave in, but finally was fed up with this. (never can i remember so many demands on a monarch game!) i stood my ground when linux made another demand, they declared war and sent a steady flow of archers into my territory. we fought hard. i lost a few units, but no cities. this early war surely held me back. in hindsight i should have given them what they wanted. i was forced to defend with hoplites triggering a discouraging despotism GA.

with so much seemingly against me i was ready to pack it in. i have decided to fight. i have excellent resources for war, and started to push my borders into virologist territory. i believe i will eventually succeed. this is becoming a fun and carefully played game. interesting how a monarch game can be made to be so difficult. excellent map :goodjob: !

QSC

6 towns
14 population
1 settler
4 workers
2 warriors
4 swordsman
5 hoplite
1 granary

OK, since nobody else has mentioned it I will. Something's not right about this game. I'm reviewing my notes for my write up and a couple of things jumped out as impossibles.

First at Monarch the AI gets 2 defensive & 1 offensive bonus unit. If they know Bronze Working the defensive are spearmen else they are warriors. If they know Warrior Code the offensive are archers else they are warriors. When I met the American replacement in turn 4 they had a defensive spearmen in their capital even though I traded them Bronze Working. Also they had 4 cities even though it was only turn 3. Later (turn 10) when I met the Viking replacement they also had 3 cities. I suppose they might have popped a city/settler from a hut, but 2 seems a bit beyond wild for the RNG. Also each of the first couple of AI seemed to be blessed with a tech or two. They might have been having excellent hut luck, but again it seemed weird.

Of course it could be that my meds are kicking in, but it did seem unusual.

I also thought: Is this Predator, I am playing instead of Open?

But I guess, it was not a usual start for them. I guess there was some strengthening going on.

But someone could have placed GH around the starting location of the civs, but still...
Nevertheless the game is hard but fun, so I don't complain.

Well, Denyd, this is obviously a hand-built surprise package.
I wonder, if this was originally intended as the April's fool game :crazyeye:.
BTW you didn't find the Virologist capital in turn 4 (no way to get there this fast).
Did you notice when this town grew to size 2 ...

I think it was already at size 2 when I met it (I'll check later).

My biggest quandry was how the AI grew so fast and how they got a unit without the required tech.

The odds are that I won't win (maybe not even finish) this as I was going for a peaceful 20K which is doable in Monarch. At the current tech pace, the AI will either launch or vote a win long before I reach 10K, assuming they don't stomp on me :hammer: before that.

I think it was already at size 2 when I met it (I'll check later).
No need to check. :)
It grew so fast that the only explanation is that it existed already in 4000BC (ok short of a FP wheat, which it didn't have).
As found out later, it's 4 tiles away from the capital, so no chance even with a direct town from a scout.
Ainwood has edited in cities. :eek:
If you really want to see something crazy, load the initial save and check for top 5 cities. :crazyeye:

But nevertheless it's monarch. At some time the AIs will fall back as usual.

Headed the Galley along with troops east.

3900: Founded Macosten on the tip of the coast by the Game and BG.
Found the Virologists (Who will be known as the americans from here on in). Am shocked that they have 2 extra cities already. They must have popped 2 settlers from a hut.
Galley heads North. Trade Bronze and Alphabet for Masonry, Pottery and 10 gold.
Set reasearch to writing on minimum.

I'm scared.

3700 BC: Warrior pops out. Head toward the east mountains.
3600 BC: Contact with linux AKA Vikings (will be known as Linux from here on in....I like Linux!) . They have 3 extra cities! Holy cow batman
- Get Warrior code + 20 gold for Masonry
- Trade Warrior code to America for Ceremonial and 25 gold.
- Trade Ceremonial and 35 gold to Linux for a worker.

3550 BC: Contact with Programmers (Russia from now on.)
- Trade Alphabet and Masonry for The Wheel and 25 gold. They have 6 cities (This is quite ridiculous indeed.)

3500 BC: Trade The Wheel to Linux for Mysticism and 35 gold.
3100 BC: Russia has 8 cities, we have 1.....
2950 BC: Contact with Windoz, aka Satan (Known as Germany from here on in.) They have 4 cities but are cmpletly backwards
- Trade Pottery for 35 gold (I feel sorry for them ok.)
2850 BC: Despite being backwards:
- I trade Alphabet+Masonry to Germany for Iron working.
- Trade Iron+Mysticism+30 gold to Russia for Maths. (Who now have 9 cities...)
- Horseback riding+25 gold off America for Maths
Galley completes the Lap of the internal circuit.

2750 BC: Trade Horseback+28 gold to Russia for Writing. Research Philosophy as fast as possible (27 turns...ugh)
2670 BC: Buy worker off america for 106 gold.
2590 BC: Programmer (Russia) Completes Collosus. Damn that was quick
2510 BC: Spot an undefended german city with warrior scout. Moving for the kill...
2470 BC: Not undefended now. Bummer.
2430 BC: The Console have been destroyed. Wonder who or where they were...
2270 BC: Finally found my 2nd city. East on the river by the cow. This means I will have to wait till my culture expands to get the iron though unfortunately. No more cities now. The plan is to build around 15 archers and attack Satan. His land looks better than Americas.

1990 BC: Philosophy is reached first, Choose Currency as a monopoly tech. I'd considered Literature but I can't afford to build the GL. Research set to none, will buy techs to stop wars.

- Currency to Russia for Construction+132 gold
- Currency to Linux for Map making+35 gold.

I still have a monopoly on currency.

1870 BC: Linux Demands Philosophy. Refused. Linux declares war. I form an embassy with america and bribe them into a war with Linux with philosophy and a tad of gold. Still keeping 2 techs above them.

1650 BC: Russia (with over 10 cities) demands philosophy. Refused, and war is declared. I can't even ally america against them because they don't even know each other..

1625 BC: Start researching literature. will need a tech If I have to get peace in a hurry.
1450 BC: Culture expands but iron still not in boundary. ARrrrg. Satan Complete the Oracle.
1425 BC: 25 barbarian horsemen appear next to my second city. Linux and america sign peace. Russia finishes the Pyramids.
1400 BC: I have to pay 160 gold for peace with linux. Will now focus my attack on america and hope russia don't attack ee masse. All horsemen head toward america. YAY! Pillaging my land along the way though.
- Polytheism+79 gold from america for currency.

1250 BC: Linux declared war on Russia. Dell completes the great wall.
1225 BC: Contact with Spain.
1100 BC: Culture of 2nd city expands. Can finally build swordsmen.
1050 BC: Take Netsky from the Americans.

1000 BC:
- 3 Cities :-)
- All Techs except: Literature, code of laws, Monarchy and Republic.

950 BC: After taking Chernobyl. I sue for peace and take 2 more cities: Sobig and Codered. Will now build an army of swordsmen to finish america in 20 turns time. Researching Literature for a monopoly tech.
800 BC: Aquire Literature 1 turn too late. Everyone has it now. *@#!

750 BC: Peace ends with Russia and I redeclare. I do so because Linus is also at war with them and I am able to get an alliance against them. Linux gives me code of laws for just 5 gold per turn if I ally with them.
Recieve Engineering as my free tech.
- Germany gives me Monotheism, Monarchy 4 gold per turn and 14 gold for Engineering.
- Spain gives me ivory, horses and 158 gold for monotheism.
- Vikings give me 12 gold per turn and 37 gold for monotheism.
- Research Feudalism and 100%. (25 turns, ugh.) Still waiting on Republic.

I believe Open

I'll have to look into what I've done so far, but I know already that I am a slight bit behind in the Middle Ages, about 2 techs. But I'll go from the start.

I thought that East wasn't going to be prosperous enough or some sort of trap, so I tried to explore North first. Well, by then I discovered how wrong I was, so I had to make up for time and head east. Stupidly enough, that didn't work well.

1. Settler S, worker S, Galley NW-N-N
2. Galley SE-SE-SE
3. Galley E-SE-SE?
Well, I don't remember the exact steps, I'll have to check when I get home, but in the next turn I put my worker on the bonus tile 1S of the Game by unloading to the East. The turn after that I sailed SE and placed my Settler 1S+1SE of the game (knightsmove)

Mined the bonus tile, roaded it and roaded the game for when I expanded (same turn as pop2 I believe). That was the foundation of my capital.

Creation: 2 warriors - barracks switch to settler
I went to explore a bit to the east and then to the south because I ended up sending my galley north after all (I thought galley south would be good but for some reason I headed north). Warrior south spotted the sugar, gold and the incense and I sent my settler there to meet the warrior.
I placed the town in the center of the three (floodplains?) and after that I don't remember much what I created, but it was at least one more town in between the two already existing.
I popped one hut near the sugar which gave me Ceremonial burial and I popped a hut to the right which gave me barbarians and I ran off whilst they killed some AI warriors and a spearman with a settler (hahaha).
I started creating Barracks and went to make Swordsmen which was easy since my capital had Iron (woohoo). Pumping out Swordsmen and some Hoplites continuously. I'm hoping to just capture towns around me rather than expand too far, since I'm so far behind in turns right from the start.

Trading and teching:
I don't recall when my galley met all the civs (except for one) but I knew that one would be in the southeast (logic). I held off trading with black and Linux until I met the Programmers in the north, but that was a mistake because the programmers traded the tech I had to Linux and black. Grrr..

I started my teching towards pottery but when I saw that Linux already had it when I met him so I switched to writing. Despite my starting techs being useless for trading I beat them all to writing and promptly went shopping.

I traded writing for all the gold and lowly techs they had (Masonry, Warrior Code, Pottery, The Wheel and Horseback Riding I think). I don't remember who had Ceremonial Burial but I believe it was the Programmers the Because there was no more gold to be had and I knew the Programmers would probably get contacts from those they had met, I gifted Ceremonial Burial to all the civs that didn't have it yet. They went from Cautious and Annoying to Polite and Gracious, but not for long of course.

I went for Philosophy and got to it first, I took Code of Laws and entered the Republic as next tech. I traded Code of Laws and Philosophy around and what I got I traded around even more until I was only missing Currency, Monarchy and Construction. Once I got the Republic I got Construction and I think Monarchy. I was left with Currency to research for the Middle Ages and of course I found out that I traded just a tech too few to start well.

I entered the Middle Ages with only 3 towns, lots of Swordsmen for a starting war with Black who is invading my space but who is also the only one who is still Gracious with me, darned. Maybe I ought to get Blue first and expand West.
I don't remember which Tech I got in the Middle Ages. I'll have to check. I can't wait to get some Medieval Infantry.

OK, since nobody else has mentioned it I will. Something's not right about this game. I did shortly mention the possibility I was playing predator by mistake, but as a relative noob, I didn't want to suggest anything unfounded.

Like you, I wrote up in my log the odd fact that Virologists had a spear, while not knowing Bronze Working. It also occurred to me very early on that my tech pace was near stand still.

But, as mentioned before, this is a game that was modded to pose an equal challenge to all of us. We simply lost. Too bad. See y'all next month ...

open

I sailed east and founded Macosten SW of the deer. The galley sailed clockwise and found the Windoze. Man does he have many cities. As everybody knows the windows and the macs are not the best of friends, so I decided to behave badly.

The production in Macosten is set to barracks and we trade alpha for warrior code. (Bill will regret it :devil: )The galley continues its journey and meets all but the Console (already dead) and the Dell (contacted later when some warriors popped by).
After the barracks we build an archer who is sent south to pop the hut and then walk towards the Windoze. The hut gives mysticism :) Shortly after reaching the blue border we spot a settler/spear-combo heading north. When they step down from the hills our veteran archer attacks and we are two slaves and one war richer. Satan must have been caught off-guard, as he doesn't respond for quite some time.

Macosten continued to build archers. And when the third is ready, we see Virus-Abe sending a settler/warrior south. :nono: That's again two slaves and a second war. Around that time the Programmers must have spend all their money on pizza's. They ring me up for a donation, so that's a third war. We manage to pull Linus Torvalds in on our side against the Programmers. So we don't see any angry Programmers, but quite some Viruses and later on some Windoze.
After some minor battles we can get peace one by one. First Windoze then the Virus and finally the Programmer.

We extend our empire south with a third (by the incense) and a fourth city (by the horse). The viruses spread east, claiming “our” iron. Because it’s also a very good site (with a cow in range) and the viruses don’t look very strong, our brave archers attack again. The virus-city dispatches a settler and shrinks to size 1. So unfortunately upon capture the city gets destroyed. For some unknown reason :confused: the dispatched settler and escorting archer return. Thank you Virus-Abe. Because my horsemen come online Abe’s archers don’t stand much chance. Soon we declare peace again and the virus-city is replaced by a mac one.

We tried to research the Republic-slingshot: max writing, code of law and philosophy. Alas some three turns before the end we're beat to philo. We continue with max Republic. Around 800BC Republic is researched. We trade ourselves in to MA and draw a three turn anarchy.
The turn we discover the Republic, Gates (of all people) demands money. We use our Republic monopoly to get into the MA and ally most against the Windoze. Not the Linux however, ‘cause they don’t know nothing about Windoze ;) We get Feud as does Bill, the Programmer gets Mono. Now Linus wants money. What’s the matter with you folks. I use Feud to ally some against Torvalds.

At the moment the world’s ablaze with new alliances fighting yesterdays alliances. Fortunately we almost immediately get a GL when an elite archer kills a win-mace. The resulting horse army kills another mace. Oops but now I’m talking MA. So here’s a screenshot from 710BC, a few turns into the MA.

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads11/Redbad_cotm22_1.JPG

COTM 22, MacFanatics, Open.

I check out the space-race screen to find that we're facing some pretty wacky civs. F11 reveals that the programmers have been busy, six cities already.

I've read lots of the pre-game discussion about this unusual start. I decide not to figure out whether the obvious path east is a bluff, double bluff, or bluff3 and just jump in the galley and sail that way anyway. Besides my settler is scared of heights.

My settler jumps out the boat at the earliest opportunity (turns out he's sea sick too, what a weed!). He settles SW of the game. Galley sails on and dumps the worker south east of that. Resolve to try the usual Republic slingshot, so writing at 100%. My first build will be a curragh. Galley will sail anti-clockwise, the curragh will sail clockwise. Hopefully I'll meet a few civs and act as a tech dealer. Galley should help my civ reach parts that other civs can't.

In 3600BC I meet the Linux (Celts). Trade pottery for warrior code + 10g. Next I think I met the Virologists (Americans), followed by the Programmers (Russians). Deal a little tech and am beginning to feel good about the start to my game. My curragh spots a goody hut, switch build from worker to warrior 'cause I want to get me some goodies! Next my curragh meets the Windoze (Germans) more tech dealing and I build up a healthy treasury.

Start worker and my warrior is on its way to the goody hut when it spots some Barbarians looking menacing. I figure that I ought to deal with them first. My brave warrior successfully defends against to Barb axes - promoted to veteran. The Barb camp remains but I send the vet off to the goody hut first before I take it on (they're fortified on a mountain so it could get nasty). Warrior from hut! Conscript goes off to explore, veteran waits a couple of turns out to heal before taking on the camp.

Add worker to city to boost production. Vet axe takes on barbs and gets toasted. Conscript stands on mountain next to barb camp and shouts "come and have a go if you think you're hard enough". Doesn't work. The camp is now full of barb horses. Wow, that was fast. They're breeding like rabbits in there! Conscript killed by barbs. On reflection perhaps I should have fortified my axes in my capitol when I saw the barbs and waited for a decent offensive unit to take 'em out but it's too late now.

So things are looking gloomy. I have barbs rampaging right next door, and no military. My granary build is almost complete (2 turns) when I see a barb horse in striking distance. Reluctant to switch to Hoplite as it would waste shields and threaten an early golden age. I choose to pop rush the granary so that when my defenceless city is pillaged work on it is not lost. [I can't even remember if barbs can disrupt production in this way. Anyone?] The horsey pillages my town steals gold and kills a citizen. Eek!

Add second worker to city. Pop rush a Hoplite. Build archer (my best available offensive unit) to take on the annoying barb camp. Archer makes its way to the camp. Defends against three horses, promoted to elite. Archer retreats to heal. Archer finally disperses barb camp, but 1hp left. Archer defends against barb horse and wins. Those prayers to the RNG Gods are obviously paying off.

Galley completes its lap of the rather strange continent, after spotting a location that might be a useful canal town. Our expert Cartographers name it 'Doughnut World'. There is a great deal of argument as to whether it should be a custard or jam doughnut. We settle on jam, but an unfortunate schism occurs over the issue of whether the doughnut has strawberry icing. These heretics are banished for ever.

Do some more tech trading. Settle my second town to grab the iron. Build another settler. Load settler and archer into galley in search of my canal town. I reach the much fabled canal town location only to discover that it's just a poxy lake after my archer gets out to look around. My archer defends against three barb horses and is promoted to elite. Since I spot loads more barbs around I elect to get back in the boat and sail on. I keep going clockwise before I jump out and settle on the Programmers' side of the continent.

My elite archer has been exploring. It goes to stand on a mountain for a better look and is promptly blown to kingdom come by a volcano. Ouch. Next more bad news - Programmers demand tribute. I refuse cause they're so far away. Dow from Programmers. Now it gets really nasty. My western city is captured, and Programmers manage to get everyone to declare war on me. Settle my third town just east of the mountain range.

It's 1125 BC and I have three cities and everyone is at war with me. Not nice. My eastern most city soon falls to the onslaught. My capitol concentrates on producing Hoplites (it has barracks). The enemy troops are attacking over a river so I get a defensive bonus. Horse after horse is successfully beaten back at the Capitol. Elsewhere my second city is captured - down to one. Now enemy archers throw themselves to certain death at the hands of my Hoplites. Bring it on! After years and years of conflict an elite Hoplite generates a leader. Yay! Err...with only one city my leader's completely useless. Boooo!

A bit of pop rushing secures some more Hoplites and walls. I now have five Hoplites (3 elites) to beat back the enemy hordes. I know now that death is just a matter of time but it's fun to watch the enemy hurling themselves to their death at the hands of my Hoplites. The people are unhappy about their treatment. They say it's because of the pop rushing. I tell them they should be more worried about the stonking great army of knights on their doorstep than my gentle whipping (what a pathetic, work-shy bunch of weaklings my civ is). Personally I think they're unhappy because of all the dead horses that surround our city (they start to smell after a while).

It's around this time that the treasury gets a little tricky. I have to sell off my barracks, and my library (none of my Hoplites can read anyway). Honestly who buys second hand barracks/libraries anyway? That would have to be a pretty large delivery truck...

In an amusing turn of events the Dells, Linux and Virologists all sue for peace and pay me for the privilege! That's right - you might have 15 cities to my one, an immeasurable tech lead but your fancy knights are scared of my Hoplites. I pay Windoze for peace and start a period of rebuilding. Soon I'm back up to three cities and have iron. I start work on some swords. I finally secure (bribe) peace with the Programmers when I spot a whole load of their troops on my doorstep. I actually feel sorry for them - they've come all that way for a bit of fisticuffs and they're denied at the last minute. If I can squeeze one more city out I'll finally be able to use my leader!

Just when I think there may be a glimmer of hope the Programmers redeclare and I am quickly down to one city again. I hold out for may long, painful years. But they have cavalry now so the end should be quick. Eventually my last Hoplite falls and the Macfanatics are defeated.

Conquest loss in 920AD (5hrs 27 mins). (I had held out in an almost continuous state of war since 1125BC.) Looks like the world will have to suffer blue screens, and internet browsers bundled with their operating system forever.

Moved East turned south and settled on a hill in the Second delta since the first did not have good shield potential.

City's
3800BC Built Macosten -Build order War, war, settler and temple.
2630BC Build Glendale in the east to claim horse. Bad plan, about 8 Barbs
loot over 110g+.
2350BC Built Miniton north of Macosten by the game.
1870BC Built Geefive Towers to claim Incense.
1450BC Built intelimac to claim iron and hope fully 1 fur.
1275BC Built North of Capitol, closer than I wanted but Viro had a settler in
the spot we wanted.

Science
3900BC GH Teaches us CB.
3800BC Trade alpha for WC+10g to Satan.start researching writng at full
speed (41 turns)
### BC Learn Writing and Trading around got us all the first level and couple
second level techs.
1830BC Learn Philo, trade around and learn all but, cur,const, CoL, Lit and
govs. we get the sling to Monarchy. No one has it. We are not
going to trade. Revolt and draw 2 turn Anarchy? I think.
1750BC We are a Monarchy.
1250BC Learn Cur and trade to Satan for CoL+80g+ gpt, trade to Viro for
125g. Linux has Const but will not trade for curr plus 265g.
1200BC Dells trade const+3g for curr. Enters Mid Age and get Feud free.
Satan is also in Mid age and has Mono and willing to trade for feud.
He is also offering 90g and 15gpt. Chivlary at 100%= 32 turns.

Diplomacy
3800BC Meet Windoze(satan) to south
3600BC Meet Viroulogists( and they wont trade.
3300BC Meet Linux and they wont trade.
3250BC Meet Programmer and the same.
1475BC Meet Dell, they are behind by three techs vs all. Console is gone.
1200BC Establish embassy w/Dells and Satan.

Wars and other events.
30##BC See a Satan's settler with a warriar. We decided to attack since
Satan is building the Piramids so won't be able to counter and we
get two workers. :D Counter attack never happens. Eventually We sue
for peace giving myst for 40g.
2###BC My warrior with two slaves pop a settler from a GH. I did not think
this is possible. (I think this made a big difference in my game)
1675BC Pro warrior sneak attacked Miniton and the archer barely servive.
1650BC We establish embassy w/Linus and give monarchy for 9g and aliance
against Pro.
1500BC Livy says we are the happiest followed by Dell(?), Pro, Linux,Console
(?), Satan and Viro. This is good news . May be some flips to us?
1225BC Enter Middle Age. Established Emb with Dells and Satan (he has one
turn left on pyramid build).
1200BC Satan Built Piramids as I hoped. In 20 turns we will attack them.
(This did not happen as planned)

55 turns to build hanging gardens.
Still in war w/Pro

QSC
6 towns
4 Workers
3 Warriors
3 Archers
1 Hoplite
1 Gally
15 citizens

What, incidentally, was the predator handicap? The number/size of the AIs' bonus starting towns? I saw some pretty huge stacks of units and had massive flip problems. Until I got my first embassies, I assumed the predator handicap was to play more than one level higher, as we did in the American game...

The Plan
The Plan is very simple - set up a settler factory, build an infinite sprawl of cities, each of which does a barracks, and then an endless stream of swords. Plunge the swords repeatedly into the stricken body of the enemy. Even now, as I review The Plan, it sounds like it should work. It didn't work.

The Execution
I follow the shallow water east and found the capital SW of the game. This location can do six-turn settlers once the game is chopped. The galley heads north, and my first build is a curragh which heads south. I set research to Ironwork at full speed and trade Pots from Abe, so I can build my granary. I also trade for Burial in case I want to fight in culture, and Wheel and War Code in case I don't have iron to hand. Those are my only tech trades, as part of The Plan is to keep the world's science on the slow track.

The Crucial Resource
Research of Ironwork completes in 2800bc, and the second piece of The Plan falls into place; there is iron just a short way east of the capital. The granary also completes in 2800bc, to be followed by a hoplite and a settler. The second town, Glendale, is founded in 2350bc at RCP2 from the capital, bringing the iron into my territory. The first sword rolls out of the capital in 1910bc, and the next turn Cath demands 29g from me. How I laugh - that I, with my mighty swords, should be expected to give tribute to silly Cathy with her bad complexion and her bulgy eyes and her dozen towns. :lol:

Dawn of War
Having calmed down from my hysterics, I tell Cath how things are really going to be, and she dows. Of course, she is half a world away, so I don't actually expect to see any of her troops, and I can get other people to attack her on my behalf. And here we have the first big flaw of The Plan. The Plan doesn't involve getting Writing, so I have no embassies. But that's okay, because people will get annoyed with Russian troops trespassing on their land, and dow on them. Or maybe Cath will meet exciting new friends on her eastward journey, and invite them to join her war. Yep, Ragnar allies against me in 1575bc.

Testing My Mettle (or: Testing My Metal)
In the meantime, I have founded my third town, out towards the horses, and upgraded my axes. I now have six swords, with more on the way. When Viking archers start to arrive in 1500bc, I know it is time to see what my high-tech iron weapons are capable of. Wow, these things can kill archers! Specifically, it takes about two swords to take down an archer. It doesn't help that a lot of the fighting is being done on mountains, but still these aren't the kind of odds I was led to expect. I start to feel ill when Abe joins the war in 1250bc.

Terms for Peace
The instant that Abe joins the war, he dumps ten :eek: archers into the vicinity of my recently founded fourth town, G5. I have four swords in the area, which isn't going to be nearly enough to deal with ten archers, so after some head-scratching I hit upon the strategy which defines the rest of this war. I evacuate the swords and give the town to Ragnar in exchange for peace. The subsequent boot order lands my fleeing swords next to the American town of Sobig. Great - I can raze this town and buy myself better odds for peace with Abe! Err no, it takes three swords to kill one spear, and the town still has another spear and an archer. My last sword runs for his life as the archer Stack of Death storms to the defence of Sobig.

Late to the Party
In 1175bc, Otto finally joins the dogpile. I haven't seen much military activity from him, but he does have iron hooked up. Furthermore, I don't have a mountain range full of hoplites on my southern border, so my state of panic steps up yet another notch. But Otto never does make a concerted attack - I manage to distract some of his swords with a settler I had sent to grab the horses. The settler is finally cornered in 1000bc, so I found Intellimac and start shopping around for someone to give it to in exchange for peace.

QSC Stats
4 towns with 9 citizens and 55 tiles.
20 food in the bin, 41 shields in the box, 185g in the treasury.
1 granary, 1 barracks.
2 workers, 3 swords (1 vet, 1 elite), 1 galley, 7 hoplites (2 vets).
All first tier techs, Ironworking, Maths, 13 beakers of Writing.
4 contacts, no embassies.
Golden age in progress.

Another Peace Bribe
So I have a new town to give away. I count up my options. I still have three enemies: Russia, Germany and America. Russian troops have finally arrived on the scene, the hordes of American archers are still around, trying to find a way past my loose blockade of hoplites, and Germany has yet to make a significant sortie. And yet, it is Germany who I really fear. I can't afford to fight on two fronts and I can't stand up to swords. Otto gets the town.

Breathing Space
And maybe it was Abe who brought Otto into the war, because all of a sudden he is willing to give me peace too. He takes all my cash but also finishes my research on Writing. War with Russia continues, but that's okay; they give my swordsmen some much-needed practice. In 730bc, one of them discovers that the weapon is better used by holding the blunt end and stabbing with the sharp end! This new technique is so well received that he is asked to train up an Army of swords. For the first time in this game I feel like I have a bit of a safety net.

Taking the Initiative
With the sword army, I easily cut down the Russian troops - they are still mostly archers, although the AI has Feudalism by now, judging by the Sun Tzu builds which are starting around the world. In 530bc I give Cath peace for Mapping, and start thinking about going to war to actually try and expand my territory again. The best target looks like America; they still don't seem to have iron hooked up, and they have towns located in what ought to be my core (including the town which I gave to Ragnar - it flipped to Abe). I dow in 390bc.

Wondrous Technology
I quickly take three nearby American towns; one was an isolated settlement to my southeast, the other two give me control of the fertile mountain bowl east of my capital. I also get to see what these Americans are doing with their medieval techs. They have longbows! These things are like the bows that I have known about for thousands of years... only longer. My scientists are totally mystified as to how such a thing could exist, and estimate that it would take many centuries of dedicated research to reach that level of understanding. I tell them not to bother, and plough their wages back into my treasury.

War On / War Off
Abe also gets hold of iron and starts showing off his macemen, so I quickly give him peace before they can do any damage. The war ends four turns after it began, and I get Riding, Philosophy, Mysticism and Laws in the deal. In 150bc my attention turns south as I lose my first town via flipping, to the Germans. I immediately respond with a dow. The army is in the area, so I storm in and take the town right back. I can also bring Abe into this war by joining his fight with the Vikings. It costs me 17gpt too, but that's better than having him attack me again, and end up fighting two fronts.

Flipping Great
By 70bc I have taken another two German towns, one of which was built on iron; this town flips back in 10bc, and I wonder why I didn't raze it first time around. Next turn I lose another town to a flip. It's that blasted G5 again, the one I gave to Ragnar, flipped to Abe, recaptured by me, now flipped to Abe again! Lincoln, you just made my list. The German war ends abruptly in 90ad when Otto turns up with a big pack of medieval units. I lose my rep breaking the alliances, but I get Construction and Polytheism for my trouble.

The G5 War
Germany is at war with America, so his stack of death trundles off north through my land. I can't afford to give Otto ROP as my territory is still miniscule, but I would like to join this war so I can get G5 back. I let the Germans attack the muskets in G5 for a turn, then dow on Abe (230ad) and swoop in to take the town back for myself. Next the Germans trudge over to Sasser and kill some defenders there. Thank you Otto, I'll have that one too. All seems to be going well until 290ad, when I get a flip. And it's... G5! Take it back immediately. Then in 320ad, I get a flip. And it's er, let me think, G5? Why yes. And this time Otto captures it before I can get troops over there [pissed]. If I be Ahab, then this town be Moby Dick.

Better Late Than Never
I have only gained one town in this war so far, but my military is getting rather thin from fighting muskets, so I finally realise it is way past time to leave the ancient age. Research is cranked up to get Currency ASAP (techs are really cheap when you are last place, huh?), and for the first time, I manage to pull the DaveMcW Tech Trick. On the 320/330ad interturn the medieval splash screen comes up, I go to the big picture and give Abe peace and lots of cash, and he gives me Engineering and Monotheism. My free tech is second tier Theology :dance:. Of course, I would still have preferred Feudalism, but that's life...