http://www.civfanatics.net/methos/hof/staff/gauntlet.gifWhile the general Hall of Fame is an ongoing competition, we like to run time-definite competitions between updates that we call Gauntlets. Standard Hall of Fame rules (*) still apply, but any games meeting the settings will be counted towards the Gauntlet.

(*) Please read the >> HOF rules << (http://hof.civfanatics.net/civ4/rules.php)BEFORE playing!

Settings:

Victory Condition: Religious (though all victory conditions must be enabled)
Difficulty: Noble
Starting Era: Ancient
Map Size: Large
Map Type: Ice Age
Speed: Normal
Civ: Any
Opponents: Any
Version: 3.19.001
Date: 25th October to 10th November 2009
Must not play as Inca.
The earliest finish date wins, with score as a tiebreaker.

What's up with this one? It's listed as not visible and hasn't been moved.

Denniz and me doubled up on gauntlets today, this is now for next update.

A little testing on low sea levels with wide continents shows three types of maps:
* Two continents with ocean (bad)
* Two continents with galley access (ok)
* Rarely one giant continent (obviously the best)

So I'm guessing this will require patience to play enough games until the pangea type map is thrown out to win.

My first try was a pangea map. I had everyone with Green happy faces and a few yellows. I was gifting techs and giving in to demands, but I still have three civs abstain. I guess, I could go out and vassalize a few civs to vote for me.

My first attempt at a Gauntlet, first at a religious win. . . . Any experienced players have any suggestions for me, given the conditions below? Should I just throw in the towel?

I've about 1400 A.D and getting worried now. I'm Gandhi, and I've long since spread Hinduism to every civ but Washington, despite the annoying proliferation of large, snaky continents and polar ice packs which cut off the most convenient sea routes. Washington, unfortunately, is not the forgiving type (just because I cut off trade with him once, does that make me a bad person?) Sigh. Anyway, he refuses to even talk to me (even after I switched to his favorite civic), so I can't get a missionary in. He also thinks I'm a weakling (because I only put 5 fully-modernized units in my cities, not 20 like he seems to be doing?), so that's maybe a factor? Taking him out militarily would take forever, because he's half-way around the world and very inconvenient to get to (just automated an early search galley to return home from Washington, and it's going to take 70+ turns...)

Seems like there should be a way to pull this off, but I'm too much of a CIV noob to see it. Help?!

He'll eventually talk, it's just a matter of being patient. However it sounds like your relationship is in the crapper with him, so I wouldn't count on his vote.

I'd have regenerated the map if I got something so difficult though, religious victory is just made for maps where you can get to all civs by land. Especially on a large map at normal speed, getting missionaries around takes long enough without difficult sea trips.

Anyway, he refuses to even talk to me (even after I switched to his favorite civic), so I can't get a missionary in.

You will not get a civic bonus if he is not running that civic. Double check that.

If you have techs he doesn't, give them to him (up to a trade bonus of +4)

How to weasle your religion in: build a city at his empire border, put the religion you want him to have in that city, then gift him the city.

Well, the gifting of the city trick sounds cool--I'll have to remember that--but, since he won't even talk to me, can I actually gift him anything? Yes, I'm prepared to give him the Moon, if only he'll speak to me . . . heck, now I'm sounding like I'm in a soap opera;)

Good point on not being able to gift since he won't talk to you. I am guessing that someone asked you to stop trading with him and you agreed. I don't know the mechanics on how many turns it will take him to resumes talks. In my experience, it seems different for each leader. I have had friendly civs not talk to me for a long time after stopping trade. They still wouldn't talk even when friendly.

You may be able to liberate the city from the F1 screen. Alternatively, if your city's borders are touching or close to touching his borders, you will probably get the pop-up that says the city of ______ rightfully belongs to the American empire, do you want to turn over control.

I don't understand?!

First try at Gauntlet and also first try at a specific win scenario.

I selected all opposing civ's with getting Hinduism and Buddism in mind, choosing civs w/o Mysticism etc.
I started building my capital big with emphasis on Gold and Science along with Shields to be able to fast build the AP.
I discovered Buddism and managed to spread it quickly, resulting in 8 of 12 civs converting to Buddism, then built the AP, gifted technologies left and right keeping relations at a very high level, most green faced happy and 4 of them friendly yellow smiley faces.
I've kept all civs at bay militarily wise with my good relations, but stopped building at 3 cities and have been churning out missionaries like a wild man. I am top of the advanced list and have a +120 gold per turn surplus after discovering 3 religions and building all of those religions special buildings with my Prophets.

All was going according to plan, and all resolutions I have put through, including war declarations on my Civ have been in my overwhelming favor.

One MAJOR fault though........never does the "Diplomatic Victory" vote come along!!!??

It's 1700 AD now and I give up, some civs are taking up Free Religion and obviously my time is up to win the AP election.

Starting a new game and will try and play it differently with early expansion along with religious upper hand, making my civ a strong and religiously superior civ. Will relate the specifics later.

Any ideas on why I was not successful?? I have the religion the AP follows FYI and that was my religion when AP was built.

Yours frustrated HassiSan!

Any ideas on why I was not successful?? I have the religion the AP follows FYI and that was my religion when AP was built.

Are you sure that you have spread the AP religion to all the AI civs.

I discovered Buddism and managed to spread it quickly, resulting in 8 of 12 civs converting to Buddism...

It will be easier if you use the minimum number of civ opponents. Use eight not twelve.

Otherwise, I agree with Gator, this is the most likely problem.

Otherwise, I agree with Gator, this is the most likely problem.

The other likely problem is that you have over 75% of the vote (not population). The option to vote won't come up if you can vote yourself a win.

REALLY?!?!

I just tried to play another game, resulting in overwhelming technological superiority on my behalf, churning out 200+ gold extra per turn with 100% science.

But YES! Same problem...and I believe you guys have hit the nail on the head wO_oT
In my first game there were 2-3 civs with AP religion not present.
In the game I just played there were 2 civs with AÐ religion not present.

I did not realize AP religion had to be present in all civs :(

Well...at least I have learned a whole lot from playing this gauntlet, I believe I hvae never before had such an advantage in gold and beakers due to religion!!

All hail the Gauntlet!

Results:

G-Minor 83 (http://hof.civfanatics.net/civ4/gauntlet.php?show=minor&gauntlet=190) - Religious, Noble, Large, Normal on Ice Age
1st shulec 375 AD
2nd Shakes 520 AD
3rd DJMGator13 580 AD

Congratulations!