The Community Deity Game # 8 - Austria

[beetle]

I got a Science Victory, turn 328, so not fast by any means. I ran Piety, which is the first time I have ever been able to get away with that on Deity. I wanted to play peaceful, but I might retry this picking up Holy Warriors and killing the closest AI. His borders really intruded into my space. At the very end, I DOW’d him when my spy showed him a turn away on his last SS part. That gamble paid off, and I got the ~ten turns I needed to finish up.

Culture was a problem, as I did not finish off Rationalism until after all the SS techs were completed. I had about 6K faith banked at that point, so I purchase another GPr and got late Mosques in the married CS expos. I had six in Order and used a GE on Kremlin and Great Firewall (beating the Freedom AIs by 2-3 turns). The neighbor got both Porcelain Tower and Hubble.

Happiness was a problem the whole early game, which is main reason cities are so small.

I did manage to marry five CS in five different eras. My main criteria was being able to run roads, but I did not have to spend much money on gifts, so mostly it depended who was offering quests and if Allied status was expiring:
T107 NC done. Marry Malacca (Medieval). Science goes from 59 to 70, but now 12 unhappy. Blah.
T154 Marry Hanoi (Renaissance).
No Marriage in Industrial (Oxford Radio, so not many turns in Industrial).
T206 Marry Sofia, money getting low.
T265 Enter Atomic Era, marry Wellington.
T302 Mary Byblos, who I had been allied with all game, for 5th CS in 5th era.

I should have been annexing earlier. The screens warn of unhappiness, but the only difference I could tell between puppet/annex was prerequisites for National Wonders.

Achievement Tally: 8 points, 6 for the CS marriages plus 2 for Coffee Houses everywhere (which I would have done anyway, being a fan of the un-buffed Windmill).

 

[gobbledydook]

I've finished out with a t208 victory. Probably could have shaved a turn or two with better lategame play, but no major blunders that I saw. This beats my previous Austria/Science/Deity best by one turn.

All in all, I think Austria is extremely strong on these settings. The UA becomes relevant faster than you probably think, Coffee Houses are very good, and buying entire developed cities for a few hundred gold is just insane in the late game. I'd place Austria in the second tier of Deity Science civs, behind only the truly broken ones.

Spoiler :

I ended up marrying a sixth city in the Renaissance, then picked up four (!) more in the Modern Era, for a total of ten cities. That's a lot of beakers. I think I actually should have gone for an 11th city, but it can be hard to project whether you'll have the spare gold. I thought gold would be my main endgame constraint, but it turned out that I had enough that I could have bought some more science somehow.

Interesting things:
--I didn't take the specialist food tenet in Freedom. I'm not sure that's ever happened to me before. However, Austria's ability to add tons of extra population drove me to invest in another happiness policy instead. Who needs to grow when you can just buy entire cities?
--The AI was super into Sciences Funding. Three of them voted for it, which I don't think I've ever seen before. I was able to get that through on the second congress, which sort of (but not entirely) made up for missing both Pisa and Porcelain Tower.

Where did you get all that happiness? Did you not get ideological pressure for Order?

 

[gobbledydook]

Usually by taking loans, but this time I will spend money on RAs.

So far I'm not very impressed with Austria's UA in early and mid game (will see later); however I have very strong game, but obviously playing with map knowledge. Details later.

I took out loans this game too...usually, I don't have nearly enough GPT to borrow the thousands for those buildings.

 

[Amornthep]

First attempt last night was around T260+.
Strong start but had poor management in the mid game with happiness problems and what not. Culture output was also pretty slow.
Gonna give this another shot now that I have a better idea on how to manage with the UA.

 

[adcarrymaokai]

People seem to be marrying away and swim in happiness. I married 1 CS midgame, and my happiness dropped by 19.

 

[stormtrooper412]

I managed to marry a pair by turn 150. Happiness sunk like a stone once ideologies rolled in

 

[Manpanzee]

Where did you get all that happiness? Did you not get ideological pressure for Order?

I won World's Fair and maintained multiple cultural City-State allies for most of the game. If you generate enough culture you can avoid pressure. Winning before all the AIs have Ideology helps too, but probably is not incredibly useful advice.

 

[IronfighterXXX]

First part to 127T:

57T - 2 cities NC

73T - planted Graz on desert (later super production city; immediatly one and soon second food cargo ship)

76T - religion (SiP; tithe) - never enhanced - lack of good believes, too low faith output, lost Borobudur
- finished tradition

78T Oracle - opening patronage to scholasticism

95T - education

95T-108T signed 7 RAs!

108T - first GS (planted)

113T - tried to diplo-marry Hanoi- not worth (lack of tiles to work; tiles costed over 200 golds! - reload ); will try later

127T - secularism

I should have been annexing earlier. The screens warn of unhappiness, but the only difference I could tell between puppet/annex was prerequisites for National Wonders.

Puppets also don't increase social policies cost.

 

[Wild_Woojsha]

First part to 127T:

57T - 2 cities NC

73T - planted Graz on desert (later super production city; immediatly one and soon second food cargo ship)

76T - religion (SiP; tithe) - never enhanced - lack of good believes, too low faith output, lost Borobudur
- finished tradition

78T Oracle - opening patronage to scholasticism

95T - education

95T-108T signed 7 RAs!

108T - first GS (planted)

113T - tried to diplo-marry Hanoi- not worth (lack of tiles to work; tiles costed over 200 golds! - reload ); will try later

127T - secularism



Puppets also don't increase social policies cost.

I married Hanoi in my game around turn 120ish too (I really need to take better notes) and my happiness dropped from 16 to 0. I actually stopped growth for 8 turns so I could keep my rationalism bonus, Something I never do in a science game. I started growing again once I secured another trade luxury, but I haven't gotten back to double digit happiness yet to buy another one. I jumped from last in military to 3rd though, which is always good on Deity. Only problem was, my GPT dropped from 60 to 5 as well thanks to all of my units! It seems the Austrian UA makes for an even trade in the Medieval-Industrial era: Well Developed Cities and a Huge Unit increase for Piles of unhappiness and High Maintenance costs. Seriously though, -16 happiness with a Colosseum and circus in the city? What the heck?

 

[Manpanzee]

95T-108T signed 7 RAs!

Very nice looking opening. I agree that playing RA-heavy makes a lot of sense with Austria -- you really want to get to Ideology as fast as possible, and you can worry about expansion later. Expanding earlier doesn't actually help your pre-Industrial beakers much, but it does have the benefit of more Great Scientist points, and bulbs are obviously huge for the endgame. I'm interested to see how it turns out for you.

 

[IronfighterXXX]

continued:

133T public schools (no GS bulb thanks to RAs)

136T LtoP

140T Oxford - radio (modern era) - chose order to save gold for CS in late game

149T PT

161T plastic (again no GS bulb)

Next I won WF and secure key policies - it was time to marry CSs:

171-2 Florence (highest science); Wellington (for sea trade routes)

That was all, I didn't secure happiness to buy more CSs what clearly was mistake - Austria's UA really shine in late game as a giver 'free' science. Only near end bought one more - just for one more point

I'm interested to see how it turns out for you.

I think if you settled capital on this mountain - coastal spot you would beat my time.

I was lacking one GS to finish sub 200T (should bought one CS early), or should bought more CSs later (failed to secure hapiness)

Points:
A)b-5p;B)d-3p;C)-3p;D)-3p;E)-2p = 16p not 18p as I wrote in title

 

[adcarrymaokai]

57T - 2 cities NC

Do you record your games? I must be doing something horribly wrong because I settled the same city spots but got to NC some turns later, and I purchased a settler, meaning I never stopped growing Vienna. I did not have any allies to marry (were they bought with the gold from quickly improved salts?).

Also, that third city spot was already taken by Ghandi by t57.

 

[stormtrooper412]

You guys are something else :bowing:

 

[Babinski]

Great games IronFighterXXX and Manpanzee!

How much do you prioritize growth vs money for RA:s? If you are able to buy a lux for 9 gpt, sitting on 2 happiness now, but not having money for one more RA. Would you buy it? How much is 4 pop worth in science. Equal to one RA? In this example, lets say all your scientist slots are allready filled in all your cities.

I am on t157 myself, just slightly behind Irons plastics t161. But I do have 5 cities, rdy to bye my sixth. Focusing on gathering happiness through buying available lux, idiology policies and building zoos etc. Will not have money for the final wave of RA.s though :/, not sure thats the way to go?

 

[Shark Diver]

Spoiler :

First entry for me on this Community Deity Game thingy. I like the idea.

Settled on the hill/mountain/river to the West and sent Warrior Southwest where he came back with 3 workers by t30 (1 that Sweden sent wondering, 1 from barb camp near Hanoi and one from a CS).

I had read a couple of write-ups before deciding to play so know I'd have to suicide to get a religion. Opened Tradition then a couple in Piety. Got Desert Folklore and founded the holy order of Shark Diving for 5th religion on t60 (Got +1 happiness from Shrines and +1 food from shrines and temples). India lent me their religion for a couple of Pagodas before I solidified my religion and that extra happiness was a saving grace.

I annexed Hannoi on t98 and the city was loaded. First time I've done an early annex as Austria and I found it pretty powerful. I hard built Petra t73 and Oracle.





NC was t102 and Education was a bit slow (t110) as I had detoured for Petra. After founding 5th city t115, it was pretty much just a turtle job as I never fired another shot in anger. This was the friendliest freakin pangea I've ever seen (until ideologies) and late round of denouncements was about as angry as it got. I had at least 15 RA's during mid-game.

I did get beat out for both SC and PT which slowed finishing time down quite a bit. I didn't get to propose WF until 3rd go-round, and won it easily while still having time for a silver in concurrent IG. I finished Tradition relatively early but mis-timed Rationalism (which cost me PT). I finished 7 in Liberty, opened Commerce for Big Ben and 1 tenant shy of Reforming my religion. Annexed 2nd CS Byblos on final turn just for the extra point. I had plenty of gold and could have grabbed another 1-2 diplo marriages, but happiness was a struggle throughout the late game......manageable, but no extra smilies to spare. Coffee Houses in all cities accomplished early and it's a pretty good UB. I never upgraded a single unit after Renaissance, so didn't even bother with Hussars.

When I annexed Hanoi, I got 5 triremes. I was half-temped to send them around the cape to steal an India city but deleted 3 of them instead (It would have been more fun to push the action). Only capital lost all game was Amsterdam on the 2nd to last turn. Freedom was definitely the right choice as 2nd Ideology. I ended up with only 1 ally and built a couple of late Wonders just for giggles.




Fun game. Thanks.

 

[IronfighterXXX]

Do you record your games? I must be doing something horribly wrong because I settled the same city spots but got to NC some turns later, and I purchased a settler, meaning I never stopped growing Vienna. I did not have any allies to marry (were they bought with the gold from quickly improved salts?)

No, I play usually at work, so don't have possibility to record games. I started from building library in expo and set city to production focus to get extra hammers each time new citizen was born (but obviously lock food tiles).

I allied CSs in late game after plastic and WF.

Also, that third city spot was already taken by Ghandi by t57.

Welcome to randomness! If it happened in my game I would marry Hanoi or Wellington probably (with gold spent on RAs).

Great games IronFighterXXX and Manpanzee!

How much do you prioritize growth vs money for RA:s?

Well, you have to have both - growth and RAs

Early RA gives about 1-2 turns of science; with PT about 2-2,5; I didn't have third wave of RAs - another mistake with PT+rationalism policy they should be quite powerful.

Focusing on gathering happiness through buying available lux, idiology policies and building zoos etc.

Yes, I think it's good idea; I'll write more in mini Austria deity SV guide later

 

[phillipwyllie]

Where did you get all that happiness? Did you not get ideological pressure for Order?

He went wide and not tall. Also victory was quick.

 

[Manpanzee]

I actually didn't sign a single RA in my game. I do like taking an early wave of them sometimes, but later on they seem less exciting as the gap between player beakers and AI beakers gets wider. And there are just so many other things to spend gold on.

My main gold priority for the midgame is city-states. They're just generally a really good investment, and are one of the key ways to get happiness. Anytime I get an "x seeks investors" quest for a non-militaristic CS, I'll probably put 500 gold in. Generally you'll pick up an extra lux. If you don't need the happiness immediately (or if it's a duplicate lux), you can sell one of your existing luxes, making the net cost more like 260 gold. Then 30 turns later you get your luxury back and you're still up like 40 influence with the CS. The math just works out nicely for long-term empire building.

In my game, I got a quest for a Mercantile CS around t50, and that really carried my gold and happiness a long way -- you can sell TWO luxes, be immediately up 3 happiness for 20 gold, and in 30 turns you'll end up with 11 extra happiness.

I do a little bit of rush-buying in the pre-Industrial period, but that's mostly focused on helping out cities that have weak hammers or are otherwise behind (e.g., I bought a Workshop in Delhi). I don't rush Universities very often. I also buy spare luxes almost always when the AI makes them available.

With regard to late-game happiness, the Freedom tenets are simply ridiculous. In particular, Universal Suffrage is worth 4-6 happiness per city. A married CS in the late game will generally come with a Coliseum and Zoo already present, and Freedom also gives happiness from Banks, Mints, and Stock Exchanges. Add it all up and a 14-pop city only costs around 6-7 happiness.

 

[IronfighterXXX]

I actually didn't sign a single RA in my game. I do like taking an early wave of them sometimes, but later on they seem less exciting as the gap between player beakers and AI beakers gets wider. And there are just so many other things to spend gold on.

I used to think like that, but now I more in favour of them.

I had two waves of RAs:

95-108 - finished 125-138 gave me about 1-2 turns of current science (and allowed early public schools without bulb)

126-140 - finished 156-170 (with PT) gave me about 2-2,5 turns of current science (and allowed plastic without bulb)

If I had third wave ~157-165 (for ~187-195 finish) I would finish for sure sub 200T (esp that would be with PT and rationalism policy, so even with science gap still should give me sth)

 

[Babinski]

Thank you for your replies, Manpanzee and Iron.

My game went berserk unfortunatly .

I went on, marrying CS:s, and had bought 6 of them when Sweden backstabbed me. Up until this moment I had a good game with Education t95, ST on t134 plastics on t166.

After 10 turns I had only 3 friends left and even if I managed to make peace with Sweden after 5 turns, my happiness sank coz I didn't get the luxes anymore from, nowdays, hostile neighbours. Minus 20 became minus 29 now . Salzburg revolted. Bad happened everywhere. Guess thats the drawback beeing too agressive with the CS marrying. Lesson learned.

Upon this, I managed to forget to participate in International Games. With everything rdy at t215 mark, I still hadn't final idiology policy. Would have been 20+ until finished game, IF I could keep cities from revolting that is .

Really fun game nontheless! And nice games to all of you who completed!