Round 3
I can't seem to get a day off work lately, especially those that I am supposed to be on paid vacation... whatever.
I don't have time to write a report, but here are the save and screenshots that should tell the tale well enough until I can squeeze enough time to write something.
Finally, here is the report!
Remember that part where I said I didn't expect everything to go according to plan but that maybe 50% would work? It didn't take long to go awry.
I got lucky however in this bad luck:
Adjustments according to the analysis were made in cities. Here you have Atlanta starting to generate scientist GPP and growing with the aid of Washington's second corn.
Here is New York which will get whatever GP to start a Golden Age. The Spy was the only available specialist at the time but the added EP points against Mansa will be useful when I go to war, hopefully.
F1 screenshot... not much to see but it's an example of timing.
On 125AD, Mehmed finally makes his late DoW.
This is my cue to start AI to AI wars and get this trade done.
One less worry. It's pricey but not having to watch out for Montezuma is priceless.
And again.
After whipping some more, it was time to start generating GPs as Liberalism was coming up fast.
The AP was built by HC as predicted (not a hard prediction granted). You can also see I'm still trying to outlast Mansa.
Starving New York on Merchants to get whatever GP I can... it ended up being a Merchant. Hurts bulbing one of those rather than doing a trade mission but... gotta do what one's gotta do.
Working towards a GS to bulb Education in Atlanta. I'm not starving the city yet as I'll wait to get the Golden Age bonus for that.
An example of trading away a resource that you don't need and the AI lacks.
Also as expected, Ragnar DoWs Mansa. At this point I'm pretty safe from MM despite having warriors for garrison and being next door to him.
New York, 1 turn before generating its GP. I starved 1 population point in order to get him 1 turn earlier.
When next Mansa sent troops in my territory, he was also willing to talk so I ended the war at a meager price... almost everyone knew Philosophy!
On the same turn my first Golden Age was started.
With all the Hindus busy at war, there was no harm in converting to Buddhism, only gain.
Pacifism!
Trade for Machinery.
My Great Scientist arrives just in time to bulb Education and not lose any beakers. I'm also working several Scientists in Boston to get as much GPP as I can but I'll still need some turns to get an Academy it seems.
I noticed Huayna was researching Education after I put some turns of research into Liberalism. I estimated his techrate being higher than mine and figured he'd get Liberalism in
at least 5 turns and took this trade.
5 turns later I am first to Liberalism, selecting Nationalism as freebie as everybody lacks it and it's on the way to Military Tradition.
I double-checked with Huayna and boy... the Education deal was almost very stupid.
Here's a look at the tech screen. I haven't backfilled the lower part yet but can do so pretty much at any time I wish. I'll hang onto Nationalism until I get a good start on the Taj Mahal.
Diplomacy... good enough with those where it matters.
Current wars. Couldn't be much better really. I might have to stop wars against Mansa if he starts getting into trouble... I really want his small empire as an expansion to my own.
Finally, a NOT-RESIZED look at the world, resource bubbles off to show frontiers better.
So far so good. I might have to pay some people to stay away from Mansa long enough for me to take his cities.
From here it's grow cities, build Buddhist buildings, forges, Barracks, Stables, 5~6 spies and then *Cuirassier while heading for Rifling.
After I get an Academy in Washington, further GPs will have 2 uses:
-save for Golden Age
-trade mission
As a result I would much prefer Merchants over anything else and should start getting a few Markets/Grocers up after the war to help in this area.
After I finish Mansa, I can turn on HC, who has arguably the best land or Mehmed who will be backwards and pretty big... I think it will depend mostly on what everyone does. If HC gets Rifling early, I'll turn on the Hindus. If he doesn't... it's a tough call and will depend on what the Hindus are doing war-wise.