Many Leaders Game 5 - One City Challenge

Let's pick up where we left of, I have two religions, hinduism and Judaism, I have stonehenge to get two Gprohets to make shrines because apparently 1 shrine pays for your maintenance and unit upkeep through the entire game. I will also attempt to get Civil Service through oracle.

Turn 2: Border Pop

Turn 3: I pop a quechua in a hut.
Turn 5: AH in, start
Turn 37: Yah long time before i get to report something...
Meet gilgamesh. Barbarian uprising great wall has already been built in distant land start making quechuas.
Turn 45: Pyramids built in distant land. Great Spy born in distant land.
Turn 46: Gil starts a golden age. Guess who got the GW?
Turn 50:

And i build the oracle but Annoyingly, i can't bulb Civil service... I take Mathematics and find out that i needed mathematics for civil service...

Let's recap this round: I failed to get civil service through oracle, I found Confucism, i get the Kishi Vishwanath, and lose the Pyramids and the Great Wall. This makes me want to restart the round


http://forums.civfanatics.com/uploads/108694/Huayna_Capac_BC-0375.CivBeyondSwordSave

I see one huge flaw in your scheme. Yes, a shrine does a very good job of paying for maintenance/army in a PEACEFUL game. However, in this game, do you really want to spend all those turns and hammers to produce a plethora of missionaries for cities that you will eventually raze?

According to this post, haven't you already completed the game? As such, is it fair for you to play again in the "competitive arena", so to say? Or are you playing as another shadow for amusement purposes?

Aye, aye.

I'm too much influencable (don't know if the word exists in english ).
Remember my plan ?
I was going for early Oracle, MC-slingshot, and early settled prophet ? You recall now?
Well, it's history!

When I have seen all of you (well, not all, but still a considerable number) going banana early Bureaucracy, I decided I must try it or die doing it

Side note - I have seen you going in the 1st post - have resisted to the tempatation of reading ahead your 2nd round reports.

So, time to delay the Oracle and go for CS-Slingshot
Problem, I am in the middle of no-where.

Pottery is due in 4, I would like to have Masonry for the pointy Mids (must build something before the CS time arrives), then I have to self-research Writing, Maths and CoL.
Pretty challanging ain't it ? But, no glory without a pain.

51
We are the 3rd most advanced (we should be first anytime soon)

54
Pottery - Masonry
Oracle delayed (1 turn left) - Granary

57
Granary - Barracks
The worker is cottaging FP left - we will need every single coin.

60
Scout dies IDL, ending his turn next to a barb warrior with 0,4 health left
Masonry - Writing
Barracks delayes (2 turns left) - Starting the Mids

67
Writing - Maths
I am starting to wonder if I have all my head to try this Sling
Maths is due in 15+ turns...
Open Buddy with everyone (come and see my mighty ressourceless empire defended by archers )

74
GW BIDL - Sumer

84
Cottages grow painfully, Mids are coming slowly and the Maths checks in (at last...)
Start CoL (due in 18, hopefully will be speeded up a little once the Mids are done)
Monty founds Juda and adopts OR.

89


A picture is worth... bla bla bla.
GProphet is born and merged.

Revolting to Representation.

91
Barracks finished, start a library.
Switch the city into all-food setup

93
Whip library for 3 pop, downsizing the city to 4... Hard times but I'm determined to achieve this crazy gamble!!!

94
Lib - Archer
Hire 2 scientists (+6 beakers/each rocks!) and put three hamlets online
CoL due in 5...
During the MLG4 I already ate every single finger nail.
Well, they have grown since then but don't exist any longer, as well as the fingers themselves. Never delayed the Oracle that late (wouldn't do if there where Ind AIs or famous wonder-hogs agains us)...

97
Archer in the city, start another one.

98
CoL due in one and the Oracle is still there! I did it!

99
CoL in, start AH to get these mined piggies that helped me well when I was going for the Mids
Confu founded in, well, Bismydorf (remember, it's size 5...)
Oracle in, and we can do this screen (which I'm sure is already there in several of your reports):



Ouf... Now we can breathe

100
Bureaucracy & Representation, a very nice early config.
The city is set up to the full-growth mode until the happy cap, then Rep-powered scientists for research and an academy.
Will build some wonders and defend myself better. Maybe I'll build the Wall to get my power up. Soon it will be hard to compete with Monty and Gilgi...
Research plans - AH - Alpha - Aesth - Literature - MC. Trade for everything else.

Here is the final shot of the city :



In conclusion it was a very very intensive waiting for the shot but I'm glad I did it.

Time to defend myself better, I think the next set is going to be tough.

my tech path was AH - masonry (for pyramids) - Math (for Hanging Gardens) - myst - poly - priest - iron working - HR ( i might change this)

as i said nothing really happened until the last of my neighbours showed up



and just to prove that everybody gets the same luck as Oz my event note that the extra food increased my pop and made kyoto unhappy



Ragnar decided he didn't like asoka in 625 and declared war.

i built the pyramids in 600BC. Didn't get a piccie but i'm sure everyone has seen them

and finally my city state of the Invicible Overlord



I'm at a bit of a quandry as to where to go now, i'm going to have to research CS but i'd also like to get to music first to pop the artist and bring the iron into my borders, not forgeting of course to keep building my military and keeping the neighbours happy.

When we last saw our intrepid hero, he was 13 turns away from completing the Pyramids. The great city of Thebes was size 5, while sitting at the health and happiness caps. Research of Pottery, still 2 turns away, was being undertaken for a CS slingshot.

We quickly meet another civ, as Stonehenge is built in a far away land.



As the first cottage is completed, my Scout meets up with a wandering Scout belonging to this fine fellow:



And then we complete the first leg of our plan to conquer the world:



Quickly revolt to Representation for the extra 3 happy faces. A Granary is for 2 pop and the city is set for max growth. Food uber alles! The city next begins building a Library ... 1 hammer at a time. It speeds up once the city gets back to size 5 a couple of turns later.

In 1240BC, the Great Wall is built in a far away land, just as my Scout runs out of movement next to a barb Warrior. Ouch. I didn't particularly want to lose either of them, to be honest.

And then the war horns sounded! After putting on some clean shorts, it turns out Ragnar has declared on Asoka. Pheww!



Hopefully I will be able to pickup some diplo points with Ragnar out of this one. But, I really don't want the war to go on for too long. Ragnar could end up getting way too powerful with Asoka's land under his control.

After the Library completed, I hired 2 Scientists and began work on the Oracle.



And I must say I wasn't expecting this demand ... well I was, just not from Gilgamesh. My open borders with Asoka are, of course, toast as I accept the demand.



As a result of hiring those 2 Scientists, my almost certain odds of popping a Great Engineer resulted in a Great Scientist. I had planned on saving the GE to rush the Great Library. Now it looks like I'll have to build it by hand, but I do get an Academy earlier than planned.



And with an Academy now in place, I fired the 2 Scientists to speed up the Oracle. Founded Confucianism and took Civil Service on the same turn. Leg 2 of the plan to conquer the world is now complete!



I then decided to set the city on high production. With a couple of barb Warriors outside my borders, I needed to get me some defense. My Confucian Missionary headed off to the east in search of Gilgamesh's lands. He was the only civ without a religion and it would have been nice to convert him. Unfortunately, my Missionary ran smack into a barb Warrior instead. Oh well ... at the same time, I notice that Monty has a Buddhist Missionary headed my way. So it looks like I will be converting to Buddhism, instead.

After revolting to Buddhism and completing my 3^rd Archer, Ragnar asks for my help with Asoka ...



I had already decided to accept even though Asoka is much higher than me on the power graph. From what I can tell, his lands are no where near mine. Besides, I'm hoping he has his hands full with Ragnar and it will just be a phony war. And, of course, I'm now picking up diplo points with both Monty and Ragnar at this point. Asoka's not too friendly, though.

In response to my declaration of war, I promptly begin an Aqueduct. I've got time before starting the Great Library, so I might take a crack at the Hanging Gardens. The extra health would be nice, but also the GE points to complement my Pyramids.

And it was also at this time that I remembered that I forgot to revolt to Bureaucracy!

As bad luck events go, there are worse ... and I didn't really need the money anyway ...



And then on the last turn, an Indian Warrior shows up on my border. On the other side of the empire, I have a barb Warrior. Literature is due in 1 turn with 5 turns remaining on the Hanging Gardens. I'm still 15 turns away from popping a GE (and the pool is sufficiently polluted) that I'll probably just go ahead and build the Great Library by hand. And if I get lucky on the GE front, maybe I'll slot in the Parthenon.



I'll need to research Alphabet next, so that I can do some backfilling. And I'll probably revolt to Caste System after the GL is built so that I can start 'bulbing some techs. Oxford, here we come!

I got the Oracle and selected CoL as the free tech. Research set to masonry

After building a few archers it was time to build a library and the pyramids. I also had a lucky event, but without metals it is pretty worthless. While building the pyramids I researched Aestics and Mathematics to be able to build the aqueduct and the hanging gardens to deal with the unhealthiness problem. I got and settled a GP.

In 800 I got the pyramids and changed civics. I also took care of a barbarian uprising without loses.

In 700 I met Ragnar, the last of the neighbours. I got a GS who build an academy, and I started researching CS. Once the hanging gardens are built I will assign a few science specialists to get CS faster. I also hope someone will get Alphabet so that I can get some trade for some techs I skipped (AH, BW etc.).

Right into the game Gilgamesh settles ON the Iron in the East. Nice. How on earth shall I get it now ?



Unfortunately Buddhism didn't spread to my city. Sure enough this follows:



I had known it would come as my power ratio dropped below 0.5. Still, I will go down the ropes enlightened:



You gotta love the AI. I never get those results when attacking Archers on a hill...



The RNGod sees it too and sends me a verry low odds GP I use for the Shrine (you can also see Monty's Army marching in):



Monty decides to suicide his stack against my CG II Archers. This earns my a GG and opens the Heroic Epic.



I then got a GS and built the Academy, speeding up CS significantly.



Seems I'm not the only one in trouble...



At least I'm advanced...



The situation at the end of my turns:



I'll have to give up 2 techs for peace to survive. There is no alternative to that as Monty now fields Catapults. I then have 10 turns to go yet for the Great Library. Globe and Heroic Epic will follow after that.

As I see it the game is unwinnable for all those that settled far from Iron or Copper. There is no way I can see which would stop Monty coming again after 10 turns of peace...

Imhotep

If I spent some more time MMing and being nit-picky about everything, I would probably stand a good chance to get Rifling before anyone else, but I would drive myself insane if I did. Short turns it is!

So I finished the Hanging Gardens:



And pulled off the CS Slingshot:







And just to make things perfect, I got my GE:



Before using it to build the Great Library, I built this:



The plan comes together perfectly:



The only problem? My GP pool is horribly polluted.

A nice event:



The same event?



A bug?



The Parthenon:



Okaaay...



In this turnset alone, I got a GE (Great Library), a GP (settled), a GP (settled) a GA (Music, bombed), a GA (Golden Age), a GS (FINALLY! Academy)

Research: CoL, Civil Service (Oracle), Aesthetics, Literature, Drama, Music, IW, Alphabet, Metal Casting, Meditation, Construction, Paper (incomplete)

Stalingrad built both the National Epic and Globe Theatre. Unhealthiness is still annoying.

http://forums.civfanatics.com/uploads/96336/Stalin_AD-0800.CivBeyondSwordSave

Well the plan is to keep teching towards taking Rifling from Liberalism, hopefully being able to trade for Feudalism and Construction along the way.

Want to build Pyramids, Great Library and Hanging Gardens. Worried about Pyramids after tlo lost it, so an engineer is employed to shave a turn of the build (6 --> 5).

In fact to try and ensure I can trade for Feudalism I trade Gilgamesh Monarchy for Meditation and change.

My research path will be Machinery, Paper, Education, Printing Press for this set (hopefully).

Luckily I get the 'mids.



First Great Person is a Scientist. Academy please.



Great Library built.

Next Great Person is an Engineer, Hanging Gardens please.



With that built I am at my happiness limit, so sneak in an archer and seowan and then I'll get around to building a theatre and globe.

I research Gunpowder as I realise all 3 AI have enough on their hands.

Never felt better about giving into an AI demand. Gives me 10 turns peace.



I found Taoism last turn.



Gilgamesh still has enough on his hands but no stack in sight. My first musket appears next turn and I already have a Hwacha. The emergency military build has meant that I still have no theatre and Globe.

Monty has Feudalism but won't give it up. I'm researching Liberalism until 1 turn but then I need Feudalism, Banking and Replaceable Parts before I can start some Rifle fun. Actually I think I probably need to spend the 3 turns on Feudalism first to upgrade all my archers to longbows as a discouragement to war.

The iron and horses actually come under my control in 17, so can have cavalry and cannons down the track as well.



Research: Meditation (trade), Machinery, Paper, Education, Fishing (trade) Printing Press, Gunpowder, Construction, Philosophy

It is bad luck Gilgamesh settling the iron and Monty declaring but not hopeless. Without metals you just need to focus on getting resourceless units. You have catapults already, you need to focus on getting longbows and muskets and then rifles before the AI.

Nothing happened of importance this round. Monty and Ragnar stayed at war with Asoka...so, I did the same and by the end of this round, I was +9 with Monty and +7 with Ragnar. Gilly, on the other hand could be trouble. He build the Schwingdingdagon Paya and has gone into free religion. I might try to bribe Monty next round into a war with Gilly.

My research was:
Drama
Paper
Education
Construcion..traded
Monarchy...traded

I built Pyramids
Hanging Gardens
Forge
University
Theatre
Globe Theatre
Temple
Monastary

Im 3 turns from gunpowder where ill at least feel safe for awhile. I cant decide where to go from here. It depends what gilly does as i dont think monty will attack at a +7...will he? I dont have Literature yet and may just avoid it alltogether. I had a fire destroy my theatre...cant seem to get good events like gems popping on my mines.



http://forums.civfanatics.com/uploads/97311/Shaka_AD-0800.CivBeyondSwordSave

You guys have done a great job! most of you got the mids and the Oracle Civil Service Slingshot right your games seem to be going pretty good. And Oz, congrats on getting the mids!

At the start of this set, I am 1 turn from completing Literature and 5 turns from building the Hanging Gardens. I had accepted Ragnar's request to join him in a war against Asoka. I had intended for this to be a phony war. But now I have an Indian Warrior about to enter my lands. My entire army (both Archers ) are on the opposite side of my "empire".

Now, this Warrior is no threat to my city; but with only one Worker, I'd rather not have any of my improvements pillaged. Unfortunately, my Archers will not be able to intercept the Warrior before he can start pillaging. Thus, I decide to put the HG on hold and crank out another Archer.

After Literature came in, I began researching Alphabet. Ragnar didn't like me enough to want to do any trading. I couldn't trade with Asoka, as we were at war. That left Gilgamesh and Montezuma. And unfortunately, I notice that Montezuma has "his hands full" at the moment. My guess is that means me!



I get a real good price from Gilgamesh on Code of Laws. I especially wanted Animal Husbandry so that I could connect up the cows. Unfortunately, I had to take the shaft with Montezuma. He had a monopoly on Monarchy and Monotheism. I needed the extra winery happiness for when the HG was completed. And Organized Religion is just what a wonder hog needs. With the extra happiness and the OR boost, I decided to put the GL on hold while I completed the HG.



I fired my scientists (I still wanted my GE) and set research to Paper. I plan on 'bulbing Education when I get another Great Scientist.



I make peace with Asoka ... with Monty's stack approaching my borders ... The GL goes on hold (again!) to hastily construct a Barracks. I'm going to need lots of Archers, me thinks.



And then I was shocked ... then amazed ... and finally relief. Monty's stack entered my borders. He's just crossing my land to get to someone else!


More bad news: a slave revolt in Thebes ...



And even more bad news: Gilgamesh founds a city on top of my iron. Hopefully Monty will declare soon so that the city autorazes! Sadly it was not to be, thanks to Sumeria's creative trait. I guess I could still hope that Monty will just raze it.



I finally complete my wonder trifecta ...



And my long lost Great Engineer is finally born ...



Built for me by none other than Henry Ford, himself. I revolt to Caste System and hire a bunch of scientists. My next GS is in 6 turns, and my research of Paper is already complete! :coool:

After Paper, I researched Music for the free Great Artist. I had originally intended to culture bomb him to pick up the horses and elephants. But with Gilgamesh's city popping its borders, it looks like the elephants may no longer be available. I think long and hard on whether to settle the GA or not. In the end, I decide to go for the culture bomb. Having the horses will allow me to crank out my UU War Chariots for some badly needed defenses.

And then Montezuma finally decides to declare war ... but not on Gilgamesh. He declares on Asoka.



At this point, everybody but Asoka has converted to Buddhism. While waiting for my horses to get connected, I decide to build a Buddhist Temple, on the off chance that someone will build the Apostolic Palace. Later when Christianity was founded and Monty revolted to Theocracy, I figured it wouldn't be long.

I get my Great Scientist and lightbulb Education, as planned. I fire all of my scientists as I go back into builder mode for a University, followed by Oxford University. Research is set to Gunpowder.

And then more bad luck ... At this point, I'm starting to wonder if my save has the "only bad random events" box checked!



I decide to alter my strategy. With the whole world being Buddhist, I could easily end up losing this game to an AP election. So, I decide to put the research of Gunpowder on hold and start on Theology. The idea is to try and beat Montezuma to the Apostolic Palace. But instead of Buddhism, make it Confucian. My plan would be helped along when another Great Engineer was born.

When Theology is completed, I burn my latest GE and revolt to Confucianism. For the next 5 turns, I will be universally hated!



While I was still a Confucianist, Ragnar approached me about rejoining the Indian war. Hard to believe that it was still going on after all of this time.



I accepted, to gain the mutual struggle points with him and Monty. Unfortunately, Monty made peace with Asoka, shortly thereafter.

I revolted back to Buddhism as quickly as possible. Although, it may have been too late. During those 5 turns, Gilgamesh decided that he "had enough on his hands" at the moment.

I completed Oxford University on the last turn. Gunpowder is due next turn, with Gilgamesh's troops massing on my borders. They've been sitting there for a couple of turns, so I'm pretty sure I'm the one he is coming after.



I firmly believe that building the AP was the right thing to do. Even if it is putting me into a war sooner than I would have liked ...