Many Leaders Game 5 - One City Challenge

I had played a LONG time ago, but I couldn't find the time and discipline to sit down and put together a report.

I'm not sure if I mentioned it last report (I don't recall it), but Ragnar killed off Asoka.

A somewhat useless event:


For the fifth (sixth?) time:


For the sixth (seventh?) time:


The AIs are keeping themselves busy:




And thats pretty much all I have to say. I'm still building up towards Rifling, which I am very close to.

http://forums.civfanatics.com/uploads/96336/Stalin_AD-1400.CivBeyondSwordSave

Episode 5: The Enemies of England​

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Last time, on the Epics of Elizabeth of England, we see the English retaliated and send a brunch of their specialized redcoats to pay Gilgamesh a visit. The rampage continues on:


The forces I bring it doesn't seems enough. Hmm ... but don't worry, more is coming your way, Gilgamesh!


Meanwhile, I realized that Physics requires Astronomy ... hmm ... which mean compass and optics as well. Alright, I decided not to delay further and get biology instead:


In preparation for that, I also got CoL from Monty. The idea was to revolt to Caste the same time as I revolt to Free Religion.


But, I did not. I go Serfdom instead. Why? Because my workers are building the nature reserves. I want these up as soon as possible. In addition, I still have empty scientist and merchant slots available. I am also building the National Park as the final national wonder. I had the good fortune to see a forest growth in my BFC during the last round, so I should be able to get 4 free specialists., which is huge with a philosophical leader. Plus, the removal of population unhealthiness would spring London into another baby bloom. Ofcourse, extra food from the Economy's free merchant will help too:


Meanwhile, the troops keep reporting success:


The last battle also gave me the opportunity to build a military academy. Sweet!!! I no longer need to build one read coat and one catapult in succession to keep units pumping out of London every turn.

With the nature reserves all up, I decided to add one more free specialist into the mix:


I had also gotten some events:


The first one was useless ... theology??? Hmm ...
The second one was simply a nuisance, I have more than enough money for the random spirits to burn a lot more mines.
The third one was sweet! Heh, I got a tundra artists as well!!! (adapting from Cabledawg's words, "suck that, lucky boy of Oz!")
The forth one is another useless but humorous event. Running with the bulls event happening on the cow pasture?
Another interesting thing Monty and I are the only buddhist. As I always abstained, he literally voted himself in as the head monk every time.

And then ... the war takes a sudden turn.

You see, I have razed Gilgamesh down to a final city, and then Mr My-Hair-is-Longer-Than-Yours must settle exactly on the same spot. This had Elizabeth fuming. "Fine, Asoka. You are next in line anyway after Gilgamesh officially bite the dust. Just bringing forward the schedule a bit."


And thus Asoka got declared on by England a second time. Except that this time it is no phony war, and you won't be able to buy yourself peace with a mere 100 gold. You will have to become as bald as Gandhi to be eligible for an audience with Elizabeth. (She is attracted to bald man, you know. But since Churchill did not appear until 1930s, she died a virgin ... but that is another story).

One more reason for declaring on Aoska is he is currently the only one enjoying peace. Ragnar and Monty had been exchanging cities throughout all these time while my army are screwing around with Gilgamesh's. We can't have Asoka growing strong in peace, can we?

Let Gilgamesh be the foretold of what's to come for you, Asoka!




Let's take a break from these merciless massacre and review the tech a bit. I have been largely flip-flopping between tech paths, unable to make up my mind, after getting Biology. On one hand I wanted Artillery. On the other, I wanted Cavalries. I though cavalries are easier, so went ahead with Military Science (the good thing is it also enables Mil. Academy). To my surprise, no cavalries. Ah ... I keep having the misconception that they shifted cavalries' requisite from Military Tradition to Military Science. Hmm ... so I went ahead to get Music, and then decide that Astronomy and Physics first might be better (since observatories boost science rate), so I switched to Physics again. Somewhere along that line, I decide to grab the Economy's free merchant ... heh, Elizabeth is flirting around different scientists ...

Anyway, at the end, I got both Artillery and Cavalry tech. Heading towards Assembly lines now.

Meanwhile, on the western side of London, Ragnar made numerous demands on Elizabeth, wanting her to join the war against and Monty, or demanding that she cancel deals with Aztec. All promptly rejected until the last one, where Elizabeth upon considering the vast land and pastures to the east where the buffalo roams and the deer and the antelope plays, agreed to cancel deals with Monty.


Since London's influential culture spans across from the bottom edge of the world to the middle sea (... but not the iron, arrgh!!!! ...), Monty won't be able to spawn cities there as easily.

Sound like a good plan, eh?

Until ...


Which caught me totally off guard. In one sweep, the Aztec took all my 3 workers (damned, remember the massacre after Gilgamesh's demise? serve me right!), and killed my longbows and warrior (serve me right with my complacency again! should had upgraded them ages ago!!) at the western forts.

Hmm ... one more enemy of England had emerged. Did he chose unwisely?

The basic plan


Random information


FULL VERSION

Looking good for your 5th turnset. Great razing. Might be because for your two-sided war, you did razed a lot more cities than I do (but I am gonna catch up in roudn 6, now that I have a two-sided war as well).

The monty's uprising is funny ... what's the point of spawning exploeres???

For some reasons you chose to go infantry first. Interesting. I would think rifles would suffice and instead a better siege would be necessary. But you do have a better siege with the Hwachas.

Interesting decision again to burn the merchant for money instead of settling. You were already at 330@+16 before you burn him. From your later screenshots (with money over 1600) you doesn't seems to need the money for upgrades. So I presume you are worried abt troop maintenance once they leave your one-city. But chances are pillage money should be able to fund all that. So, IMVHO, the merchant should be merged to give you the extra precious one food. Food is everything in an OCC.

It is always a gambit with moving settler around. Even with OCC, I usually prefer to settle within 2 turns. Your current position would later reveal to contain horses, which would be interesting to see how you use it. But I think the site you settled is not one of the better choice, even though you do have more forests and hills, but you do waste border pops later on in the south (as you have noted).

The gems pop is good for you, adding the needed early commerce. Speaking of which, it's good that you decided to go SE, but with so many floodplains, I would have added one or two cottages pre-Globe to add the needed commerce (which explains why in post-AD you are still second to Monty). That's because the happy limit is gonna cap your ability to add specialist, better to have some commerce first. Since you are non-Finiancial, you can later convert the cottages back to farm once you get Globe. For myself, being Finiancial, it is slightly more profitable to keep the matured towns.

But then, curious why you wanted to go all priest instead of scientist? For the hammers? That is going to hurt your science rate abit. I am pleasantly amazed you did pull off a Rifling slingshot. But then I see Iron working after Education That is a rare sight ... did you six-sensed a lack of metals? But your porduction capabilities is impressive, no doubt a result of your emphasis on hammers (priest specialists, hills, leeves)

It is actually a good thing that Monty declared on you early, because you have the GWalls. These give you double GG points, which you had made good use of! Nice razing by the 5th turnset!

Another aclaimed OCC'er. It will be interesting to see how you made use of a non-traditional leader of OCC.

An oracle-fishing sling!!? That must be a first!

Suprised you go into slavery so late. Because of the anarchy? I usually go whip-happy very early, to get the 2nd worker, grananry, barracks and all that for overflow hammers since the early happy cap coupled with OCC-style focus on food would mean hitting the happy limit very early. IMVHO, better to whip than to stagnate.

I knew you would go for Biology slingshot. That is one very strong move, especially since you have an amazing luck with forest growth. I have waited quite a bit and only managed to get one within my BFC (quite a few outside though). Also great news getting that coal pop! I am still waiting (in vain) for my own pop (with my luck, probably useless sliver or gems).

I am worried for you with all those trading with Monty. He is getting quite strong, which might present as a problem later on.

BTW, might it not be better to edit your post on page 1 to contain the index of links instead? Most players' links are there, so it is easier for people like me to locate your index.

Yet Another Wine Settler. That seems to be the most popular choice. Nice early CS-slingshot, and a hog of wonders. You really made the industrious leader proud

Interesting development you got there, with the mess of enemies and friends. Personally I find it difficult to rely on diplomatic avenues (especially hoping to get something like iron), thus I usually shun diplomacy (which explains why I sucked at diplomacy and shunned it even further, and sucked even worst ... in a viscous cycle).

Hmm ... you settled on the same spot as TrivialAI. Nice good production site, but the border pop waste is going to create rooms for AI to settle on the north.

However, abit dubious to get the shrine built in an OCC, especially since this game is aiming for conquest. Too bad about the Oracle sling, but why mathematics? wouldn't metal-casting be better? Anyway, when I build the oracle or go liberalism, I always clik away the research bar to check if I can slingshot for the tech I intend to grab. Maybe you should try that, if you are like me who can't seems to keep track of all the changes they made on the tech tree by the numerous patches and extensions since Civ4 vanilla.

Too bad about the Monty's DoW. Extremely lucky with Viking's gift of iron (I think you are the only one with iron in this game so far). But I'm curious with your decision to take peace with Monty. I wouldn't. You are surviving, managed well in turning down the invaders. I would letr him continue to add GG points to you and accumulate WW for himself.

Ahh... its refreshing. A coastal site. That's gonna to be very interesting. I disagree strongly with those who say that coastal site is the worst possible OCC location.. They obviously have not played OCC that much. The harbor alone would be more than worth the lost of tiles.

I am actaully interested to see an early rush, but unless the rare opportunity arise, an early rush would usually hurt the OCC. There is a reason why the dominant strategy of OCC has been turtle first ... because (1) you need the turtle period to distance yourself from the AI and make full use of the advantages of OCC, and (2) you can't keep cities, so early rush has little advantages to offer, and will only divert your attention from the needed infrastructure to military.

really look forward to your round 4 report and see how the war goes.

Another unique starting location. The only one which settle on the hill. Wouldn't that waste hammer instead of getting more? Your pictures in the first post got my confused. Some other game perhaps?

Nice start with the pyramids and Hnaging Garden. I am surprised and curious why you said you won't make it to the CS-Slingshot. CoL is pretty easy to research, and since you are building the hanging gardens, you have maths.

Too bad abt the early war though .... your HA would be breadcumbs to the phants. But you receovered nicely, although TGLibrary was a bit late ... but as I keep saying lately, better late than never

Stalin was actually a very good choice for OCC. An early pyramids push is my style! Good technique of building to one turn of Oracle. And a nice portfolio of wonders you are getting. the SoZ is way underrated, and I am glad you build it. I am surprised to see not so many industrious players getting it. Sure, it pollutes the gene pool, but it is a very nice wonder to have in this game.

The number +8 food event is getting creepy though. Hell, at this rate, you dould change all the floodplains to workshops and still outgrow most of us!

Thanks for your great feedback. Highly appreciated

Well, as it is my very first OCC (on & offline ) I still learn a little bit. You're rigth about the +1 food - it would allow me to get one additionnal pop.
I think that it goes rather well, at least as for now. I don't know if the game is already in the bag - Monty is very high in the military tech tree and will get rifles anytime soon. I might as well go for the WW game

I'm pretty amazed the way some games are going - Oz and yours are the most brilliant exemples of how one should play an OCC game

Gilga piled on Asoka too: I had declared at Monty's behest.

Completed SoZ and Great Library, as well as Colossus. Asoka capitulated to Ragnar in 1070. No surprise there.

Completed Parthenon and NE. A GS in 1190 built an Academy. Notice Monty in WHEOOH in 1200 But in 1290 Raggy is the victim

A couple of Prophets get settled. Monty takes Birka and finds the time to found Taoism...

Having learn PP, I go for Guns as Gilga has some nasty looking stacks on my SW borders, as you can see:

i'd better learn to use the upload system correctley i've just done exactly the same thing again unique references are the way to go i think

As i said, accordign to the OCC experts, 1 shrine is enough to pay for your city maintenance, and unit upkeep cost for the entire game. I was thinking of giving that a try. I need to tech to rifling and start training an army before i can really deal with Monty. But he will go first.

Goal: train an army, kill everybody. Pretty simple right?
I notice it's turn 189.... i guess i missed 11 turns....
We began with some trades:


Birka captured by Monty,

Finished Music and i bulb drama. (globe)
Great Scientist born, make an acadamy.
National Epic built.
Nidoras captured by the Aztecs.
Another great scientist born. Bulb education. No need to waste 11 turns researching it.
Heroic Epic built.
Haithabu captured by aztecs.

That's what the aztecs wanted with the vikings...
MONTY IS THE FIRST TO LIBERALISM Is everythiong supposed to go wrong in my game!!!!!!!!!!
Asoka completes apolistic palace and makes it budhist. Thank god it's budhsit and not confusion.

Raganr is now a vassal of Montezuma. monte might as well have won this game already...
Great artist born. Golden age.
Complete the oxford university. Began researching chemistry. I think i'll have a grenadier army instead. Of course, Grenadiers is now in Military Science and not in Chemistry. Yay. Musket army it is.

AND monte declares war on me.... I give up...

look at that stack of experienced troops!!!

He's attacking across the river again... Wish me luck....


And of course more come!
Asoka declares war on me! like it'll matter.

And:

Well it's been fun playing my first OCC challenge.
I saw in the replay what happened:

Wow it happened twice! although it wouldn't have made much difference.
Well there's my problem:



That makes me feel SOOOO much better......

I already checked and Raggie is willing to sell the iron ( buttering AI sometimes works... ) but I haven't closed the deal yet ,because of 2 reasons:
-I don't need iron now ( but I will in a few turns )
-Ragnar has no astro and no OB with Gilga.... so when I Dow Monty the iron deal goes byebye......
That means that I only have a small window of iron trade before dowing monty and I'll be only able to get it again after raggie or I got astro.... This will be a problem for the future. this means artie beeline most surely ( like in Fox 9 )

I already checked and Raggie is willing to sell the iron ( buttering AI sometimes works... ) but I haven't closed the deal yet ,because of 2 reasons:
-I don't need iron now ( but I will in a few turns )
-Ragnar has no astro and no OB with Gilga.... so when I Dow Monty the iron deal goes byebye......
That means that I only have a small window of iron trade before dowing monty and I'll be only able to get it again after raggie or I got astro.... This will be a problem for the future. this means artie beeline most surely ( like in Fox 9 )

Click to expand...

Raggie had iron and copper for trade with me as well. He didn't think that anything was worth trading iron to me and for copper, i'd have to give him +25 gpt +all my resources for copper. Hope you get better luck on that part.

IIRC he wants something like 35 gpt for the iron.... IMHO I think that it worths every penny, but I'm not so sure if I can get enough Cuiraseers before the inevitable war with monty.... maybe a old fashioned cavalry rush will work better.

Bad luck We;; done though in playing it out to the bitter end.

That was one impressive stack Monty sent your way. What year was your glorius end (can't make it out as some screenies won't load and the one sthat do don't say)?