Lonely Hearts Club, BtS Edition, Chapter XLVII: Asoka

1765 isn't terribly fast but i've seen you do quite a few much later ones. Get your micro in order and you'll tech faster. Getting lib on this map shouldn't be THAT hard...

My GG Medic Potential warrior, is playing with a bear, while trying to heal up.


1st moment of the Oracle was built in 1670 BC 1 turn after the Great wall was built. I'm still sweating on the great lighthouse.


I chopped out a forest for a farm, and another for a city site that was grown over.





Now to spam some settlers and workers. Fogbusting hasn't been done in full as yet, I want some points.


1440 BC I have to rush produce an acher, as a barb axeman has destroyed one of my fog busting warriors on a hill, again only 1 hit to 5


1390 BC Now a barb galley appears, and I have to switch to slavery and rush a galley defence.


I initially whipped Delhi down to 2 pop, to produce a Granary & a Library. Growing back the population I've built a worker and a settler. Now producing the 3rd work boat.





I've had forest grow over 2 fur plots, giving 2 hammer, 1 food and 4 commerce.


260 BC the Borders of a city popped and I was given METAL CASTING as a gift from the villagers. Pity I'd foolishly partly researched it. Oh yeah, the Statue of Zeus, was built before then as well


170 BC My first great person is born, a merchant, and I decide to move to settle him in my future capital, for which I'm now building a settler.


110 BC Toaism has just been founded, and no great Scientist bulb either..


270 AD, both the Great Library and the Great Artist from Music went in the same turn. I'm seriously stuffed all ready.


460 AD I just realized I forgot to settle the great Merchant


I decided to reload from Check point 1, I was just rushing through, with no real direction. I've had a think about what I was doing, and I need to go Monarchy/Col's first, not chase the Great Library or wonder down metal casting.

800 BC I adopt Hereditary rule, and now go for Col's, even thought the religion fell in the 1400's BC.


A much better effort, more workers, more cities, better all round. I have 1 Great Merchant, cooling his heals awaiting the building of my Capital city/wall street city 2 North of the gold, taking in 4 Elephants and cottages on grasslands, farms on the Floodplains for growth.





330 BC I adopt Caste System, a much better effort than previously, 4 cities, capital city set up and cottaging. I plan to run Scientists out of Delhi, Gold in Capital city, and spam settlers all over Island.


I'm now having trouble with Barb swordsman, 2 have been killed by my chariot, I'll need to mine that copper ASAP.


260 BC, I receive a great Scientist, whom I use for an Acadmeny in Delhi.


As of 150 BC I have the Herioc Epic unlocked due to a barb axeman, I have made this chariot a medic.


20 BC and the Great Library has just been built. NOT!!!!


855 AD A distant civilization is the first to circumnavigate the globe, and they didn't even stop in for a cup of CHA!!!! I'm rather disappointed


880 AD, I meet “Mr Circumnavigation, George Washington” himself. He can't tell a lie, and doesn't have Civil service either...





910 AD I have a massive Barbarian uprising, with Atila the hun and the 4 horsemen of the appocolyse, with either warriors or nobody in my cities, I'm in trouble. Quick switch back to slavery and whip some spears.


Of course, they beeline my capital, I have to whip a spearman there, along with the other cities on the route, they attack, 2 die, 2 retreat from my 1 I kill the remaining 2 horse archers with 2 spears. So ends the barbarians uprising.


975 AD I settle my last city, I'm doing MUCH MUCH BETTER. I'm usually still struggling with Currency or civil service now. How well remains to be seen. My economies crashed back to 30%, and I need to switch back to caste system again.





I take a break now, its 1:50 am, and I haven't seen my bed before 3 am all week, but I have a spare one right behind me if I care to look


I do a mass round of whipping, Market for 4 in Delhi, grow's like a weed anyway, +10 food, lighthouses, forges etc, await 1 turn for the whips to take effect, then switch to casted system. Georgie boy, has managed to pick up the 2 techs I had on him. I should just have off loaded them at the first opportunity.

Having played once I made some changes in my initial plans.
Instead of chasing the GLight I went Henge - Oracle in Delhi. Also, I settled the first prophet. Despite the fact that in 1200 BC I still had only two cities, this strong eco start (fishes, settled prophet, fur, gold, ivory) enabled a strong colonization around 800 BC. I was at 7 cities in 1AD and at the final cap, 9, shortly afterwards.

Religions: Buddha, missed Judaism slightly, Confu from Oracle & bulb Tao with my GLib Scientist. Spreaded them everywhere, shrined two of them (only had two more prophets, prioritizing GArtists), cathedraled my legend three (Delhi, Bombay - gold, ivory, FP & Varanasi - triple ivory, FP in the north on river). Hermitage went to the last one.

Got Liberalism and got Nationalism.
Once at Rifling I headed for a classical cultural ending - shut down the research, full culture, artist specs, build culture if not enough. Managed to get 3 GArtists which bombed the last city (Bombay), winning the almost achieved cultural victory from Mali (he was @42-48K for every city among the three legends of his, doing ~600 p/turn and has just got a GA).

As I said, not a brillant game, some sloppy gameplay, speedy ending - still I'm happy to have done it better than the first time
Never been dowed - managed to keep everyone pleased & friendly (easy to switch civics on demand when Spiritual

anyway, moving along, I adopt caste system, for research, no further whipping.


1005 AD I get a report on the LARGEST civilizations in the world and I'm No 4.





I settler my 12 city, as I've now fallen into -1 gold/turn anyway, and will need to drop the slider in 12 turns or now.


I drop the slider to 40%, 99 beaker/turn at 6 +ve. Building the Palace in Capital city to move capital, should free up gold, courthouses and such going up all over.


1030 AD I meet up with Pacal, the founder of Confucianism. He's immediately friendly with me. George it seems has built the Schewagon Pagoda, and is in free religion with 7 cities.





Nothing to trade if I could. I get a momentary glimpse into Georges research, he's going for Nationalism.


1035 AD Liberalism is discovered, so much for that race.


1140 AD I met up with Elizabeth, the discover of Liberalism, A cute little spitfire I'm sure she is.





George and Pacal, either both researched Education them selves, or traded for it, with Elizabeth. George looks like he's just built the Taj Mahal as well.


1175 AD Education is in, I received a great Scientist 1 turn before, I could bulb Philosophy, but I'll merge into Delhi instead for the beakers all game long, as I'm trying for a space race victory.


I alter research to Literature 1st, Polytheism, Aesthetics, Literature (15 turns total) then a Constitution beeline, or maybe Astronomy for trade purposes I want national epic 1st, along with the Heroic epic. As education is finished, I Queue Universities in 7 cities where available.


1200 AD I've had Judaism spread to me, and its Elizabeth who has Astronomy. I trade with her for the following.





Strange, Washington adopted Theocracy, but doesn't have a state religion, must have been a 'request' from another AI. Questions answered, he's adopted Islam, but isn't the founder.


Hinduism has also spread to Vijayanagara, and its the Apostolic Palace religion, this gets spread pronto, but not adopted.


1230 AD A big year in Isolation, 3 civilizations turn up at once. 1st one to front the palace doors was;





Immediately followed by, who's not a vassal





Last is our founder of Hinduism HERSELF





This prompts another flurry of Trading resources to boost my Science slider.





Leaving me with the following tech screen




Relations between them all, as Hammurabi seems to be in WHEOOHRN mode, I hope its not Immediately due to me.




I now move onto to Check point 3.

I'm able to jack up the science slider to 80% in the green, with the movement of my palace to Capital city and building of some more courthouses. I open borders with all and sundry, even though I won't benefit form the trade routes, I hope to get the +1 relations modifier.


1260 AD Mansu Masa, GIFTS me Compass at Pleased.. Thanks Mansa, I'm starting on harbours in all cities. Then its a beeline to Astronomy, Possible Liberalism 1st for the extra 10%


1270 AD Literature is in, and I decide to go Astronomy 1st, followed by Liberalism, as I'll benefit from the trade routes more then the 10% free religion bonus, as I'm in Paganism now, and plan to stay that way. If Hammurabi, has decided upon meeting me, that he want's to invade, nothing I can do there, I just hope its another civ that has antagonized him enough to warrant an attack. I'm in his favourate civic, open borders, and he's in Bureaucracy as well. Nothing more I can do.


1335 AD Hammurabi has declared war and its upon







I just realize now, that I was thinking of Beeline to gunpowder to trade it about, but I think I'd have been way too slow, I'm too far behind to catch up using that. I'm just have to go with Universities/Observatories trade routes, and use binary research to get a tradeable tech.


All are pleased now, so Its just a matter of keeping my head down, and RESEARCH RESEARCH.


1366 AD Mansa Masu, signed a defence pact with Elizabeth, but they both wouldn't sign one with me. So they have Military tradition out there.


Seems Mr Mansa Masu, had been a busy boy, he's actually like by the majority of AI's.





I've forgotten to trade off excess resources again for income, and having to raise the Cultural slider to 20% I've had to drop the science to 70% but still in green.


1462 AD Hatshepsut has just gifted me Music..Hmm how pathetic am I.


1482 AD Facism has just fallen, and I'm struggling with nationalism.
1526 AD I do a civics change into Organized religion, as I've spread Hinduism around, as its the Apostolic palace religion, and I'm just building buildings all over, most are at pleased, with only Washington at Cautious, due to a refusal to help in war.


I also realize this turn, that I need to discover the foreign lands, to gain the trading bonus with them so I up grade two Trireme's that I had, and try to trade maps. No one will trade maps with me, not afraid to ask all the time, so I have to go discover them.


I don't know if it was discovering one of their lands, or not, but it's opened up trade routes with all my cities and a rise in income/science as well. I set the 2 caravels onto auto explore and continue with my development of my lands.


1546 AD Hatshepsut, come on by and offers a Defense pact as she's now friendly. After checking the AI attitudes and finding Pacal and Washington hate each other, I accept. Most others are pleased with only Washington Cautious, due to a refusal to stop trading with his worst enemy in war, Pacal.


1560 AD Having just researched Liberalism, I adopt free religion, to remove the 'heathen religion' modifiers, Hatshepsut, has fallen back to pleased, but no matter. All others have gone to Pleased as well, and as Mansu and Pacal are 10% at pleased, I feel safer. science is now at 687/turn and rising now.


1566 AD Elizabeth, has just gifted me Gunpowder, I suppose she now has infantry, same turn as I researched Feudalism, on a Economics beeline. I just had a look at the Tech's screen and I see this situation.





I make the following trade with Washington, a tech's a tech, and I need all I can get at the moment. Besides it fits in the Beeline I'll do on Combustion.



Scientific method is in, do we have oil??





1668 Mansa Masu, come by and offers me this





With Biology in , I'm faced with this Tech screen;





and a relation screen of this;





I now try trade Biology for Physics, as its on my Super conductors beeline, Via Medicine for trade.

After that, its Computers, and the space race, I won't get the internet, too slow.


I also have a break, bring Check point 3 to an end.

I propose and make the following trades

I didn't take a screen shot, but biology to Washington, for Physics and archery and 130 gold, Pacal now won't trade with me, due to trading with his worst enemy, Washington. He'll come around. I now beeline Refrigeration for trading purposes. Hammurabi, has just researched Assembly line, as he's cancelled the deal for the ivory.

I now change out of Organized religion, as most building are built, and Pacal's rather miffed at the moment. Throwing one of his 3 yr old temper tantrums. hits over 1000 beakers /turn now.

I don't bother trading Biology with Pacal for steel, as he's come around now I'm out of Hinduism, but accept replaceable parts for Biology and 10 gold, he was researching it himself.



1696 AD Hatsheput, commits an election fraud on us all, and votes herself head of the Apostolic Palace, it was between her and Mansu Masa.



Electricity is in, and Hammurabi had just cancelled the Fur deal, after canceling the ivory deal, so He had just researched Industrialization and Plastics. Strangely, Elizabeth, seems to be going down the Cultural route.


I trade off Electricity for what I can get. I get the following from Pacal 1st, since he hates Washington more then Vise Versa





I then take this from Washington,





With the map, being worth more, to give an idea of the current state of world affairs. Leaving me with the following tech Screen.





Knowing the Mansu Masa, has teched Medicine, I aim to off load Refrigeration, to try to claw back into the race for Computers with Hammurabi. I'm also building Ironworks in Capital city, my highest hammer city as well as Commerce.


Hammurabi has just gone into red fist mode, in a golden age no less, So looks like its either Pacal again or Hatshepsut. Having checked the Ref Guide (great work, Civ 4 BTS Reference guide {English} PDF format ) I find that the only one Hammurabi's cautious or below with is Hatshepsut.

NbDF=Adobe Acrobat format Free download.





As such I cancel my defense pact with her, I'm not getting dragged down with her, NO F'N WAY with only warriors defending.


I'm now making 1172 beaker/turn, with Culture slider at 10%, I'm racing to Refrigeration to off load it for all its worth. Hammurabi has just received Communism, trade or research? As well I beg 100 gold off of Washington, no one else has any worthwhile amounts or is willing to give it up, read Hammurabi.


1738 AD Mansu Masa completes the United Nations, and its between him and Hatshepsut, I vote for Mansu, mainly for the '+ you voted for us' which I've gotten for the Apostolic elections so far. I also cancelled a trade deal with Washington at Pacals request, as hes only Cautious, and I've only go Warriors guarding my cities.




Upon researching Refrigeration, I find no one will trade Railroad, Radio and I need corporation for Assembly line, Looks like I researched up a dead end, though its a short cut to super conductors and observatories.


I do a civic's switch to Slavery, and whip out Grocers and levies all over, I'm aiming for the supermarkets and +1 food, along with the levy +1 hammer bonus, most are Emancipation unhappy anyway, I drop culture to 0%. I move Mausoleum's to the top where not built for the +2 happy, otherwise its Grocers or Supermarkets. I wait 1 turn for the whip overflow to be absorbed, whip again, for more buildings, and repeat in 2 turns.





A side benefit of all this, is the cities becoming happy, and my time on Superconductors not being reduced. I gain much more happy head room, food production, health possibilities and remove the Emancipation unhappy that plagued me. I also switch into Organized religion, for the 25% hammer bonus, and once Supermarkets are built, I build research only. Hammurabi, just came by looking for refrigeration for free, I refused and he's still pleased.



1773 AD Superconductors is in and 13 on Railroad, Pacal has Refrigeration it seems, time to off load once I get a few turns research into tech's. Laboratories are Queued all over for whipping, with marginal cities either making trade route buildings or just staying on research. I've already defied on emancipation vote, stupid AI, has no thought, just programmed to request that.





I'm just going to have to adopt Emancipation, and accept that I can't run sufficient specialists to warrant being in caste system anyway. Science is still over 1000/turn, even with all the whipping. I automate my 4 groups of 3 workers to build a trade network, they go to work on the oil, as I just traded for combustion.


Looks like I've lost my edge on Refrigeration, and Hammurabi, the only one who doesn't have it, won't trade for Assembly line. He never ended up declaring war either, went out of WHEOOHRN mode, and Hatties came back asking for the defense pact again, but I said

Notes to be made:

1) Hatties got nearly 1/2 of her shared Island mass.
2) Hammurabi is going space.
3) Elizabeth seems to be going Cultural.
4) Mansa is going Diplomatic/Cultural.
5) Pacal and Washington, are just being left behind, and are pains in said.

Only Hammurabi hasn't refrigeration, but won't trade assembly line for it with me. Oh well, binary research time.


Doing a check of my cities, I see little point in building banks, Markets as very little is coming through to be multiplied, and if not making 60+ science at moment, I doubt a science multiplier will be built in time, or it has the to warrant a Laboratory. I whip a Supermarket and any others to remove unhappy citizens.


Workers are on auto build of trade network, or building railway lines all over.


*Starts singing “I've been working on the railroad..all the long long day...”





Mansa Masu comes on by next turn proposing a trade for assembly line, I make an alteration for Radio, as its on my computers beeline (I'm going to miss the Internet, as Hammurabi already has computers) and its a space ship tech, and the AI is supposedly hard wired not to trade it away.





I hold off on trading with Hatshepsut for Assembly line, as I'll probably gain Industrialization for the same tech, and if I don't well too bad.


Seems Hatties just gotten Industrialization, as she's cancelled our Ivory deal for 18 gold.Looks like I can trade Superconductors for that in 6 turns


I do a triple civics switch into; Nationhood, caste system and free religion. This should get rid of the heathen religion modifier, but I'll lose the favourate civ bonus with Hammurabi, but should stay at pleased.





4 turns to go on Assembly line, then its Factories, and research Plastics as I should be able to trade for Industrialization with hatty. George just received Radio as well, as before he'd trade Medicine for it, and I've just gotten a great merchant, to use on Sids Sushi, or a golden age might be better. The great Scientist I'm holding over, can go on Standard Ethanol or golden age No 2. Hatty also tried on a diplomatic victory, but was a draw with Mansa Masu, split about 350 each, with Pacal, Hammurabi and myself abstaining.





Pacal comes on by, asking for a deal involving Superconductors, I change it to Radio and we get this





Seems my Grand Plan to trade for Industrialization had fallen in a heap, Elizabeth, Hammurabi and Hatty, who are the only 3 to have it, won't trade me for it. I save up 1500 gold, to allow for the free market inflation event, if I get it, and deficit research at 100%.


I've just had a brilliant idea, since we're in Environmentalism, which was voted in by the U.N., I'll spread Sids Sushi all over the AI's, and base it in my wall street city. 2 this end I need to build 2 more banks, and wall street, I'll also spread Standard Ethanol about, if I get to found that as well, as I have a Great Scientist. Maybe Cereal mills would be better, don't want to give away a cultural win to Lizzie do I.





I can't spread both Standard Ethanol and the 2 food corps, as they both interfere with each other rice, so I resolve to spread Sids Sushi, as that has the highest cost/branch, at 6 gold for me with my meager resources, and for the AI's, it'll be BANKRUPTING
They can't go into State Property, Mercantilism, or Free Market, to off set costs.





To this end I queue, up the 2 remaining banks, I can build wall street in Capital city, the founding city of Sids Sushi. I'll build executives and start spamming it about the world.


Hammurabi's come on by, asking for a gift of Superconductors, I refused, he went to Cautious, so I changed to Bureaucracy immediately. I'll stay there now, as if they bring up an Emancipation vote, I'll vote yes, and not Deny it, that'll get rid of the Emancipation unhappy, and the “the World considers you a Villain” unhappy -9 in some cities. Hammurabi's gone back to pleased again, with only -2 'you refused to help us'.


Success, I get an Emancipation vote soon after, and vote , This results in ALL my cities becoming happy, and some are now growing like weeds. I have to Workshop some farms to stop/curtail growth. I also trade Pacal crab for Dye, as he did not have access to Clam, Crab, Rice or fish, can't have that can I.





All cities are building factories, then coal plants, as I've received and accepted the +4 event for the coal mines, Production is POWER!!!


1812 AD I get the Hostile take over event for Sids Sushi, take over 1 rice , it ain't happening.


Mansa Masu, the founder of Mining Corporation, comes on by asking for a trade for my gold. I change it to a trade for my excess crabs , just you wait till I give you Sids Sushi Mansa. I got Hit movies in return.


Elizabeth had just founded Creative Construction in york, looks like only Sids Sushi will be spread about, as Civilized Jewelers competes with Mining corp, and standard Ethanol does with Sids Sushi.


Corporations and how they work, and Analysis


It has started, Sids Sushi, has just spread into London, I didn't do it My 100% gold rate is falling from -54 at 100% to now 24 at 100% , and ELIZABETH IS FRIENDLY AS WELL Hammurabi's had enough on his hands for a while now, he's probably looking to have a go at Hatshepsut, no defense pacts for her, just more Sids Sushi rep's.

I'm now building wall street in Capital city to take full advantage of this, if the AI's won't spread it to all cities, I will. Strangely as well, Elizabeth, had the acceptance of a transport grayed out, saying she wouldn't accept it, I accidentally moused over it, and noticed that fact. The last 2 are going to Hammurabi's lands now, so All AI's have had at least 2 reps of Sids Sushi spread to their lands.

Essentially beelined Astronomy, and was very surprised at how much tech trading was done once I hit it. Very eye opening and forced me to think hard about what techs to research merely for their tradeability. This is a facet of the game I've not had to pay much attention to previously.

All of the AI's were friendly or pleased except Washington, which resulted in eventual diplo win -- which I executed poorly. The key decision here (I believe) was never declaring a state religion.

General comments about the game:

- Please no flame, but it was boring...?! Very complicated, true, but weird not to have any combat.

- I was very impressed with how quickly the AI's were teching, and I felt I had a fairly decent economy. Lately I've been playing mostly on Epic speed, so this may have something to do with it, but in recent games on Monarch I've had a tech lead late game - not the case here.

- Didn't build a single wonder, which in hindsight I think was correct in my case/play ability - the need to settle all the land early made every hammer count.

- I figure I need to learn more about fog busting mechanics. My strategy was to invest hammers in about 8 warriors early and just post them all over the island. I'm sure that in the long run this saved me lots of trouble but I'm sure there's a more efficient way to do it.

All in all, very interesting - I'll certainly play the next installment.

I moved the warrior 1W and saw there was no way I could build another city there, so I settled 1E, on top of the horses as I later found out. Research was Fishing, AH, BW, IW (to see where everything was), Pottery (I guess...) and save.

I got Agriculture from a hut, as well as a map of the ocean:




This is where I'm planning to settle. Not sure about city 2 though. I really like having levees and the health bonus. We're kind of short in health resources here...





I might also be able to squeeze something between cities 5 and 2. 5 is the one blocked by the pig.

@r_rolo