Turn 69
Settled Paris on the coast for esthetic reasons. Settling 1 tile inland on the river hill looks optimal but it hurts the eyes.
Later: bleh, small inland sea, not the big blue ocean...
Come turn 23, China declare on us for no reason at all (we aren't even neighbours). They march a force of six Warriors through the forests past Iroquois land and then declare on them as well, thus blocking their own route to reinforcements.
When they arrive at the gates of Paris, we have a single Warrior there which is posted on the river hill, and a Scout upgraded to Archer is hurrying back home. Four of their Warriors run themselves dead on the city or our fortified defender, and the remaining two flee, never to be heard from again. Ages after this humiliating defeat, China still want no peace.
On turn 40, China attack Germany as well, but that only lasts a few turns and then they double up against the Iroquois. China capture Osininka, thereby destroying all hope for us to have a buffer in the north.
Germany declare on us as well on turn 52, but later they start fighting with China again and with Siam. No new Chinese units have shown up and we are surviving against Germany, so far. Our Trireme has started drowning embarked units, one after the other, a danger that apparently escapes the AI.
However, the initial German force walked right past our civilians and are now laying siege to the capital with Landsknechts and Archers. We still have one Warrior on the river hill and one Archer, but that should suffice.
Meanwhile, there is a game to be played and a victory to plan.
We just settled our 7th city, according to plan. Went for an early World Wonder. The choice was difficult, I would prefer the Pyramids in this game with so much land to develop but that would take us off the intended science path, and no tech popped up from a ruins. Second pick was Stonehenge for the culture, but again Calendar was not needed for anything else while Writing gave early gold.
France celebrated the opening of the Great Library on turn 43. After careful deliberation, we took Philosophy over Horseback Riding as there was no time for a Stable yet: we had Settlers to send out. Meanwhile, the AI completed the Pyramids, but oddly enough Stonehenge is still available, as is the Colossus.
Our exploring Warrior and our second Scout (the first got upgraded and now defends the home, after finding a bunch of ruins nearby) met all the rivals and most of the City States: it's a single landmass. A good thing, since we have lots of Silver and Pearls to trade.
Ruins gave us two survivors (one on turn 2, with no tiles to help us grow, and one later that made the empire unhappy...), as well as some gold, the one upgrade, and 1x culture (but not early). Popped quite a few of them, but got nothing spectacular.
To summarize:
- the good: seven cities with lots of economic potential;
- the bad: at war with both China and Germany;
- the ugly: wide open in the north.
Scorewise, Siam is in the lead but they are not running away from the pack. The Iroquois are last and likely doomed. We are fifth, thanks to having a lot of tiles.
Cities
1 Paris (coast - horses, silver, furs)
27 Orleans (in the mountains - silver, gems)
51 Lyon (coast - gold, gems)
57 Troyes (coast of west inland sea - 2 pearls, silver)
63 Tours (among the sheep - gems)
65 Marseille (tiny island in west inland sea - 3 Pearls)
69 Chartres (south coast at Mt. Fuji - silver)
Iron is still an unknown, but with all those hills there must be a motherload, right?
Note to self: hills on lakes can be farmed.
Policies
9 Tradition (silver and furs are 3 tiles away...)
13 Liberty
20 Collective Rule
30 Citizenship
44 Republic
62 Piety
Allies
53 Kuala Lumpur (cultural, Sugar)
Wars
23 China
53 Germany
Technology
9 Abandoned Husbandry
16 Pottery
28 Writing
32 Mining
38 Trapping
43 The Wheel; Philosophy (GL)
47 Sailing
50 Calendar
56 Optics
60 Horseback Riding
69 Civil Service
Paris
8 Monument
12 Scout#1
15 Worker#1 310g
16 Scout#2
20 Settler#2 (collective rule)
24 Granary
28 Warrior#2
30 Worker#3 (citizenship)
43 THE GREAT LIBRARY, Worker#4 310g
48 Settler#3
50 Worker#5 310g
52 Settler#4
56 Settler#5
59 Worker#6 - rescued a Genoa Worker that was captured by barbarians and had wandered in unprotected
60 Settler#6
64 Settler#7
69 Water Mill
Orleans
27 Worker#2 310g
35 Monument
46 Granary
54 Water Mill
69 (Oracle in 4)
Lyon
59 Monument
68 Granary
Troyes
57 Workboat 240g
58 Workboat 240g
59 Trireme 260g
61 Monument
63 Workboat 240g
Tours
Marseille
65 Workboat 240g
Chartres