GOTM 42 First Spoiler: End Of Ancient Age

Open 1.29 Another Ill Attempt at 20K

I hardly finished licking my wounds after watching in awe Mark Cutt's 20K victory in gotm41 before starting the next try. And it was not easy. Lots of difficult decisions in a very interesting and enjoyable game.

The Beginning
I decided to go for the hill 2N of the starting position. My worker went around the eastern shore of the lake and the east looked like a reasonable good position for the 20K city. Rome was founded 3850BC and the worker mined the wines hill. Surprisingly, none of the raging barbarians appeared. Our first warrior starts exploring NW on the mountain range and 3350BC we meet the Egyptians and traded our masonry for alphabet. Because of the low food situation, I decided to grab the opportunity, declared war on Egypt 3200BC, and captured 2 workers. Egypt agreed to peace after 2 of its warriors died attacking the Eternal City on its hill; and Cleo added ceremonial burial to the deal. Afterwards, we sent our warriors to seek more contacts. We met Carthage 2310BC and Greece 1425BC. And still did not encounter a single barbarian.

Research
I started with min research on writing, followed by medium research on literature. Masonry(trade), ceremonial burial(peace), pottery(buy) came from Egypt; iron working was traded for literature from Carthage. The other techs came from the Great Library, and I entered Middle Ages 230BC while in 2 turn anarchy towards republic. I revolted despite of the Golden Age, because I gambled on short anarchy period because of my small empire size. And I was right in the first try.

Wars and Great Leaders
The short skirmish after capturing the 2 slaves was but a beginning for serious fighting Egypt later on. Thebes and its surroundings just looked too good. And the Egyptian UU was too weak compared to our legionaries. Because I stopped research after the Great Library, I had plenty of money to upgrade 15 vet warriors to legions once our iron (nice touch to have it so close) was connected 410BC. As in history, Egypt built The Pyramids for us. 350BC our attack starts the despotic Golden age when we capture Alexandria. Thebes falls 310BC and we acquire The Pyramids and 5 slaves loosing a single legion only.
Conquest continues towards Memphis (with iron) and to our great pleasure, Greece and Egypt sign a military alliance against Carthage and the stupid Egyptians go after the Carthage troops instead of attacking our powerful legions.

Great Leaders is a short story: there were none.

20K Veii
Founded 2430BC, Veii built temple, Great Library, library, and was working on Great Wall hoping (in vain) for monarchy and Hanging Gardens to become available. Not a very strong 20K start, but a beginning.



Especially the low food situation posed a problem to balance growth of the 20K city (joining workers) and expansion. Rome had a granary, but growth still was slow. And as always, I did not do any paper and pencil nor spreadsheet planning of my turns. This is a game after all.

tao said:

1.29 Another Ill Attempt at 20K

Founded 2430BC, Veii built temple, Great Library, library, and was working on Great Wall hoping (in vain) for monarchy and Hanging Gardens to become available. Not a very strong 20K start, but a beginning.

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good to see you're working at 20K again!
so are you going to finish the great wall if monarchy doesn't become available in 2 turns?

This is my first ever game with PtW

This was a tough starting location. Where did you decide to settle?
I moved worker W, settler NW and was shocked to find coast to the west (in a bad way). With coast on 2 sides (W,S), that meant a non-central capitol (the downfall of seafaring civs,imo). So what do I do? Settle on the coast of course! Several times I've looked back at this move and determined that I just wasn't thinking...

What were your initial builds and why?
I built 3 warriors for scouting, 1 N, 1 W, and 1 S, then one returned home for MP. next was settler.

What was your strategy throughout the ancient age as you learned the lay-of-the-land and the locations of critical resources?
I was understandably quite jealous of Egypts food rich start. I knew they would soon be building towns in *MY* land. When I saw later that they had horse and I didn't, It became my goal to get rid of them and take their land ASAP.

I had my worst GotM setback ever occur in this game. With just 4 cities I had built 1 primary attacking stack of 14 Legions to put a unrecoverable dent in Egypts empire. First, they took Elaphantine easily, a size 2 border town between us. Next ~12 marched to the capitol Thebes with thoughts of adding it to the Roman empire in mind. About 6 Legions died in the attack and 6 were left to quell the resistance. Immediately after the "free" turn (no flip possibility), Thebes flipped, thus eliminating 12 Legions, 2/3 of my available Legion force . I quit playing for 2 days thinking all hope was lost. My army dead, with 5 cities total vs Egypts 11! When I looked at the save again, Cleo offered to *give* me two cities for peace . So I kept playing . Fun game.

Greece became extremely powerful in my game (must be all those cows ). They have half of the worlds wonders, and as I have just now entered the MA, they are building Copernicus' Observatory .

Troops poised to (hopefully) eliminate Egypt:


Fledgling empire:

Isn't there really few spoiler posts for this game so far? In the corresponding thread for GotM41 there were twice as many (87) on the 27th. Is it the difficulty level that deters people?

Submissions are low as well. I think maybe this game, and perhaps more significantly COTM 11 as the deadline draws near, are keeping people up late.

AlanH said:

Submissions are low as well. I think maybe this game, and perhaps more significantly COTM 11 as the deadline draws near, are keeping people up late.

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I abandon this game. I did some mix up with RL, which was very negative for the game. I played while not being fully alerted, under the influence of jet leg, alcohol, etc. This resulted in a number of very stupid mistakes. I kept forgetting to change luxury rates, which resulted in a number of riots very earlier in the game. I even researched invention thinking that I am researching chivalry.
As a result, I got frustrated and abounded this game around 200AD. So no submission from me, though I sent my QSC.

I hope I’ve learnt my lesson. I will be playing COTM12 very carefully and I will avoid any interference from RL

Going for spaceship.
I settled 2N on the hill in 3850BC and researched Pottery. Rome built warrior, granary, warrior, settler and then a warrior and a settler every 10 turns.

I discovered Pottery in 3200BC and stopped reasearch waiting for same trade. Few turns later, I started researching Writing but after some 10 turns I bought it ... what a waste!

Met Egypt in 3150BC, Carthage in 2590Bc and Greece in 2270BC.
After trading Cerimonial Burial, Bronze Working, Masonry, Writing, The Wheel + gold and 2 workers, I researched Literature.

Discovered Literature in 1425BC, Code Of Laws in 1100BC. In the meanwhile I traded for Iron Working, Mysticism, Map Making, Philosophy + gold and an additional worker.

I built a 5 cities 3-RCP and a 3 cities at 7.

At 1000BC I had:
7 cities
2 settlers
4 workers + 3 foreign workers
7 warriors
1 granary
1 barrack
3 libraries
researching Republic with 24 turns to go

I did not meet any barb.

In the following turns I build more warrior waiting for Republic to trigger the Golden Age.
Rome was a Republic in 490BC. Few turns before Rome had entered MA.

Pregame strategy

I figured for sure I was going to get my butt kicked in this one, particularly after seeing the huge bonuses for conquest class. I decided to be brave and try the open, though. In the pre-thread I predicted we'd see our old buddies Carthage and Greece. Sure 'nuff...

Figuring that Ainwood was going to be a fiend and plant the iron in the enemy lands, I decided on an archer rush. Where to put the settler was a balance of desirability divided by time. I used 3 turns to move 2n and decided to settle there. If this was regent or even monarch I probably would've settled on the grapes.

Rough Beginnings

My first build was a rax, against the supposed barbarian hordes. Interestingly enough, I never saw one! Saw a few galleys on patrol. I know I'm in for a rough time when an Egyptian warrior appears out of the north just 6 turns after I found the capital. We trade, though.

Wine is connected in 3150BC. We build archers and settler, until somehow hearing from Carthage in 1910BC: We trade techs, they have contacted the Greeks but we didn't get that.
Veii built in 1830BC 3nw of Rome.

Egypt builds Pi-Ramsses s of Thebes in 1600BC, hemming me in. I planned to build the 3rd city on the spice and that was too close. We hear from Greece in 1325BC, getting IW at discount. Build Antium on the spice that same turn. Find the iron, start roading there. In 1275BC we build Cumae next to the iron.

First Egyptian War

In 1050BC I roll the dice and take my mighty military force of 6 archers and try to extort Pi-Ramsses. Cleo makes us do it the hard way. I take Pi-Ramsses, getting 2 leet archers. At the end of the QSC I had these stats:
Score: 153 Firaxis, Mapstats 1312, QSC 1317
Land: 5 towns, 61 squares
Population: 8--4 happy, 1 content, 2 sad, 1 taxman.
Units: 4 workers, 6 archers. 2 archers are leet, others vets.
Buildings: 2 rax, grain, temple.
Production: 36 food, 47 shields, 11 gold.
Diplomacy: 3 contacts, no embassies. At war with Egypt.
Tech: All starters + IW, HB.

Continuing with the war, I set my archers on the mountains nearby. Egypt wants Antium bad, and I force them into a killzone. In 900BC I get the iron roaded, start bringing legions online. Thebes nicely builds the Pyramids for us in 875BC. The next turn, she cries uncle, giving us Writing, Mystic, and 5 gold. I hole my archers up in Pi-Ramsses to prevent flip while building a temple.

The Second Egyptian War and the Golden Age

Then Carthage shows up, building Oea 5ne of Rome in the jungle in 800BC. Egypt sends a settler pair e of Antium in 710BC. I get angry. After they send another settler pair in 650BC, I have enough, rep be damned. Archers kill them, take slaves.

The GA begins in 610BC. I know what y'all say about a despotic GA, but I'm tryin' to survive , so I'm not going to be picky. The research time HAS quickened, though. Carthage unloads a settler pair s of Rome in the desert in 590BC. In 550BC Egypt dashes themselves against Antium, giving me a leader. I rush him home to Rome and build the GLib when Lit comes in. Pompeii built 5ne of Cumae to put pressure on Oea. Whip a temple in Antium at this time.

The Great Library

In 430 we get Lit. Cleo makes peace, forking over 61 + 11gpt! Figuring with everyone in Repub that no one would research Monarch, I try for it myself. This turns out to be a waste of time. I do use the money to open embassies on the continent.

In 270BC, Greece declares war on Carthage. 3 turns later, a Carthagian warrior crosses the border from their desert city. It was also at this time I found that researching Monarchy was a waste, as two civs just learn it.

The next turn, our GA ends, we pick up monarch, perfect time to switch, getting 3 turn anarchy. Carthage decides to pick a fight. OK... Pisae founded 2e of Antium on the coast.

The new monarchy and the Carthagian War

They have Numidians by this time, so probably kicked off THEIR GA, but what can ya do. Destroy Oea in 150BC, later build Ravenna in its place. Must be some future resource there, otherwise it's a crappy site.

In 130BC the monarchy is established, next turn we pick up currency and move into the medieval age.

Scores: Greece 640, Egypt 545, Carthage 441, Rome 282. Our mighty military force is 7 legions, 5 workers, 4 slaves.

Great start, DBear, but why rush Great Library in Rome? It looks like you have other towns that could do with a culture expansion. And the Great Library could be hard to part with if you ever want a palace flip, if not for the sake of techs then for the sake of the culture boost.

I have been working the Quartermaster Challenge over in the Hall of Fame. I should be on the QC table after today's update. I have generated hundreds of C3C maps using MapFinder for me attempts. I have started and discarded at least 5-10 games for every submission.

I don't know if this would be the ultimate distracted play story or just a case of ordinary stupidity carried to an extreme. I have been playing GOTM42 in C3C.

I last played a week ago. I left it just after entering AI. The current date is 330AD. I rolled over Eygpt pretty easily but have been ping-ponging between war with Carthage and Greece. My production has barely kept up with losses.

The part I am most curious about is whether playing this game under C3C should have been an advantage or a handicap. I am hoping it was a handicap, that way I have a excuse other than the RNG for my poor progress.

1.27

Going for Domination

Opening Moves:
I moved the settler 3 steps and founded Rome on the hill 2N of the start. The worker moved over to mine the wines. Rome built Warrior, Warrior, Settler (2800 BC), Warrior, Granary, Settler, Settler, Barracks, and alternated Settlers and Warriors after that point.
Cities were plopped down in roughly an RCP-3 and RCP-6 configuration, but I didn’t really worry about it that much.

Contacts:
Egypt - 3000 BC
Greece - 2150 BC
Carthage - 2070 BC (they purchased contact)
1125 BC - A suicide galley caught a sniff of another continent, but sank. I didn’t bother sending out more galleys until much later, as it looked like I had plenty to do on the home continent.

Science:
3850 BC - Writing at minimum, completed at end of 2070 BC turn (technically 2030 BC)
2030 BC - Code of Laws at minimum, completed at end of 950 BC turn
925 BC - Started Republic at minimum, but shut off research in 900 BC after Egypt completed the Great Library in Thebes.
IBT before 510 BC – Learned Math, Polytheism, Currency, Republic, Construction and Monotheism all from capturing the Great Library. Entered Middle Ages.

Trades:
2950 BC - Alphabet, Warrior Code and 43 gold to Egypt for Bronze Working
2390 BC - 68 gold and 1 GPT to Egypt for Pottery
2150 BC - Pottery and 4 gold to Greece for Ceremonial Burial
IBT before 2030 BC - Writing and 1 gold to Carthage for Iron Working; IW to Greece for Mysticism and 5 gold; Myst and 8 gold to Carthage for Masonry. Everyone on the home continent now at tech parity.
1475 BC - World Map and 46 gold to Carthage for The Wheel; Wheel, 3 GPT and 90 gold to Greece for Map Making; trade maps around.
1200 BC - WM, 1 GPT and 103 gold to Egypt for Literature; Literature to Carthage for Horseback Riding, Territory Map and 1 gold.
925 BC - World Map, 5 GPT and 15 gold to Carthage for Philosophy;

Warfare:
Greece: 1200 BC – 630 BC
Alex demanded tribute and I told him to piss off, so Greece declared war. This was essentially a phony war until Greece managed to march some archers near my territory in 750 BC. By this time, I had hooked up iron and started upgrading warriors to legionaries. I resigned myself to a Despotic GA (I would be attacking Egypt soon anyway), and triggered it in 750 BC by killing a Greek archer. I killed the rest of their archers and warriors in the neighborhood and gave them a peace treaty (straight up) in 630 BC.

Egypt: 610 BC – End of AA
I declared honorably in 610 BC and moved 6 legions toward Thebes and more legions outside 2 other towns (captured both of them in 590 BC). I captured Thebes in 530 BC, and the Great Library promoted me to the Middle Ages in 510 BC.

Other noteworthy developments:
1025 BC - Pyramids completed by Vikings
610 BC - Great Wall completed by Vikings – they are going to be a pain.

As of 510 BC, I have yet to build (or even start building) a single cultural improvement (not even a FP). This would make things a bit interesting later on.

I visited the large island S of the continent before the end of the AA, so this will lead to some rather interesting “regional barbarian intensity.” Details to follow in the second spoiler.

The tech pace in my game (compared to others) seems to be screaming along. It was probably a combination of the Predator “handicap” (it will be a true handicap given my chosen victory condition), the fact that I left the Egyptians alone until relatively late, and the GPT I was paying for some techs.

Immediate Plans:
Continue war on Egyptians, as they should crumble fairly easily. Then I will stir up trouble with Greece and Carthage using legionaries. Going against hoplites and numidian mercenaries with legionaries will be a bloodbath, especially given some of the “interesting” city locations that Ainwood provided to the Greeks and Carthaginians.



Military in 510 BC

Open for conquest / domination
After failing to submit Cotm11 running out of time, I did no detailed logging this time...

DBear said:

The GA begins in 610BC. I know what y'all say about a despotic GA, but I'm tryin' to survive , so I'm not going to be picky.

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That's what I experienced, too. Not to survive, but to make progress. Egypt could be handled without legions, but I'm curious if any of the big dogs handled Greece and Carthago with archers...

I even managed to switch goverment during my GA conquering The Great Library and getting Republic in the first half of it...

I expelled Eqypt to a small island and had a long war with Carthago. I signed in the Greek, but "soft-"blocked them north of Thebes to make Cartagho raze the Greek city at the horses

But all Carthago managed was to get Greece an elite hoplit and a leader...
Greece having the Great Wall I dared not to use Catapults to get that city (bombing-walls-Bug), so I took the horses by culture, which was tough, because that greek town had built some culture already...

At the beginning of the middle ages I have been seriously going after Carthago. Meanwhile the Greek troops trying to cross my terrain on their way to Cartagho where playing hide-and-seek with my barrier of workers

First Emperor attempt in any game. This should be good.
Going for survival.

I open up settling Rome 1 NW and roading to the wines. I'm not used to the lowered # of content citizens, so I want lux asap. This scouts out my location for the second city, 2 NW of wines.

I meet Egypt, Carthage, Greece in that order. Unfortunately, I can't get much in tech trading. After researching IW myself, I am very pleased to see the iron right next door! Egypt starts encroaching with 2 jungle cities, so I mass build warriors before I hook up the iron.

By 1000 BC, I have 4 cities, 10 pop and am hemmed in. I am also nowhere near getting a govt tech, so I decide I'm going to have to have a despotic GA to survive.

After I get enough gold to upgrade my 7 vet warriors, I launch my "Take the rightful Roman lands" war on Egypt. End up autorazing 3 southern towns, and I am stopped on the doorsteps of Thebes. It will have to wait. Gain some techs from this war (Thank god for pointy stick research!) Still a despot.

Egypt continues liking to trample on my land (with my new northern frontier) I ask to leave - Egypt DoWs! I play defensive war drawing in her units and slaughtering, but no Great Leaders.

Call for more peace, get techs to move to MA in 270 AD - but STILL as a despot.

At this point I feel pretty good about survival, not sure how to win.

Vanilla, open class, going for world domination.

I'm quite at risk of not submitting this game. Real life issues have taken over, and my game has reached 700AD at the moment. With 5 days left for submissions, things are at stake. I'm going to post the AA log this evening after work, in the hope of finishing the game anyway. The AA got quite well and funny things happened later... i wonder how many of you saw an enemy city completing a great wonder just when a huge stack of friendly forces were placed 1 tile away, ready to capture it next turn. It never happened to me before, and it happened in this game twice.

In reply to Paul#42 question, my first punic war was actually fought with archers and spears. Heavy losses, but the goal was achieved. I had legions coming so losing a bunch of obsolete archers was no big deal.

Here's the AA log. I've played till 910 AD, but i'm still at risk of not submitting this game. In the hope of finishing it, here's what happened in the AA.


OPENING MOVES

I decide to go to the risky route and settle 2 tiles N. If barbs catch me before founding Roma, this will be one of the shortest GOTM submissions ever and the red ambulance will almost certainly be mine

4000BC - Settler and worker move NW. A probable coast is spotted west.

3950BC - Settler and worker move north. More land spotted. Mountains and then jungles NE. A little grassland north and NW. Some fine forests to be chopped.

3900BC - Settler move NE. Worker start chopping forest.

3850BC - Roma founded safely. No red ambulance, then. Science is set to Writing at minimum. Production is set to warrior. Since it's an high difficulty level and i wasted 3 turn for moving the settler i need the 1st unit quickly. The active tile is the forest i'm chopping. With 2 turns that way i lose 1 turn in growth but i can have the 1st warrior in 6 turns instead of 10.


INITIAL STRATEGY

I wonder if the map creator has been inspired by my recent game log on Rome. Unfavourable start, the Egyptian right out of my doors with lots of good terrain, then the Greeks with even better landmass, with the Carthaginians as a nice bonus.

My initial build sequence in Roma has been:

warrior -> barracks (chop) -> warrior -> warrior -> settler (chop). Then archers and a pair of spears.

I've met the Egyptian very early and immediately traded techs. Then i sent the 1st warrior (the regular) to wander north so to have an idea of the egyptian landmass. Not only i saw excellent terrain, but i also met the Carthaginians before researching Writing, sparing the money to buy a contact.

The 2nd city, Romola, was founded only in 2590AD on a golden hill. Built barracks, then military units. I've slightly favoured shield outcome over immediate expansion. Chopping the forest to get the extra shields seems immediately the best thing to do, and some nice bonus grasslands were waiting under the woods. I've tried to keep Roma and Romola to size 3 whenever possible, so to have 7 shield per turn in both the cities and build an archer or spear every 3 turns.

Here's the log until writing is researched:

3550BC - Warrior finished. Production set to barracks. Warrior sent exploring. Barracks in 7 turns with another turn at half growth.

3400BC - Woodchop terminated. Exposed a nice BG. Worker start mining (6). An Egyptian warrior is spotted on the jungle. Traded everything. Alphabet and Warrior Code for Ceremonial Burial, Masonry and 10 quids.

3350BC - Expansion to rank 2

3300BC - Completed barracks, started warrior.

3250BC - Roma size 2 - lux slider raised.

3150BC - Completed warrior, started warrior (3).

3000BC - Completed warrior, started settler (8)

2800BC - Met Carthage. Traded Bronze Working for Ceremonial Burial and 40 quids.

2670BC - Completed settler. Started archer.

2590BC - Founded Romola on the golden hill. Producing barracks.

2510BC - Spotted the border of Carthage.

2390BC - Roma archer -> worker.

2270BC - Roma worker -> archer.

2230BC - Romola archer -> archer.

2190BC - Romola size 2, archer in 5 turns.

2030BC - Completed Writing. Started Literature at minimum. Embassies in Egypt and Carthage.

Thebes: size 1, growing in 1 turn, building a settler (7). In city: 1 settler, 1 reg spear. Rank 3 in 18 turns.
Carthage: size 1, growing in 6 turns, defended by 2 reg spartan hoplites. Building the Pyramids (107 turns - good luck!)

Those pukes know Writing as well! Crap. Only option is pointy-stick now. I'll put emphasis on military units, building only 1 settler for the south city and another to replace Elephantine and grab spices. Only another worker will be built.


EXPANSION AND MEETINGS

At this point i discover that there are also the greeks in the initial landmass. But i have to discovered myself, since Cleo asks too much money for the contact. I send the explorer warrior around and finally met them in 1790BC.

In the following turns, i do little but building military units and woodchopping. No new cities are founded for a while. Wines are connected. Two settlers are trained for founding city 3 (SE of Roma) and city 4 (N or Remola). Here's the log of those few peaceful turns:

1950BC - Still no sign of the Greeks. Cleo wants an insane price for the meeting. Completed a woodchop around Roma. Exposed another BG. Workers start mining.

1870BC - Roma archer -> archer.

1830BC - Romola archer -> archer.

1790BC - Finally met the greeks. Embassy in Athens. Obviously, they know Writing too and i have nothing to trade.

1750BC - Romola worker -> archer. Moving to woodchop around Roma.

1700BC - Roma archer -> warrior.

1650BC - Roma warrior -> archer.

1625BC - Woodchop completed. Worker team roads. Romola archer -> archer.

1600BC - Roma archer -> settler

1500BC - Romola archer -> spearman

1475BC - Roma settler -> spearman

1400BC - Romola spearman -> settler. Workers connecting wines (finally!)

1325BC - Roma spearman -> archer

1250BC - Romola settler -> spearman. At the end of the turn, war with Egypt is declared.


FIRST EGYPTIAN WAR

In 1250 war is declared. In 1225 i found my 3rd city and move a big stack toward my 1st target: Elephantine, a city in the middle of the jungle that is controlling a source of spices. The city is captured. Then my stack move to Thebes and captures it. Peace is signed ASAP, and a fresh set of technologies are extorted.

In the following peaceful turns, i gather forces for the 2nd egyptian war. The 1st wonders are completed, and a wonder cascade effect take place. Pyramids in Athens, Great Library in Carthage. It's at this moment that i decide to shun completely resource (unless at minimum). Leave them evolve, then steal the GL and learn everything Literature is researched and some more techs are obtained via trade. Obviously i need to get out of Despotism and collect some critical techs ASAP.

Elephantine, the 1st captured city, is abandoned and refounded 1 tile NE. This apparent waste is justified by strategic reasons. With this move i have all cities except for Thebes placed in a supply chain with roads connecting them and units that may be sent from a city south to the next one north in always 1 turn, even with the river penalties.

My QST stats aren't bad at all. 6 cities. 13 pop units. 9 techs mastered. An army of 3 workers, 4 warriors, 4 spears and 6 archers. 174 quids in the coffers and an income of 21 gpt.

Here's the log until peace is broken again:

1225BC - Founded Remola, SW of Roma, producing barracks (10). Founded Rubola, in enemy territory, 2 tiles SW of Elephantine. Producing barracks (20). Big stack outside Elephantine.

1200BC - Elephantine is captured. Now controlling spices, but they must be connected (a tile is missing).

1175BC - Advancement to Thebes.

1100BC - Captured Thebes. Cannot advance more, too few units. Peace with Egypt is signed. Nice Cleopatra agrees to hand over Code of Laws, Iron Working, Pottery and 20 quids.

1075BC - Nidaros (Vikings) builds the Oracle.

1000BC - Romola spearman -> warrior.

975BC - Remola barracks -> archer.

925BC - Completed Literature. The greeks alreaky know it. Bah. Trade will be poor. Once again, pointy-stick will be my source of technologies.

Carthage: i get Map Making for Literature, my world map and 90 quids.

Egypt: the pukes shell out Mysticism, their territory map and 20 quids for Literature.

900BC - Romola archer -> archer. Roma spearman -> archer.

825BC - Thebes settler -> settler. Rubola barracks -> archer.

800BC - Romola archer -> worker.

775BC - Roma archer -> spearman.

750BC - Romola archer -> archer.

730BC - Roma spearman -> archer. Athens builds the Pyramids and it's wonder cascade. Moscow builds the Hanging Gardens.

690BC - Thebes settler -> settler. Carthage builds the Great Library.

670BC - Rubola archer -> archer. Romola archer -> spearman.

650BC - Roma archer -> spearman. Rubola archer -> archer. Nidaros (Vikings) completes the Great Wall.

630BC - Mohacs (Keltoi) completes the Colossus.

590BC - Romola spearman -> archer. Roma spearman -> archer. Remola archer -> archer. At the end of the turn, war with Egypt is declared again.


SECOND EGYPTIAN WAR

After gathering the forces, war with Egypt is declared again, and the 1st move is a coordinated strike on 3 egyptian cities. One is autorazed and 2 are captured in the very same turn. Thebes is set to produce settlers. My goal is to have it poop 3 settlers, place them in useful positions for the supply chain, then disband it. I've put a lot of importance in mantaining the supply chain, sacrificing a pair of cities, shields and a lot of worker turns. Hope this strategy pay off.

570BC - Triple attack. Alexandria autorazed. Memphis and Pi-Ramesses captured.

550BC - Founded Fregola, the 1st colony son of Thebes.

530BC - Lucky strike. The elite spearman in Memphis resists a charge from a sword, weakened at 2/3 by an archer.

510BC - Killed some egyptian pukes wandering around. Killed also a warrior escorting a settler. Gained 2 more slaves.

490BC - Killed 2 warriors and 1 archer escorting a settler. More slaves.

470BC - Razed El-Amarna. Killed a spearman escorting a settler. More slaves! Cleo now is really desperate, the best time to offer peace. Big extorsion: 2 cities (Heliopolis and El-Amarna), 3 techs (Philosophy, Mathematics and the Wheel), 40 quids (almost all her treasure) and a world map. Not bad!

A little pause is necessary now. Some tiles must be roaded and improved, and more units are necessary since my next target will surely be a civ with a 3 points defensive unit. Greece or Carthage? We'll see. Rome is doing quite well since now. 11 cities owned, and i'm founding the 12th next turn. No leader created, i'll need one to build the Forbidden Palace.


MIDDLE AGES RUSH

No more war are declared in the ancient age. The Roman empire need to expand, work a few tiles and rebuild its military for the next strike. An important goal is now to exit from Despotism ASAP. I'll go for Monarchy. I plan to have at least 2 units garrisoned in every city, to be used in the supply chain. In monarchy, those units will be useful MP as well. The Thebes job need to be completed. 2 new cities will be created from that useful settler factory, then the city will be abandoned and resettled 1 tile SE.

450BC - Founded Frugola. Connected Heliopolis. And now stop with the detailed building / action log.

310BC - Founded 2 new cities, Trogola and Trugola.

170BC - Thebes abandoned and refounded in a better place. Now all the cities strategically important are connected, with their garrisons filled with 1 spear and 1 archer. The warriors are about to be upgraded as legionaries so to be used as soon as Monarchy is researched. Archers are piling up in Frugola, and an attack on Carthage is near.

90BC - Polytheism is researched, at minimum. Surprisingly, no one has gone for it. They're probably headed for Republic... who knows. I could take both the remaining tech for Middle Ages, but i prefer to wait a few turns. Greece wants way too much money for Construction, and reselling it to Carthage won't be so much of help since Hannabaline has absolutely zero quids in its coffers.

70BC - Carthage has researched Construction! Time for a trade.
Carthage: Construction and Horseback Riding for Polytheism, world map and 20 quids.
Greece: UGH! Alex want money... Ok, damn robber. Currency for Polytheism and 110 quids.
Egypt: I sell poor Cleo Currency for a world map and 20 quids.

And i'm in the Middle Ages now! Researching Monarchy at MAX (15 turns).


END AGE STATS

I've hit MA in 70 BC. The empire has a decent size, power, production and monetary outcome. 15 cities owned with 38 pop units. Almost 1000 quids in my coffers and a turn outcome of 36 gpt. More than enough for a mass upgrade of warriors once Monarchy is established.

Meetings:

3400BC - Egypt.
2800BC - Carthage.
1790BC - Greece.

Research:

3850BC - Warrior Code, Alphabet (prerequisites)
3400BC - Ceremonial Burial, Masonry (trade - Egypt)
2800BC - Bronze Working (trade - Carthage)
2030BC - Writing (own research)
1100BC - Iron Working, Code of Laws, Pottery (pointy stick - Egypt)
925BC - Literature (own research), Map Making (trade - Carthage), Mysticism (trade - Egypt)
470BC - Philosophy, Mathematics, The Wheel (pointy stick - Egypt)
90BC - Polytheism (own research)
70BC - Construction, Horseback Riding (trade - Carthage), Currency (trade - Greece)

Wars

1250BC - 1100BC: 1st Egyptian war.
590BC - 470BC: 2nd Egyptian war.

Finally, a screenshot of my empire the turn before i entered the middle ages (i've not saved the 70BC turn):