Immortal University XXXIX: Mansa Musa

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Apr 8, 2009
Messages
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Hello all and welcome to the Immortal University! This series was started a long time ago to move a group of the forum's players to the next level. It is now hosted by professors TMIT and myself, Ignorant Teacher. Are you ready for the U?

This is the 39th beatdown on the AI, in case you're keeping track.

We will uphold the university's traditions...smacking down the hapless AI!

Our leader this time around:

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The same thing that TMIT said about Fred applies here. Hasn't seen a lot of forum action lately. A very solid leader, with two traits that can really help your game. One of them requires a little thinking and the other is pretty straight forward.

Here's the start:

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Brown lands, with desert to the north. What else can you ask for? There seems to be a floodplain to the south too.

As usual, this is the first Fractal map I generated. It looks like a decent start, but we'll have to see what the surrounding lands hold.

Copy and Paste of the doctrine:

There are three options for you to play: 2 WB Saves, one with huts and events on, another without them and there's also the 4000BC save, with huts and events on on Normal speed. The save is here in case you don't want to spend time adding Archery back to the barbs.

To play, just extract the WB save file into your worldbuilder saves directory, then play it. Use custom scenario if you want some extra settings to tickle your fancy. This series was designed for people learning immortal, so most people here will be at that level or trying to attain it, although deity players are welcome also. Hell, if you want to play this on NOBLE, go ahead, but I'm not peeling off the AI bonuses. The intention of this and any other game thread I post is to get better. Play whatever level you need in order to improve. Just remember, there are immortal bonuses and that's not going to change unless you WB edit it.

If you are aspiring IMM+, try to remember to add archery back to the barbs in WB. Every time you don't, a deity AI will kill a kitten, although there are a lot of kittens so it's not the end of the world if you prefer easymode barbs .

I do request people to list their difficulty and speed. In terms of updates, well nobody follows that anyway. Post in the manner you feel comfortable. Typical comparison dates are 1 AD, liberalism, and victory/defeat, as well as any major events. If in doubt, go with that.
 

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I wonder if I'll actually finish this game and/or get off my butt to write a report?
Probably not likely, but I'll try playing it anyway! :D
 
Immortal / Normal - 940 AD.

About to trash my economy.
Spoiler :
Settled in place and sent the warrior exploring. Found Louie very early, in the third turn. Kept going and saw his worker improving the wheat. Stole the damn thing. Founf copper in Timbuktu and built a bunch of Axe. Bye-bye Louie. That's what you get for what you did with Kossin!

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Then I found (or was found by) Qin Shi Huang. He founded both Confucianism and Taoism. He was Confucian and then it spread to me. I converted, of course. He got a great prophet and built the Taoist shrine and converted. I went back to no state religion. I settled a city in the middle of the jungle to block him, but there was a barb city there already and he captured it. He was about to capture one in my north and I razed it. I had to settle another city near the copper west of Kumbi Saleh because he had a settler there.

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Now I have Currency, Monarchy, Sailing, Code of Laws and Civil Service. It's time to expand. Settlers are already in their places and will almost double my size. It will make my economy even slower and will possibly cost me Liberalism, but it is time.

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Timbuktu turned out to be a nice city. As I had nothing to bulb and nothing to trade for, I settled three Great Scientists there. I could have saved them for later, but I needed the extra research at that moment and I don't regret it. After Calendar I'll research Paper and will have a scientist to bulb part of Education for me.

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And, finally, demographics.

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After Free Speech and Emancipation, I'm going to fly!
 
I wonder if I'll actually finish this game and/or get off my butt to write a report?
Probably not likely, but I'll try playing it anyway! :D

Just knowing people play these maps is good enough. Of course, if we can haz reports it's better. :D
 
I just lost to the Vedic Aryans turn 40ish :)

Spoiler :

I moved the settler SE and saw we were in the NE corner. So I wandered SW hoping for a block and ended up settling next to France 1N of the 2 ivory. AI went SW first, but I missed by a turn putting in a second blocking city pigs/horses - still kind of had a block though as he nestled his city in close to his capital.. Would have been curious to see how it turned out. Then the Aryans appeared 2 steps from my capital. 2 went after France, but 2 took out my whipped warrior.
 
Had a go at this one couldn't be bothered doing screenshots might put them up later if anyone asks.

anyway imm/ normal to 375AD

Spoiler :

Louis was too close, copper was in the BFC you know the drill. Anyway after that I just expanded down towards QSH and got about as far as ignorant teacher got. I've moved my capital to the super FP cottage spam spot next door, it's settled 1SW of the desert copper and promises to be a monster.

I then had a spell of what can only be described as "marble madness" and built TOA, Parth, Glib and SoZ (thanks to ivory) all in different cities. Just got the GA from music and this game looks like it should be won... just wondering, should i go culture? take a look!
 

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Skirmisher rush is definitely the way to go
Spoiler :

What's that copper? It's the nice tile helping my build.


Taking his capital. Doing my one city rush: worker worker get your hammer tiles up, then one builds a road, the other chops. I sent a skirmisher to backdoor his cities and cut off roads from behind so he won't reinforce his capital. I also try to fake my stack to his ivory city (since it was along the way) to limit the archers in his capital. I prefer getting the capital first, because it takes a lot more troops later on.


His poorly defended 2nd city had 2 archers and a chariot at 20%. No match for my cover skirmishers of doom + reinforcements.


Some 10+ skirmishers go for his final city.

I get alphabet, so I can actually tech something. I'm moving my capital to Paris because it's a better center to this continent. No idea where mao is coming from.

 
Gave this a go at Immortal, normal till 150bc:

Spoiler :
Got 5 cities with one more incoming before 1ad, built SoZ (against culture pressure), Parthanon and GL.

Looked like a pretty bad start so I settled 1NW on the plain hill - it meant I missed the copper and marble, but got the iron and wine. Turned out pretty nice since there is room for a city east of the capital.

Went Agri -> AH -> Hunting -> Archery -> Mysticism -> BW -> Pottery then beelining Litterature.

I have failed some early rushes recently so I just tried to settle aggressively towards Louis. Was afraid to loose Djenne until I got SoZ in that city.

Everyone was in Conf until Louis founded Chris and switched. Then i had to adopt no state religion :(

Now some screenies:

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I figure I have room for 9 cities with the land I have blocked.

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The other guys are teching pretty slowly

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Capital is a production monster:

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And Djenne is just awesome. My first GS built an Academy in Djenne since it was making more beakers then Timbuktu and could use the +4culture/turn.

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Could use advice on 3 topics:
1: Louis' got 9 cities and some really great land. A DoW by him would mean the end of me, so dealing with him is priority number 1. I was thinking cats + phants and try to kill him. Alternatively I could adopt HR and Chris (when it spreads) and try to get him to friendly while settling the rest of my land. Dunno what would be best.

2: Move the capital to Djenne and get beaucrasy for awesome teching power + diplo points towards Qin?

3: My 2nd GS is due pretty soon. Bulb Philo? Or Academy in Timbuktu (not if I move the capital though)? Or settle him in Djenne?
 
4000BC -> Domination

immortal/normal no huts/events


(image heavy)
Spoiler :

Settled two cities
poor Louis did not have any metal =(
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so I chopped some axes took paris and went ABC for tech trade in exchange of 10 turn peace
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my cities :
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10 turn peace treaty:
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Great library :
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and last french city falls:
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Mali empire 375AD
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from here my strategy was :
spread Judaism to all my cities
bulb philosophy
whip all infrastructure : temples, monasteries, forges and markets
bulb education + 2 artists P for culture bomb on my south and golden age while building universities
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whips and switches CS<->slavery every ~10 turns
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Won lib race (delayed for ~300 years cuz mehmed had not even paper ) and took astronomy
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tech situation :
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Got wardecced by SB, issy and ottomans, got another GG and after signing peace backstabbed poor china
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1854AD
Qin RIP
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and victory :

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PS
spi/fin too overpowered :)




 
Immortal / Normal. 1814AD.

One of the most exciting games ever! Victory over a major dogpile.

Spoiler :
Well, the come back was a little slow. I traded Nationalism with WSH for something that I don't recall and got Democracy. Of course he had to complete the Statue of Liberty before me. Then I beelined Astronomy and went to meet new friends. I switched to Free Religion and this is the situation I found:

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After some trading.

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The only problem at first was that they were all in Mercantilism, but they soon switched to State Property so my economy improved quite a lot. In fact, I have been sharing the first position in GNP with QSH for quite some time now.

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I got the coal fuel event:
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OK, this is where things start to be interesting. I saw Justinian had a stack parked near my borders.

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I thought "Good. He'll declare on me and I'll take his oil town in my continent." I had no oil then. However, he had some cards in his sleeve.

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Siimply all major world players decided to attack me. I destroyed two of Justinian's stacks and one of Mehmed's. Then I finally captured his city.

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Time for peace.

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The economy then:

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QSH already had Industrialism and Artillery, but he didn't have a fundamental military technology: Flight. I spent a while building Airports all around, while we had some skirmishes in the borders until it became time to put my oil to use.

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I'm one turn away from Radio and Bombers!!! This is the beginning of the end of China.

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I'll take a shot at the Internet. After I've captured the whole of China, I guess I'll take Mansa Musa to visit Suryavarman in his hometown.

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Look how many wonders QSH built for me:

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I'll have the opportunity to put a stop to his eventual culture attempt.

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These are my civics:

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Man, I wish I could write like Madscientist now.
 
Still not brave enough to attempt Immortal yet...

Emporer/Epic - 675BC (no huts or events)

Spoiler :
This game is not quite going according to plan, got stuck in a slow expansion thanks to Louis building the great wall and I'm getting pestered with barbs. Headed for Aesthetics after writing but screwed up my tech trades a little.

Still only have three cities with a settler running to the North but I've definatley put my self on the back foot a little here.

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I'm stuck trying to beat my second opponent with skirmishers/catapults... The attrition while I'm trying to lay siege is just insane.
 
Start to Finish….
Spoiler :

I decided to get a little fancy with stupid Mansa UU. I then DoW on the French since the leader was so close and is a maniac who will DoW on me anyway. I then just choke him and keep stealing workers (AI is stupid) and keep getting free EXP on his archers he keeps sending out.

I then slowly expand myself and get metals online while stupid French can’t do anything right.

I attack first city, and Louis makes my job sooo much easier by moving half his stack out just as I was ready to attack, so they lose all defensive bonus and I get free Exp again. Geeze… this was just TOO easy!

Then I heal, and advance to capital….

I take capital with ease. I have CRIII units… Hero Expic unlocked, and I am then capturing barb cities as well.

I head over and capture Louis last city, making him officially Rip.

I move my super elite army down south where we meet Chinese. I capture another barb city down there and send in a settler down there to fill up some more stuff.

At this point in time… I have:

A large army of elite units
HE is unlocked.
2 capitals
1 holy city
Tones of backlands to fill (while only 1 narrow path for enemies to get to me).
My GG…
My marble resources
Etc.. etc.. etc..

There is no point in continuing past this point. I am unstoppable.


Rest in Peace Louis….

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Immortal, normal 1620ad

Spoiler :
I descided to leave Luis for the time being and settle the rest of my land. Moved the capital to Djenne. Bulbed Philo, Edu and won lib by a huge margin. Took Nationalism as free tech. Teched PP, Constitution and Democracy. Landed The Taj (Used the GA to build Unis across my empire) and SoL (I usually never get that one).
Cannons + Rifles and Louis' Macemen didn't have a chance. Just ended the war by capturing all of Louis' cities and I'm rebuilding for a war against Qin, who is my only rival at this moment.

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Emporer/Epic - 335BC (No huts or Events)

Okay it's official...

Spoiler :
...I hate louis :mad:

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Why doesn't this guy build a few wonders or something? he's gone on an insane rex!

I'm going to restart just for the satisfaction of teaching him a lesson... :devil:
 
I don't know what I was thinking, but to be honest I thought I'd be the only one who was rushing. As a deity rule, I ALMOST never rush barring specific circumstances. But this one just seems to have met just about all those requirements.

Would like to see a new immortal challenge hosted please, this one didn't really offer many diverse strategies, nor did it offer a point in hanging around to finish it after the BC years.
 
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