Immortal Incan Domination 2.08

Yes, I am amazed at how fast he got everything going and his research rate. Very insane play. That's why I'm begging for more details

futurehermit said:

Pete, your early game research is absolutely phenomenal and is where I struggle the most.

It boggles my mind that you were able to research construction yet still be able to research CoL by 200BC...

Would you be able to discuss your tech path and research strategy early on? It would help me a lot. Basically, how is it you were able to tech so quickly this game?

Thanks!

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I think Cabert already answered this. Early large cities mean more commerce and production. My cities are essentially 50-75% larger than in games where there are early happiness problems. That makes my base research faster, allows for more tech trade opportunities and larger armies.

Ruler said:

There is not even many cottages if you ask from me but I guess financial do the trick. Not my favorite trait.

Why I posted this is why not to share the save files too?

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From that aerial shot I count 14 cottages, 1 wine, 1 ivory, 2 seafood, 1 fur and rough 8-10 coastal tiles being worked. I'm also making money from trade and war.

I'll post the save game after I finish.

I take back everything I ever said about taking monarchy from oracle being a bad idea

in everyone's opinion, how well would the strat of the Oracle/Monarchy combo work with a non-Financial civ on this level of play (given that you had a the same or a similar start)? i am wondering how strong the link is b/n the two..

LosBlack said:

in everyone's opinion, how well would the strat of the Oracle/Monarchy combo work with a non-Financial civ on this level of play (given that you had a the same or a similar start)? i am wondering how strong the link is b/n the two..

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snaaty uses early monarchy (self-researched) in conjunction with caste system to run more specialists and he was also getting an insane tech rate: city with library, academy, and 6+ scientists...

EDIT: Deleted by me after second thougth. I justgo back to watch TV.

futurehermit said:

snaaty uses early monarchy (self-researched) in conjunction with caste system to run more specialists and he was also getting an insane tech rate: city with library, academy, and 6+ scientists...

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i don't think i'm making the full leap-of-faith here.

i understand that a large city size can increase commerce (powerful for financial), or if you choose, specialists (maybe better for non-financial). i also understand that growing cities early is difficult due to the happy cap. Monarchy helps that somewhat with the possibility of wine, but the main Monarchy help comes from HR and stacking cheap units early. seems so simple when somebody points this out to you. is that all there is to it?

what are you using the +4 GPP from Stonehenge/Oracle for? shrine income?

more = larger cities = more commerce and hammers = stronger earlier empire

priest gpp gives early prophet for shrine and later ones can be used to lightbulb theology or settler them for $/turn...

Well, I schlepped my army down south to respond to Saladin's war declaration and met a meager group. I guess Mao didn't pay him enough.



My cities are getting a bit unhealthy so I pulled off this trade.



I dispatched Saladin's weak attack force and took Kufah with 3 catapults and a quecha. he only had 2 archers there.



I don't really need this but I'm trying to improve relations with Alex.



I bombed down Damascus' defenses and met longbows when i was ready to attack. Drat!



Oh this sucks.



Alex refuses to attack Saladin. I'm really starting to worry that he may declare on me. That would be the end of this game.



I finish the Colossus. I'm still not sure if this is better than the Great Library or not but its done me well in the past



I didn't lose a single unit in this battle. Two catapults retreated and injured the longbows enough for my swords to walk in.



With the Colossus up, there's no reason to delay this civics switch.



I really don't want to do this because I want Mao's gold cities but I don't I have a choice. This will increase my relations with Alex and prevent him from declaring on me.



My second priest. Mao already found Christianity but I took it anyway for trade purposes.



#1 in GNP and manufacturing. Very far behind in population.



Aerial view. Up to 66 pop. Unfortunately I had to sacrifice a bunch of Chinese in Beijing.

This is looking good, now you should make peace with Sally and finish Mao to get his Floodplains cities. I am stunned by your domination of Production/GNP/Crop Yield.

Size 15 in 175 AD I've got a lot to learn

Very impressive as always. The basic game is the key in my opinion. Maximize health and happiness, rapid grow to max, build cottages aggressively and what I have learn from this game is balance hammers and commerce.

I hope you can do this this could be domination victory of all time as first opponents are even protective and I usually have problems with Saladin alone at the beginning.

Galileo44 said:

This is looking good, now you should make peace with Sally and finish Mao to get his Floodplains cities. I am stunned by your domination of Production/GNP/Crop Yield.

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That's my plan. I want to get there before Alex.

First step was to get peace with Saladin.



Set up another trade with Alex. He's pleased now. I should be able to bribe him to do whatever I want going forward.



Mao adopts two new civics with an army at his doorstep.



Red Peter is looking pretty advanced.



Shanghai and Mao's 4 workers are mine. Alex, I guess, was content to pillage and never wanted the city.



Beijing has fish so I canceled the fish deal.



I attach a GG to a sword. I need a high level unit to build the Heroic Epic. I also attached him to a sword rather than a mace so I can upgrade him free.



More trading with Red Peter. Looks like I have him beat to Liberalism.



And Mao is out of the game. Alex's culture is pretty strong there and rendered this city nearly worthless.



I think Red Peter must have used a GS to light bulb Education because he's got it and we're both rushing to Liberalism. I need to run the slider at 100% to get there first so I demand some money from Saladin and he caves.



I get there first by 1-2 turns I assume. Last time I took Printing Press but this time I'm going for cavs so I take Nationalism. I usually don't like cavs since Military Tradition is an expensive dead end tech but it could allow me to take Saladin out quickly.



I switch to free religion but not free speech. Usually free speech is the way to go with all the cottages but Cuzco is my manufacturing power house and I built the Heroic Epic there and I want to quickly pump out cavs to take out Saladin.

When I saw you researching eng in one of your screens I assumed you were going grenadiers again...?

Even if he is going for cavs, engineering will allow the cavs to get to the front in only 2-3 turns from across his empire. I am trying going the grenadiers route in my latest game, and it works well.

Yes grens are very solid.

futurehermit said:

When I saw you researching eng in one of your screens I assumed you were going grenadiers again...?

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Engineering is pretty important for the extra movement and the trebuchets. I decided to go for cavs just for a change of pace. I usually skip them.

I start the next round by begging Alex for some cash.



Trying to keep up with Red Peter.



Popped a silver. Nice +2 happy right there.



Got some cavs. Time to take out Saladin.



I meet the third protective civ of the game.



Red Peter had previously begged for Military Tradition and I declined. I really didn't want to give this tech to him but I don't want to sour our relations by repeatedly rejecting him.



And I meet up with the 4th protective civ.



Mecca falls.



Building an academy here to speed up the cav buildup. I'm keeping a bunch of cavs and trebs here so I can attack Alex from the north after I finish of Saladin.



How can this be possible?



Medina falls. My troops are hurt and need rest.



I get a cease fire. Will continue the fight once I'm healed up.



Not sure why Saladin didn't do this himself. I guess I have to do all the heavy lifting.

Wang begs me to join his war against Japan. I have nothing to gain so I decline.



I'm still worried about possible vassalization here. I decide to pay Alex to declare on Wang so he won't take Saladin as a vassal. With all the free techs I've given him, he's starting to catch up.



Time to finish Saladin off.



Schmuck.



I'll take that gold though.



This guy is unbelievable.



No need to post all the photos. Saladin's last 3 cities fall and I turn my sights to Alex.



I set up another Academy to Alex's north.



By the time I get the opportunity to declare on Red Peter I'll have artillery so I can trade this away.



More trades.







Let's scout Alex's land to plot the attack. Now he already has replaceable parts so I know he is only a couple turns from Rifling. Rifles slaughter cavs so I may have missed my opportunity.