OK, alphabet, warriors and terrain improvement. Check!
I have downloaded the save game, and am looking at starting now...
Pre-flight...
OK, Berlin checked out, and warriors given their likely scouting orders... Time to press "Enter"...
Turn 1 [2950]
Granary completed. Gamble with AI being smart, and place citizen working the wheat to ensure instant increase to size 3. Hope this does not shaft 2-turn warrior completion... :crossesfingers:
Warriors explore (ooh, look! sea!), worker starts irrigation.
Turn 2 [2900]
Hail, Comrade! A Russian warrior appears, from the south, just 5 squares from Berlin... They have Ivory, the Alphabet, and 10 gold in the bank... Until we get some more techs, there is no business to be done between us.
The AI was (of course) not smart, and chose the all-food square. MM Berlin to produce warrior in one turn...
Turn 3 [2850]
Governor Tallanas is lynched by rioting mobs in Berlin. His successor, also called Tallanas, has learned a valuable lesson in luxury rate adjustment...
Sorry, guys...
More exploration.
Turn 4 [2800]
Warrior becomes MP, as without any luxury tax, TW arrives 3 turns sooner. Another warrior started in order to act as third scout. NE warrior discovers river basin that contains lush wheat-growing lands and floodplains.
Turn 5 [2750]
MM Berlin to produce warrior in one turn. Explore.
Decision taken to start the worker building a road on the game square.
Pros - more trade when it's used (which will be often); second or third city to be founded on the new wheat/river basin, to which this road will lead. Won't lose as many turns of worker activity.
Cons - Worker delayed from irrigating wheat.
Verdict - went with gut feel, build the road.
Turn 6 [2700]
Warrior built. Finances looking iffy. Set Berlin to grow in one turn, new warrior stays to maintain order for now. Tax rate set to 10%, TW arrives in 6, we only lose 1 gold per turn. Set build order to Settler.
Turn 7 [2650]
Settler to arrive in 4, Berlin to grow in 4... More exploration...
Turn 8 [2630]
Road finished. Extra tax hurries TW production. Governor feels better.
Note - the Russians have been very good about staying off German soil. I am suddenly suspicious so I contact their diplomat. He is smug, having just received Masonry and Ceremonial Burial, and having the princely sum of 49 gold in the coffers. We have 9 and are down 3 techs now. Bring on the Wheel...
Turn 9 [2590]
Southern scout sees border to Russian territory... Worker moves to wheat.
Turn 10 [2550]
Worker starts to irrigate. Everything set to kick off next turn - Settler produced, Berlin to expand, and the Wheel to arrive.
Tal vows that if he hears "Our Treasury is running dangerously low" once more, he will personally tie his treasury staff to one of these new-fangled wheels, and roll them all the way to Moscow.
Save game, and breathe sigh of relief that I only made one cock up.