SGOTM2 Germany - Team Peanut

SGOTM2 Game Thread

Welcome to your game thread for SGOTM2-Germany

Here is the start position.


Each team has their own save file. Please download and play from the correct save. If you use the wrong save the server will not accept your submission. Also, please make sure that the software version is correct. PM me immediately if it is not.

You can download your save file >>HERE<<.

The Roster
bigchief
civ_steve
Keith Larson
Peanut
Peglegasus
Planetfall

Who shall start us out?

If I understand the rules correctly we are not allowed to give any hints as to “what is out there” if we have played GOTM 8.

One thing I am a little unsure of is Ring City Placement. Is it allowed or not? Is there any penalty associated with using it or bonus for not using it?

Since we are going for the variant we need to maintain good relations with others. That means no broken deals! It will also be to our advantage to avoid war. To do this we must be seen as powerful by the other nations. As far as I can tell power is based on the number of units and how much land area we control. Along that end let me suggest the following build priorities. Warriors and archers over spearmen. I have found you can get by with less spearmen if you use them as a mobile fire brigade which you rush to threatened areas. The other duties of spearmen in the early game is to escort settlers and archers as the barb activity increases. Finally we will need a few to place in exposed cities.

As for land control, granaries are key. Even if we can’t pull off a settler factory, a granary or two is well worth the investment. We want to expand peacefully as quickly as possible. War only makes people mad at us.

As for tech trading we should be aggressive. Hording techs only invites war. If we can get a decent price, lets sell.

For our game goals I cannot think of any Great Wonder that is vital to our mission. In the early game maybe one city at most pre-building. Anymore than that is a waste of shields and population.

Hello all. This is my first succession game and I'm really looking forward to it. I've checked out several SG threads so I understand how it all works. Just to make sure we are playing PTW correct?

I will be unable to play from may 27 to june 4 but will have internet access and can check in with the forums once a day or so to give input.

I consider the early game to be my strength but am willing to play anywhere in the roster. One thing I was thinking about was trying to trigger a Golden Age before we get panzers... that's a long time to wait. Obviously we would need a couple wonders. What do you all think?

That's all for now! Looking forward to the game.

Peglegasus

Peglegasus,

At Monarch level we don’t need a golden age to win. Remember we are going for a diplomatic victory without the UN. During the end game we are going to have to work very hard to avoid a domination or cultural victory. I think it is a mistake for us to build our strategy around Wonders, lets build them when the opportunity presents itself, but only when they don’t take away from our larger goals and are a very low risk.

We are going to have our hands full in the early game fighting off barbs and expanding. If you haven’t noticed we are in an area with lots of mountains and jungles, great land once it is cleared and developed, but very unproductive in the early game.

A tightly spaced city pattern makes sense at first as it will allow us share defenders and maximize the use of cleared and productive land. Later in the game we can raze the some “temp” cities to make room for the permanent ones. Temp cities build no improvements just defensive units, catapults, workers and settlers. To distinguish them I name them something like “Shantytown East” or “Berlin North Trailer Park”.

Hello all,

I'm looking forward to playing with such a distinguished group. We are up against some strong competition, but that only makes it all the better. I don't think we have to totally change the way we play early in the game, just because of the victory condition, but we need to keep it in mind as we consider our strategy.

Greetings Team Peanut!

Research speed is paramount to a fast finish with this variant; of course along the way we need to do a lot of building, and some Warring. Reputation needs to be kept up, so no deal breaking, no ROP rape, no War declaration with our units inside the enemies terrain, etc. Some warfare is good, once we can form alliances; in my experience, current and former allies are the best supporters for a UN victory.

I agree with Keith; in fact I rarely build Spearmen early; the PTW barbarian is usually controlable with Warriors, and the upgrade to Swordsman gives the same defense and triple the attack of a Spearman.

RCP should be fine, I think.

Initial research - maybe minimum on IronWorking? Look to see if we can get Alphabet and Pottery by trade, then IronWorking will be a good 2nd tier trade tech. Also allows us to build up the treasury.

Wonders - maybe build none initially (definitely do NOT build the Great Library!) Look to capture (or use a GL for) a militaristic wonder, then pre-build for Newton's to trigger GA just entering the IndEra.

Unless we have a food bonus, I'd stay away from Granaries initially and build cities.

I'm here through Monday, then on travel for at least 4 days, maybe 8 or 9 if we extend it. I'd like to play first or second, to get a turn in before this indeterminate length trip.

Whoever starts don't forget to check F10 for who our neighbors are. Pottery and Alphabet can usally be had for trade. Next to Ironworking, the Wheel is a good choice as well.

Why stay away from Granaries? I have found that not only do your cities grow faster, their average size stays larger during the intial stage of the game when population goes up and down because of settler building. This higher average city size really pays off in research and shield production.

If everybody hasn't seen it there is some discussion concerning the use of a "Diplomatic Dogpile" (as GK puts it) in the main SGOTM thread:

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=79841&page=8

Everyone might want to take a look and post their opinions on the matter.

bigchief,

Are you going to get us started or would you like someone else to start?

Keith

It doesn't matter to me when I play, but since we haven't even heard from our esteemed leader, Peanut, we should probably wait and set the play order at that time. It doesn't look like we are going to get started before late tonight or tomorrow US time, so Civ_Steve might want to go first.

Peanut is in a different timezone I think. If it were me I'd let Steve kick it off, and then you will all have something to discuss for when peanut hits the boards.

Go for it Steve! I am ready to play.

Alright, I'll take first turn, and I've got the download. I would like to hear from Peanut before playing though.

I check F10 first always. If 3 of the civs are expansionistic, I'd say we should do minimum on IronWorking, or Wheel. If 2 or less, perhaps we do fast research of Pottery, followed by Minimum. What says the team?

How about 1st turn movements? Terrain to NW doesn't look promising; I'm thinking a move SE will still keep the 2 BGs within expanded city radius (along with the gold), keep us next to the river, and exchange 6 unknown tiles into our city (to the SE), taking out 2 Unknown to the NW. Worker goes E to work BG, initially.

A Granary is a must if we get a food bonus. If we don't have a food bonus I'd rather get a 2nd city out there; scouting should see if there are any food bonuses nearby that can take full advantage of a Granary. (And it might be good to get a 2nd city before the Granary, anyway.)

According to F10, there are 6 other civs, 2 of which are Expansionistic (Russia and England) (I think).

Any comments? I can start later tonight (9 or 10 pm, West coast time); or wait until tomorrow to let all thoughts come out.

Move worker first to the East BG before you move the settler. If things look promising to the E then move SE.

I would take the risk that you can trade of Pottery. Either go for Wheel ASP or Iron Work Min. The Wheel does not last long and you rarely get it first if you try the minimum research trick.

Good idea about the worker move first. We definitely want to keep the 2 BG within Berlin's initial radius. It looks like there's coast to the NW, so a move SE would also free some room up for future coastal city.

I think I saw Japan on the list of civs, too. So Wheel is already in the game somewhere. Tends to lead me in the direction of IronWorking at minimum, saving up the treasury.

AlanH's upload and game status sheet is Awesome! So far 3 teams have done the first step, and 1 (Team, Tao) has completed two.

I'll follow Mad-Bax's suggestion, and play and post tonight (hopefully). I'll check one more time before.

Ok, I've started the first set of turns. Worker move East reveals Game!! (See Image below). Settler moved SE, and Berlin founded in 3950. I'm working out what goes next, with this revealing.

We have one (quite well known) player who is interested in playing the variant. I would like to place him in this team if there are no objections.

Peanut checking in ... it's been a hectic weekend here. Yes, Civ_Steve, I live in Brisbane, Australia at 10 hours ahead of GMT (and 16 or more ahead of the Americas)

I don't know why I am honoured with a team name and nominal leadership - I expect we will run this as a sort of democracy where key decisions are agreed to by all.

I hope we can get our strategy nailed down quickly, particularly our ancient age plan, then trust each of us to play the game as best we see fit when we are at the wheel .

The golden rules in my opinion are :
- pick up and play the game roughly on time, or let us know if you will have a short delay.
- be prepared to pass on your turn as soon as possible if you can't make it - your turn will come around again quickly anyway.
- respect the decisions of others made during their turn playing, and expect others to respect yours.
- express your ideas freely, constructively and positively, so that we learn from eachother.

So - some strategy thoughts to chew over :

If we are to win without bulding the UN then we can 1) either capture it from whomever builds it before they hold an election, or 2) be big and loveable enough that we are the other candidate and that we get most of the votes.

I think that working towards option (2) is safer, however if we can bribe our way to a dogpile on whoever is likeliest to build it then that might work.

In any case a quick finish means fast research which means we need to be big and loveable anyway. I suggest that we aim to take out our neighbours as soon as practicable, and get two productive cores running, then be sweet and generous to everyone to push things along until Fusion is invented. Then we strike.

Ancient age strategy - I suggest that we get our settler factories running (with granaries) as soon as possible to expand as fast as we can. I like the idea of a tight ring of cities that we can abandon later if needed. Research IW at minimum, build only warriors and the odd worker or settler in our satellite city ring, and accumulate cash for a massive swordsman upgrade and then take over our continent. Rapid expansion should also mean we put our foot on more luxuries and resources. Hope we can trade for pottery fairly soon.

Roster - looks like civ_steve is ready to go, and the ideas for the first few moves sound ok to me. How about we just follow the roster from there, so Keith follows civ_steve, then Peanut and so on.

A last suggestion - when we write up, emphasise at the end any deals done in your round so the next player doesn't inadvertently ruin our reputation. I think our rep is going to be important to us this game.

By the way - we are playing PTW aren't we ? Speak now or be really confused when you try to load the game up ...

MadBax - sounds ok to me unless anybody objects. The more the merrier. Can you edit your first post to update the roster please ?

By the way - Who is it ?