Tradition's 4 cities opening

After 4 -5 spots are takken in 99% of games the next best spot is some ai capital spot - so take it ...

I like wonder whoring too much for my cap building settlers without prod bonus - so this "strategy" is really only possible for me if there is a chance to get some gold soon.
 
I tried this strategy out for the first time today as France on Emperor. I am only on turn 100 and it feels like a so much better start then whenever I take Liberty. I always thought it was pretty much a handicap to take anything other than Liberty to start, but I am starting to think liberty is really only good if you are planning to go really wide. There is one thing I did differently though, I built shrines first and then an archer in my new cities. I felt much more successful with the faith coming in earlier, but still had enough defense to propell an early attack from Genghis Khan.
 
I've been trying for 2 days to get 4 cities AND Tradtion finished in 65-70 turns on Immortal. Then I broke down and actually read the guide. Its not nearly that hard.
 
This strat is just so strong. I am really enjoying it. The real lynch pin, for me it seems, is the social policy strat. I never thought about pushing into the happiness point in tradition so early. The happiness money from that point comes just in time to save you from running into negative unhappiness after selling your initial luxuries.

I typically play epic speed games (I enjoy fiddling with UU's more during the era they become available) and I would like to contribute my findings on that speed.

If you play on epic speed, defiantly modify your science a little bit as you progress. In my first attempt at this, I followed the tech path laid out and I found that I was getting construction too early. I had the archers in my 2, 3 ,4 cities qued up with about 15 turns remaining when I first teched to construction. Once I got it, the que times for the unfinished archers went from 15 turns to 51 turns. The set back was huge.

Defiantly spend some time teching elsewhere (progress towards science) as you finish your archer brigade. Once the archers are close enough to being complete, switch over to tech construction. Then upgrade the archers.
 
Not sure what is best for city placement here. First two cities here:

Spoiler :



Looking to the north we have

Spoiler :


The ideal spot would be up near Lisbon with the gems and truffles, and with the two CSs right there could make quite a defensive chokehold. It is a bit of a hike from the capital though.

SO where does city 4 go? To the right of the capital inbetween the mountain and coast just below the silver? Up top by the other gem and coast? Or in between in no mans land, perhaps on that hill in the sea of grassland which will eventually grab the marble and dyes but be a pretty poor production city with all that grassland, but will be a good mid point to build a road up to the defensive city?
 
teakbois - You could go for one on the coast, east of the capitol so you dont get land locked.
 
teakbois - You could go for one on the coast, east of the capitol so you dont get land locked.

Or could settle right on that gem hill up top which has coast access

I think either way Ill probably end up with cities in all those places, because its pretty sweet isolation with those two CSes in that spot. Get the 4 big cities going, then throw in another 2-3 smaller ones after I build NC.
 
City #4 - on top of that hill to reach both Dyes and Marble
City #3 - on top of silver next to a mountain. Or one tile north if you want cattle instantly.
 
I most try it once more and this time focus on getting high population in my 4 cities and get those high raw beakers around 1000 bpt. And also solve my production problem (can't shift to high production for producing all space parts in time). In last game I had 384 bpt at T140 and unlocked Apollo at T167 but after that I really suck. I max my bpt to early in the game...

I have some questions regarding jungle tiles and Fertilizer tech.

Is following math is correct?

With all science buildings (no NC, no observatory) and skipping happiness bonus (15%) to get even numbers. The modifier for a :c5citizen: is 4. The modifier for :c5science: from buildings, terrain and GP is 2.

2 Grassland with Jungle: Civil Service=YES and (Water=YES or Fertilizer=YES)
:c5food: :c5citizen: :c5production: slots Terrain :c5science: Total :c5science:
2 TP 4 2 0 6 20
2 Farm 8 4 2 0 24
=> Remove jungle and build farms

2 Plains with Jungle: Civil Service=YES and (Water=YES or Fertilizer=YES)
:c5food: :c5citizen: :c5production: slots Terrain :c5science: Total :c5science:
2 Farm 6 3 1 0 16
2 TP 4 2 0 6 20
=> Build TP on plains with jungle (N.B. with only jungle build farms to fill up all :c5science: slots...)

2 Bananas on Jungle: Granary=YES and Fertilizer=YES
:c5food: :c5citizen: :c5production: slots Terrain :c5science: Total :c5science:
No improvement 8 4 2 4 32
2 Plantations NO Fert. 10 5 3 0 32
2 Plantations 12 6 4 0 40
=> This one surprised me. If you have :c5happy: plantations on bananas gives you more flexibility and more :c5science: with Fertilizer

I guess you research Chemistry and Fertilizer even if they are not part of the "path" for science victory. When do you do it?

Yeah, getting your population up is quite important... I've been shocked with France and Egypt the past few games w/bpt. Both CIVS producing over 1500 bpt w/10 cities on around turn 300
 
City #4 - on top of that hill to reach both Dyes and Marble
City #3 - on top of silver next to a mountain. Or one tile north if you want cattle instantly.

So you are saying to not worry about that sweet spot up top? Still trying to figure out the fine are of city placement here. I think I got a good spot for #2 but feedback is appreciated.
 
City #4 - on top of that hill to reach both Dyes and Marble
City #3 - on top of silver next to a mountain. Or one tile north if you want cattle instantly.

So I did this to see how it worked (adjusted city 3 to be on the coast but still next to mountain).

Turns out Im not so isolated, down a very tiny path of jungle amidst the mountains comes a new neighbour

Spoiler :


Im betting my new neighbours will be quite hostile...time to get a few more composites for when it comes time to claim my new puppet
 
enjoy running your army up that chokepoint by the mountain to get to him though... that could be quite painstaking... and then you find his city is surrounded by mountain/hill with only 2-3 accessible spots grrrr
 
enjoy running your army up that chokepoint by the mountain to get to him though... that could be quite painstaking... and then you find his city is surrounded by mountain/hill with only 2-3 accessible spots grrrr

Yeah I wouldnt go after his capital, just take the city and I could probably clog the coast so he couldnt get any settlers or troops past until he gets navigation or wants to trek through the CS.
 
this might be a stupid question.. but how do you get this dialogue box to appear? Mod?

Spoiler :
 
starting to get the hang of this I think, had my first sub 300 victory. 273 science victory (Immortal)

I ended up taking that city as planned and annexed it since it seemed to be a good location. 6 cities total, which may have slowed me because I didnt finish the rationalism tree.

heres what things looked like at 229
Spoiler :


Kept those three CSes allied almost the whole game. I could tell china wanted to attack me but was petrified to go through that gauntlet...kept seeing a few units poke in here and there only to retreat.

That Eiffel Tower I had almost done there? Snatched by Kamehama at 3 turns left. He did the same thing with Pisa. And Cristo Redentor. His reward? I pelted his coast with nukes as I sent the ship to space.

edit: I liked the Iroquois. The UA allowed me to save I think 11 GPT, which definitely adds up over the course of the game. Not to mention saving a TON of time connecting stuff (I did buy a few tiles to get it to work fast though). And of course the UB synergizes well with the UA.
 
this might be a stupid question.. but how do you get this dialogue box to appear? Mod?

Spoiler :

Go to Options, there should be a "Enable Single Player Scoreboard"

Click on that.
 
this might be a stupid question.. but how do you get this dialogue box to appear? Mod?

Spoiler :

It's not a cheat or a mod. It's somewhere into options of the game(don't have the game right now).

In mp games every players has it(automatic) and i'm used to it since i played 98% of my games under mp more than anything else in the beginning. In fact it's pretty useful. But for some reason very few players use it. Maybe for aesthetic purposes?

It's certainly more useful for mp games because you can determinate who has built a new city or wonder during a turn and these infos can be crucial.

Edit :

Go to Options, there should be a "Enable Single Player Scoreboard"

Click on that.

This.
 
I am really, really itching to try this but my hardware craps out on me. Looking to try this with Siam and get Mammoth cities after completing tradition.
 
I started this yesterday with the crazy Deity Spain save.

So far I am really enjoying it. NC, Pyramids and Oracle with full Tradition tree plus first commerce policy on turn 90, now going to research into Renaissance. Got upgraded Religion with Swords to Plowshares and Tithe for growth thanks to 16 Faith/turn from barrier reef due to first Belief. Had some problems with Askias Horde of Catapults, Horsemen and Swordmen but my CBs handled that.
My first deity game that isn't duel map. But I think it is just too easy with Barrier Reef and Spain, will start a normal map on Immortal after and really bring this to the test under normal circumstances.
 
I'm practicing this on Emperor. It seems my biggest problem is that my archers take so damn long to build. I reach construction before I've had a chance to build all my archers. Especially in my 2nd city and 3rd city, it takes forever to build he archers.
 
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