G-Major 126

Denniz · Mar 26, 2014

While the general Hall of Fame is an ongoing competition, we like to run time-definite competitions between updates that we call Gauntlets. Standard Hall of Fame rules (*) still apply, but any games meeting the settings will be counted towards the Gauntlet.

[size=+1](*) Please read the >> HOF rules << BEFORE playing!
[/size]

Settings:

Victory Condition: Diplomatic (though all victory conditions must be enabled)
Difficulty: Monarch
Starting Era: Ancient
Map Size: Standard
Speed: Epic
Map Type: Terra
Required: No Vassal States, No Tribal Villages
Must Not Be Checked: No Barbarians
Civ: Arabia
Opponents: Any
Version: 3.19.003
Date: 26th March to 25th April 2014

Must not play as Inca.

The earliest finish date wins, with score as a tiebreaker.

TheSunIsDark · Mar 26, 2014

Going to be much harder with No Vassal States as backdoor domination doesn't work. Of course, milking a weak AI and gifting some cities to get below 60%, then gold/map/techs for diplo bonuses also works. I'm just going to try for one assisted by mutual military struggle benefits, with AIs that are easy to please and bribe.

Skipity · Mar 29, 2014

The limiting factor here has got to be how quickly you can get the U.N.

I don't imagine the players here will have any problems getting a pre-chosen lot of AIs to Friendly.

enKage · Mar 29, 2014

MM, Kublai, Qin - they loved me

favourite civic is powerful. I am not familiar with epic speed, so the date is not nice

TheSunIsDark · Mar 29, 2014

Skipity said:
The limiting factor here has got to be how quickly you can get the U.N.

I don't imagine the players here will have any problems getting a pre-chosen lot of AIs to Friendly.

Beeline Mass Media, then shut off research and build wealth for a few turns. Anarchy will not be a problem as a Spiritual leader, so switch to Universal Suffrage and cash-rush the UN. For me, getting to that stage will be difficult (I'm normally a Prince player, and a Protective leader doesn't help)

WastinTime · Mar 29, 2014

TheSunIsDark said:
Beeline Mass Media, then shut off research and build wealth for a few turns. Anarchy will not be a problem as a Spiritual leader, so switch to Universal Suffrage and cash-rush the UN. For me, getting to that stage will be difficult (I'm normally a Prince player, and a Protective leader doesn't help)

You should plan to have a Great Engineer handy and chop several forests to build the UN 1 turn after MassMedia.

TalladegaKnight · Mar 30, 2014

TheSunIsDark said:
Beeline Mass Media, then shut off research and build wealth for a few turns. Anarchy will not be a problem as a Spiritual leader, so switch to Universal Suffrage and cash-rush the UN. For me, getting to that stage will be difficult (I'm normally a Prince player, and a Protective leader doesn't help)

If you do a GS astronomy bulb, by avoiding techs that open paper or some say philosophy too (but that helps get the GS faster), you are not far from MM. The GS can bulb along the path towards MM too.

Also early astronomy gives you free reign of new world.

Avoid civil service and theology before astro bulb to avoid paper. Avoid meditation or code of laws to avoid philosophy.

Should get astronomy around 400-500 AD, but that is on normal speed. Not sure if that translates to epic.

WastinTime · Mar 30, 2014

TalladegaKnight said:
If you do a GS astronomy bulb, by avoiding techs that open paper or some say philosophy too (but that helps get the GS faster), you are not far from MM. The GS can bulb along the path towards MM too.

One special thing about the Terra map:
For Astronomy, (assuming you have huts on), you should get Optics and race over to the new world. There is a very high probability that you will get free Astronomy from a hut.

Skipity · Mar 30, 2014

I'll go a step further and suggest that if a Gauntlet / challenge like this is proposed in the future, that the Opponents should be pre-selected to dislike each other, be difficult to deal with and have aggressive AI checked.

Tokugawa and Shaka (or Monty) would certainly add Spice.

Otherwise it's peacnicks and lovefest with fav civ cherry picking (This thread for reference if you need help).

In fact . . . I think I'll go ahead and play with these modified "handicaps":

A. Opponents:

1. Tokugawa
2. Shaka (or Monty)
3. Isabella (or Salidin)
4. Julius Caesar
5. Sitting Bull
6. Victoria (or Washington)

B. Agressive AI checked, and

C. "Player must not play as a spiritual leader."

WastinTime · Mar 30, 2014

Skipity said:
I'll go a step further and suggest that if a Gauntlet / challenge like this is proposed in the future, that the Opponents should be pre-selected to dislike each other, be difficult to deal with and have aggressive AI checked.

Tokugawa and Shaka (or Monty) would certainly add Spice.

Otherwise it's peacnicks and lovefest with fav civ cherry picking (This thread for reference if you need help).

In fact . . . I think I'll go ahead and play with these modified "handicaps":

A. Opponents:

1. Tokugawa
2. Shaka (or Monty)
3. Isabella (or Salidin)
4. Julius Caesar
5. Sitting Bull
6. Victoria (or Washington)

B. Agressive AI checked, and

C. "Player must not play as a spiritual leader."

Great suggestion, but the challenge series tends to lean this way, Gauntlets usually give the freedom to get the #1 best game ever.

TheSunIsDark · Mar 30, 2014

Possible civ choice... Isabella, Justinian, Gandhi, Kublai Khan, Qin Shi Huang and Mansa. Share a religion with Isabella and/or Justinian, use Bureaucracy, Free Market and possibly Universal Suffrage and Theocracy, and avoid wars with Gandhi's friends and you should be able to win.

TalladegaKnight · Mar 30, 2014

WastinTime said:
One special thing about the Terra map:
For Astronomy, (assuming you have huts on), you should get Optics and race over to the new world. There is a very high probability that you will get free Astronomy from a hut.

That's a great tip. It will save you 2 GS. Too bad about no huts in this one. :sad:

Skipity said:
I'll go a step further and suggest that if a Gauntlet / challenge like this is proposed in the future, that the Opponents should be pre-selected to dislike each other, be difficult to deal with and have aggressive AI checked.

Tokugawa and Shaka (or Monty) would certainly add Spice.

Otherwise it's peacnicks and lovefest with fav civ cherry picking (This thread for reference if you need help).

In fact . . . I think I'll go ahead and play with these modified "handicaps":

A. Opponents:

1. Tokugawa
2. Shaka (or Monty)
3. Isabella (or Salidin)
4. Julius Caesar
5. Sitting Bull
6. Victoria (or Washington)

B. Agressive AI checked, and

C. "Player must not play as a spiritual leader."

Nice mix of civs. This one is with Arabia taking away A-3 possibly and choice C.

Skipity · Mar 31, 2014

TalladegaKnight said:
That's a great tip. It will save you 2 GS. Too bad about no huts in this one.

Nice mix of civs. This one is with Arabia taking away A-3 possibly and choice C.

I didn't even notice Arabia required until just now when I was creating the game and double checking.

TheSunIsDark · Apr 2, 2014

Skipity said:
In fact . . . I think I'll go ahead and play with these modified "handicaps":

A. Opponents:

1. Tokugawa
2. Shaka (or Monty)
3. Isabella (or Salidin)
4. Julius Caesar
5. Sitting Bull
6. Victoria (or Washington)

B. Agressive AI checked, and

C. "Player must not play as a spiritual leader."

Don't forget Random Personalities banned. You don't want Gandhi, Mansa, Qin, Roosevelt etc. personalities (unless you're playing).

TheSunIsDark · Apr 2, 2014

No huts could work in your favour, you don't want to get Meditation from it and mess up the Astro bulb!

TalladegaKnight · Apr 2, 2014

TheSunIsDark said:
No huts could work in your favour, you don't want to get Meditation from it and mess up the Astro bulb!

Getting philo is not a bad thing here. Currently half way through my game. Got a 115 AD astro bulb, still not sure if this is good on epic. I purposefully bulbed philo and even grabbed music 1st. Pacifism and golden age rock for getting out GS quickly.

The real problem is opening paper. I've forgotten theology unlocks paper before. :hammer2:

WastinTime · Apr 2, 2014

TheSunIsDark said:
No huts could work in your favour, you don't want to get Meditation from it and mess up the Astro bulb!

Meditation (all the religion techs) are not available via hut.
So no risk....but good thinking.

Skipity · Apr 3, 2014

OK - so you really need some hut abuse here to get a truly HoF level score.

I screwed up my last attempt but still would have only had a 1250ish AD finish.

Still trying with the settings I put above

Sitting Bull Longbowmen are . . . OP.

WastinTime · Apr 3, 2014

Skipity said:
OK - so you really need some hut abuse here to get a truly HoF level score.

No, the impact of huts is a myth. Very over exaggerated. Just about any #1 HoF slot can be beaten with huts off.

TheSunIsDark · Apr 3, 2014

WastinTime said:
No, the impact of huts is a myth. Very over exaggerated. Just about any #1 HoF slot can be beaten with huts off.

Especially on the higher levels. But the recent Challenge XII-08 - with huts off - produced two wins only a few turns slower than the best.

G-Major 126

Where's my breakfast?

Settled Great Scientist

Chieftain

Follower of Zoamelgustar

Settled Great Scientist

Deity

King

Deity

Chieftain

Deity

Settled Great Scientist

King

Chieftain

Settled Great Scientist

Settled Great Scientist

King

Deity

Chieftain

Deity

Settled Great Scientist

Similar threads