Classic GOTM 36: Final Spoiler (Modern age / end game submitted)

This is the final spoiler for Classic GOTM 36

To qualify for this spoiler, you must have met the criteria for the other spoilers and reached the modern age; or you must have finished your game and submitted it.

So tell us how you rounded-out your game? What type of victory were you chasing, when did you decide on it and why? How did you go about achieving it? What helped you on your way towards it, and what hindered you?

Predator 20K drudgery

After missing the culture bombs Sistine Chapel and Bach's Cathedral, I knew the victory date would be good but not great. I grabbed most other wonders, looking like this in the modern age:



I also built all small wonders except the unfeasible Iron Works. The last ones like Strategic Missile Defence(!) had little effect, but a final palace build costing about 800 gpt (probably even more beakers had I not quit research) shaved off one turn.

Strategic Missile Defence was hardly necessary in itself.



The milking tactics worked well and I was 70 tiles from the domiation limit in 1400 AD but still with plenty of leader opportunities for the modern age. Around 1450 AD I went below 10 and stayed there to the end. I didn't want to abandon all culture for the sake of score, so during the final centuries I was paranoid about getting an accidental domination victory (thanks again Dianthus and ainwood).
But the jason score was barely over 8000. I enjoy the mix of culture, techs, warfare and above all leaders (12, yet many after tanks), but this mixed dish doesn't pay off.

Timeline

730
Took care of a logistics problem for the army by hurrying a galleon on what I thought was a worthless island. No support cost for the first time: 99/100 units.

740
Two flips, both empty cities. It could have been NY, I stayed there too long.
Heroic Epic completed.

750
America knows nationalism!?!? I still manage to take Washington. But a conscript stops me at the gates of Chicago.

760
Leader 3, Nelson, emerges.

770
Chicago taken, but with some losses as a redlined conscript was upgraded to elite. The harbour is spared and I have all luxuries.

810
Two more flips. The army can now take care of LA on the hill. Boston is smaller.

830
Newton’s completed.

840
Universal Suffrage hurried.

850
4th Leader, Wallace (William Wallace? English Leader?).

860
Flip. I have elegantly put two cavalries within reach of Atlanta, but – bad luck – redlined unfortified rifleman defeats veteran cavalry. The army moves in. Then something weird: America gets an MPP with Russia because I’m greedy enough to give Russia Industrialization for incence and gpt.

Allied France against everyone.

870
Better luck this time: America eliminated. They were my hardest adversary to date, largely because of the Great Lighthouse that gave them tremendous trading opportunities, plus they had most luxuries from the beginning.They were my hardest adversary to date, largely because of the Great Lighthouse that gave them tremendous trading opportunities, plus they had most luxuries from the beginning.

Ridiculous: All alliances with France broken because of the demise of America.

Peace with Spain to get Incence.

910
Factory in York.

920
Smith’s trading Company finished in York. Lahore finishes Magellan’s. I have 18 cavalries and one cavalry army 3 tiles from Lahore. No wonders built at the moment, which means I wion’t have problems getting the last ones in the IA.

930
Army dies without getting a single hit. Lahore is on grassland. These kinds of things have happened to me so many times that I am convinced there is something wrong with the RNG. Lahore harbour destroyed.

I make peace with India, simply because they will give me a right of passage.

940
An investigation of Dehli shows that India is having a Golden age, presumably started against the French. It also reveals 3 veteran riflemen, 1 vet musket man, some catapults, and a cavalry. They build a cavalry in a daunting 3 turns.

Happiness is surprisingly low, 3 entertainers and no happy people. Research is just 30%, probably towards communism too. Coal is missing.

The GA is bad news. How come they didn’t start it way back when at war with Spain?

Resistance in Lahore is over. Can I hold on to it a while if I hurry temple and courthouse?

RoP with France for faster troop transport.

950-970
Temple and courthouse hurried.

1020
35 Cavalries neatly set up in India for the ROP-abuse of the century. And a nice little MI stands astride over their only horses. Great unhappiness in Dehli, 6 entertainers. Come to papa. (This is not pretty, but neither are riflemen.)

Theory of Evolution completed.

Sending workers to Ex-Germany to prepare second core.

1040
Bach’s cathedral captured. Should have been built by me in the first place…

1050
The message “We lost our supply of dyes” is rarely as welcome as when you’ve just captured 3 dyes.

1070
Embassy in Madrid. They have golden age and 6 riflemen defending. MPP and ROP signed. Funny they should agree to that. Rumours of poor curry circulating?

1100
Leader no 6, Cornwallis.

1130
Palace hurried in Berlin.

1140
Income goes from +135 (at 60%) to +188
Refining goes from 9 turns to 8 turns.
The strong Indians are destroyed. France took no Indian towns despite more healthy cavalries than us.
Refining 6 turns at 80%. Trade Corporation to Spain for incense and gold. I have no qualms about that because I don’t think they will reach Motorized Transportation anyway. Also trade it to Russia.
Steel 4 turns on 100%.

1200
Fleet sent towards Russia: 20 cavalries, 4 infantries, 3 artilleries.

1230
Military Academy in York

1270
Invasion of Moscow fails. But I have taken the horses in Kiev. Leader no 7, Clinton appears in a “battle” against a longbowman. 350 tiles from domination limit.


1290
Peace with Russia because of a Russian MPP with Spain.

1300
France declares war.

1305
Wall Street completed. Russia declares on France.

1310
Spainish conquistadors are giving me a hard time on the Japan like island east of former India. War weariness increases rapidly.

1315
Clinton forms army of tanks. I need a quick diversion from northern India which is down to two Infantries.

1325
Rouen Captured. Radio 5 turns.
Leader no 8, Wellington, created from the tank “Royal Boots Signed Vet”. Forms army.

1335
Rouen captured.

1340
Rheims captured.

1345
Enter the Modern Ages. Researching Computers.

1350
Luxury is at 10%

1380

Learned Computers. Leader no 9, another Edward. Prebuild switched to Pentagon (200 shields lost). Miniaturization is 7 turns and I can’t play that long without leader opportunity.

1385
Seti Program hurried. Leader number 10, brought forth by the great “Knew It X”. France destroyed. War Weariness drops by about half.

1390
Seti Program completed. Preparing Spanish invasion.


1400
Spanish islands secured. 70 tiles from domination limit.


1415
Miniaturization researched. Now researching nothing for 1200 gold.
The Internet completed. Kiev flips back to Russia.

1420
Researching Genetics.

Seville captured. York passes 10K (112 cpt)

1435
Madrid captured

1445
Leader 11, another Nelson. Even though he is created as close to York as Sweden is to New Zeeland, he is fortified in York the same turn. Genetics discovered. Cure for cancer completed (interturn).

1450
Spain destroyed.

1465
24 tanks (12 in armies) landed in Russia. ROP is valid.

1470
Tricky turn. I have to give New Leicester to Russia before attack.
Trade Sanitation first.

1495
12th Leader, another Wallace and I still don’t understand. He hurries UN.

1525
Researched Space Flight.

1565
Apollo Program completed.

1605
Manhattan Project completed.

1630
Battlefield Medicine.

1675
Strategic M.D.

1730
Palace. Shaves off 1 turn. Loses me ~800gpt.

1762
No sad citizens. 1199 happy, 9 content, 125 specialists.

1768
Disbanded army for a Mass Transit.

1776
York hits victory with 20020 cp.

Highlight of the Game

After the conquest of India the Spanish and Russians wanted me to have a war with them. I obliged them, but left poor defences in former India. I had no more than 4 infantries when the French attacked, one of whom was killed instantly by a cavalrist. Indian workers built up two towns to size 7, so it may well be thanks to them that I didn't lose all of India at this point.



Summary
I played a decent game, but some things went wrong. I was too late to make contact, which in hindsight I think stopped me from controling the AI tech pace. Feudalism came into play too early. Of course, the late contact also stopped me from getting an early temple.

The non-militaristic trait probably cost me too. (Accounted for in the best dates?) In a recent culture 20K deity game as the Vikings I got my 9th leader in 920 AD.

Link to my AA post
Link to my MA post


I enter the Industrial Age in 760AD in the midst of my Golden Age and having just traded Theory of Gravity around the horn. Spain gave me 430 gold and 26 gold per turn for that tech. However, Spain also gave me a DOW on the very next turn, and they capture Hannover from me. I quickly sign up China and France to MA against Spain, and I recapture my city. I still have a relatively small military and I never purse Spain. Eventually I make peace with them. This is the military highlight of the Industrial Age for me. The rest of the game is research, trading and building Wonder in an all out effort to push the tech pace.

Here is my timeline.

770AD SPN declares war on me & capture Hannover / I recapture Hannover / sign up CHN & FRA in MAs against SPN

820AD learn STEAM set to ELEC / Trade Steam around the horn
RUS gives FREE ARTISTRY, Wmap & 157gpt
AMR gives Ivory, Silks, Wmap, 80 gold & 18gpt
FRA gives Dyes, Wmap & 38gpt
IND gives Wmap, 190 gold & 22gpt

830AD build Newton's (in Hasting same city as Copernicus)

870AD learn ELEC set to MED / trade ELEC around the horn
AMR gives NATION, MT, Wmap, 50gold & 40gpt
RUS gives Wmap & 111gpt

900 our GA ends
920AD learn MED set to SCI METHOD
960AD made peace with SPN after both alliance finally ended
970AD learn SCI METHOD set to INDUS / complete Shakespeare Theater in London / Trade MEDICINE to India for INDUS & 84gpt / to AMR for 69gpt & 240gold / set research to CORP

1000AD learned CORP set to Steel
1020AD sell CORP to AMR for Ivory, Silks, Wmap, 130 gold & 88gpt
sell INDUS to FRA for Dyes, Wmap, 9gold & 22gpt
sell CORP to IND for 40gold & 37gpt
sell furs to CHN for 12gpt

1060AD trade INDUS to RUS to renew incense deal / sold INDUS to SPN for COMMUN (since they were the only ones w/o it)
1070AD learn STEEL set to RPARTS
1080AD trade STEEL to AMR for RPARTS & 20 gpt / set sci to REFIN

1110AD trade gems to IND for 23gpt / trade CORP to SPN for 10gpt
1120AD trade gems to SPN for Wmap, 50gold & 3gpt
1160AD learned REFIN

1170AD built TOE - learn AT & ELECTRONICS - set to COMBUS / switch the Univ Suff. build to Hoover Dam due next turn (not worried about the WW effect)
1180AD build Hoover Dam

I’ve been out researching everyone so in an effort to get some help I bring AMR & SPN up to tech parity
AMR gives Wmap, 140gold & 173gpt for Sci Method
SPN gives 40gold & 33gpt
my silk, ivory & dye deals expire in 4 turns so I wait to gift the other civs techs so I can renew the deals with them


1220AD the deals for 3 luxes expire - I renew
AMR gives Ivory, Silks, Wmap, 30gold & 219gpt for AT
FRA gives Dyes, Wmap, 50gold & 23gpt for REF
CHN gives 8gpt for Electricity
IND gives 8gold & 34gpt for AT

Gift everyone to parity
AMR gets ELECTRONICS
SPN gets ELCN & REF
FRA gets SCI METH, STEEL, AT, ELCN
RUS gets SCI METH, REF, STEEL, AT & ELCN
IND gets ELCN
CHN gets SCI METH, CORP, RPART, REF, STL, AT, ELCN


1230AD learned COMBUS set to FLIGHT
Gift COMBUS around the horn - actually gain 17 gpt

1250AD AMR builds US / London wastefully builds a Bank wasting 204 shields (good news that’s only 4 turns worth) / renew incenses deal with RUS for my gems, oil, Wmap & 655gold

1270AD learn FLIGHT set to MASS PROD
Trade Flight around the horn
AMR gives SANT, Wmap, 30gold & 115gpt
RUS gives 30gold & 32gpt
FRA gives 30gold & 21 gpt
IND gives 14gold & 17gpt
CHN gives 20gold & 15gpt

1295AD learned MASS PROD set to MOTOR
1300AD AMR has FLIGHT & MASS PROD / trade both around the horn - gaining ESPIONAGE & getting ROP with everyone
1305AD build Wall Street

1310AD research due in 2 on flight then 6 for radio then 8-9 for fission - slowed Palace prebuild down to 17 turns also
1320AD learned MOTOR set to RADIO

1335AD Ivory, silks & dyes deals end - renew them & trade MOTOR around the horn
AMR gives Ivory, silks, Wmap, 140gold & 130gpt
FRA gives Dyes - I give spices
IND gives 200gold & 101gpt
SPN gives 40gold & 83gpt
CHN gives 40gold & 32gpt
RUS has no money (my incense deal ends in 3 - I'll see if I can renew in 3 for MOTOR)

1350AD I enter the Modern Era after learning RADIO set to FISSION in 8 turns

1355AD AMR learned Radio and traded it to IND, CHN & FRA / I trade it to SPN & RUS and get MPP with everyone except CHN / RUS got COMPUTERS on entry to Modern Age / I also pick up AMP WAR in this trading session

1360AD build Intelligence Agency
1370AD Incense deal with RUS expired - I renew it for oil & AMP WAR gaining Wmap, 10gpt & 50 gold

1390AD learned FISSION / switch Canterbury prebuild from palace to UN in 1 turn
1395AD build UN and win vote



I was surprised that I was out researching everyone throughout the Industrial Age. The other civs only learned a few techs and they were all dead-end techs. Even with gifting and immediately trading techs I still got no real help from them. I’m wondering if I hindered the other civs too much by taking as much gpt as I did in the trades? How could I have pushed the tech pace any faster? Overall, I averaged a tech every 3.3 turns, if you include the trades (21 techs in 69 turns) for the Industrial Age. I am happy with my result as this is a personal best for a Diplomatic win.

Open PTW

Middle Ages

We entered the IA in 780AD, going for military victory. I ended up chosing domination over conquest, because there were too many little islets that the AI, especially France had inhabited, and therefore potentially too much time required to chase the settlements down. From fairly early in the game I was building culture, anyway, so as to leave both avenues open. The deciding point was when France picked up nationalism, and so would have rifles. My cavalries would obviously suffer a higher casualty rate against these defenders, so I ultimately just left France alone, although just for safety, I brought them into my wars at the end.

As expected, I was unable to achieve a pre-1000AD finish, but this probably had more to do with organising my transportation logistics better, rather than worrying about rifles.

The American War
The American war was still raging from the MA. In 840AD, I decided to give them peace for everything they had, bar one small isolated city they had on an island in the north shared with the Spanish and the French. This peace was to last only until 870AD, because at that time we had sent troops to the island and captured the Spanish city, so it was only fitting to end the American's pain at the same time.

The Spanish War
In 840AD we declared on Spain and again employed an RoP rape of their mainland, generating our second great leader. The leader became Smiths in 870AD back in our new capital city, Washington. Building Smith's also triggered our GA, just in time to be useful and take us into a super dominant position for the rest of the game. In 920AD we were poised to finish off the Spanish minor holdings, but they still had a single city on an island, and our fleets were still some four turns away, so we gave them a 'phony' peace for this city, leaving just the Spanish capital. We redeclared and that was the end of Spain.

The Indian War
In 950AD, after moving some troops into position, we declared on India. This time there was only a very minor rape, as I still had no troops on their mainland. Just to keep the French honest they were brought into the conflict against the Indians, and the Russians. The Russians had been at war with us for centuries, owing to an attempted surprise attack of theirs that failed, and I had refused them peace ever since!

The French failed to capture a single Indian city, although they did come close to one, leaving me a redlined longbow to take out to capture the city! The Indians had a little three city tundra island in the south, and just before landing troops there, the Indians also researched nationalism. However, they never had the time to make a rifle, nor the cash to upgrade a unit to one, so I never did have to fight rifles. By late 11th century AD, the Indians were no more.

The Russian War
Late 11th century AD we started landing on the sole Russian island. The French contribution to this war was to bombard a handful of improvements along the shore! So our landings had to contend with the entire Russian forces. Fortunately the Russians were very backward and had only just researched to knights! However, my first attack on Moscow failed by one hp to take the city, and we lost some cavalry to the Russian counterattacks. In the end, however, with cultural expansions elsewhere, we only needed two Russian cities to reach the domination limit.

Other
In 810AD, the game very generously announced to me that it would now exit. I hadn't invited it to do this, it just decided on its own accord, but at least it told me about its decision first.

During my GA, I ended up turning research off, as I already had Steam power and Industrialisation. In fact I didn't even build any factories. Also, production was not an issue so I wasn't using cash to rush units. So when I could cash rush in newly conquered cities, I had so much cash on hand that I rushed first a library and then a temple without first accumulating shields. At the very end of the game this may have saved one or two turns on reaching the domination limit, and after all, you can not take the cash with you!

I think I managed happiness and growth of citizens a bit better in this game than usual. Final stats were domination victory in 1140AD with jason score of 9332.

Ancient Times

This time I decided to give a try to some milking, which I did not really try before. I have never thought of how boring and slow process it can be, especially on my not-so-fast computer. As a result I have not much time to describe progress of my play and there is also nothing remarkable to describe. I have nearly conquered China and Germany in MT using Knights and Cavalry and all remaining opposition was conquered one by one, each time forging MPs with oter AIs using Arty/Cav and Later Tanks. I had to destroy all my temples and other cultural buildings to avoid cultural victory.

I scored nearly 11K Firaxis, nearly 7K Jason and it took nearly 70 hours.

DAMN reinstalled my PC, lost my save files.
I was actually planning to complete this game !
grrrr.....

Just finished up this, my first Emporer game, and I guess it was a kind of success. I met my basic goals of a) learning a ton, b) making it to the modern era, and c) not being destroyed. France took off for Alpha Centari in 1754, leaving me with a sizable intact empire and a whopping Jason score of 835. Is that an ambulance I hear?

Thanks GOTM staff for a great game!

1.27

Link to Ancient Age spoiler
Link to Middle Ages spoiler

Warfare

At the end of the Middle Ages in 550AD I'd been a peaceful builder for quite a while, following my earlier conquests of Germany and China. It was time to renew my expansion. I wanted more land for score, and I wanted more luxuries so that I could reduce my import requirements. The three luxuries I owned weren't enough

I'd finally developed some excess production capacity and started building Knights. At 610AD I had 24 Knights. Though some had to stay behind on each landmass there were now enough to spare that I could begin. America was my target because of her three luxuries. I declared war on her and invaded.

This invasion moved slowly because I didn't have a very large force. But it did make steady progress. In 780AD I was able to trade for Military Tradition and begin upgrading to Cavalry. In 800AD with America down to one island town I gave her peace:



Next I decided to invade France to get a seventh luxury. In 840AD I attacked. With Cavalry instead of Knights, and with more of them (over time I gained more core cities which had finished all infrastructure they needed and could switch to military production) this assault was easier. In 980AD France was down to one town and I gave her peace.

Next came Spain. In her lands I'd be able to claim incense to reach a full complement of eight luxuries. I'd leave Russia and India at full strength - they were paying enough for my techs to allow me to run at 100% spending and still run a positive cashflow.

I invaded Spain in 990AD, gave her peace in 1070AD and my world then looked like this;



That was the end of my warfare in this game. I was already close to the domination limit. Filling in the gaps in the ex-Spanish lands would bring me very close. The only gain I could make through further warfare would be to trade some bad lands (e.g. tundra) for some of Spain or Russia's good land. This didn't seem worthwhile vs. keeping them as strong paying customers.

I'd had a second and a third leader during these wars and used them to rush Bach's and SETI.

Research

I'd destroyed Germany in the Middle Ages. So I could only get one free Industrial Age tech, by gifting Russia forward. I decided not to do that. Although it could save me four or more turns, it would also mean tougher opponents in future when my rivals all knew Nationalism. I started the Industrial Age with at least a four tech lead over each rival and decided to keep that edge.

I learned Steam Power in 5 turns. Research of Electricity was slowed by my war on America. That temporarily lost me three imported luxuries and I compensated a bit for that loss with the luxury slider. I learned Electricity in 6 turns at 660AD.

In 670AD one of my rivals finally learned Economics. I traded for it, flipped a prebuild to Smith's, and completed that in 680AD. That triggered a Golden Age which was the final boost I needed - I was able to learn all other required Industrial Age techs in four turns each. The hardest one was Atomic Theory - to get it in four turns I had to temporarily assign a number of citizens as scientists.

I didn't research any optional techs. I stayed far ahead of my rivals, trading them techs when I had a luxury trade expire or when they were able to pay a substantial amount.

1220AD was a very good year. I learned Radio to finish the Industrial Age. From "the big picture" I gifted Russia forward almost the entire era and her free Modern tech was Computers. So I set my research to Fission and exited. I had a build of Theory of Evolution timed to complete at this date. Got Fission as my first free tech from ToE. Again I used "the big picture" to talk with Russia. I traded her Fission and some bonus goodies (resources and luxuries) for Computers, then set my research to Miniaturization and exited. And got Miniaturization as my second free tech.

Next I flipped a Palace prebuild timed to complete next turn to The Internet. And in 1230AD voila, I had research labs everywhere on the home island

That trick, combined with choosing cheaper Modern techs first while continually increasing my research capacity (the second core was furiously busy building research labs, and many cities were building commercial docks, police stations, etc.) was enough to just barely maintain a four turn research pace throughout Modern Times.

That four turn research pace combined with using prebuilds for the spaceship parts resulted in a 1415AD launch.

It's good to see the master at work.
I also chose for Space victory, as I am doing in the classic GOTMs lately. I knew I made a mistake by only taking the Chinese lands. The Germans were a good trading partner as was Russia, and America provided much of the money needed to keep up the high speed research. But in hindsight I should've taken the Spanish lands for the luxes and the French turf for score. Oh well, I'll find the right balance one day.

My launch date was 1560AD with a Jason barely above 7000.

PTW 1.27, OPEN

My goal was a 20K win, but as I left the middle ages I was reasonably confident that I wouldn't make it.

The industrial ages went by, and I got Universal Sufferage in 1400, Theory of Evolution in 1455, Hoover Dam in 1520, and then a bunch of small wonders: Intelligence Agency in 1545, Battlefield Medicine in 1580, Heroic Epic in 1640, Wall Street in 1660, and the Military Academy in 1685. After building Hoover Dam, I was pleased by the 98 shields I had in York, but I was even more pleased when several turns later I realized that I had one tile irrigated. After mining it I hit 103 shields whenever pollution wasn't a problem. Polluted grassland was cleared in 1 turn, but hills took 2 and so they were occasionally an issue.

Sometime around 1600 the Germans attacked me. What with mutual protection pacts and alliance, the whole world was soon at war. This gave me some hope that I could pull out a 20K win after all.

A big problem was that I researched Radio slowly. (This caused cash problems, but not much in the way of culture building problems.) By the time I finished it, the Americans had learned fission, but no one else knew anything helpful. I ended up buying motorized transportation, flight, and fission from the Americans and paying them lots of gpt. I had a prebuild going for the UN, but switched it to the Military academy when I got a great leader. I saved the leader until I learned fission. In 1700 I destroyed the Germans, bought fission from the Americans for 2000 g + 350 gpt, and rushed the UN. This started my golden age, which I hadn't been able to start with a man-o-war as nobody I was at war with had any ships around (except one earlier situation, where my ship died).

In the modern ages I build the UN, SETI (1750), a research lab (1754), the Internet (1778), Longevity (1798), the Apollo Program (1810), and the Cure for Cancer (1830).

My concern was that the Americans would get a space ship built before I reached 20K. In 1780 I planted a spy with the Americans. I also started recording when the UN votes were. In 1820 the possibility of a 20K win still existed, but it was very slim. One turn before the 1842 elections, America learned their last ss tech. I decided that was it, and held the vote. I ended with a diplomatic win in 1842 (4-1-1 over Lincoln). I would have hit 20K in 1886, so it wasn't really very close. I was closer to a space ship, needing only 3 parts. If I'd have researched radio more quickly, I could have taken the space ship win instead. This would have made things more comfortable, because the ship can be built at any time, while the UN vote is only every 11 turns.

I ended with a score of 3742 Firaxis, 4093 Jason, which I'm pleased with. I'd have liked the culture victory, but this is only my 3rd emperor victory so I'm going to concentrate on the victory part, and not the kind of victory.

I did a much better job of managing my 20K city than the last time. What I needed this time was a better warfare program. I did manage to pick up some land from the Chinese, and I got most of the German land, but I ended up with only about 3 islands worth of territory. I got 3 leaders, as opposed to megalou's 12, which tells you something about how much war I was involved in. That this is a big step up for me tells even more. Anyway, it was lots of fun and a bit of nailbiting. My modern ages have yet to become drudgery.

Elizabeth entered the conference room without her usual smile. Her cabinet members noticed a stronger demeanor as she began her address. “Ladies and gentlemen, for over fifty-three hundred years, our nation has lived in peace on this planet. I fear that this trend will not be able to continue into the distant future. The Indian Military is in the process of completely annexing the country of France. When just border skirmishes were occurring, we could allow this unprovoked aggression to happen, however with the recent fall of Paris, it has become apparent that we will need to prepare for war. Rather than wait for that war to come to us, I propose we prepare an expeditionary force to take temporary control of a French city to provide us with a beachhead into India. It is very important that we do not tip our hand to the Indians. We shall continue to deal with Gandhi as we prepare for his downfall. With the completion of the Universal Suffrage and the Theory of Evolution and the impending completion of the Hoover Dam, we will have a significant technological advantage and a sufficient production base to support this plan. General Grahamiam, I need a plan to sweep quickly to acquire the original French cities and provide us access to the Indian industrial core. I have commissioned a secret project with the discretionary funds at my disposal to assist in covert activities in this endeavor. Based on discussions with Dr. Moonsinger, Minister of Science, we will have a new weapon for land war available to us within the century. Our hope is to produce this war machine in minimal quantities to acquire and protect a French city within the next one hundred years. I have also ordered the construction of several hospitals to allow for the development of new techniques to reduce the mortality rate of our troops. As of today, while we will continue to fund hurried completion of cathedrals and universities in the northern cities, our southern production will be focused on war. I have instructed the General, that funds will be made available to upgrade our coastal pikes to fully equipped infantrymen.

With the commissioning of the troop transport, The Bonnie Parker, there were now three transports ready to leave London (the Clyde Barrow and the Al Capone were the others). The trio of transports awaited their escort, the Shaw, a Destroyer from York, before heading south to pick up some new machines war bound for France.

Captain SirBugsy was sipping his morning coffee, when he heard the distant rumble, stepping to the port side view deck, he saw a line of green armored vehicles moving from the storage warehouse onto the waiting transports. “So this is the big surprise that everyone’s been talking about. Those little fellows are going to cause a lot of problems for anything that gets in their way”.

The French Ambassador had come to Elizabeth to demand the knowledge of Steel and left with a declaration of War from England, he would have to hurry back and send word to Joan D’Arc of this change in diplomatic relations.

Aboard the Bonnie Parker, the signal finally arrived to land the troops. The French garrison in Avignon was startled awake by the noise of English tanks landing on the beach below their city and though they fought bravely, they had little defense against the new war machines. The signing of a right of passage with India allowed the English tanks to stream across the countryside and over run the final French city on the continent. Soon a humbled French Ambassador signed an armistice with England and the new English discovery, the Radio, quickly relayed the information to the troops.

The dedication of the SETI Project in York had gone very well and Elizabeth was mingling with the crowd at a party later that evening when General Grahamiam managed to sweep her aside with the news she had been waiting for, the tanks were in position and the right of passage with India was about to expire in three hours. The dawn would bring a new era for the English Republic.

The Indian Ambassador arrived at the Palace expecting to have similar meetings that the Russia, American and Chinese Ambassadors had mentioned the prior night, a simple exchange of the English knowledge of computers for cash, luxuries and the signing of a mutual protection pact. What he received left him pale and trembling, a declaration of war from the English, he would have to hurry to get this information back to Gandhi before his nation suffered the fate of France.

The radio in Captain Viper275’s tanks crackled to life, “The code word is Bravo” and with that the English War of French Liberation began. The English tanks quickly eliminated the Indian garrison in Orleans and destroyed the bulk of the Indian Air Force (six bombers) that had been attacking the nearby French island city. The battle for Rheims produced a surprise. A rookie tank commander made a wrong turn and ended up arriving at an undefended city gate and managed to destroy the entire city garrison single-handed. This commander, Edward, was first hero England had known. He was quickly hurried off to Avignon and a boat back to England. Marseilles also fell quickly and soon the English tanks were rolling in to Paris past the Pyramids and Sistine Chapel. The timing of this victory was ironic as the win was followed by the Spanish conquest of the final French city. The ensuing counterattack by India razing Sherwood ignited a World War as America, China & Russia declared on India and the Indian ally, Germany followed by attacking Russia and Elizabeth suddenly found herself at war with Otto von Bismarck’s people.

With the fall of Lyons to the English tanks, the Indian Ambassador was ordered to arrange a peace with England. He knew the cost would not be cheap. Elizabeth also knew that India would soon attacked one of her allies and the peace would quickly dissolve. The offer of three cities (one with her tanks on the overlooking hill) was one that she could accept. “Now be off with you before I up the ante, I’ve got to hurry to the Internet dedication. That Edward did wonders speeding its completion.” The completion of the Internet in London had an unintended side effect, in St Petersburg, the Russians completed the Manhattan Project and the world now had access to nuclear weapons.

As Elizabeth sat waiting her turn to speak at the United Nations dedication in Hastings, she thought about where she had been and wondered what her future would hold. At the festivities later that evening she was once again had a visit from the monk, Bede with word from Mursilis”. “I have been sent to tell you that you have three options for completing you mission. You can call a vote at the United Nations, if the people of the world select you as their leader, our experiment will be over. You may also construct a space ship to once again head to Alpha Centauri. Or you may continue your path towards cultural supremacy on this planet. We recommend if you choose the final option, you also begin ship construction. If another country is able to launch before you, we won’t be able to remain in local orbit for fear of discovery. You don’t have to make up your mind today, just continue along the current path and I’ll return later to plan your departure”. And with that he vanished in a flicker of sparkling lights.

ptw open.

I had just captured TGL from America after shutting off all reasearch so we wouldn't learn education.

980ad Learned alot from the Great Library. Now in IA. Switched a palace prebuild to Newton's with waste of 41 shields.
Captured NY
ibt Completed Newtons and entered GA

990ad ibt German landed stack of troops by sparsely defended city

1000ad Destroyed Chinese. Signed MA's with France and Russia against Germany. Captured San Francisco.
ibt Germans captured Shangtung

1010ad Captured Munich

1020ad Recaptured Shangtung, captured Chicago.

1030ad Can't hold Munich - abandon Munich
ibt chicago and Houston both flipped

1060 Philadelphia flipped

haven't updated my notes in a while. Killed off the Americans somewhere in here and switched to a UN race instead of domination.

1485 start UN prebuild

1525 ibt enter Modern Age

1530 Sold Russia motorized transportation, they got rocketry as their free tech
Gift Germany into Modern Age and they get fission.
Sell my firstborn child and all their descendents to get fission. Sign MMP's with everyone except India - my opponent
Then I attack India without declaring war. :devil2:

1535 India didn't come attack me , will leave some tempting bait (empty city and a couple undefended workers)

ibt India bombs my cities and all my allies DoW on them [dance]

1550 UN will be built next turn

1555 Diplomatic victory. Firaxis 5237 Jason 6757

Well, my firaxis score is much better than it was for the Greece game (33). However the Jason score is only a couple hundred points better.

Elizabeth smiled as she read the French Liberation reports. All of the former continental French as well as a pair of Indian cities were now in the hands of English governors. With the new Modern Armor units now at the front, the English troops were beginning to assault the Indian Metropolis’. As she hurried to the Cure for Cancer celebration, she began to wonder just how long she’d remain on this world.

With the capture of Delhi and the Oracle, Great Wall and War Academy, the second great leader, Boudicea was born and a mighty Modern Armor Army rolled from the city towards the remaining Indian cities. Elizabeth had tired of waiting for this so-called experiment to come to a conclusion and was quite happy to see Hastings complete the Apollo Program. Soon one way or another, I’ll be off this rock.

In the year 1796 AD, the final continental Indian city fell and as Elizabeth read her speech at the dedication of the Military Academy in Hastings, she was able to speak of the great job done by Nelson in assisting in the completion of the fourth space ship component and to announce the landing of troops to complete the Indian annexation.

With Indian just a memory Elizabeth sat on her terrace watching the sunset and waited for contact from Mursilis. With a shimmer, Brother Bede appeared on the veranda and with a sad face informed her that the scientists had not counted on America having developed a sufficient culture to influence their results that was the case. “Since we aren’t able to accurately predict how long it will take to overcome this new obstacle, we suggest that you begin building a space ship “ Bede said. “I suspected as much. The ship is 40% complete. I’ll get my scientists back to work and create a nuclear deterrent just in case.

All was progressing nicely. Another two pieces of the space ship had been completed, when the unexpected happened. A long standing Mutual Protection Pact with Germany, that Elizabeth thought had been cancelled, was suddenly in play as China attacked Germany. A flustered Elizabeth entered the War Room and requested a status report. “As of now, only a couple of bombing raids near Cornwall” General Grahamiam replied. “Admiral SirBugsy, please order your nuclear submarines to position to reply to this new threat,” Elizabeth ordered.

Having countered the Chinese bombers with Jet Fighters, the English homeland was once again safe. With the space ship at 80% completion, Elizabeth made a final appeal to the Chinese Ambassador for peace talks, but was once again rebuffed. After finally canceling the protection deal with Germany, Elizabeth gave the order to make Beijing glow in the dark. The following morning, peace between England & China was signed, with the acquisition of Anyang for England.

With her culture approaching 140,000, the final space ship part was being completed and Theodora traded her business suit for a space suit and entered the stasis chamber to prepare for launch.

Editors note: Space Ship Victory in 1856 AD – Firaxis score 3634 – Jason Score 3919

1.27f

Middle Ages : 390 BC to 540 AD

I'd decided to do a fast research game, taking advantage of England's reduced corruption to get more Research beakers per city. I also wanted to stay primarily on my original island/continent so warfare would be at a minimum, and hopefully allow the emperor level AI a chance to assist me in my research endeavors.

I entered the Industrial Age in 540 AD, and had disasterous luck from the start!! Both Germany and Russia received Nationalism as their free Tech when I gifted them into the IA! No free first tier Tech for me! (Of course, I was hoping for two.) I gifted them both into the IA back to back. It occurs to me that I've seen 'streaky' behavior by the RNG on multiple occasions, and maybe this is another example of that. So I resolve, when I enter the Modern Era, to engage in multiple diplomatic offerings prior to and between gifting the Scientific AI into the new era, just to truly randomize the result of the Free Tech obtained.

The other thing I'm trying to do is to determine which civs offer me the best research capabilities. I plan to get as much Gold and gpt from all the AI out there for my Techs, then gift large sums of gpt to the best AI researchers to help them along. That's the plan, but after I got ahead in Tech and in Gold a bit, I did several Investigate City on several of the AI; almost uniformly they were running of 60% Taxes, 40% Research rate, no matter how much I gifted or took from them, so I saw no increase in research during the IndAge by acting as a Robin Hood for the AI researchers.

By checking F1 and adding Scientists or rushing a research building here and there, I was often able to shave a turn off of many of the early Techs I researched in the Industrial Age. I got Steam Power in 6 turns (down from 7), Electricity in 6 turns (down from 7) and Industrialism in 5 turns (down from 6). I made sure Electricity was in the AI's hands as early as possible, to give me a good shot at getting RepParts for free (and later ScienMeth.) Corporation learned in 4 turns with some tweaking and rushing. No matter what I did I couldn't get Refining for less than 7, so I set off on researching Steel in 6.

I learned Steel in 810 AD, and was facing a crossroads. The AI still hadn't learned Medicine, and I knew I needed Hospitals and Commercial Docks to cut turns off the later IA Techs. I decided to research Medicine and Sanitation at this point; I figured it was 8 turns to do those 2 Techs vs 7 turns for Refining, and it was possible the AI might research Refining during that time making the detour worthwhile. So Medicine in 850 AD (checking each turn if the AI had completed it, but no such luck), and Sanitation in 890 AD. Along the way RepParts became available, and I traded Steel for it.

No Refining yet, but the Hospitals cut its research time to 6 turns (checking each turn to see if someone had completed it, still no luck). The 5 turns for Combustion and some rushing and rearrangement got me MassProduction in 4 turns! Another cross-roads was reached. I decided to leave Flight to the AI to (hopefully) learn, while I pursued the ScienMethod path. Checking every turn, I learned Scientific Method in just 3 turns when Russia showed up with it (1070 AD). By this time Commercial Docks are coming on-line, my cities with Hospitals are maxed out and my top research level is coming in a bit over 1200 research/turn. That's enough for 5 turn research of Atomic Theory and Electronics.

Now I have pre-builds in place for TofE and Hoover's Dam. Just as well; letting the AI grow without hindrance (I've been in 0 wars to this point) means they have good production cities. I will not be able to use TofE to gain a free ModEra Tech; best I can do is complete it just after learning Electronics, beating the Americans by 1 turn and the French by 2.

So in 1170 AD I learn Electronics, do "Show Me the Big Picture", and what do I see .... FLIGHT!!!!! [dance] Trade Electronics for that, Finish TofE and Hoover's Dam, get Radio and Motorized Transportation and I've entered the Modern Era.

Remembering my earlier experience, I gift Russia into the ModEra (Catherine gets Ecology), then I do some Diplomacy with the other AI's, getting lots of gpt for the later IA Techs, THEN I gift Germany into the ModEra (Bismarck gets Rocketry). That Works!! I start on Fission.

I decided to use the Commercial civs (India, France and Spain) to give me money, which I then funneled over to America and Russia. Germany was fairly poorly developed (still hadn't built a port) and China was a few Techs behind. I was very happy to see that Russia now showed up (through Investigate City) as having 100% commerce dedicated to Research. Unfortunately they were a fairly small civ. America still showed a 60% Taxes/ 40% Research though.

I'm still getting about mid-1200 research beakers/turn, so Fission takes 7 turns (1240 AD); next is Computers. I switch a pre-build to UN, and 4 turns later finish it (1265 AD). This finally triggers my Golden Age! (I was saving it for the Modern Era to go along with my restricted expansion.) Computers still takes 7 turns (1280 AD), but my 100% research rate (been that way since the late middle ages) is generating over 1600 research/turn. I learn Miniturization in 5 turns (1305 AD), and my research amount starts climbing again as I finish Research Labs. I trade for Ecology and Rocketry.

My plan is to get 2 Free Techs from the Scientific Civs (check), and have the AI learn 3 Techs (SynthFibers, SpaceFlight and one of Superconductor/Satellites) while I learn the other 7 required SS Techs. Russia shows up with SynthFibers about this time, so I trade Mini for SynthFibers. And regarding the Internet, I leave it to the AI. I already have Research Labs in my major cities (and I'm finishing them in my minor ones) so I don't need it, and I'm hoping it will give a boost to one of the AI's research capabilities. Russia does eventually finish it, which is perfect since they've been a good researcher for me!

I continue along, looking for SpaceFlight to show up. I learn Nuclear Power in 1330 AD; then wondrously appearing is SpaceFlight (it looks like America learned it ) in 1340. I trade Nuclear Power for it, then trade/gift Space Flight around. I want all the AI to have a shot at learning one (or both) of Satellites or SuperConductor. A pre-build is switched over to Apollo Program, finished the next turn and the SS Part Building commences.

Doing some more tweaking and rushing of perimeter city research building and Courthouses, I learn Laser in 4 turns (my only 4 turn research in the ModEra) in 1350 AD. I've peaked at mid-2100's research/turn. Robotics takes 5 turns (1375 AD), and my GA is over; I'm back down into the mid-1600's for research per turn. I have to choose between SuperConductor (6 turns) and Satellites (5 turns). I choose SuperConductor (it seems to me that the AI is attracted to the ICBM capability of the Satellite Tech).

Well, the pressure is relieved the following turn when Satellites shows up in Russia's possession. I trade Laser for it in 1390 AD when it's now known by several AI. I finish SuperConductor, switch 2 pre-builds over during "Show Me the Big Picture", and Launch.

1405 Space Ship Victory

Here's my military and minimap at this time



I actually finished the game without EVER going to war. In fact, I haven't reviewed the game event sequence, but I don't think there were ANY wars between any of the civs. So I built a bunch of Horsemen, but never had to upgrade them, same thing for Infantry.

I have 5 cities in the 16-20 size, and 4 in the 12-15 range. I think another 2-3 large cities would have made this a bit easier game to research, and probably cut 10-15 turns off the final date (although it might not have given the AI time to provide much assistance). Other than my initial continent, I occupied the Iron/Saltpeter island just West of France, and had 4 cities on the gems peninsula of the German continent. China snuck in two cities in my North (that was painful; cost me at least 100 research per turn); somehow they had enough culture to flip one of my Northern cities to them!! The game was nearly over, so I didn't both to do anything about it.

Hope to do a quick COTM6, then sink my teeth into GOTM37. Hmmm, Deity level!!

PTW, Open level

Yet another intended space launch here, but I bailed out and went for diplo when it became obvious that the modern age was going to be nowhere near 4 turns per tech. I won in 1280 AD with a Jason score of 8751.

610 AD, the year I reached the industrial ages, was quite possibly the best turn of the entire game. China had just been reduced to a couple of miniscule island towns; I'd made peace and begun to set my sights on Germany. Germany had yet to hook up their native saltpeter and had *zero* harbors; I knew they be an easy target if I could take them out before they had nationalism. Only, I wanted to gift them into the Industrial Age for their free tech. What if they were to get nationalism? Or if Russia did, and I had to trade it to Germany to buy whatever they got? Oh, the anxiety. But I was more committed to the fast-tech game than I was to rolling over Germany quickly, so I bit the bullet and made the gifts, and got lucky. Steam Power (Russia) and Medicine (Germany), the best possible outcome, as I was able to get both techs without giving Germany a dime in gpt. And on the following interturn, the AI wonder cascade finally died out, leaving me a free path to getting the ToE.

So, off it was with my newly upgraded cavs and a couple of hopeful Men O' War to Germany. The pincer move had worked so well in China that I did it again, landing one party up north on top of Germany's iron and the other in the center of the continent at their saltpeter town (which they'd finally hooked up) in 750 AD. Capturing Nuremburg a couple of turns later cut off Germany's saltpeter for good, so I never saw a German cav and only a couple of muskets. They'd have been a complete cakewalk if I hadn't lost most of my northern army to a flip in Frankfurt. Oops. Still, though, no major harm done, and Germany was down to a single island town of their very own by 870 AD.

Whereas in the China war I'd gotten a half-dozen elite units but never a leader, in Germany I had the exact opposite. Only one promotion in all the fighting, early on by Brandenburg, but the unit produced a great leader on its very next attack.



So I finally got my palace moved, ultimately razing Berlin and founding the new capital just west of where it had been. The palace was rushed in 860 AD. (I was in the weird position where moving my capital to Berlin itself would actually have increased corruption around the FP. My initial first ring was at RCP 4, and Berlin had a town at RCP 3 that I really couldn't move any further away due to the coastline.)

Now if only I could get a golden age! My two Man o' Wars had been skulking about Germany for half the war and never seen hide nor hair of a German galley. One of my galleons, though, making the crossing north of the main island, came across a Chinese one. Since I was planning to redeclare war on China anyway, I gave chase, shadowing the galley with my galleon. I finally tracked it down in 860AD (another banner year), just a couple of turns short of safety in Paoting. (Not that Paoting was necessarily still going to be safe by then -- note cavs at bottom of picture.)



Golden Age! And just in time for some of the pricier IA techs. China still had one last town west of what used to be Germany; that town was razed before it had a chance to expand its borders, in 890 AD.

Speaking of techs, by the way. I didn't get much help from the AI in the industrial age. I was able to trade for Industrialization, but we doubled up on Corporation. As usual, the AI spent way too much time researching the optionals. And I could not quite manage to maintain 4-turn research of my own the whole time. The second core in Germany just couldn't be improved quickly enough, and it didn't help when Cologne flipped back to Germany, either. I did get the ToE, and later Hoover, of course.

After the Germany war, my military was stretched too thin to push things any further. So I worked on infrastructure, and on finally obtaining some defense in the form of infantry and artillery. I was rather glad I managed to do this when I overlooked an MPP Germany had when I redeclared on them to retake Cologne. Suddenly I was at war with Spain. Oops. I had enough artillery by then to just bomb the heck out of any Spanish ship that came close, though, and I ended the war a few turns later without a single unit destroyed on either side.

So I made it to the modern era pretty much on schedule in 1240 AD. By this time I knew that 4-turn modern techs were going to be problematic, though, and had decided to bail out to a diplomatic victory unless Germany or Russia came up with the tech for research labs/the Internet. They didn't, getting Rocketry and Ecology instead. So off for fission it was (7 turns, yuck), with an ongoing prebuild in London. [As an aside -- I completely forgot about commercial docks until I read SirPleb's write-up just a couple of days ago. I guess that's what you get with a long Civ lay-off. I have no idea how much of a difference they would have made. I forgot about Stock Exchanges, too, but with research at 100% nearly all the time that was less critical.]

Fission and the UN were both learned/built on the 1275/1280 AD interturn. I'd made MPPs with everyone but Germany the previous turn (figuring they were a lost cause; in retrospect I should have had a transport standing by to wipe them out the second I'd committed to a diplo victory.) Everyone but Germany was polite or gracious with me despite my small crimes against humanity. I'd long since gifted past the useful limit with everyone on the map. I had ongoing trades with all civs but Spain and France, who were about to end a trade embargo against me, but even them I'd traded tech with within the previous 20 turns. There were a few ROPs out and about among the other civs, but no MPPs or alliances. I was set. Germany would vote against me, as would my opponent, but I'd still win 5-2. A shoe-in, right?

Or maybe not.



Eeek! I was probably one more razed city or one destroyed Spanish unit away from contesting for the Green Ambulance. Lack of recent Civving experience strikes again; I took the vote *far* too lightly.

But all's well that ends well. If I had it to do over, I'd only make one major strategical change. I underestimated the AI tech pace through the middle ages. I knew it would be a wild ride, but I still expected I would have to self-research some, and I really didn't. I could have postponed the library and university builds in favor of an earlier military buildup, and possibly taken out China & Germany much earlier. Even if my leader luck hadn't been any better, that would have helped my score considerably at the very least, and possibly also affected my later research pace for the better. Live and learn.

It was a fun game. Thanks Ainwood and all the staff.

Renata

Wow, Civ Steve, that was an amazing space victory! Thanks for posting the details of your strategy, and how you got the AI to do so much research for you. Great game!

open

I was going for 20K win and my end date was approximately 1900, but the space race was on and America would launch before I could get to 20K.

The biggest thing that hurt me was leaders. Up until 3 turns before I launched I had about 100 Elite victories and zero leaders. Shortly before I lauch my space ship (maybe 10 turns) the Russians land 4 Cav next to an isolated city. I upgrade the cannon to a Radar Art and the 2 Infantry to Mech Infantry and make sure I have MPP with everyone left alive, and Russia still attacks. I load up 6 Elite Armour and ship them off to Russia. The 1st attacks an Draft Infantry defending a radar and I get my first leader of the game. 3 turns later I launch my spaceship in 1780. Firaxis of 5100 or so and Jason of 5900 or so.

This was my first ever Emporer win. My goal for GOTM 37: Survive.

bradleyfeanor: Thanks and you're Welcome!

Thinking about it a bit more, I should have delayed finishing UN until after I'd learned Computers; this would have given me more GA time with Research Labs to boost my science and probably shaved a turn off SuperConductors, maybe NuclearPower too. Instead of researching Fission first, I could have researched Computers, then Miniaturization, and used the Internet to kick off my GA (it appears to fill in any missing trait needed to kick of a Wonder based GA); this would have definitely given me two 4-turn researches (Fission and Laser), and dropped a turn off Superconductor as well; however, Russia would not have benefitted by having built the Internet and might not have finished Satellites in time. A tricky balancing act.

I'd hoped to finish off with 4 turn research during my Modern Era GA, but letting those 2 Chinese cities get founded way back in time derailed that from happening. The starting island was an awkward size - a bit bigger and I would have felt pretty good about not taking another continent; a bit smaller and I'd have known I'd need a 2nd core on another land mass. This made for some tough decisions early on, but it was rather fun.

Open Class

I posted a nice story-form AA summary, but my investigative reporter seems to have disappeared on me. So all I can report is that Elizabeth diplomatically took over the world in 1385 and earned me a Fixaris score of 7950. Now on the the Iroquois.

Well, that was interesting. Never any fear of losing, but a lot of frustration that it took me so long.

The Short story 20K victory in 1906.

Longer Version:
I did pretty continuous war through the late MAs and into the IA.
I finally reached the domination limit in about 1650.
I finally had all AIs destroyed except for 1 in 1720. (Germany in a single city)
From there it was basically a milk run, but I'm sure I could have done a better job of if.

I could have had a 100K win way earlier, but I figured I'd try to milk my way out of the hole that I had built by taking so long.

In 1904 I had 4 options.
1. Conquer last German city.
2. Build a city to get domination
3. Sell an improvement in 20K city to delay the 20K and get a 100K
4. Sell an improvment in a non-20K city to delay the 100K and get a 20K

I chose #4.
Firaxis: 8334
Jason: 6550

Not great, but for a game where I didn't really concentrate on anything, it's not bad.