Conquest 06: First Spoiler

Conquest 06: Spoiler 1:

This is the first spoiler for Conquest 06: Portugal.

As you begin your fledgling civilization on the coast of the Atlantic, what were your first moves towards growing to a powerful empire?

To qualify for this spoiler, you must have:

1. Reached the middle ages.
2. Have fully-explored the starting continent.
3. Have contacts with all other civs (or their remains ) on the starting continent.

My first move was not making one: I settled on the spot after the reasonable starting sequence: move worker to the wines, send the scout to the SE hill. Lisboa started to produce a 2nd scout. We met the Spanish in 3350BC. They hadn't found any cities by then, but catched up fast.
At 1800BC, Spain demands COL - we refused, they declared. An almost eventless war took place. Few hostilites cost the lives of some archers and warriors. Both opponents weren't ready for a broadbased conflict. In the middle of this never-heated war, in 1500BC, it was the time the Portugese Republic was announced followed by a lucky 2 turn anarchy. In 1375BC, a peace deal with Spain was a nice opportunity to trade IW + WHL for COL + PHL.
The 'real' war started in 630BC and ended in 290BC, when Spain was completely conquered by the Republic of Portugal. The Portugese fell back to a curious 'late archer rush' because of the lack of iron. The Spanish war was completely fought by archers and (later) a few horsemen. It was funny and worked quite well.
In a risky operation, a Curragh tried to sail the open sea. It survived two dangerous storms and finally discovered new lands as early as 1125BC, making contacts with 2 unknown civilizations in the ancient era, that lasted no longer than 630BC.

I played pretty unfocussed this game. So i don't have high expectations. Also are my QSC the worst i ever had. Most of that is due to the absense of a food bonus though, little part because of my half assed playing.
==========================================================
4000BC:
Portugal, expansionist, seafaring and a useless UU.
I hope to win before astronomy and thus wouldn't get a GA from the UU. Lighthouse could trigger my GA. Should try to get it after being republic.

Worker to irrigate whines. Scout southwards. Settler NE to get another BG in radius.

3950BC:
Lisbon Founded. Settler started.
Research on writing, targeting for the republic slingshot.

3650BC:
Contact Spain.

3350BC:
25 gold from hut.

3200BC:
Lisbon Settler->Settler.

3150BC:
Ceremonial Burial from hut.

3050BC:
Porto founded. Granary started.

2900BC:
25 gold from hut.

2590BC:
Lisbon Settler->Settler.

2510BC:
Writing->Code of Laws.

2430BC:
Guimaraes founded.

2150BC:
Oporto Granary->Worker (MM mistake, granary could probably been 1 turn earlier)

2070BC:
Oporto Worker->Settler.

2030BC:
Guimaraes Worker->Curragh.

1990BC:
Lisbon Settler->Settler.

1950BC:
Damn spanish demand pottery. I give it cuz i have no warriors.

1830BC:
Lagos founded. Warrior started.

1790BC:
Oporto Settler->Warrior.

1725BC:
Guimaraes Curragh->Granary.
Emerita founded. Warrior started.

1600BC:
Emerita Warrior->Worker.

1550BC:
Lisbon Settler->Settler.
Lagos Worker->

1500BC:
Republic slingshot completed.
Oporto Settler->Settler
Philosophy and Code for Iron Working and The Wheel. Both resources in enemy territory.
Warrior code in 4 turns to prepare Archer rush.

1475BC:
Emerita Worker->Barracks.

1425BC:
Sagres founded. Worker started.

1400BC:
Coimbra founded. Barracks started
Warrior Code->Map Making


1350BC:
Lagos Curragh->Barracks.
Guimaraes granary->Settler.

1275BC:
Oporto Settler->Settler.

1200BC:
Lisbon Settler->Settler.
Guimaraes Settler->

1175BC:
Sagres Worker->Barracks.
Leiria founded. Worker started.
Columbus discovered CivI. I give them Code for Masonry, Horseback and 44 gold.

1125BC:
Republic to Spain for Math, Mysticism and 31 gold.
Lighthouse started in Guimaraes (didn't get to prebuild the damn thing, must build settlers with no factory)

1100BC:
Braga founded. Worker started.

1050BC:
Columbus brother discovers CivII. They give me Poly for Horseback.

1025BC:
Oport Settler->Settler.

1000BC:
Lagos Settler->Barracks.
=========================================================
QSC:
10 cities. (15 pop ?!?!?!?)
6 worker
2 settler
1 scout
3 warrior
2 curragh
2 granary

Worst QSC ever.
==========================================================
975BC:
CivIII discovered. They are backwards and broke.

750BC:
Faro founded. Worker started

925BC:
Coimbra Barracks->Archer.
Leiria Worker->Barracks.

900BC:
Rio founded. Worker started
Contact CivIV. Horseback for 41 gold.

875BC: revolution.

590BC:
Middle ages.

Predator
C3C v1.22

Playing with sedentary barbs means less need for military, though I usually don't build much anyway early on. Old, temp, wet means lots of grass. Continents means faster contacts, more trading. There are snip scientific civs, snip, which could help speed up tech. No one has The Wheel. I think I'm going to go back to basics and try for a Diplomatic win, but a higher scoring one. This means a combination of expansion and quick tech. I'm going to want a lot of river for the extra commerce so exploring the area to find them is a quick early need. The wines are NOT on the river so I need to settle next to them and the river to be able to irrigate them quickly. That means in place, or NE or 2NE. Any way you look at it, it's likely I'll be irrigating them first, so the worker will move to wines first, uncovering a few tiles. Then I'll decide what to do with scout. Initial tech is LIKELY to be Writing at minimum.

4000BC Worker1 N. Very interesting. Coast curves NW, and there's a spot N,NE on the river next to the wines. I'd lose the fish AND BG at the start, but pick up a BG N of wines. Moving the scout to the hill will only uncover one more tile that I'm interested in, while a move 2N will uncover 3 more tiles (including the one I'd get from the hill.) Scout 2N. Very nice. There's another BG on the river 2NE of wines. and a gold mountain NE of that. I'm thinking it might be better to SPEED toward Writing instead of going minimum. Now, where to settle. 2NE gives me 3 BG, but it's off the coast, and has no apparent forest. N,NE has 2 BG and a forest and is on the coast. Both have access to the wines immediately and the gold mountain. I think I like N,NE better because of the coastal position, plus it puts a lot more of the river tiles in the capital radius. Settler NE. I still have a scout move next turn that might change things.

3950BC Scout NE, sees BG on river NE of forest, E to gold mountain, sees LOTS of BG on north side of gold mountain, and plains to the east. Settler N. Worker road. I'll lose two turns on irrigating, but I hate wasting a worker turn.

3900BC Okay, one more scout move before I plop down. The river is what matters now, so Scout N,W. This uncovers more mountain NE, with a river beyond, and the river NW of gold seems to curve back to coast. Found Lisbon N,NE of start. Start a scout. Start Writing at 100%, due in 43. With all the river, I expect to lower that.

3800BC Wines are connected, bringing early happiness, start irrigating. Scout N,W to gold hill on coast. Another gold hill N,NE of scout, and fish 2SW. If I switch to wines now, it will slow production, but speed science, dropping writing from 41 to 34 turns. Switch to wines.

3500BC Scout2 built, explores south, then east, start curragh.

3350BC Switch curragh to scout to explore more land.

3250BC Scout3 built, explores south, start curragh. Scout2 finds silks far east.

3000BC Curragh built, heads southward. Still looking for signs of life on my continent.

2900BC Curragh finds a few tiles of coastal water extending into the ocean. Decide to take a leap. Finally spot a border with one of the scouts.

2850BC Meet Spain, up 3 techs, but no trade right now.

2800BC Pop hut for warrior.

2670BC Build first settler, heading for second wine. Galley survived 3 turns of ocean and has found coastal water.

2510BC Found Oporto on 2nd wine. Will realize much later how stupid this was.

2470BC Writing learned, start Code of Laws.

2270BC Meet <civ3>, trade Alpha for Bronze and 10g. Trade Pottery for Wheel and 10g from Spain. Horses are far S/SE and even further E.

2190BC Granary built in Lisbon. Spain grabs the southern horses!

1870BC Meet <civ4>.

1700BC Found Guimarães on river hill west of silks.

1675BC Code of Laws learned, start Philosophy. Trade Writing for Iron, Masonry, and Warrior Code from Spain. One iron on our continent, in Madrid's radius.

1625BC Curragh starts another suicide run, and sinks next turn.

1575BC Found Lagos on coast near gold NW of Lisbon.

1550BC Granary in Oporto.

1425BC Philosophy learned, get free Republic. Using Big Picture, pull 5 turn anarchy?! I have 4 towns, what's with the long anarchy? Decide it's worth trying again after managing happiness in Lisbon. Pull 4 turns, which I believe is the same thing since I recall hearing its one less the second time anyway.

1325BC Become Republic, unit cost hits like a hammer blow. I need some more towns. Disband the 2 warriors I popped from huts. Trade Writing for Burial, and Iron for Mysticism from <civ3>. They have Poly, but don't go for it yet.

1275BC Spain has Map, and <civ3> has Math now. Trade COL and Phil for MM from Spain. Trade MM, COL and 5g for Poly and MAth from <civ3>. Have all available techs.

1175BC Spain drops a city 3S,SW of Lisbon!! Trade Math for HBR from Spain.

1150BC Madrid builds Colossus and starts Zeus.

1100BC Literature learned. Found Emerita between Oporto and Guimarães filling a large gap, and filling in the road to silks.

1050BC Found Sagres by eastern horses.

1025BC Found Coimbra N of Lisbon on tundra edge.

QSC Stats (abysmal)

7 towns
15 pop
6 workers
2 archers
2 warriors
2 granaries

Need Currency (9 turns) and Construction to reach MA.

925BC Galley starts suicide run.

900BC Meet <civ5>.

875BC Foun Leiria between silk town and horse town, connecting silks.

825BC Learn Currency.

690BC Found Évora by sugar volcano. Sell Literature to <civ3> for 60g and <civ5> for 39g.

630BC Learn Construction, entering MA.


A number of screw ups here. First, I think I settled way too wide. I usually settle closer, and should probably have done so here too. Was boneheaded to settle ON TOP of the 2nd wine. Didn't hit me till I started writing this up that I lost a couple food doing that. Huts were basically useless, I got maps and 2 warriors. Got lucky with boats, only sent out a couple and met 3 other civs, and gained a lot of tech, and some gold. I've got horses but no iron, so I need to either build a big horse army soon or push toward gunpowder and hope I've got some, and then on toward Military Tradition, in which case I'll still want a lot of horses. I need to pack in some cities to help pay for military and faster research. I have a feeling I'm already way behind here.

I lost my notes somehow, so only a few points reconstructed from saves.

Goal
Own the world.

Initial moves
Worker on wines, scout south - northeast is the clear winner for the settler.
Next turn settle and worker irrigates.
Production curragh.

Science
Bee-line philosophy-republic slingshot @ max.
Achieved in 1650BC with 4-turn anarchy following.
I could trade for all first tier techs and mysticism in the meantime (4 contacts already).

Luck
Got a hut settler in 3350BC. He formed Oporto 3250BC.


I got undecided then what to do.
Oporto would be a 4-turn settler pump if I jumped the palace.
I started this direction, but the turn before the settler completed in Lisbon, I decided against it and switched to granary.
I probably will have lost score by that, but a smaller empire fits my play style better.
So I continued my usual small empire - high research course.

QSC
No timeline - no QSC submission.
Stats:
8 towns 28 pop
All AA techs except construction, monarchy and currency in 3 turns
13 workers, 1 warrior, 1 archer, 2 curraghs
3 barracks, 1 granary, 1 library
All contacts
Only wines hooked up to the capital, but horses and silks available at other cities.
CRpMapstat QSC score: 5086



War
Not really .
An off continent civ declared after a rebuffed extortion somewhen around 1500BC. We will destroy them in a few thousand years.

Entered MA in 670BC. Only 10 towns, but we are producing horses currently for our pointy stick expansion into Spain.
No AA wonders, but Spain has the colossus. So triggering a golden age will be easy after we own that.

Open, 5CC 20K.

By the end of the AA in 190BC I had a 5-city Republic, 2 Luxes, no resources, and a neighbour who had Horses, Iron, and Ivory.

I'd also discovered that Lisbon really wasn't going to be a very good 20K city, even if I did eventually get Coal. I'd also only built 2 Wonders, which wasn't really very good either (Oracle, and Lighthouse, which was a good/bad - it gave me my GA, okay, I guess, but I was really using it as a pre-build for the Library which I lost; I also lost the HG in a cascade before I even had Monarchy - what sucked was it was to a Civ I soon discovered had researched pretty much nothing else but the bottom path!!)

Neil.

I chose Predator because the difficulty is Monarch and I hope the extra worker will actually allow the AI to better develop all my future lands. The extra unit support should also allow for greater chance of MGLs.

Opening
Scout to E - NE. Settler NE to settle next turn. Worker N to Wine for irrigation. Build order was granary - settler - curragh.
A rather slow start for me. Very few bonus food close by. Things go better when I get Republic introduced in 1500BC, and I find myself in a what I feel is a decent position at around 1000BC. At least considering the opening position. It turned definitely out as a farmers gambit. In 1000BC I only have 1 archer.

Research
I will go for Repblic (through Code of Laws and Philosophy at max). What a surprise! Writing discovered 2550BC.
Trade with Spanish for Warrior Code and Ceremonial Burial. Give them Writing in hope they will discover Mapmaking.
Code of Laws discovered 1830BC.
Trade with XXX, YYY and Spanish for Masonry, The Wheel, Mysticism, Iron Working, Map Making.
Philosophy and Republic discovered in 1600BC. Pull 4 turns anarchy.
Literature discovered in 1350BC.
Trade with ZZZ for Polytheism in 1225BC.
Mathematics discovered in 1200BC.
Trade with Spanish for Horseback Riding in 1175BC.
Currency discovered in 1000BC.
Construction discovered in 825BC.

Exploring
I run around with my scout. I meet the spanish. I pop a hut with Bronze Working and one with a settler! It settled next to a wheat and started producing other settlers. I think at 1000BC I had 5 cities that originated from the hut.
I created early on a couple of curraghs and went on a suicide mission. Good luck, none died and I discovered the XXX and the YYY (around 1700BC). I did another suicide mission a bit later. One curragh died but one lived to find the ZZZ in 1375BC.
I meet the AAA in 975BC.
I meet the BBB in 925BC.
I meet the CCC in 825BC. I have all the contacts the same year I enter the Middle Ages.

State of the Republic in 1000BC
12 cities (24 pop)
4 settlers
7 workers (1 slave purchased from Spain)
1 archer
1 scouts
2 curragh
1 granaries
3 libraries
1 barrack
34 gold
Missing Construction (8 turns)
Contact with 4 other civs.



Discover Construction and enter the Middle Ages in 825BC. Grant access to the scientific civs and trade for Monotheism and Feudalism. I then grant everyone access to the Middle Ages (including Republic) to give everyone enough cash to be meaningful trading partners.

I decided to first go for Astronomy to get Carracks and then for Military Tradition before starting the wars. Maybe not a good choice, I think I would have been better off by starting wars earlier on. And I thought the other civs would help me by researching a little bit on the invention branch while went for Astronomy. Did not happen and had to do it all myself, except for the scientific civs freebies. See you in the Middle Age spoiler.

Open Class

General Plan - Conquer my own continent and hunker down for Spaceship or Diplo win. THis may change depending on circumstances.

4000 BC Found Lisbon in place. Writing on minimum (surprise, surprise). Worker starts irrigating wine. Scout wanders off for a bit of a look round.

3600 Curragh completed and sent off to explore the coastline. Lisbon starts on second scout.

3350 - Second scout complete Lisbon starts granary. Scout goes exploring.

2650 - The curragh has completed mapping the coastline, only us and the hated Spanish on this continent. Scout finds a goody hut and pops it for a settler. W00T! As this GH is a long way from Lisbon the settler is sent back to found a city closer to Lisbon.

2470 - Granary complete in Lisbon. Start settler.

2430 - Another GH is popped for Warrior Code.

2270 - I decide to send my brave little curragh on a suicide run westwards. Who said working for Henry the Navigator was easy? I found Oporto with my free settler. Oporto start a warrior.

2150 - The brave little curragh finds land. Lisbon settler-settler.

2070 - Oporto warrior-worker. My scouts have now uncovered the entire continent.

2030 - Cumaraes founded - starts warrior.

1910 - The evil Spanish are building the Colossus.

1870 - Oporto finishes its worker and start a barracks aided by the disbanding of one of the redundant scouts. My curragh finds a dark blue border and establshes contact with civ X. I trade with them and get the Wheel in return for CB + 78 gp and Bronze Working for 113 gp. The only sources of horses are closer to Spain than us.

1790 Lagos founded and starts a warrior.

1750 Writing is discovered and we establish embassies with Spain and civ X.
Research is started on Code of Laws at maximum. I trade Writing to civ X for Mysticism and 87 gp. I trade Mysticism to Spain for Masonry and 24gp.

1700 Lisbon settler-settler. Civ X are buidling the Oracle.


1675 - Giuimaraes starts a barracks. I trade Writing to Spain for Iron Working + 43gp. The only source of Iron is just outside Madrid. Henry decides that the Spanish impudence in trying to monopolise our iron and horses must be punished. It looks like it's time for The Archers (dum de dum de dum de dum).

1550 - Emerita founded, starts warrior.

1525 - Lisbon settler - settler. Oporto completes its barracks and starts an archer. It is now spitting out veteran archers evey 3 turns. Meanwhile on the other side of the world our curragh meets civ Y, but they have nothing to trade.

1500 - Civ Y are buidling the Oracle

1475 - Sagres founded and starts a warrior.

1425 - Code of Laws discovered, Philosophy research started at maximum. Lagos has completed its worker and starts a barracks to help in the forrhcoming war. I trade CoL to Spain for Maths. I trade Maths and Writing to civ Y for Polytheism.

1350 - Another settler in Lisbon reduces the populations to 2, so it starts a catapult to recover.

1325 - My curragh has mapped the coast of the other continent. There are only two civs there, so there must be a third continent somewhere.

1300 - Emerita and Sagres complete their warriors and start building workers.

1275 - Oporto finishes its barracks and starts building archers.

1250 - Spain demands Polytheism, I tell Isabella to go away and she does.

1225 - Philosophy discovered and we take Republic as the free tech and revolt drawing 5 turns of Anarchy. We start research on Literature.

1100 - Hail the Portuguese republic!

1075 - Lisbon completes its catapult and goes back to producing settlers.

1050 - I trade Philosophy to civ X for Map Making and 67gp. Sagres completes its worker and start a barracks.

950 - Literature discovered, research started on Construction.

925 - Lagos completes its barracks and starts a gally to search for the fabled Third Continent.

875 - Guimaraes completes its archer and starts a spearman to help out when the war starts.

775 - The galley is complete in Lagos which starts an archer.

730 - Construction is discovered and research is started on Currency.A message tells Henry that the Mayans, whoever they are, have built the Pyramids.
.
710 - Civ X complete the Oracle. The brave little curragh dies on its way home. A national day of mourning is held. Evora is founded.

670 - Civ Y demands technology, we decline and they declare war, as they have no way of reaching us we don't worry too much. Our stack of death consisting of 10 archers. a catapult and a spearman assemble on the Spanish border.

610 - These unknown Mayans have bulit the Great Lighthouse. We declare war on Spain and the valiant Portuguese Archer Force invades.

590 - The PAF captures Toledo, whose borders include one of the sources of horses.

570 - Spain captures an unescorted settler.

530 - The PAF captures Barcelona and three slaves.

510 - Madrid completes the Statue of Zeus, we'd better capture it soon, we have nothing to stand up to Ancient Cavalry.

450 - We pop a GH on an offshore island for a free warrior. Braga is founded. We make peace wiith Civ Y.

370 - The free warrior pillages Madrid's iron.

350 The PAF capture Madrid (which includes the Colossus and the Statue of Zeus). As the PAF is now badly depleted and we have access to horses and iron we decide to make peace with Isabella in return for her entire treasury (119 gp) and Horseback Riding, which along with the discovery of currency propels us into the Middle Ages. We decide to build up an army of swords and Ancient Cavalry to finish off Spain later.

Tech. race

Civ Y is down HBR, Lit., Currency and Republic.
Civ X is down HBR, Lit. and Currency
Spain is down Lit., Polytheism. Currency, Republic and a capital.

Edit to add a picture now I've worked out how .

There you see it again.
Klarius got a settler, got double population in 1000BC compared to those who weren't that lucky. (Me and Xevious)

Goody huts are absurdly imbalanced and should be removed.

This difference is huge enough that all players who didn't get a settler from goody hut have no chance of beating those who did.

Predator

Added noaipatrol=0 to the conqeust.ini file….

4000 BC – Worker N to wines. Scout E, NE to hill. Settler NE for access to two extra BG for the capital.
3950BC – Lisbon founded. Worker irrigates. Research: Writing at max.
3650BC – We meet Spain. Trade pottery to Isabella for a slave and 10 gold. IT: wines connected.
3400BC – Popped a GH, get a conscript warrior
3200BC – Lisbon builds settler. GH popped, get maps
3050BC – Oporto founded
2850BC – Pop third GH, maps again
2510BC – Writing discovered, start code of laws
2310BC – Lisbon completes granary
2030BC – Guimarães founded
1870BC – Spain demands writing. We say no, they declare war.
1830BC – Lagos founded
1750BC – Suicide curragh sent.
1725BC – Emerita founded. Suicide curragh still floats, moves on
1700BC – Suicide curragh is amazingly still afloat, moves on
1675BC – 3 turns in a row our suicide curragh has survived (this is a first for me. I never got luckier than 2 in a row). We reach safe waters this turn and meet ####. We trade writing to #### for 45 gold, bronze working, warrior code and the wheel. Poprush archer in Guimarães to fend of incoming Spanish warrior. Code of laws discovered, start philosophy
1650BC – Archer kills warrior losing one HP.
1625BC – Meet ####. Trade alphabet for masonry. Our exploring suicide curragh along the #### coast reveals a much shorter suicide path from our own island. The curragh was very lucky indeed! Probably at least partially due to the seafaring trait
1600BC – Make peace with Spain and trade them writing for ceremonial burial. SagresÎ founded. Send another suicide curragh
1575BC –Suicide curragh survives, moves on and spots safe waters
1550BC – Discover philosophy and get republic as our free tech. Use the big picture to revolt. 6-turn anarchy. Second roll yields the same result. Suicide curragh sinks… Send another suicide curragh. Code of laws to #### for HBR and mysticism. Code of laws to #### for Iron working and mysticism. Start research of mathematics.
1525BC – Suicide curragh survives and moves on
1500BC – Suicide curragh sinks…
1450BC – Send another suicide curragh
1425BC – Portuguese republic established. Suicide curragh survives and goes on.
1400BC – Suicide curragh survives and reaches safe waters this turn
1375BC – Curragh spots ### border
1350BC – Curragh spots ### border
1325BC – Meet ####. Trade writing for polytheism and 35 gold. Meet #### and sell writing and polytheism for 34 gold
1200BC – Meet #### and sell writing for 12 gold
1150BC – Coimbra founded to claim silks
IT – Madrid completes Colossus
1125BC – Leiria founded
1100BC – Meet the ####, sell writing for 29 gold
1025BC – Évora founded
1000BC – #### just discovered map making, so we trade them polytheism and mathematics for it. Sell polytheism to Spain for 32 gold and HBR to the #### for 8 gold. Switch Oporto’s prebuild to the Lighthouse to trigger my GA

Forgot to save in 1000BC, so no QSC for me, again….
A pity 'cause it'd be pretty good as I met the last AI in 1100BC...

975BC – Braga founded
950BC – Faro and Rio Janeiro founded
900BC - São Pauloro and Landa founded
875BC – Discover construction and enter the middle ages

Open class, NoAIPatrol=0. Going for diplo or space.
I found this a very enjoyable game so far !

I started with sending my worker to the wine, and then my scout east twice, and settled on the starting spot. Minimum research on Writing. Lisbon produced scout-curragh-settler. Oporto was founded in 2850BC (turn 23). By that time it was clear that Spain was our only neighbour.

Without any food surplus growth was slow. I decided to settle the coast north and south of Lisbon, and then go eastwards along the rivers.

I got iron working via trading (not with Spain) in 2110BC (turn 41) and the Wheel one turn later. I saw Spain had the only iron and had already claimed the nearest horses and realized I'd have to go after them with warriors and archers. By the way, I suspect the iron being located on a mountain was the work of Ainwood; that way it wouldn't be connected too early - nice setup !
Before I could prepare for war however, Spain demanded Iron working ! I refused of couse and they declared war. The two scouts I had did an excellent job initially in baiting troops away from my cities. Who said scouts couldn't fight ?
In the mean time the few warriors I had made sure that the Spanish cows were set free again.

I sent out 4 suicide galleys, 3 of which were successful. That gave me all contacts and lots of trading opportunities. Aiming for a space or diplo victory, I wanted research to go as quick as possible, so I regularly gave techs away for free to backwards civ's. It's the first time I'm doing this in such an extreme way, and i must say it feels eary to delibarately and constantly give away your tech lead.

Republic slingshot was accomplished in 1075BC, and with 3 turns anarchy, I became Republic in 1000BC.

QSC-stats :
6 towns, 12 population.
4 workers, 2 scouts, 3 warriors, 2 archers, 2 curraghs
1 granary, 1 barracks
186g
all contacts, with embassies
techs : missing construction, currency, literature, mapmaking and monarchy.
CrpMapStat QSC-score : 4351.

In 900BC I got Barcelona in a peace deal with Spain. I then signed an ROP deal to position my troops and attack, but not before Madrid finished the SoZ in 250BC (turn 115) - don't know if that was worth waiting for, though.
But that's technically already in the Middle Ages, which I entered in 650BC (turn 95).

WackenOpenAir said:

There you see it again.
Klarius got a settler, got double population in 1000BC compared to those who weren't that lucky. (Me and Xevious)

Goody huts are absurdly imbalanced and should be removed.

This difference is huge enough that all players who didn't get a settler from goody hut have no chance of beating those who did.

Click to expand...

As far as I understood his post, klarius could have done even better if he'd only jumped palace!
I am sorry he didn't, I would have liked to see the outcome.

no time fore envy.

COTM06_Open, NoAIpatrol=0

*** Ancient Times ***

4000 BC - Scout E, SE, sees nothing of great value. Worker N to Wine, sees BG N. Settler NE, figuring that BG is better than Fish.

3950 BC - Scout SW, S. Settler founds Lisbon, unveiling a third BG, making me glad I decided to settle NE. Hints of another river are seen N. Worker starts irrigation of Wine: Food is everthing in the start. Our scientists start researching Writing at minimum rate. Lisbon starts building Curragh.

3900 BC - Scout S, W. Sees another Fish, some Sugar and lots of plains.

3850 BC - Scout continues S, sees shallow water streching far out from the beach - a bridge to another continent?

3750 BC - Worker finishes irrigation of Wine, starts road. Lisbon starts working the Wine instead of the BG: Growth is more important than production at this stage. Scout is now moving E, and sees a third river and two Gold-mountains, making this a very commerce-rich start.

3600 BC - Worker completes road, moves to the BG S of Lisbon. Continuing E, our scout sees some very nice land!

3550 BC - Lisbon grows to 2 pop. Scout heads N now. Worker mines BG.

3500 BC - Lisbon completes Curragh, which moves S down the coast, to check out the interesting sea/coast formation that the Scout saw earlier. Settler started in Lisbon. Scout spots Silks!

3350 BC - The insteresting shallow water in the SW turns out to be nothing. Curragh continues E.

3300 BC - Scout reaches Tundra, turns E again and finally finds a goody hut! Production in Lisbon switched from Settler to Granary, to give us a chance for a Settler out of the hut.

3250 BC - WE GET A SETTLER FROM THE HUT!!! Production switched back to Settler in Lisbon. Long pause follows, trying to figure out what to do with this Settler. The decition is between moving him back towards Lisbon - a 10-turn walk - or using him to claim the Silks (as well as a Cow and a Wheat) in far-away land where corruption will be very bad. In the end I decide for the latter, given that I would be very sorry if I moved him back only to have the Silks stolen by a rival civ...



3200 BC - Curragh discoveres light-blue border in the SE! Scout continues E, and finds the coast.

3150 BC - Our scout is now heading S along the E coast of the continent. I change my mind about Lisbon, and switch production to a Granary (11 turns) - I don't want the town to drop to just 1 pop after finishing the Settler.

3100 BC - We meet Spain, and give them Pottery and 9 Gold for Ceremonial Burial. Our hut-Settler founds Oporto, where they start building a Worker. Our Scout spots another hut!

3050 BC - We get a Warrior from the hut.

2710 BC - Lisbon completes Granary, starts Settler. Our hut-Warrior has reached Oporto, where he will fortify as defence from our untrustworthy neighbours. Our Curragh, going N up the E coast now, finds a hut on a 2-tile tundra island, which we immediately name Ainwood Island.



2630 BC - Oporto completes Worker, who will now chop forests for a Temple in the town.

2550 BC - Curragh spots another hut in the NE.

2510 BC - Lisbon completes Settler and starts a 2-turn Warrior (having no defence in our capitol with the Spanish running around is not good for my nerves!). The new Settler moves NE, N, N along the road, and finds three nice BG's.

2470 BC - Our Settler moves NW, trying to find a suitable tile to settle on: One that is both on a river and on the coast and not a BG. He finds one: A forest one more step NW.

2430 BC - Settler NW. Lisbon completes Warrior and starts Settler.

2390 BC - Settler founds Guimarães, where work on a Warrior is started.

2270 BC - Our Scout pops the hut in the NE, we get a Warrior.

2230 BC - Lisbon completes a Settler, which moves S. Warrior started.

2110 BC - Lagos founded on the coast S, S, SW of Lisbon.

2070 BC - Our Curragh has completed a lap of the continent. It will now go for a suicide run off the SW coast.

At 1990 BC we have 4 towns, 6 pop. 1 Settler, 3 Workers, 5 Warriors, 1 Scout, 1 Curragh. 1 Granary.

1910 BC - The Spanish are building The Colossus.

1830 BC - Emerita founded. We buy a Worker from Spain for 106 Gold.

1750 BC - Our Curragh sinks.

1725 BC - Writing finally discovered after 50 long turns, Code of Laws started (13 turns). Oporto completes Temple.

1550 BC - Spain move four Warriors toward Oporto! The town is defended by two conscript Warriors - not enough! We trade them Writing (we feel pretty secure that we research Philosophy faster than them anyway, even with 6 turns left on Code of Laws, and there are no huts left on the continent for them to pop Philosophy from) and 115 Gold for Bronze Working and The Wheel. Then we tell them to remove their troops from our land. Surprisingly, they accept. We don't feel safe, however, so we still switch production in Oporto from Settler to Spearman (due in 1 turn). Now let's see if they'll move out or not... There are two sources of Horses on the continent. One is controlled by the Spanish, outside Toledo on the S coast. The other is up for grabs, some tiles NE of Oporto.

1525 BC - The Spanish Warriors do not turn back - they move in next to Oporto! Oporto completes Spearman...

1500 BC - Spain attack, stupidly across a river. They lose a Warrior to our Spearman, which becomes a veteran.

1475 BC - Spain lose another Warrior to our Spearman. We lose some shields in Emerita, when we must switch production from Barracks to Spearman to make sure we not lose the town to a wandering Spanish Warrior suddenly popping in from the N.

1450 BC - The incredibly stupid Spainish lose a third Warrior to our Spearman!

1425 BC - Code of Laws discovered, Philosophy started (6 turns).

1375 BC - Sagres founded by the Horse NE of Oporto.

1325 BC - Spain lose a fourth Warrior to our invincible Spearman.

1275 BC - We let Spain kill a fifth Warrior to our Spearman in Oporto, and then we make peace. Philosophy discovered, The Republic taken as free tech, and a 5-turn Revolution period started.

1250 BC - Trading with the Spanish, we get Iron Working, Masonry and Warrior Code for Philosophy, Code of Laws and a little Gold. The only available Iron is right next to Madrid - Ainwood...

1225 BC - Coimbra founded between Emerita and Oporto.

1175 BC - Republic established. We are researching Mathematics (4 turns!).

1125 BC - Madrid completes The Colossus! This means we can start our Golden Age by capturing Madrid and then build ANY one of the great wonders! The Spanish are now building The Oracle in Madrid.

1100 BC - Spain are building The Mausoleum of Mausollos in Barcelona. Leiria founded N of Guimarães.

1075 BC - Mathematics discovered, Currency started (9 turns).

1050 BC - Évora founded S of Lagos. Braga founded on the E coast.

1000 BC - We give Spain The Republic, for Map Making, Horseback Riding, Mysticism and all their Gold (253). We're not going to give them Mathematics, for we want to keep them in the Ancient Times for as long as possible, seing as they have access to Iron.

QSC stats:

10 Towns, 18 Pop

2 Settlers
8 native Workers + 1 slave Worker
1 Spearman (veteran)
7 Warriors (2 conscript, 5 regular)

4 Barracks
1 Temple
1 Granary

Missing ancient age techs: Construction, Polytheism, Literature, Monarchy, Currency (due in 6 turns).

Republic Goverment
1 contact
319 Gold

Quite a lot worse than my last three GOTM's (COTM4, COTM5 and GOTM36), but I guess most of the difference is that we didn't have a Settler-factory this time. I think I have done pretty well in science this time. EDIT: But I really should have gone for Writing at MAX instead of MIN.



950 BC - Faro founded north of Emerita.

900 BC - Rio Janeiro (why not Rio de Janeiro?) founded in the midlands. This town is in risk of flipping, but it is also a nice buffer to the Spanish. The Horses are now hooked up.

825 BC - Currency discovered, Construction started (7 turns).

775 BC - São Paulo founded on the north coast.

750 BC - Our core cities are now building Horsemen, guess why...

690 BC - Luanda founded in the middle of the continent. Forbidden Palace started in this town. Alcácer do Sal founded in the northern forests.

670 BC - Construction discovered, Polytheism started (4 turns).

590 BC - Polytheism discovered - WE ENTER THE MIDDLE AGES.

-- Roland

Open.

The ancient times were peaceful, except for a phoony war with savages on a distant land. My first curragh discovered almost all other civs in this age and eventually in a trip around the world made his way back to Lissabon, by then a city the brave little curragh left 1000's of years ago. (Kinda like what that Portugese guy did who has a wonder in CIV named after him, what's his name) We're now preparing to launch a war which is soon to come to our neighbours' lands.

bluebox said:

As far as I understood his post, klarius could have done even better if he'd only jumped palace!
I am sorry he didn't, I would have liked to see the outcome.

no time fore envy.

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You simply miss the point that people with no settler from a hut have around 15 total pop and klarius 28.
I am sure this is a very valid comparison. Nothing against Klarius (I actually love the guy who is my sgotm team mate), but i know both Klarius, Xevious and I are pretty good and i think about equal players. You could check our QSC stats from earlier games to see that we are of comparable skill.

This is not about who does better, this is just the perfect example of how imbalancing a free settler is. In games where you have a settler factory at your start position (where the total 1000BC pop is around 40 for good players, or over 50 for agricultural) that difference is smaller and not so obvious. In this game it is simply huge.

WackenOpenAir said:

Goody huts are absurdly imbalanced and should be removed.

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Yeah, I've never understood why they've been included in the GOTM. If it were a multiplayer thing where some people are expansionist and others aren't then yeah, you pretty much have to have them, but the way things are, I've never seen a good reason for it. They have pretty much the same effect on the game as scientific leaders, although probably not as extreme. Of course, random anarchy times are just as bad.

bluebox said:

As far as I understood his post, klarius could have done even better if he'd only jumped palace!
I am sorry he didn't, I would have liked to see the outcome.

Click to expand...

Well, I tried in the meantime. I have all the autosaves recorded by CRpMapStat.
But this time Isa got cocky.
She sneak attacked the new capital just when it was up to speed for 4-turn settler production (1 settler was already out). And she captured it with 2 reg warriors against 2 conscript .
So that would have worked out just a bit worse.

My settler moved NE, founded Lisbon and immediately began a granary. My scout went NE, N, looking along the river for more fertile land rather than going on the hill. My worker went SE to the bg.

I went straight for Republic (duh) and got lucky with a 2 turn anarchy

Popped a settler from a hut down by the SE ivory in 3450BC. It wandered around for a while before founding Oporto one south of the cows.

QSC Stats
12 Cities
33 Pop
1 Settler
8 Workers
1 Purchased Slave Worker
2 Warriors
2 Curragh
1 Granary
3 Barracks
1 Library

Every AA tech except for Monarchy and Construction in 6 turns. Wine silks and horses all hooked into my capital. Contacted every civ except one, but I get them by the end of AA in 850BC.

WackenOpenAir said:

Goody huts are absurdly imbalanced and should be removed.

Click to expand...

I don't really mind the imbalances. I vote for keeping them in.
Nothing wrong with people getting lucky every now and then. If skill would be the only factor, we'd have the same rankings for every game.
(I got two techs and 25g, btw).

I lost my notes .

From what i remember, I also got a settler from the hut and decided to take it back to the main core.
I got lucky, while settler was moving back I discovered (or traded?) wheel and i managed to get that settler and claim horses just a turn or two before Spanish could.
Standard Writing-CoL-Phylosophy->Republic technology path and I revolted into republic.
Next i researched Literature and immediately gifted it to Isabelle so she could build GL for me.
Closer to the end of AA one of my cities flipped to Isabelle and I used it as an excuse to start the war.
That war would last until total destruction of spaniards, and I would acquire nice and shiny Great Library wonder.

Also my curragh was extremely lucky, by the end of AA I knew half+ of remote civilizations and tech trading was booming.

My plan for this game - Diplomatic victory. I will take over my island and then will research with the max speed possible.