COTM 12 - First Spoiler (End of Ancient Age)

[ainwood]

COTM 12: First Spoiler

To qualify for this spoiler, you must have reached the middle-ages, and must have contact with all civs on the starting continent (4 others). You must also have the map of the majority of the starting continent (at least knowing the location of the capital city of each civ).

The starting location was particularly food-poor, which encouraged players to move before settling. How did you make this decision? What were the reasons for it (if indeed you did move, or if you didn't). How did you execute your initial expansion? What limited you? What did you do well, and what did you do poorly?

Also: Once you have posted your spoiler, be sure to head on over to the Hunting Tips thread and offer your wisdom to the conquest-class players.

[LKendter]

I send the scout south. I spotted a hint of better land. The scout went further south and spotted the game forest. At the point I confirmed the direction for the settler. I didn't settle until 3750 BC when I could build Mecca as a settler factory. It will take forever to clear the forest, but 2 tiles with game will give us plenty of food. I was disappointed that all the forest cleared without bonus grassland.

The contacts were the Ottomans in 3650 BC, Korea in 3000 BC, and Russia in 2590 BC. I forget to record the contact date from France.

The huts gave Warrior Code, Masonry, The Wheel, and free worker far from home.

I don't even think I have seen France as Green before in a game.

I have decided this will be a very heavy war game, so I take Monarchy from Philosophy.

My big break is that France built the Pyramids. I will be able to get the accelerated growth at some point.

My QSC score was only 3,021. I only had 5 cities placed at the time. All that forest really slowed down city growth until cleared.

The ancient age ended at 710 BC.

[Sabre]

Open 20k Attempt

Start

The starting position didn't really seem too bad to me. Not great, but there were enough good tiles for Mecca to produce Workers for my 20k city and then a slow Settler factory. I did move 1 SE to give my Scout a chance to find something better and close by. The Scout spotted a Game to the SE but it was quite a few tiles away so I just settled right there. Next turn the Scout revealed the second Game so maybe it would have been worth the moves but at the least it will make a very nice 20k site.

My initial builds were Scout, 3 Warriors (2 to escort the Settler and provide MP duty for Medina), Settler, Granary, 3 Workers, Barracks and then 7 Workers with a few scattered Warriors to allow Mecca to catch up in pop. Most of those Workers joined Medina right away and Medina was at pop 12 in 900bc.

Exploring

Scout1 headed south and met the Ottomans (3350bc) and the French (3000bc). Scout2 headed north and met the Koreans (2800bc) and the Russians (2110bc). The starting area looked a bit sad, but it did have the one very nice spot and several luxes scattered around so I think 20k was a decent choice for this game.

Goody Huts:
Bronze Working
Warrior
25g
Maps

All in all not that great, though that 25g came at a very nice time allowing me full research a lot longer than I had expected.

Research

2800bc - Alphabet (Korea)
2800bc - Masonry (Ottomans)
2630bc - Mysticism
1675bc - Writing
1000bc - Code of Laws
775bc - Philosophy
775bc - The Republic (free)
530bc - Literature
430bc - The Wheel (GL)
430bc - Warrior Code (GL)
430bc - Iron Working (GL)
430bc - Mathematics (GL)
430bc - Map Making (GL)
430bc - Horseback Riding (GL)
430bc - Polytheism (GL)
430bc - Monarchy (GL)
270bc - Construction (GL)
30ad - Currency (Korea)

I did very little trading for techs. I wanted to keep the tech pace slow, gaining techs just quickly enough to have Wonders to build. The Great Library was a top priority so I ignored all techs that didn't provide culture figuring I'd get those techs for free later on. I did need to make one late trade to get into the MA quickly when the Wonder Cascade wiped out the AA Wonders quicker than I anticipated. Luckily the two scientific civs provided me with an appropriate tech, but that's beyond this thread.

Medina

Medina, NY - a small town in upstate NY - was my hometown so it was kind of cool to be able to build up Arabia's Medina to be the envy of the world. As I mentioned above, Medina's site was very nice for 20k. Once to pop 12 Medina was producing 23 shields and 52 commerce, 20 and 45 after corruption in the early going.

Culture:
2310bc - Temple
1200bc - The Colossus
470bc - Great Library
410bc - Library
210bc - Mausoleum of Mausollos (not my 1st or even 2nd choice)
150bc - Colosseum

I'm pleased with this progress. I was hoping to get the Oracle but the other civs were pretty aggressive in their Wonder building.

Fully developed Medina:

[DaveMcW]

Open, NoAiPatrol=0

Opening Plays

I started off exploring 2 turns SE with my scout and worker. The grassland forest and river was enough to convince me to keep walking. The forest could be chopped to speed up a granary, and the grassland beneath would be much better than desert once improved. The river would speed up my Republic slingshot.

Finding game in the forest was a welcome bonus.

3800BC: Mecca founded

In the previous expansionist COTMs I attempted to speed up the tech rate by building lots of scouts and popping huts. But every time, the huts near the start had been removed and I quit in disgust. So I didn't bother building scouts this time.

I did a farmer's gambit instead, building only a granary and settlers in Mecca.

Worker moves:
Explore E,S,E,SE
Chop/irrigate game
Chop/irrigate second game
Chop/road SW forest
Road to silks

3500BC: Mecca size 2
3100BC: Granary
3050BC: Mecca size 3 (delayed growth to wait for granary)
2800BC: Buy the Ottomans' worker
2750BC: Settler
2550BC: Settler
2270BC: Settler...

Mecca was a 5-turn settler factory under Despotism, and 4-turn under Republic.





Research, Contacts, and Trading

Even though I didn't focus on huts, the Russians did. I gave Catherine all my techs, and she popped some new ones to give me.

3750BC: Contact Ottomans
Trade for Masonry
3400BC: Contact France
Trade for Alphabet
3150BC: Contact Russia
Trade for Warrior Code, Bronze Working
3050BC: Trade for Mysticism
2550BC: Contact Korea
Trade for The Wheel
2270BC: Writing
Trade for Horseback Riding
1990BC: Trade for Iron Working
1910BC: Trade for Mathematics
1750BC: Code of Laws
1675BC: Trade for Polytheism
1600BC: Philosophy, The Republic
1300BC: Currency
1125BC: Trade for Construction, Map Making
Enter Middle Ages


Military

While Mecca was at size 4-6 popping out settlers, my other cities stayed at size 1, alternating warriors and workers. After I switched to Republic, the first-ring cities built barracks and horsemen while the second-ring cities continued doing workers.

France did a sneak attack in 1830BC, but by then I had enough warriors to defend myself. Joan paid some gold for peace and the rest of the first 80 turns were quiet. I had 10 cities by 1000BC.

[solenoozerec]

Solenoozerec. Class: Open.

Settlement
I move my scout onto a hill s e. This did not change my plans and I moved my settler se send worker ne to start mining oasis.

On a second turn I moved my settler further east on a hill and from that hill I've seen a game in a forest and incense on a hill. This changed my plans and I started moving towards that game.

I settled in 3850 5Xse from starting position (exactly at the same spot as DaveMcW) and I was very happy about it. Late in the game I discovered that there was a similar "dream land" northwest from starting position and I am wondering to see spoilers from those who settled there.

When we gained IW, I rushed a settler south to steal iron from Ottomans.

Research
I started researching on maximum towards republic or monarchy slingshot whichever come first.
First came republic and in 1450BC we became Republic.
I was very lucky with goody huts, I used only two scouts (originally planed to use three), they picked 5 huts and all of them brought techs, this greatly helped to accelerate research.


Warfare
In 1300BC Russia demanded writing. If they were close, I would give it to them, but they were very far and it was save to decline. Russia declared, war was very peaceful, the only event happened in this war was capturing Russian scout.
In 1100BV we signed a peace with Russians

In 1000 my country looked like this:

In 925BC we researched Currency and entered MA.

Future plan is simple: Research towards Chivalry as fast as possible and then conquer the world.

[killercane]

Open, or "I'll take my pottery and like it, thank you very much." DaveMcW played open too? That HAS to be illegal, check the GOTM rules...

I settled one SE, really I dont know why. I wish I had settled in place. City2 was placed coastal by the game forests of course. I built 2 more scouts hoping, hoping, hoping for GH luck, which I felt I got even with the evil russians popping huts as well. I received the wheel, math, iron, and something else from them as well as some gold and one worker. They were most useful in revealing most of the starting landmass (so I could plan my eventual attack)before they were unheroically slayed by barbs.

I really wanted to settler factory a start for myself, and grabbed both the eastern and western double game forests quickly. The AIs were pushy and demanding though, and when Osman wanted to treat me like some runt kid a second time, I sent a horde of archers down to take back my lunch money Id given him (well if you count 5 as a "horde"). His other transgression was building on the southern silks, which I considered MY land. Silk city was soon mine, and the size 7 city north of his capital. He was pretty gassed for the rest of his short existence even though I gave him peace around 1150 BC.

Research was mysticism maxed out, trade for alphabet from the Frenchies, writing philo monarchy, revolt and then currency. All other techs were obtained by GH and trade. I entered the MA at 900 BC by trading currency for construction from France. France was the nearest leading techster (by design) and everyone else was 5 or 6 techs in the dust. No pikes for you Wang and Catherine!

1000 BC I had 7 cities and 24 pop, was building up horsemen, and doing the forbidden palace northwest in the double game cow town. I was originally undecided on victory condition but eventually settled on domination.

[klarius]

Predator

A right-click showed the nortwest coast to be fresh water. So the scout went n-nw and spots game on a river.
Looks like we are out for quite a nice hike.

Mecca is settled in 3800BC next to two games. Builds a scout then settler.
Science to pottery @ max.

cities
3050BC Medina
1950BC Damascus
1750BC Baghdad
1675BC Najran
1550BC Kufah
1500BC Basra
1375BC Khurasan
1275BC Anjar
1225BC Fustat
1075BC Aden



11 towns, 30 pop
2 granaries, 1 barracks, 3 temples
4 settlers (some dancing with barbs), 10 workers, 2 slaves
3 warriors, 3 chariots, 3 curraghs

925BC Yamama and Muscat
850BC Mansura
750BC Bukhara
690BC Fez


science
3350 pottery traded from russia
3300 masonry from Ottomans
2800 TW researched, traded BW and WC
2470 mysticism from hut
2390 alphabet from france
2070 IW traded
1790 writing researched
1500 math and poly traded
1425 CoL researched
1275 philosophy->republic->revolt
1100 literature researched
900 currency researched, traded for construction
750 traded for MM
690 HBR researched (still nobody had it at that time)

I had quite some problems with barb galleys. The home continent is still not completely circled.
Also two suicide galleys sank. So no off continent contact.

Goal for this game is an Ansar driven conquest. No war up to now.

[ainwood]

Originally Posted by killercane

Open, or "I'll take my pottery and like it, thank you very much." DaveMcW played open too? That HAS to be illegal, check the GOTM rules...

Not at all.

Predator is purely optional.

[Andronicus]

Open – looking forward to Ansar Warriors – considering spaceship (never tried before in civ3)

Scout went SW,W – saw incense but food appeared even worse so settled on spot.
4000BC Mecca – built scout, granary, settler
3450BC contact Ottomans - trade Masonry
3150BC contact French – trade Alphabet
2900BC research Wheel, get Warrior Code and Bronze in trades
2350BC Medina settled near horses (I suspect those settling in food rich area would have produced settler for 2nd city earlier and been far ahead for future cities)
2030BC contact Russians, Research Writing (don’t trade)
1575BC Damascus by Silks to restrict growth Ottomans
1475BC Research CoL
1250BC Baghdad founded by furs –> 3 lux
1275BC Research Philosophy, take Rep for free
1250BC contact Korea – trade around for Iron, Mysticism, Poly, Horseback and gold. Est all embassies
1175BC become republic, Narjan founded
1150BC Trade for Math, Russia demands Math – I refuse -> DOW.
(Russia and Ottomans show as 4 times my size on power graph -> ally Ottermans)
1075BC Horsemen capture Smolensk on incense to my SW – horsemen then hold off warriors and archers
800BC Kufah founded near wines
750BC Research Lit
630BC Peace with Russia and gain Mapmaking (after alliance expired)
590BC Basra founded on east coast to build galley to found city on iron island as Ottermans and Koreans have only iron on continent (and both are much stronger than me)
550BC Research Currency
330BC Research Construction -> enter middle ages

Note re goody huts / scouts – had poor luck with scouts – first one destroyed (managed to pop 1 worker) when finished turn in 3450BC next to barbarian ? popped by French, 2nd one lasted long enough to explore a little of Russia then fled home on DOW to be sent NE – destroyed by barbarian sitting on tile 6 NE of start pos so didn’t explore Korea until sent archer! This second scout only popped 1 GH -> conscript who was shortly after killed by barbarians!

Goal now is rush to chivalry, connect up iron and upgrade my horses (building as fast as I can) to go spread the arab influence.

PS. Can someone please tell me how to attach screenshots (I’ve just spent ½ hr trawling through the site looking)

[Redbad]

open

Send the scout 2 SW to see if there are any floodplains: there aren't. Should I move SE with the settler or settle in place. After a long debate between me, myself and I, I settled in place. Builds were scout, granary and setller.

I wasn't quite sure about the victorygoal to pursue: I did a 20K three times in a row and still no award in sight, so maybe a fourth attempt? When the scout discovered the wonderland to the NW, I definitely decided in favour for a 20K. Out of the nearby hut the scout popped a worker who could immediately start on improving the 20K-site. The RNG-gods must favour this 20K attempt too.

Medina founded in 2550BC and starts work on the temple. I'm doing a Monarchy slingshot, beacuse Monarchy holds a useful wonder and us being religious means we can switch gouverment any time at the cost of just 1 turn.

The distance between Mecca (capitol) and Medina (20K) gives imo to much corruption, so I abandon my plan to build a FP in Medina but jump the palace instead. Around 130BC we enter the MA. 20K-builds upon that point:
2350 temple
1600 palace
1000 Oracle
875 library
710 Mausoleum of Mausollos
430 Hanging Gardens
110 Great Library

I had to switch the building of the Great Library to Hanging Gardens, because some AI switch their Pyramids-builds to the HG. No AI had Literature before I build the Great Library.

To illustrate how good the 20K site was:

In the first picture Medina and Damascus can be seen at the 20K-site



While Medina does a very useful 25 shields at size 12,



Damascus can do a 4-turn settlerfactory as well.

[Redbad]

Originally Posted by Andronicus

PS. Can someone please tell me how to attach screenshots (I’ve just spent ½ hr trawling through the site looking)

You can look at post #7 in the first GOTM41 spoiler

[eldar]

Open.

Entered the MA in 330BC (one admission... I didn't know where Seoul was at that point, but I had the full coastline and a rough idea as to where it was).

My goal was going to be Conquest or Domination. After failing to taste the water to the North - it took me ages to discover it was a lake - I headed off southeast.

I settled in 3850BC, three tiles to the SE, with just one Game in the radius. Again, I found the second one later, but I had enough for a 6-turn military/Settler factory in Despotism, and a 4-turn factory in Monarchy (and later Republic).

My tiny empire @ 1000BC:

6 cities, Horses connected and my first Horsemen being built.

At the end of 1300BC, I learned Philosophy, and as I traded for Polytheism via the Big Picture, I took Monarchy as my free tech and revolted right away. With small, undeveloped, towns at that time, and militaristic expansion plans, Republic might've been a bit expensive - and being religious, a swap later would not cost me too much in terms of Anarchy.

In 450BC, I declared war on the Ottomans, starting with a force of around half a dozen Horsemen. By the time I entered the Middle Ages in 330BC, I'd captured Istanbul as well. Their Iron city is on a hill and I've ignored it for the time being.

My future plans were simple: just keep going. France, then Russia, then Korea, with whatever Horse-based units I had available at the time. Then invade the other continent, wherever it was.

Contacts:
3600BC - Ottomans
3150BC - France (green doesn't really suit Joanie, though)
2950BC - Russia
1790BC - Korea (I lost all 3 of my scouts to Barbarians before I got round to investigating E of the choke)

Techs:
4000BC: Pottery, CB
3600BC: BW (trade with Ottomans)
3200BC: Warrior Code (hut)
3150BC: Masonry, Alphabet (trade with France)
2850BC: Mysticism (hut)
2350BC: The Wheel (trade with Russia)
2070BC: Writing (research)
1790BC: Iron Working (trade with Korea)
1475BC: CoL (research)
1275BC: Philosophy (research), Map Making, Polytheism (both trades), Monarchy (free tech)
1150BC: Horseback Riding (trade)
1050BC: Literature (research)
975BC: Maths (trade with Korea)
?BC: Currency (research)
330BC: Construction (research)

[ainwood]

Originally Posted by Andronicus

PS. Can someone please tell me how to attach screenshots (I’ve just spent ½ hr trawling through the site looking)

Sure.

YOu have two options. When you are posting a post, you can use the "manage attachments" button to upload a single picture. One picture will get displayed in the post - any more will get shown as attachments.

The other option is to scroll to the bottom of the screen and use the 'upload file' button. Upload a file, then follwo the instructions to find its path. Once you have the path to the file, you can display it in a post using the [img]http://pathtoyourimage[/img] tags.

[Kidsmart1981]

Hello!!!
Open:
Moderator Action: Hello. This thread is only for reporting your Ancient Age progress. Please do not post any details of your later game until the appropriate spoiler threads are opened

[WillowBrook]

Open
Goal: domination in a very short amount of playing time.
(Reports of success or lack thereof will have to wait until next spoiler.)
(I'm also reporting from memory and the 1000 BC save here.)

I settled in place, built several explorers, and then a settler as soon as Mecca was big enough. It only built at most one more settler (I don't recall), and then became a 4-turn spear factory for a while, and pumped out only military the rest of the game.

Medina settled NW between the deer and incense, and Damascus just south of the cow. The two of them both became 5 or 6 turn settler factories for quite a while until I started to use the pointy-stick method of expanding my empire.

I had a brief war with the Russians around 3000 BC when they settled a town without defense too close to where I wanted to settle Damascus. IIRRC, the capture of that town was the only action the war saw.

I beelined to monarchy (myst, poly, writing, philosophy), slingshotting it in about 1050 BC and immediately switching governments. I got warrior code from a goody hut and traded for the other first and second tier techs.

At 1000 BC I had
8 towns
2 settlers
2 granaries
all required AA techs except MM, COL, currency, and construction (plus Monarchy)
silks, incense, and horses hooked up

Osman attacked near the end of the AA, and the great Arab expansion began.

[killercane]

"Not at all. Predator is purely optional."

Um... I realize this Ainwood, I was attempting to try this humor thing I keep hearing about... No worries.

[Megalou]

Predator

4000 - Settler SE. Misclicked the scout SE, losing a movement point (!)

3950 - River visible south. Settler SE.

3900 - Scout sees game...s! Is the incense on the river?Probably not. But I'll settle Mecca on it anyway.

3800 - Silks visible south. Mecca founded. Worker moves into Mecca. He cannot start cutting forest now if we want to build a scout, and we do. Researching Bronze at 0%.

3650 - Ottomans contacted. Sold Ceremonmial Burial for 10 gold.

3400 - Learned Pottery from hut. Ottoman won't offer anything for it. Furs spotted. Building granary.

3200 - Coast found W, finally.

3150 - Popped map, showing another hut.

3100 - Found Paris, guarded by a warrior.
Traded Alphabet + French worker for Pottery, Ceremonial Burial and 80 gold.
Traded Warrior code and Masonry from Ottomans for Alphabet and Pottery.
Traded Bronze Working + 90 gold from France for Warrior Code. Researching writing at full speed.

3050 - eqworker shaves one turn off cutting 2nd game forest.

3000 - Popped worker.

2800 - Granary finished. Building settler.

2630 - Popped The Wheel.

2590 - First settler produced. Building quick warrior. (Chop finished next turn).

2510 - Novgorod (Russia) found.
Traded Mysticism from Ottomans for The Wheel.
Sold Ceremonial Burial to Russia for 10 gold.

2390 - Medina founded on silks.

2350 - Mecca builds second settler. We're cutting down all (?) forest to let production keep pace with food and, hopefully, revealing a BG or two.

2270 - A scout is slain. Writing finished. Researching Code of Laws.

2230 - Bought French worker for Mysticism.

2070 - Met Korea. They are way behind. Traded Ceremonial Burial to them for 85 gold. Just realized I'm thinking Round City Placement. Do disturb my circles!

1990 - Traded Iron Working and 25 gold from Korea for Mysticism.

1750 - Russia knows Horseback Riding.

1725 - Code of Laws researched. No one else even has Writing.

1700 - Ottomans know Mathematics.

1675 - Ottomans demand writing and get it.

1650 - Traded Math from Ottomans for Code of Laws.

1575 - Philosophy & free Republic. Instant revolt.

1525 - Republic. Unit support is 10 gold. Disbanded a scout.

1500 - Bought Ottoman worker for Philosophy.

Mecca is a 4-turn settler factory at size 4.6-6.6. Needs 10% luxury during 75% of the turns.

1450 - Sold Math to France for 25 gold. Learned Polytheism.

1400 - Bought French worker for writing.

1150 - Currency researched. Studying Construction at minimum speed to save cash.

1100 - Traded Map Making from Korea, who only knows me because Baghdad blocks the choke point. First Barracks completed. Building chariot of course.

1075 - First galley completed.

1000 BC - Some QSC facts:

10 towns
2 settlers
9 workers, 4 eqworkers
1 scout
4 warriors
1 galley
308 gold
1 temple, 1 granary, 1 or 2 barracks.
Lacking Construction, Horseback Riding, Literature, Monarchy.

975 - Lisbon completes Colossus.

950 - Sold Map Making to Ottomans for 117 gold. Mistake. Should have given it to them right away to increase the chance of them researching Construction.

925 - Wines connected.

850 - Bought Horseback Riding and 2 workers from Ottomans for Currency, after much consideration.

775 - Island discovered N of Korea.

750 - Hurried settler in Mecca to avoid luxury tax every 4 turns.

630 - Research resumed. Construction 4 turns.
Trading furs from Ottomans.

570 - Russia knows Construction.
Traded Construction +56 gold from Russia for Code of Laws.

The predator handicap hasn't hurt me yet. Even the barb fights have gone well.

[THEMike]

v1.22


Shalom!

My people unfortunately only came out of the Dark Ages in 260AD when our scolars decided it was worth chronicalling the history of my people. No written history exists beyond this point, however, a rich oral tradition has persisted many details of our past.

The Arabs wandered in the desert for a while, until our scouts located a greener, more pleasant land to the south east. Mecca was founded thousands of years ago on the edge of an abundant forest within a short distance of a large lake. However, the Arabs were not happy. There was a division amongst the people as some of our number thought that the land looked better to the North West.

Settlers left mecca once more accross the desert to the North East and established Medina and Baghdad.

The people of Mecca were proven right to settle in the South West when Iron working was developed and Iron was sighted in the hills. Settlers rushed to build a frontier town and claim the iron for Allah. However, the Ottoman empire disliked the upstart arabs, and founded two towns, Konya and Edrine. Konya was placed between Mecca and Baghdad, Edrine between Mecca and Damascas. Uskudar was placed on the nearest coastline, blocking access to the seas.

These were worrying times. The Arab people feared that Mecca would lose the Iron to Edrine and Izmit, whilst Uskudar took the horses and Konya completed the strangle hold upon Arabia. However, awed by the wise sages of the Arabs, Edrine schismed from the Otoman empire to become an Arab town of it's own free will. Iron and Silks were ensured for years to come.

However, the French and Russians were extorting gold from the Arabs, and the Ottomans were pushing at our borders. War was declared by the Ottomans, and Arabia swiftly paniced to build a military in our previously peaceful empire.

Although the Ottoman's and clearly been preparing for some time, the Iron in Arabia meant their attacks were soon reversed. Uskudar and Izmit fell to the arabs. Uskudar fell in 260AD. Trading with the french and russians brought Construction and the Republic. Which brought revolution and anarchy to the streets of our fair cities. However, our military was strong compared to that of Ottoman, comparible with the french and only outmatched by the Russians. We had the only Iron on the continent. Kafa, an Ottomanian village on a small island easily visible from Izmit also had Iron, but no Ottomanian towns had harbours.

In 270AD a sneak attack from an Ottoman spearman who we had not noticed deep inside our borders took out a party of workers, and set off to disruput our supply of horses. Civil disorder continuing in Medina really meant that the desert road to Bhagdad must be completed, however, as it was so close to the Ottoman city of Konya, work could not continue. Uskudar began construction of a gally to seek out other civilisations to trade for knowledge.

Then a blow in 290AD, the wedge between Mecca and Baghdad widdened as the French settled Amiens in the remaining narrow gap.



In 310AD, peace was found with the Ottomans in exchange for them teaching us Construction and Literature. This gave us time to build up a better military, improve our lands that had suffered neglect during the war and launched us into the Middle Ages.

We looked around and saw that our empire was small. There were no new areas to settle. The French had archers, spearmen and settlers roaming the hills looking for new cities. The russians to the north also had many archers running throught the hills to the north.

The starting location was particularly food-poor, which encouraged players to move before settling. How did you make this decision?

Having read the pre-game thread, I thought it best to move. I was torn. I thought North myself, but, enough great players said south I followed their advice. Initially, I regretted this once I found slightly better lands to the north, but then the fact it meant I got the only Iron so far on the continent made me change my mind there.

How did you execute your initial expansion? What limited you?

I settled one new town near mecca to the south, then my explorers found the good land to the north, so I founded Baghdad and the other town up there, hoping for something better. Then I found the iron and headed south again. Bit of a can't make your mind up. This has ended up with a small, trapped and splintered empire that didn't expand fast enough. Of course the AI has expanded and left me no room. I've sent a settler up to Korea on a galley to try and improve this.

What did you do well, and what did you do poorly?

Control of the Iron, two horses and a couple of luxuries were done well. Everything else sucked.

Come help me at My Hunting Tips Post

[Redtooth]

I began my game a bit worried about the outcome. I generally struggle in the ancient age and always end up far behind in either land, science culture or all three.

At first, I couldn't decide where to settle at first, but then I moved 1 N, thinking that I could benefit from the coast for exploration. It took quite a while for me to realize what was going on and why I couldn't build boats, but by then I was over my initial bafflement.

I quickly decided on conquest or domination for this game seeing as I couldn't find a good location fast enough for 20k and I instead found the horses right nearby. Now it was just a matter of deciding who to fight first. Well, as I was thinking of going for the luxuries of the Ottoman, Russia demands, I refuse, and they declare in 1175. I had no problem fighting them, and as I discovered their and I was quite pleased with myself. I make a beeline for Moscow and out of complete coincidence, they finish building the pyramids around 2 turns before my horsemen capture it. It was quite a surprise, and after the fight at moscow, all the other cities in the area fell with minimal casualties.

by 130 BC I was propelled into the MA, with a good head start in technology a powerful army and half of Russia which nearly doubled my territory. Quite frankly, this is probably the best I've ever done in the ancient age.

I was actually so pleased with my progress that I finished the game that same night, but the rest is for another spoiler.

[budweiser]

Ugh! I have a write up of the first age, but its at work. I cant post it until Monday.