RB7 - Winter Wonderland

[Sirian]

RB7 - Winter Wonderland

Difficulty: Prince
Map Script: Ice Age (Random)
Map Size: Standard
Game Speed: Normal
Civ: Mali (Mansa Musa)

Variant Rules: None
Victory: Any
Patch: We WILL move the version forward if a new patch comes out.


RB7 ROSTER

Sirian
Jaffa Tamarin
Griselda
Dwip

Alternate:
* afpunk (Pennsylvania in winter is certainly a wonderland!)

Jaffa will be out for a week around New Year, so we'll definitely need our Alternate to step in there. Maybe at other times, too. (Hopefully when we need him, he won't be feasting on the 18 other SGs he's playing. Charis would be proud of the feasting, though! Speaking of which, I should drop him a line soon.)


OK, here we go.


- Sirian

[Arizona_Steve]

We WILL move the version forward if a new patch comes out

Speak of the devil. Version 1.52 was released probably less than an hour ago. Will you be running some RBCiv Marathons now?

[Sirian]

Originally Posted by Arizona_Steve

Speak of the devil. Version 1.52 was released probably less than an hour ago. Will you be running some RBCiv Marathons now?

Well... Hmm.

No comment, yet. I'm also going to postpone reporting my first round, here, too.

(Sorry guys!)


- Sirian

[Uniqueuponhim]

Hey, Sirian, would it be possible for me to join in on this SG?

[VoiceOfUnreason]

Any chance of uploading the initial position, so the kibbitzers can shadow?

[Thormodr]

I do love the Ice Age map. If you need an alternate or another player let me know.

[Kylearan]

Heh, just when I was about to ask Gris if/when she would be able to join us, she pops up in a new RB SG.

Originally Posted by Sirian

Charis would be proud of the feasting, though! Speaking of which, I should drop him a line soon.

Oooh, that would be nice, seeing the more often. But then it might be better for him *not* to find out about and play CIV... (*insert Kurgan voice* "It's better to burn out than to fade away!")

-Kylearan

[Sirian]

OK, guys. Here's our starting situation.



The dyes mean we're right at the equator! Heh, so much for "winter wonderland".

Notice all the plains tiles? A glaciated world is rather arid. Lots of water locked in the ice.
That's the biggest thing about Ice Age script.
Civil Service is magnified in urgency, and especially in the early game, farming dominates over cottages.

Two Clams is a big help! Ivory, too. (Mmm, Jumbos.)

I seriously considered moving one plot to the east, to get on the Fresh Water plot.
Tough call, but I decided to stay put.


4000BC: Timbuktu founded. Start research on Fishing.


3960BC: Our warrior pops a hut and we learn Hunting.



I swap production from warrior to Scout.


3840BC: Woops. Obstacles blocking further movement to the north!



Some dry-looking lands up there, but should be good post-CivilService.
Silks spotted beyond the mountains.


3800BC: Borders pop at the capital, revealing a Fish in a most nasty location.



Even if I had moved on the first turn, it wouldn't have helped!
The capital would have had to be placed north or east of the blue barrier, to allow settling on the blue X.

Oh well.


3680BC: After our Scout is produced, I swap to Spain-on-a-Lake(TM) style research!



Mali is a Financial civ, so any plot with two commerce gets a freebie.
We have FOUR such plots! (Lake, Dyes, two Clams!)

Despite pit stops for Fishing and Mysticism (Spain starts with both!) I am going to chase the Hydra.

I will run max commerce unless and until we are beaten to a religion we are chasing.


3600BC: We scout the "eastern dogleg" and find Corn across the channel.



It appears that we have drawn the "Narrow Continents" landmass option.
That's a good one! Will be unlike any typical map. Wait until you see it!


3440BC: We scout the "southwestern dogleg" and find GOLD and INCENSE. Also another Fish.



Our Scout mops up those Lions between turns.

[Sirian]

3240BC: Om... Om...



Some of our wise men have found Enlightenment.


3160BC: Our warriors find Gems, sacred Cows, and more GOLD!



Also, there may be more land up there. (Could be a lot more.)


2920BC: Behold the two-headed Hydra, BuDuIsm the Great!



I halt the "max commerce" research plan and begin researching Archery (for our UU!)

Also to get the Work Boat finished sooner.


OH NO! Our Scouts got eaten by Lions!



Dangit. I hate when that happens. It's my fault, too.
I was moving with Right Click and clicked on the hill.
If I had moved one plot at a time, I'd have seen the Lions after moving part way, and not chanced it.

Sorry guys.

[Sirian]

There are LOTS of resources in range.



However, outside the capital, only two reachable seafood visible yet.
We are going to be in a food crunch.
Ice Age script tip: Settle the FOOD first.


DotMaps(R):

Ooh, Pink Dot(TM) makes its appearance.



Gems, sacred Cows, one Jungle to turn in to Cottage, and a canal across the peninsula.
We probably can't afford to wait for worker+bronze to chop that forest.
So it would be OK, in this case I think, to waste it. Just settle there!

Yellow Dot region needs more explanation. We must settle on the coast, though.
That may be where to go for third city, even though it's far away.
If there is significant land beyond where our Scouts died, we need to move toward it.

Blue dots are the only viable sites to grab that Fish.
Which of the two Dots is better may depend on what we find farther north.



Orange Dot is a crappy Fishing and Mining village. It should wait! (Maybe for quite a while).

White Dot gets Incense and a Fish.
I think I prefer the one closer to our capital, but we could stand to do some naval exploring.



Green Dot is an urgent thing, especially if there is an AI on that other landmass.

We first need Sailing and a Galley to get over there.
Sailing should be a high priority anyway, though. (Lighthouses! Easy Trade routes.)

There is technically a Green Dot location on our landmass...
...but the Corn can ONLY be collected if it goes through a city port on that other landmass.
Probably better just to settle over there.
(That city will be simply a-maize-ing!)

Black Dot is akin to Black Dot from RB1: maybe in the late game!


OK, so I played my thirty. Next player plays twenty, to 2000BC.
Then it's fifteen to 1400BC, then ten apiece after that.


RB7 ROSTER

Sirian
Jaffa Tamarin --- UP NOW!
Griselda ------- On Deck.
Dwip

Alternate:
* afpunk


I played this opening in v1.09.

However, I see no reason not to move to the patch, so go ahead and do that.


- Sirian

[Dwip]

Wololo, wololo...

Checking in.

About my first thought is "Well, at least come railroads, our workers won't be railroading forever." Too much RB3.

Boy are we set. 4 different happiness/health resources? All that water? Plains for at least a few shields? Ka-ching!

I am, however, caught in a delimma. If Mansa is on my kill list, but I AM Mansa, what then? Do I have to kill myself? Leap in front of a lion? I guess I could sacrifice some clams to the gods, or something, for guidance, but which ones? We have so many... It's all very confusing...

[Uniqueuponhim]

/me points to his first reply to this thread

[afpunk]

Reporting in ready to take some turns when requested . I'm liking this map script quite a bit. I think I only rolled up one before and I'm sure I didn't finish it (It happens sometimes ). I like the extreme rarity of jungles, as opposed to RB Epic 1, which I also didn't finish (It happens sometimes ). I'll be watching closely, just tell me when you need me.

[Sirian]

Originally Posted by Uniqueuponhim

/me points to his first reply to this thread

Sorry. The roster was set at launch. I appreciate your interest in this game, and a typical roster has five players, but running with four can make for a more cozy game. I do that from time to time. (And the Cuban game has the rare "two man" roster.)

Getting in to a specific game can be tough. Griselda was in that same boat: missing her chance to get in on games because they filled up so fast. That happens to everybody! So what can you do? Start another one. That's what we did here.

Maybe we'll cross paths in a future game.


- Sirian

[Sirian]

Originally Posted by afpunk

Reporting in ready to take some turns when requested . I'm liking this map script quite a bit. I think I only rolled up one before and I'm sure I didn't finish it (It happens sometimes ). I like the extreme rarity of jungles, as opposed to RB Epic 1, which I also didn't finish (It happens sometimes ). I'll be watching closely, just tell me when you need me.

It does indeed happen sometimes. But is it happening from loss of interest? Or lack of time? (If the latter, maybe in general slow down a hair or two on the feasting mode? If the former, then what do you think is causing it?)

This one is my best map script (in my opinion). I just love it.


Merry Christmas.


- Sirian

[afpunk]

Originally Posted by Sirian

It does indeed happen sometimes. But is it happening from loss of interest? Or lack of time? (If the latter, maybe in general slow down a hair or two on the feasting mode? If the former, then what do you think is causing it?)

- Sirian

Its neither really. Most of my completed games are in 1 session. Now, this session could be open for a day or so, and stepped away from, but as long as a game stays open, I'll finish it. What normally happens is I save a game, and then when I load up Civ I say to myself, "Hmm, I feel like giving Monarch OCC a try today" or something like that, and then the next time its like "Hmm, let's try a team game with the AI, and see how that works out." And then when I realize I have a game unfinished, I load it up, realize I'm completely lost as to where I was going with it, and then say something like "Hmm, I've really been meaning to try that highlands script." Really, there's just too much to try out yet. Even though I complete probably 70% of my games, there's just too much experimenting I want to do. It'll settle down soon enough, I just love the amount of options, and need to try everything out.

[Sirian]

Originally Posted by afpunk

I just love the amount of options, and need to try everything out.

Ah! Well I can relate to that. My love of options is, in part, responsible for how many options there are.

I guess I'm in a bit less of a hurry, though. I want to taste each flavor and savor it before moving on to the next one. Since there are more than 31 flavors, it could take a while to get around to Marshmallow Pistachio Walnut.


- Sirian

[Jaffa Tamarin]

I see it, busy today, should be able to play it tomorrow.

[Jaffa Tamarin]

Game is patched. Is every patch going to reset all my option selections back to default!

Let loose the monkeys! In festive hats!

One city, one defensive troop, not a lot to do here ..

2) 2720BC

Research: Archery -> umm .. ancient texts suggest a plan to head for Monotheism to offer our populace a third religion. More recent actions by the previous ruler do not fall in line with that plan. The monkeys scratch their heads in confusion. (That's Confusion, not Confucianism. In keeping with the spirit of the hydra, the monkeys do not officially endorse any specific religion.)

Sailing selected. The monkeys have visions of lazy days of peaceful sailing on the Timbuktu sea.

3) 2680BC

Timbuktu: work boat -> scout.

5) 2600BC - clam fishing begins at a second site south of Timbuktu.

6) 2560BC

Timbuktu grows to size 4.

7) 2520BC

Timbuktu: scout -> skirmisher.

8) 2480BC - MM Timbuktu for growth and commerce, sailing in 2 turns.

9) 2440BC

Research: Sailing -> Masonry.

10) 2400BC - Timbuktu starts on galley, postponing skirmisher.

11) 2360BC

Timbuktu grows to size 5.

12) 2320BC - the monkeys decide that getting a second city founded is more important than decorating the royal yacht. Galley dropped in favor of settler.

We have somehow managed to contact Kublai Khan. Hmmm, how did that happen? Aha! I see some Mongolian cultural boundaries in the sea to the northeast.



13) 2280BC - our scout moves, and spies Mongolian scouts on our land mass. Hmmmm.



14) 2240BC

Research: Masonry -> Monotheism.

15) 2200BC - our scouts discover that we aren't going anywhere further in that direction.



16) 2160BC

Kublai Khan converts to Hinduism.

20) 2000BC - scouts fortify on pink dot site.

We are safe from land invasion. I imagine we want to settle pink dot first, then build a couple of workers before another settler in Timbuktu, and have the pink dot city build us some military.

[Sirian]

Wow. Three separate choke points blocked by Peaks. I don't recall ever playing something quite like that! We definitely want to take to the waters sooner rather than later, see what's out there, etc.

We might also want to switch to Hinduism, since Kubs is liking that one. We could be pals.


Griselda gets to take her first Civ4 SG turn. To 1400AD!

Merry Civving and Happy Hydra Hunting.


- Sirian