Irresistible Iroquois

Good day to y'all,

I have been lurking quite a while now here at this forum and I would now like to take a more active part in this beautiful society of yours. And what better way to start then with a log on one of my games.
So, it's not really a story but more like a description of the main events and all the choices I made in this game, and why. It's purpose is really to introduce you to my playing style and to know myself if I am actually any good. But of course the main reason is to improve my Civ skills. Feedback is therefore greatly appreciated!

Things you need to know:
Well, I own Civ III Complete (Civ 4 was too much for my precious computer) and am playing this game at Conquests. This was actually my first regent game, after beating Chieftain and Warlord with relative ease. I think my early game is reasonably good, but I am afraid that I fail miserably if the game progresses into AD. The game just becomes to complex for me then. But that's where your help comes in hopefully

Now let's focus on the game itself. I created a map with all pre-game setting to random and normal AI agression. So it's a big surprise where I'm gonna find myself in 4000 BC. The standard rules are applied, and I haven't set a personal victory condition. I will just play the game and see where I'll end up.

I hope it's interesting enough to let the replies rolling in and thus improve my management and warmongering skills. The first chapter will be posted ASAP.

My random start set me up with the Iroquois.
I noticed quickly that there was something strange with the leader traits. I saw in the in-game civilopedia that they were commercial and agricultural but on the main site it is written that they are religious and expansionist. Is it possible that the introduction of the two new leader traits in 'Conquest' resulted in a 'reshuffling of the traits' and that way giving the Iroquois two totally different ones? If that's the case, I was unaware of that

Anyhow, this was my (reasonable) start:



I had to make a difficult choice right away. Should I find my capitol on the location where the settler stands now, or should I move him to a better location (he is currently standing on a BG). After minutes of doubt, I finally decide him to move west for a couple of reasons:
- He is now not on a BG, and therefore not wasting some precious food.
- He makes room for further expansion to the east (my second town will also have some BG this way).
- My capitol is now near water (probably the ocean) and this can help a great deal with my early explorations (I can build curraghs right away thanks to my default technology, Alphabet).

In my opinion these advantages were more important than the disadvantages: losing one very valuable turn of research and production. Do you agree?
I also order my worker to build a mine on the BG which the settler had just deserted, with those shields my capitol can build a granary quite soon and begin pumping out settlers.

Turn 1 (3950 BC):
My worker steadily continues mining the BG (5 turns left) and more imporant: Salamanca was found. On the grassland north of Salamanca was a settlement. The Illinois that live there kindly provided us with maps of the region. I can see way more BG's, two tobacco's and a wine. Not bad..

Now that my first city is found, I can finally order my wisemen to research something. I decide on Warrior Code, which is relatively cheap and is the first step towards my UU (the mighty mounted warrior). Of course I also put the science bar up to 100%, resulting in a 'breaking even economy'.

All this resulted in the following situation:



The F8 button can tell me that I'll have to deal with 11 rival civs and thus find myself on a 'large map'.

Turn 2 (3900 BC):
I am forced to sit back and relax. There is nothing else I can do...

Turn 3 (3850 BC):
I only lower the science bar to 90% (also 30 turns until WC)

Turn 4 and 5 (3800-3750 BC):
Nothing...

Turn 6 (3700 BC):
Salamanca builds warrior and I assign it to build a curragh for coastal scouting. I order my first warrior to scout eastward for future city sites and maybe some settlements for training or intelligence. I hereby take a risk of course, if some raging barbarians decide to assault Salamanca I am in big trouble...

In the same turn, my worker finishes the mine and is ordered to build a road on the same tile.

Turn 7 (3650 BC):
My warrior keeps exploring east. Salamanca will grow in four turns.

Turn 8 (3600 BC):
Warrior moves east again and discovers some forestplains (plains with forests on them ).

Turn 9 (3550 BC):
Worker is finished and moves to BG west of Salamanca for another mine. My warrior moves north. WC is now in 18 turns, thanks to the just finished road.

Turn 10 (3500 BC):
My warrior explores things and my worker builds things...

Aftermath:
Was I right in moving my settler on turn 0, or is the lack of one precious turn too much cost for a slightly better location? And does anybody have any remarks on my first 10 turns (chosen tech, worker actions)?
Thanks in advance for the replies.

Turn 11 (3450 BC):
Salamanca's borders expand due to its culture. It now has 5 BG's, 2 Tobacco tiles and 1 forest.
It builds a curragh as well, ready to scout the eastern boarder of our continent. After this I am faced with a tough choice. Should I put my settler factory up ASAP (granary) or should I set my priorities to defence/scouting and build a warrior (3 turns). I decide on the last option and I put the granary in the queue.
Meanwhile, my warrior scouts more and more east:



Turn 12 (3400 BC):
Curragh moves S. Warrior moves SE.
WC in 15 and growth Salamanca in 9 turns.

Turn 13 (3350 BC):
My curragh discovers a nice settling location, which contains fish, 3 wines and a river.



Turn 14 (3300 BC):
Salamanca builds my second warrior, will now build granary in 15 turns and grow in 9.

Warrior 2 will scout the main dark area in the middle of the continent. It will not fortify, because if a barbarian invasion is on our hands they must either meet warrior 1 or 2 in their uprising near Iroquoi territory, so they won't get a chance to get there at all. So, no need for defence in Salamanca yet.

Turn 15 (3250 BC):
Nothing but explorations...

Turn 16 (3200 BC):
My worker finishes his mine and will road the same tile next.
Salamanca will grow in 5 turns, leaving me with a problem. On regent level every city will only get two content citizens, and therefore the new citizen will be unhappy, resulting in civil disorder. And of course we must prevent that at all cost. But I don't have a solution at hand right away and decide to delay my decision until it is absolutely necessary. Maybe I am touched by a glimpse of brilliance later on .

Turn 17 (3150 BC):
Explorations continue, while WC is researched in 10 turns @ 90% science.

Turn 18 (3100 BC):
Warrior 2 sees a mountain in the distance and decides to move there in order to have a better view of the surroundings. Warrior 1 also stumbles upon some higher terrain and will investigate it any further.

Turn 19 (3050 BC):
I don't have an explanation, but I'm beginning to feel like I'm behind. It has been a long time now, and I still have founded only one city. Is this normal on this difficulty level? At which turn do you guys mostly find you second town?
I decide to hit two flies in one blow (a common Dutch saying which comes down to doing two good things in one attempt): I decide to build a settler in Salamanca. Good thing one: I will quickly build my second city and expand quicker. Good thing two: My capitol doesn't fall into civil disorder (settler is completed the same turn as Salamanca grows to size three).

Turn 20 (3000 BC):
W1 sees a settlement and is preparing to bash some barbarian heads.

My settler is now near completion and it is time to look for some good city locations. In the nect picture I have encircled some location which seem appropriate to me:



My second town will probably be founded on the white dot to secure the wines and BG's. Do you think my dots are well placed or absolutely not? I am very curious, so please reply.

Twixmeistah said:

After minutes of doubt, I finally decide him to move east...

Click to expand...

First you should repair your compass, as you went west not east

Redman said:

First you should repair your compass, as you went west not east

Click to expand...

Thanks and edited, but do you have any helpful comments too?

Hey,

Nice start. I would like to follow your tale but your sentences are to long. The last few words are off the screen. I have to use the mouse every sentence.
Its a freak'n pain!!

Is that a river south of Salamanca by the mountian?


Blaze Injun

Turn 21 (2950 BC):
Salamanca produces settler: I am finally ready to build the next city. I will guide him to the white dotted location. Salamanca is now size 1 and therefore my treasury is running dangerously low. The science slider is set to 70% (WC in 7). I also get a report saying that the Zulu are the happiest civilization in the wide world. I find myself on place 7, just before the English.
This leads me to the question why I haven't encountered none of these happy people in my explorations of the continent. And this again leads to the question if that is a good thing or not. I fear the last. Does anyone have an opinion about this?

My explorers did find other interesting stuff this turn:
W1 ---> sugar
W2 ---> settlement

Turn 22 (2900 BC):
- My curragh spots a bay, with a settlement and some wheat, very far from home though.
- I decide that W1 should pay a visit to the dark core of our continent, just to brighten it up a little over there.
- W2 should explore the wines that my curragh had discovered. His job is to see if there are some good city placement locations.

Turn 23 (2850 BC):
My settler comes close to the white tile. The reason why I desire to put my second city there is because it'll get the wines and the BG's, and does not have that much overlap with Salamanca. It also leaves some space to expand east and has better defence cause it's built on a forest (am I right here?). It is also surrounded by forests, which is nice for shield production.
It seems that I have 6 wines in and around my territory, and that is of course very well for trading purpose. I might even have a monopoly on them.

Turn 24 (2800 BC):
Niagara Falls is found and assigned to build a warrior. My already existent warriors are uncovering some dessert tiles in the mean time.


My peaceful empire

Turn 25 (2750 BC):
Not so interesting explorations on this turn...

Turn 26 (2710 BC):
W1 finds a green border (probably Aztec)! Finally some other sort of civilization. I'm curious what they have to offer me at the trading table...
W2 finds a settlement, a nice chance to gain the veteran status.

Turn 27 (2670 BC):
The road that will bring wines to Salamanca is finished, my citizens will become happier with these luxuries . My warrior will build a mine on the same tile.
Warrior Code is finally researched (just in time for some trading with 'the green people'). I doubt wether I should pick Bronze Working or Ceremonial Burial next (it's also dependend on the other civ). I vote for Bronze Working in await of some 'exotic green technology' heading my way. Warrior 2 stumbles upon some settlement barbarians. Finally a chance to experience battle for him!
I forgot to raise my research slider after Niagara Falls was found, and do it now. In the mean time I have accumulated 41 gold pieces.

Turn 28 (2630 BC):
W2 kills B1 and W1 approaches green border.

Turn 29 (2590 BC):
W2 is being attacked by barbarians and kills them, resulting in a veteran status for this brave fighter.
Niagara Falls completes warrior 3, who will explore the surroundings. A worker is due in 5 turns.


Barbarians are surrounding my noble warrior

Turn 30 (2550 BC):
My newly acquired veteran warrior (2) is surprisingly slaughtered by the remaining barb (3HP vs. 2HP). The last battle appeared to be just too much.

W1 (who is still alive) finds a settlement just near the borders of 'Green' and wonders why the supposed Aztecs didn't bother to visit this small tribe. W1 will do so in the next turn.
The granary in Salamanca will be finished in 11 turns (growth will occur in 1).
NF will finish worker in 4 turns (growth in 4 as well).

Blaze Injun said:

I would like to follow your tale but your sentences are to long. The last few words are off the screen. I have to use the mouse every sentence.

Click to expand...

Is this the case in every post I have posted thus far, and is it only on my story? Do other people also have problems reading my story? I'm not doing anything weird (that I'm aware of).

Blaze Injun said:

Is that a river south of Salamanca by the mountian?

Click to expand...

Yes it is, it leads to those 4 wines.

Hey,

"Is this the case in every post I have posted thus far, and is it only on my story? Do other people also have problems reading my story? I'm not doing anything weird (that I'm aware of)."

Yes. Do you write the story on your home PC then copy to here? That would be the only way I can see it happen. Anyone read this have any idea?


Blaze Injun

Nice start Twixmeistah.

Turn 31 (2510 BC):
An Aztec delegation approaches my noble warrior and proposes a trade:



I haggle a little and manage to let them raise their bid by 10 gold pieces (all they have). While trading I notice that they also have two cities in total.
Afterwards I exclaim my wisemen that they should research the arts of Iron working, now they have been handed over Bronze working techniques.

Turn 32 (2470 BC):
Warrior 1 is attacked, and coolly defeats the barbarian scum. Only 1 HP is lost and a veteran status is gained. I decide to get some intelligence on my position in world history, by pressing F8. It shows me that I am behind to the Aztecs concerning: population (7 vs 10%), culture (42 vs 44) and score (63 vs 72). This was no good news of course, but I feel that these stats don't say all that much. I have a nice little empire runnig and that's what counts. My time will come.

Turn 33 (2420 BC):
Warrior 1 now has the elite status after beating the juice out of another barbarian warrior. My worker has mined the wines and is now heading towards a BG to improve that. My curragh has explored the whole eastern shore of our (apparantly big) continent.

Turn 34 (2380 BC):
My second worker is created in NF and will mine north of the city. NF will now produce a spearman for some solid defence (now that warrior 2 passed away). I feel that barbarian hostilities are more and more common. Warrior 3 kills some uprising barbarians that aim for our territory.

Turn 35 (2340 BC):
My curragh finds a small island southwest of the main continent. Warrior 1 finds another settlement very close to Aztec lands (didn't they scout at all?). He will visit them in a short while.
My advisors come through with some documents that contain (yet again) not so great news. The Aztecs are unimpressed by our culture, our military is average and there are dangerous saxon tribes near Niagara Falls. But this time as well I decide that these fearful intelligence is of no real value.

Turn 36 (2310 BC):
Warrior 1 will fortify and prepare for some barb bashing. My curragh decide to investigate the small island any further and maybe even discovers a brand new continent.

Turn 37 (2270 BC):
The Salamanca granary is finally finished in Salamanca, and therefore my first settler factory is active. The city will grow in 4 turns and creates a settler in 6. Iron working is due in 22 turns.

Turn 38 (2230 BC):
Warrior 1 doesn't find angry barbarians, but a friendly tribe that learns us the secrets of Ceremonial Burial. We thank them explicitly for we are now able to construct temples and raise our cultural level. My treasury is now shrinking with 1 gold piece per turn (thanks to the granary), but we have plenty so that does not bother me. W2 explores the desert in the centre of the continent.

Turn 39 (2190 BC):
Worker 1 builds mine south of NF. I have come up with some city sites on the west side of my empire, for the settler is almost created. My worker is aiming for a road on the BG SW of Salamanca, to improve that tile and also build a road to the future town.

Turn 40 (2150 BC):
I contact the Aztecs to see if they have developed any further. They still don't have cash, have not mastered CB, but have founded another city (they're on three now).
Warrior 2 finds barbarian camp and prepares for battle.

An overview of my empire:
Iroquois Territory

And scouted lands:
East (red dot is Tenochtitlan)
Curragh Scouting

Hey,

I don't know how you posted this last chapter but its not cutting your sentences. Woh-Woh!!!

Can we get a world view?


Blaze Injun

Blaze Injun said:

I don't know how you posted this last chapter but its not cutting your sentences.

Click to expand...

I didn't do anything different. But I think the problems are caused by the gigantic pictures in the previous posts. They somehow stretch out the text or something.

Blaze Injun said:

Can we get a world view?

Click to expand...

I will post it ASAP.

Blaze Injun, what level do you play on? Maybe you can hook me up with some advice or point out some mistakes about my game thus far?

If anyone else has spotted some mistakes, please let them know. I desire to improve my game!

Hey,

I'm playing at regent on the Last of the Mohicans as the Iroquois right now. Other then that I haven't played regent much so my advice would be a shot in the dark.

Having said that I always try to at least get 2 or 3 workers early. Mixing between warriors and workers. Using the workers to work city one then road to the next city. Then work on a settler factory.

I like this story but beware the dark north. Never know were the Barbarians might come from.

Blaze Injun

lurker's comment:

Twixmeistah said:

But I think the problems are caused by the gigantic pictures in the previous posts. They somehow stretch out the text or something.

Click to expand...

Image Size
You are correct, the images affect the word wrapping. Larger images mean wider pages.

I do one of two things to fix this. In Paint, under Attributes, you can set the width of the image. 800 pixels is not too large (but you need to know that your image will lose part of the right side when you do this and thus you need to center the screen shot a bit to the left. Sounds confusing, but if you do this you will see what I mean the first time you try it.)

I also use Photoshop and it can trim (crop) an image. I use the second largest landscape pre-set as my guide. I can't remember the numbers on it, 127 x 145 I think (and I don't know what the numbers mean). This trims the sides just enough not to be a problem.


Other (rambling) comments
Earlier you asked about not meeting other civs. Enjoy it. That means you can build up your core without interference from your neighbors. Sure, you'll be behind in tech, but with gold and trading that can be overcome. Building cities early is a key thing to do, no matter how you plan to win.

I see you've got one wine connected. Good. That will make your people happier and reduce the need for spears and warriors to make people happy.

I think you need to focus on getting the wines to the SW connected fairly soon, say with your 4th to 6th city. The wine will be good for trading around. You'll get some gold per turn and maybe some techs with it. Also, the river to the south means no aqueducts to get past size 6. You could get three, maybe four cities around that river.

In addition to settlers, you will need workers to connect your cities. After Niagra Falls completes the spear I would be tempted to crank out another worker.

Around Salamanca, only improve the tiles you can work. It does no good to improve 15 or so tiles when you can only work 6 or even 12 of them for a long time to come. Pick the tiles you want to work, improve them, and send that worker on to other tasks.

You have got a good start and have plenty of land to expand in to. Have fun!

(PS - What level? Or did I miss it?)

Just keep the pics to 800X600 (800 pixels wide and 600 tall) and everything should be fine. 800 pixels wide is the key number here.

Other notes: Good thing you made a granary. Maybe make one in the other town? Salamanca is still a bit small, if you switch it so a spearman instead, your military problems will be solved.

So I suggest switch Salamanca to a spear and Niagara to a granary. You should be quite happy if you do that. (You're shield rich but food poor, after all.) What fun it will be to build a spearman then settler all the time, constantly updating your queue, making mistakes all the while.... (Ignore the last sentence.)

Thanks for the replies, please keep them flowing in . I am currently playing the next 20 turns, and will be able to post them in a day or two. First I'm going to enjoy my birthday (2 Oct ).

Hey,

Another day er. Eastern Standard Time you birthday is in 28 minutes.


Blaze Injun

Edit. The post froze time. I start writing at 11:30.

I am finally able to continue :

Turn 41 (2110 BC):
I lowe my Science to 70% (+1 gpt and IW in 26). Warrior 1 finds an American scout near Aztec territory. They arrange a deal resulting in intelligence about an object called 'The Wheel' and 5 gold. In return I hand them over the secrets of Alphabet. My worker roads the BG south of Salamanca, not only to improve that tile, but also to make the first step of a road towards a future city near the wines

Turn 42 (2070 BC):
A barbarian tribe is overcome by W3. My treasury gets added 25 gold and stands now on 80 gold total. The next few moves will land my third warrior on a mountain to oversee the area.



Turn 43 (2030 BC):
Salamanca build Settler! I move him towards the 'Western Wines Paradise'. At the moment Salamanca gains 4 food per turn (2 foor citizens, 2 for growth). This could be 6 food once my city grows (still 2F for growth). I can now work out that it will take 8 turns for Salamanca to grow to size 3.Salamanca is also gaining shields (3 per turn). After the growth to size 2 this would be 5. This results in the knowledge that it takes 8 turns to complete the settler. If my calculations where right this would of course be perfect.

Turn 44 (1990 BC):
I trade Iron Working from the Aztecs for The Wheel and another tech, which name I have forgotten and decide on Horseback Riding next.



Turn 45 (1950 BC):
W1 finds blue borders (probably Maya)! But no surprising, exciting, thrilling and/or moving things happen this turn besides that.

Turn 46 (1910 BC):
W1 approaches the border, to see if they are somewhat advanced. My curragh begins exploring the southside of the continent, hopefully visiting some other unkown civs. W2 defeats barbarian, spots a river and will investigate it.

Salamanca: Settler in 4, growth in 5 (it seems my calculations where bad, does anyone have a solution for that/spotted my mistake). I decide on building another curragh (1 turn left with no waste).

Turn 47 (1870 BC):
W1 sees mountain next to the blue border, from there he can see their capital and their infrastructure. That would be good intelligence to have. Salamanca build the curragh ---> "Explore northern/eastern side of the island". Settler is finished in 6 turns and the granary in NF is in 10 (actually less, because my worker is chopping some forests).

Turn 48 (1830 BC):
Mayan Masonry + 12g for our Alphabet. My technology chart is getting more and more complete.

Turn 49 (1790 BC):
Forest is harvested. 10 shields return to Niagara Falls (growth in 5 and granary in 5 ). Grand River is found at a location with 3 wines, 3 forest tiles and a river. My worker is heading towards Grand River quickly to improve some of the wines, to create yet another settler factory.

Turn 50 (1750 BC):
A list with the happiest civilizations on the planet sees daylight. I am honored to tell you that the glorious people of the Iroquois are first on the list. W2 approaches barbarians and my worker decides to build a mine near GR for some necessary shields.