Deity Builder

I had a little background story going for this, but it might not fit. Anyways... I plan to play a deity-builder game here basically using Drakan's strategy http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=122419. I'll try to post plenty of screenshots and explain strategy along the way. For those that don't know on Deity the AIs get 8 extra offensives units, 4 extra defensive units, an extra settler, two extra workers, a 60% production rate... in other words if it costs the human player 10 shields for something, it only costs a deity AI 6 shields, two-turn anarchy, an obscence AI-AI trade bonus, additional free unit support, and probably more I've left out. One can win a Deity game builder-style on a pangea map even, and this "story" will give an example of this and explain how. The settings:

Difficulty: Deity
Map type: Pangea
Map size: Huge
Number of tribes: 15 randomly generated AIs (and the human player)
Barbarians: None
Victory Conditions: All enabled except the wonder condition.
Landmass: 60% water
Climate: Wet
Temperature: Warm
Age of planet: 5 billion
Mass Regicide enabled, but no capture the princess, or culturally linked starts.
Agressiveness: Maximum
Tribe: I think I'll choose the Maya on this one... but if anyone really wants to see a particular tribe and say finds me an unedited 4 turn warrior-settler combo factory start with freshwater, before I get too far in... meaning before I build The Great Library... I might give it a go. I won't play a militaristic or expansionistic tribe, and will at least hesistate if not reject the offer if someone wants to give me Spain, The Ottomans, The English, or Korea (Drakan's article hopefully will make this clear). Also, if you really want to see this with a Seafaring tribe like The Dutch or The Byzantines, give me an archipelago map instead of a pangea one.... and of course that 4 turn warrior-settler combo factory start. I don't expect anyone to really request this, but it's on the table... at least for now.

In case someone wants to see my attempt(s) the screenies hopefully make the settings perfectly clear. I probably would prefer pangea... but I will admit a penchant for Theodora.

Disclaimer of sorts: A few things can go wrong... especially at the beginning... so I might lose and restart on another map even with a good start. I'll keep going until I get a fully playable game. Oh... and victory condition in mind... here's the kicker... I plan on saving this game quite a bit and replaying it for different victory conditions. I want to do at least two, and maybe the third also in the following order.

1. Diplomatic victory
2. Spaceship victory
3. Conquest/domination victory (builder-style until the industrial ages basically... half builder/half warmonger something like that... although I might not do try and do this... no promises).

Having just won a Monarch OCC diplomatic game quite handily, I might try a Monarch OCC spaceship game before I do this. I guess this will give anyone who really wants to see tribe X Deity build as opposed to The Maya Deity build a little more time.

Added on later: I decided against going for Conquest/domination. I didn't have a middle age war, so no army for The Military Academy. It also takes quite a while to play even builder-style on a huge map for a diplomatic victory on my computer.

Are you open to a editor generated map for the archipelago? I will promise not to tamper with anything except maybe make sure that both the Dutch and the Byzantines have nice starting positions on the coast. Maybe a couple of extra food resources, but none of my really supercharged resource maps.

During my solitaire playing days, my main objective was to try and launch the Star Ship prior to the end of the game. Closest I came was 2090, playing as the only one on the map. Main problem was always very limited resources that comes from being the only player. Now with an reasonable editor, I can at least make sure that the resources are adequate while remaining the only player. Might try something like that next, with boosted raging barbarians as a nuisance. Therefore, I will watch your play with interest.

I don't mind the editor generating the map. However, I don't want food bonuses added near my starting location. I don't want more food bonuses overall than what a randomly generated map gives you.

Does this fit better in this forum here or in general discussions?

IMO, it's better here in Stories & Tales.

Alright, so I've found a good start. The first I do since I have mass regicide enabled consists of making the worker and the settler wait and moving my king units. I didn't notice a food bonus in the opening screenshot, but noticed two once I moved my king units. I also have access to three spices. The start might have a problem in that it looks like I've gotten placed in a corner of the map. I can still get all my contacts (unless I drew the island "pangea" start), but I could get boxed in and not get many cities out. I won't worry about this, though. Now, I could move one turn north (or possibly northwest also) and found Chicen Itza on the luxury. I'll have 9 shields at size 5 once my worker gets his inital jobs down. However, I could also move three turns east, and I'll have a 4-turn warrior-settler combo factory. I can later settle back this direction, I think, since I have... hopefully *just* sort of a corner there. That could work out very well. I think I'll move 3 tiles east and found my settler there... I don't like a later start date, but I think I can do it here. I won't guarantee, at this point, that I'll play this map out there, since things can always go very wrong early on. The inital save after the scouts move and the screenie.

I decided to move three squares east. This would put Chichen Itza, hopefully smack dab in the middle of my empire. The worker roaded first, so he wouldn't waste turns. On the next turn I spotted two cattle. I might just get two combo warrior-settler factories up and running, or warrior-worker factories. I had the worker move onto the forest. I had my scouts avoid going onto mountains unless they had already moved 1 of their 2 turns. In 3850 I founded Chichen Itza and turned research off. I started in on a granary and choped the spice forest. I also spotted two furs and a gem this turn.

In 3800 I met The Babylonians. I traded them Masonry for CB and 10 gold. Now I only wanted Alphabet. In 3750 I met The English and traded them Masonry and Ceremonial Burial for Alphabet. A little too close for comfort... but I might manage this with just a few cities really. I researched Writing at 20%, due in 50 turns. I now saw that if I wanted the gems myself, I'd probably have to send my first settler out that way. In 3650 I met The Iroquois. In 3600 Chichen Itza hit size 2, the lux. slider went down to 10%, sci. slider down to 10%. I MMed the tiles when Chichen Itza hit size 3 and adjusted the sliders, getting it so that I would get the granary before it hit size 4. In 3100 the granary completed and I started in on settlers. I also met The Ottomans this turn.

I decided I might play a different start. Just some notes for now. I met the Arabs and The Ottomans in 3750. I met The Aztecs in 3450. They had Warrior Code, but The Ottomans didn't, and The Ottomans had Alphabet. The Ottomans also lacked Pottery and Ceremonial Burial. In 3050 I met Japan. In 3000 I met Egypt. In 2950 I had my first settler. I also met Korea in 2950. In 2900 I met The Iroquois. In 2800 I founded Copan. It started on The Palace. In 2800 I met Greece. In 2750 I met The Hittites.

In 2510 I founded Palenque in the West near the Arabs (game 2)... unfortunately it would need a temple immediately. I had another settler in 2470 it went north. I founded Tikal in 2350 and it trained a warrior. In 2270 I had another settler, it went northeast to expand the workable tiles of Copan. I met The English in 2270. I found Yaxchilan without an escort in 2190 right next to a Korean warrior. If The Koreans sacked, I wouldn't continue this one. I met Rome in 2190. Tikal produced my first warrior in 2150 and I sent him to Copan. Tikal started on a temple since it now became clear it would need one. In 2030 I made some trades, acquiring Writing. I started in on Literature, though at only something like 40% at first. I founded Bonampak in 1950 and it started on a temple. During all this time I had all my slaves and my lone real worker moving towards Copan and developing its tiles. Around this time I started to re-think my starting position and in the other start for a particular reason. In the first one I had started somewhat south. In this one I started somewhat north. Neither had much marsh or jungle around. In the Deity game I one I started nearer the equator and had coal... that made things a lot easier later on. I probably could manage this with my stash of cash from the GL though.

I met India in 1870. I traded Mysticism to them for their lump sum and Bronze Working, so I could do some deficit research. I found Lagatero in 1725, barely beating the Ottomans to a river spot. I founded Quiriga in 1675 and it started on a temple. In 1600 Japan demanded Writing. I declined to give it to them and they declared war. They lay far away. No big deal, really. I had made the mistake of buying slaves with cash early in this... I couldn't do deficit research and buy Writing this way. I also didn't like the idea of having to rely on hills or mountains for coal, I'd rather have jungle... at least... at this point for me on Deity. So, I decided to abandon this one also.

For the third game I started nearer the equator and had some lovely marsh and jungle not too far away. I met The English in 3700. I met Babylon in 3650. I met The Aztecs in 3500. I met Portugal in 3450. I met Spain in 3400. I met Theodora in 3350. I met The Ottomans in 3250.

In 2710 I had my first settler. I also met Rome this turn. I met The Netherlands in 2590. In 2550 I had another settler. I had another settler in 2390. I also founded Copan this turn and it started on a temple. I met China in 2350. In 2270 I met The Inca and founded Palenque, which started on the palace pre-build. I founded Tikal in 2190 and it started on a temple. I founded Yaxchilan in 1950 and it started on a temple. I founded Bonampak in 1910 and it started on a warrior. In 1725 I rushed the temple in Copan via barracks. I founded Larageto in 1700 and it started on a temple. I founded Qurigua in 1675 and it started on a warrior. In 1650 I met The Celts. Believe it or not Copan expanded in 1600 *ahead* of the Aztec city of Texcoco. I swapped Bonampak from a warrior to a settler this turn also. China had Writing, I had 1 turn to go, so I didn't research it.

In 1575 I learned Writing. I set research to 70% and changed my tax collector to a scientist. I established embassies with The English, The Atecs, and The Babylonians. I met The Iroquois in 1550. I also founded Calackmul. I founded Lazapa in 1425 and it got started on a temple. I founded Kam. in 1325. Caesar demanded all 20 of my gold in 1300 and I gave it to him. I bought 1 too many workers. In 1250 The Ottomans demanded Writing. I declined them and they declared war. I founded Piedras Negras in 1225 and it started on a temple. I foud Uzxactun in 1175. I founded Cuello in 1100. The Inca demanded my 14 gold in 1075 and I gave it to them.

In 975 I learned Literature. I used "What's the Big Pitcure" to swap Palenque to The Great Library, as otherwise it would have completed the Palace this turn. With Palenque at size 7, I added in 5 workers into Palenque. Maybe not necessary, since I could get The Great Library in 9 more turns, but I thought I'd do it anyways. Palenque would get The Great Library in 6 turns. It had two extra food at size 12 currently. I had chopped towards a spearman in Yaxchilan. I had also pop-rushed one in Uaxactun due to this war. But, now since I had research off, I rang up Osman and ended it. I had to give The Ottomans 14 gpt for them to make peace, but I did get 12 gold back in the deal. At this time I had some of the border cities who already built temples building settlers. I needed more warriors to cover the towns at this point. Not all my king units had returned since I didn't have two contacts. I started to think they lay on the islands. Interestingly enough, none of the AIs had Philosophy at this point... but hey... one extra tech will pick up the tech pace and I didn't want that. I founded Tulum this turn and I finally had my wine hooked up.

I had sent one of my early settlers out to found a city near wine (Copan). My first city took so long, because I sent a settler out towards Palenque, and then moved him out further until it became Tikal. This way I knew I would have those tiles and The English wouldn't beat me there. I had expanded mostly West, then East, then South, and then North. The AIs seemed closer in the West, then the East, then the South, and the North. I had 15 cities in 975. I needed at least 18 for the FP. I decided I would tighten up spacing in some spots if I needed more cities, or wanted more. With only 6 turns to The Great Library, I hoped no one would demand Literature before 1 turn before I built it. I would shop around Literature on the last turn and see if I felt it worth it to sell it. This game looked like a tight Deity game... but that's Deity.

During this game I realized I could use the Food tab on MapStat to help with micromanagement and I did so. In 925 I had my second luxury in Furs. I had this near Yaxchilian. Fortunately, with Yaxchilan and Copan I had filled in the gaps before the AIs got there. I also now had spices hooked up. I founded Coba in 925. Two more cities to go for the FP. Lagartero reached size 5 this turn and I whipped in a settler. In 850 Edrine (Ottomans) compelted The Temple of Artemis. Cuzco (Inca) also completed The Great Lighthouse this turn. China started on Sun Tzu's. I decided to hang onto Literature just in case someone finished the MoM and someone else still had to swap out their Temple of Artemis build. I had decided a few turns back to chop towards another spear in Yaxchilian... I still needed more military for town covers. In 825, The Great Library finished.

In 825 I traded away Literature to The English and The Chinese, getting some nice cash from them both. I then established embassies with everyone I knew and signed as many RoPs as I could. I think I only missed The Ottomans and The Arabians with RoPs. I'd check again with everyone in one turn. I still needed some more military for town coverage... I had a Roman archer near me (as well as some settler/spear escorts... but that didn't worry me). So, I had Palenque produce some warriors. I also had my center towns with extra food building granaries at this point.

I jumped to the Middle Ages in 800, with The Republic and Monarchy still missing. I made sure everyone got Currency this turn and I had all my RoPs signed. I had missed Spain in the RoP deals. Neither The Dutch, nor The Arabs even had Mathematics yet. I hadn't missed two tribes... just one... The Americans. Either they lay to the far West or on an island.

The Maya learned Feudalism in 775. Chichen Itza produced a settler in 750 and then started on workers. I also had the FP availabe this turn. Palenque started on the FP in 730, due in 12 turns. Piedras Negras whipped in a library in 710. Copan whipped in a library in 690. Coban finished its granary in 670 and started on workers. China had The Republic this turn. In 590 I learned Monarchy. Palenque finished the Forbidden Palace in 470 and The Hanging Gardens finished that turn also. In 450 I got Ivory from Mao. I acquired spices in 390... China also had Monotheism this turn, and I hoped they wouldn't run away. I also trained my first Javelin Thrower this turn. I sent him up near the Roman border... they had jumped over The Ottomans and had their core farther away, so I might just handle them easily enough. They also didn't have iron and picking a tribe without Iron I think important for the G.A. I also remembered something from my standard sized Emperor game with the Maya. I could theoretically trigger my G.A. Hoover's Dam... if I could get into the industrial age fast enough, of course.

Palenque got its marketplace in 350. With this I retired the luxury slider.

In 230 The Aztecs had The Republic. I checked all AIs attitudes. I had everyone at polite except for The Ottomans and The Spanish, so I gifted them each 100 gold. I would revolt during the inter-turn. China declared war on The Inca during the inter-turn. I *only* had to use one entertainer and in Palenque. At least initally, as by the next turn I had a tax collector in Cuello. I drew a 6 turn anarchy, and had a pesky Ottoman archer inside my territory. I sold The Republic to three tribes. I lost a lux. in 190, so I had to deal with that. The Inca couldn't give me spices anymore. Of course I had some more happiness problems from growth, so I ended up using more tax collectors.

England had Monotheism in 170. China had Chivalry in 130. In 90 I had become a Republic and no one had declared on me.

In 70 Engineering and Chivalry got learned by a few tribes. The Ottomans demanded my extra silks in 50 and I gave it to them. In 50 I contacted America... I don't know how. Rome had iron, but The Ottomans didn't, so I reconsidered my GA target. The luxury slider rebirthed in 10 C. E. as Chichen Itza at size 8 needed it. In 30 C. E. Theology pops up. Of course this meant that in 50 I had Theology. I still didn't have iron, but I kept on building some horseman in Palenque. I had RoP renewal with the Ottomans in 10 C. E., so I still had a while until I would feel ready to start my G.A. war with them... and I'd want iron or saltpeter so that I could use knights/cavalry for it.

I sold Theology to the Aztecs for some gpt, and researched Printing Press at 90%. Due in 7 turns, losing 5 gpt at first. I mainly built marketplaces over this time for their happiness effects. I followed basically the irrigate-brown, mine-green worker pattern, along with gangs clearing out jungles and marsh. Along with training tons of workers. In 130, with 3 turns to go on Printing Press, I saw that I'd learn Education and Invention on the next turn. Since I had some markets in, I retired the luxury slider in 150. In 190 I had Printing Press. I started in on Music Theory... due in 7 turns. I decided I'd try to hold onto Printing Press for a wee little bit. I added a worker into Chichen Itza in 210, taking it to size 12. I sold its granary and started to forest the area.

Rome demanded contact with The Chinese in 230. I declined them, and they didn't declare on me. In 230 China had Astronomy, but didn't have Printing Press. In 250 China had extra iron, I had 7 or so turns left on the RoP with The Ottomans. Not may horses, but probably enough... especially since the Aztecs had already asked for an alliance against them. I used Priniting Press as trade bait for iron, and then sold China all the contacts I could for gpt. I also sold Printing Press and contacts to the Aztecs.

Lazapa got taken to size 12 from size 7 by worker add-in in 260. In 270 England and China had Banking and Astronomy. In 280 I had Music Theory, while Gunpowder also appeared for some AIs. So, first came Astronomy, then Banking, and finally Gunpowder. I then got everyone, including the very-backward Americans, Banking. Rome actually looked like they might work out as the better GA target since the Aztecs had started walloping The Ottomans. But, the problem with both of them became that they both had luxuries.

In 300 The Aztecs razed the nearby Ottoman town, cutting off my trade routes to both The Romans and The Ottomans, and The Spanish also, so I had bunch of riots the next turn. I rebirthed the luxury slider at 10%. Mayapan had gotten taken to size 12 a few turns back. Tulum got taken to size 12 in 310. In 320 I reacquired dyes from the Spanish and put the luxury slider back at 0. RoP renewals came up in 330, I renewed them, except for the one with The Romans. In 340 Piedras Negras got taken to size 12. In 350 China had Democracy. Copan and Kamin. got taken to sizes 12 and 11 in 350. In 360 I learned Chemistry. No one else had it and no one else had Economics yet, so I didn't sell it right away. A Roman galley had also crept into my land. Kami. got taken to size 12.

The AIs finished Leo's and Bach's in 360. The western cities got taken to size 11/12 in 370. In 380 Copernicus's Observatory completed. I had 4 turns to go on Physics (I think it dropped a turn). Skipping the GA until Hoover's seemed like a realistic possibility as no one had Chemistry, Economics, or Navigation yet. I founded Tazmual in 380, it cash-rushed a library, and then a temple. Yaxchilian got taken to size 12 in 390. In 400 China, The Celts, and The Aztecs had Chemistry and Democracy. I took Ake up to size 12 in 400. Xcal. got taken to size 12 this turn also. In 420 I learned Physics and China started on Shakespeare's Theater. I started on Theory of Gravity... due in 6 turns. Kabah got taken to size 11 in 430.

I had had some pesky Romans illicitly roaming the edge of my lands for a few turns. In 440, I noticed two free horseman. I had 4 turns left on TOG, and no one but me had Physics yet. Still, I decided I'd ask The Romans to leave... if they left, I'd take that. If they didn't, I'd sign an alliance against them with everyone and go for the G.A. now. I only have 4 javelin throwers, but that really seemed like enough. Rome decided to leave. So, I decided to sign an RoP with them and, at least at this point, I decided I'd try to wait to Hoover's to trigger my G.A. Sure enough, that seemed a bit risky, but I knew I would beat the AIs to TOG now, so it looked like I had a good shot.

In 470 Metallurgy showed up. No one had Physics yet. I made a deal with the Aztecs, giving them Physics for Metallurgy and some gpt. Then, I made a deal with China and The Ottomans, getting gpt for Physics, and I made some more deals with Chemistry for gpt. In 480 I learned the Theory of Gravity and swapped my pre-build to Newton's University in Tulum. It had 13 turns to go. I researched Magnetism, due in 5 turns. In 490 I obtained Saltpeter from The Babylonians. Uxmal got taken to size 12 in 500. In 520 a bunch of AIs had Navigation... yeah... that sure would help them on this map. Dzib. went to size 12 this turn.

In 530 I learned Magnetism and get this... I popped the Scientific Great Leader Ah Cacao. And well... see the MapStat screenshot for the tech situation. I don't think I could have hoped for better. I made some deals... some of them I've put below. The Babylonians came first and they drew Medicine, which I bought. Then The Byzantines who drew Nationalism. Then came The Ottomans who drew Steam Power... they wouldn't sell it to me. I decided to research Sanitation. I swapped Tulum to Shakespeare's Theater and rushed Newton's University in Chichen Itza with Ah Cacao.

The next turn I rang up Mao and traded him for Steam Power. I didn't have coal . But, some extra sources lay not too far away. So, I took a worker gang and moved it to road up that extra coal. Only The Byzantines had Nationalism still. I also sent knights to Palenque to upgrade to cavalry. In 590 I learned Sanitation and set research to Industrialization, due in a lousy 8 turns. I used "What's the Big Picture" to build/cash-rush some hospitals immediately and started my workers in on irrigation and chopping forests.