News: GOTM 43 - Starts 1 June

GOTM 43: Inca

[img=right]http://gotm.civfanatics.net/civ4games/images/gotm43civ.jpg[/img]

This month you will lead the Inca Empire to victory (hopefully).
It's an Immortal game on a standard Fractal map at Epic speed.


Game settings:

Civilization: Inca (Leader: Huyana Capac; Traits: Financial, Aggresive)
Rivals: 9 AIs
Difficulty: Immortal
Map: Fractal
Mapsize: Standard
Climate: Arid
Sea Level: High
Starting Era: Ancient
Speed: Epic
Options: Standard
Victory Conditions: all enabled


Huyana Capac:

Huyana Capac is Aggresive and Financial ; starting with Mysticism and Agriculture. As you are Aggresive, your melee and gunpowder units get a free Combat I promotion and you also get double speed Barracks and Drydock. Being Financial you get +1 commerce in 2 commerce tiles.


Unique unit: Quechua(replaces Warrior)

This awesome unit has the same stats, but it has +100% against archery units.


Starting screenshot

This is the start of the game (click for a bigger image):




Adventurer Class bonuses:

1. Monarch: You play the game at Monarch difficulty, althougth AI will receive Immortal starting units.

Challenger Class Equalisers:

1. Internationalization: Your units don't feel too patriotic today, your Quechua is demoted to a normal Warrior.
2. Forgotten: You forget the knowledge of Agriculture.

To Enter the Competition:

This competition will open on 1 June 2009. From that date, you'll be able to get your chosen starting save >>>here<<<.
Submit the save after your victory (or defeat) here, by 1 July 2009.


Software Versions

Windows: This game MUST be played in Civilization 4 (NOT Warlords or BTS), patched to version 1.74, and with the HOF mod version 1.74.003 installed. You can download the HOF mod here. Players using Windows Vista are encouraged to read the notes on Vista fixes here.

Macintosh: This game MUST be played in Civilization 4 (NOT Warlords), patched to version 1.74, and with the Mac HOF mod version 1.74.002 installed. You can download the HOF mod here.


While playing...

Remember - for your entry to be accepted, it MUST be your first attempt to play this game, and you MUST NOT replay any turns. If you make a mistake while playing, you have to live with it, learn from it, and carry on the game without replaying.

We will open 'spoiler' threads during the month for players to discuss what happens in their games. Do not discuss any details of the game outside those threads while it is in progress.

Please write here or send me a Private Message for any technical queries, eg. if you have trouble opening the game. Do NOT post in this thread once you have successfully opened the starting save.

What's the rules again to play the adventurer class (at Monarch level)?

Pretty big jump to Immortal.... up two levels. A.I. STARTS with 3 archers, 2 scouts, 1 worker in addition to his settler.

Fractal is interesting map... funny how the resources lump together in 3, 4 or 5 batches... limiting who has access to what, instead of spreading around more.

Going to be crowded with 2 extra nations crammed into a map designed for 7 opponents also...

Guess if Monarch is unavailable... I'll pass. unless I just play adventurer for fun without submission...

JungleIII said:

What's the rules again to play the adventurer class (at Monarch level)?

Click to expand...

Who's to stop you from playing the save you prefer?
Play the save you like best and be sure to enjoy.

Just remember Adventurer save is not elligible for Awards and gets a penalty in points.

9 AIs on fractal, Epic speed - a fox in a henhouse...

Lexad said:

9 AIs on fractal, Epic speed - a fox in a henhouse...

Click to expand...

I'm a bit rusty on the Quechua-rush technique since Inca is so unbalanced it isn't included in HOF EQM competition. At my skill level, using epic speed it should be good for taking 1 foreign capitol easily, perhaps two.

Then the financial trait kicks in... Cottage those floodplains and how can I lose? (Game designer must have forgotten to check the Raging Barbs/Aggressive AI settings this time. )

This might be interesting... who doesn't love a Quecha Rush!!!

Anyway, since we have the O.K. to play at Monarch (even if people like me are NOT a "Novice" player), this has made the contest more playable to more people.

So... here are two TEST GAMES with the "Adventurer Save" at Monarch level and the test game at Immortal level with the "Contender Save".... just to try your opening moves. Note the game name to choose level.

I'm not even posting the Challenger Save, where you start without your Quecha and have gone stupid... you can just delete your own Quecha if you want that kind of handicap... You might want to play one handed and with the lights turned off too, and do it in one sitting without pee breaks too!

Maybe, since it's a week away before the game, you could try the first 100 turns of each!

JungleIII said:

This might be interesting... who doesn't love a Quecha Rush!!!

Anyway, since we have the O.K. to play at Monarch (even if people like me are NOT a "Novice" player), this has made the contest more playable to more people.

So... here are two TEST GAMES with the "Adventurer Save" at Monarch level and the test game at Immortal level with the "Challenger Save".... just to try your opening moves. Note the game name to choose level.

Maybe, since it's a week away before the game, you could try the first 100 turns of each!

Click to expand...

Thanks for the test games. Thats a good idea, actually, to try them out at both levels and decide which is funner. Did you use same map/opponents for both, or will they each be unique?

I've been feeling battered by raging game designers in my last two XoTM's, and would like to see just how much the Immortal setting adds to my troubles.

kcd_swede said:

Thanks for the test games. Thats a good idea, actually, to try them out at both levels and decide which is funner. Did you use same map/opponents for both, or will they each be unique?

I've been feeling battered by raging game designers in my last two XoTM's, and would like to see just how much the Immortal setting adds to my troubles.

Click to expand...

Hi KCD_Swede... they are identical maps, identical opponents - the way the GOTM's are conducted (I always assumed)... just the settings are tweaked.

As in the BOTM game, the opponents STILL have all their extra guys even at Monarch... with 3 Archers, 2 Scouts, Worker, etc... so don't expect to find any goodie huts left. Not quite a Monarch start, but the way that Jesusin handicapped the start. Still, with Quecha's power and cheap production... it should be fun?

Have fun!

I guess a Quechua rush is mandatory with 9 AI. Any thoughts on (possibly) sacrificing a good capital spot for a 2N PH for faster Quechua pumping? Maybe even 2N 1E to utilise PH forest from the get go (losing the cow)? If the Quechua reveals something up the river it should be an easy choice.

Fluroscent said:

I guess a Quechua rush is mandatory with 9 AI. Any thoughts on (possibly) sacrificing a good capital spot for a 2N PH for faster Quechua pumping? Maybe even 2N 1E to utilise PH forest from the get go (losing the cow)? If the Quechua reveals something up the river it should be an easy choice.

Click to expand...

9AI on standard map... AND high sea level.
Quecha rush almost mandatory.

Do you mean 2N+1W? Arid climate means good cities other than start locations will be hard to find. There are at least 9 of them, though.

2n1w and work forested hill, pump quechua non-stop, kill 3 AI in their craddles.

Edit - this is vanilla, so Capac is Aggresive - early barracks are an option, and they give 4xp.

Maybe we're isolated?

On Immortal that'd be evil. We'll have to learn Sailing and build settler and galley, poor us.

Lexad said:

On Immortal that'd be evil.

Click to expand...

You could always take the Adventurer save...

Lexad said:

2n1w and work forested hill, pump quechua non-stop, kill 3 AI in their craddles.

Click to expand...

It all depends on how near the AI is. Otherwise this is not the best starting location. But I think I'll go for this start - crowded map and high sea level - this is a hint, or ?

I can't argue with settling on a PH and spamming quechua strategy. But since it looks like we're on the northern hemisphere (resource bubbles and snowy trees to the north), would it make sense to send the settler for a few turns' southwards walk looking for another PH, but closer to an AI? Or is it too much of a gamble?

Lexad said:

9 AIs on fractal, Epic speed - a fox in a henhouse...

Click to expand...

I'm sure the way it's been tweaked it's more like a hen in a foxhouse. The only thing left is the beak and feathers.

100% Vs Archers? My guess is the AI Archers have been replaced with Axes and been tweaked to build only Axes.

Oh no. I still haven't tought myself a very important lesson. Do not look at the pre-game threads until all other GOTM are finished and the save has been released!!

I have lost motivation to finish WOTM23, and now I have to wait a week to start playing this one! All because I looked at this thread!! THE AGONY!

good hunting.

I'm a bit disappointed that this will be another hard xOTM. Immortal, ack. But, I haven't done q-rush in vanilla for a long time, so there is interest. I won't contend, and it'll be the adventurer save.

I'll send the q S, then the settler NW. They'll have a look around and I'll decide. Settle N on the plains hill unless there is something good. Work the forest and get 5 hammers per turn. Start pumping qs. The original q and my first built q will explore. The second built q will guard the capital. The rest of the qs will get organized into some kind of stack. If I can steal a worker, it will be escorted home, chop a barracks and then begin improvements.

I'll try a few test games tonight.

LowtherCastle said:

You could always take the Adventurer save...

Click to expand...

It will break the rules. Lexad has Golds and so on...