Gotm 104

3000BC (unsinkable Tiremes forbidden!)

The time i played the 2 early conquest games I already knew the map. So I knew this was one huge continent with tons of huts. I remembered some kind of comparison game on a huge map with large continents in a german forum where they discussed the most effective strategy. One of the players suggested to build no cities and just go for the huts. The amount of huts per turn will increase from turn to turn. Thats what I did in those games.

When your first units arrive at the coast, use your settler to build your first city and then search for a nomad in a hut near the coast to get your boats out. All you need up to this point: a huge force, some money to rushbuy 5 caravels (is it the right word in english?), navigation. And that's where the huts come into play.

In my first game, I opened as much huts as possible and was able to get Invention in 3560BC. I had around 30 units and 1000+ gold. In the second game I decided to open just enough to do the job. Just Navigation + 12-14 Units moving to the next river to get down to the coast and was just a few turns better.

Note: Once you get Invention there will be no more advances from huts. I didn't know that!

And jap, I only used Horsemen/Chariots and later I even got some Elis on the way. Since it is so easy to keep peace with the AI just line up two strong units in front of their capital (2/3 civs managed to build a second city) and destroy it. There was only one capitals with an (1) archer, two with one phalanx each and two with warriors, so not really a threat.