[EQMC1] Elite QM Challenger - Game One - Hi Everyone! :)

[jayjackson]

Hi everyone. I checked with a moderator to make sure that I should post this in here, but inspired by Sisiutil and an attempt to get more involved in the community for the game that takes up so many hours of my spare time - I'm going to be posting a series of games similar to Sisiutil's great ALC series. I plan on getting Civ5 at launch and plan on continuing writing then, if it meets with a kind reception. I do not qualify myself as even a "good" Civ4 player, and like Sisiutil I will be starting my games on the Prince level.

Notable differences to hopefully give a different skew on things so I don't continually feel like I'm just treading a path where others have walked (I don't want to do that, I'm simply trying to help and fit in to boot!) - I am going to be pursuing the title of Elite Quattromaster, at least until Civ5 comes out when I'm sure there will be the same sort of fun with the next game!

Unless I get like 50 people telling me they think this is a hideous idea in the time it takes to go load BUFFY and roll a random start - I'll be back with the starting position in just a few minutes. Here's hoping we can all have fun with this, and maybe improve our game and enjoyment of it at the same time!

Settings will be Marathon, Prince, Continents, with only "Lock Modified Assets" Checked. Random leaders, including my own. I am not using Mapfinder, and will only regenerate the map a maximum of two times. Be back in a moment with the initial screenshots!

Starting save is attached later in the thread, it will only allow one attachment per thread. Please accept my apologies that you have to dig, I believe its on page 2... I didn't know I was able to attach through the site for public download, so I'm very sorry to make it difficult.

[ParadigmShifter]

I think it's a good idea but you may want to run it past the HoF staff to see if it is OK.

This is from the rules section of HoF:

Game Type

Single Player only - All submissions must be played in single player mode by only one player. Multiple players cannot play the same submission.

It would be interesting to have a strat&tips joint effort though but I'm not sure it will be allowed for submissions.

[jayjackson]

So we are Ragnar, who is Aggressive and Financial. He starts with Fishing and Hunting.

Here is the start....



OK, just like Sisiutil's great games, we start with our collective thoughts on the start! No idea is too bold, let's have some fun!

[jayjackson]

Originally Posted by ParadigmShifter

I think it's a good idea but you may want to run it past the HoF staff to see if it is OK.

This is from the rules section of HoF:

Game Type

Single Player only - All submissions must be played in single player mode by only one player. Multiple players cannot play the same submission.

It would be interesting to have a strat&tips joint effort though but I'm not sure it will be allowed for submissions.

Doesn't bother me if I'm not allowed to submit the games, to be honest. I'll be playing another game alongside it at all times to allow for discussion anyways, so I can just use my own games for that. If these submissions aren't allowed to be used, I will just "pretend" that they are so I know which leaders/map types/etc I've already "completed" thru the course of the challenge!

Valid concern and an excellent first post, thanks very much

EDIT: I'm not really concerned with getting the "title" anyways, rather just having something to work for. Unlike most HOF style games, I won't be using Mapfinder or anything, so to be honest I doubt most of my games would ever make the "board" anyways. I am just doing this to improve my own play, contribute to this amazing site - and learn and hopefully help others to do the same!

[ParadigmShifter]

I'd settle 1W to get the furs. Worker first then workboat. Agriculture before the worker pops out.

[jayjackson]

Jay's thoughts on the start.

Not too bad, considering I took the very first start out of the box. I do assume I'm on the South Pole or quite close to it from the furs, and the seafood.

Since I assume we will discuss where to settle after moving the scout, I think my inclination looking at the setup is to definitely move him 1N, and then either 1NW to the forested plains hill, or 1NE to hopefully show more of the right side of the possible capital.

What's your thoughts, and feel free to tell me I suck - I'm here to learn!

[jayjackson]

Originally Posted by ParadigmShifter

I'd settle 1W to get the furs. Worker first then workboat. Agriculture before the worker pops out.

I was typing my thoughts out on the initial scout movement, but without it I agree with you based on what we know now!

[ParadigmShifter]

I'd move the scout 1N 1 NW to the forested hill.

[vranasm]

for the future I would provide screenshots with resources on, when you dont post save for checking (didnt saw it there).
maybe some players see it but me not.
I would probably send scout 2N1W to see what's more around, maybe the map will surprise you.

If that are really furs at the west settling 1W looks promisable, but without seeing food resources I can't comment more.

[jayjackson]

Originally Posted by vranasm

for the future I would provide screenshots with resources on, when you dont post save for checking (didnt saw it there).
maybe some players see it but me not.
I would probably send scout 2N1W to see what's more around, maybe the map will surprise you.

If that are really furs at the west settling 1W looks promisable, but without seeing food resources I can't comment more.

Yes, I am going to switch the screenshots, I noticed I forgot to flip it on after I posted it. So will be switchin them out. Gimme one sec!

[vranasm]

hmm yes settling 1W seems best, next to the furs it looks like coast, so getting city for furs would look problematic.
Dunno if city provides irrigation after CS, if not than you would need for corn irrigation 2 tiles instead of 1. But you get 1 more hill in BFC for mining and better production.

That said... I would go work boat first, then worker. research aggri, mining, bw.
Reasons would be that furs don't provide much food, not much hammers and working them at start would be probably waste (except for the commerce), with worker i would irrigate corn and if the timing would be right mine 1 of those hills around.

At size 4 working 2x clams, 1x corn and 1 hill (plains hill probably would mine first), you get decent settler/work pump for some more expansion.

[jayjackson]

Originally Posted by vranasm

for the future I would provide screenshots with resources on, when you dont post save for checking (didnt saw it there).
maybe some players see it but me not.
I would probably send scout 2N1W to see what's more around, maybe the map will surprise you.

If that are really furs at the west settling 1W looks promisable, but without seeing food resources I can't comment more.

Anyways, now that the screenshot has been changed, yes there is a ton of food with corn and two seafood resources, and moving 1W would gain us two fur tiles along with keeping the three food resources.

Honestly, I'd never played with Ragnar before because I think the AGG/FIN combo is obviously crazy strong, but I haven't played many frigid climate starts and was kind of shocked to get such a good starting position on the first try. I'm sure they won't all be like this. Back to the strategy, all of our resources are workable with our starting techs, so early workboat and worker is ideal.

I'm probably going to go play a different start on my own in the meantime...unless someone can come up with a reason not to move the scout to that forested hill first, I'll make the first move and show the total starting position before I go to bed (2-3 hours from now) - with me playing the first turn tomorrow night (morning to most people).

Thanks for the early input, people - I'm having fun already!

[jayjackson]

Of course that's just my thought - with no outside input I would build the workboat first to get some food stored for early growth and then build my worker... but with the fur tiles and the corn I can also see reason to build worker early and keep it busy. Guess we'll have to decide once we see more of the start!

[ParadigmShifter]

Short term I'd scout along the river, heading north to hopefully warmer climes.

1W would provide irrigation from the city to the corn after civil service (since it isn't a hill).

[ParadigmShifter]

A worker has corn and fur to improve so I'd do that before a workboat. You'd want to build a workboat using the highest hammer tile anyway (3H) so your city isn't gonna grow then either. It's certainly not going to grow to size 2 before a worker is needed unless you build 2 boats.

EDIT: I'd go agg/mining/bw as tech path. You are going to want to mine those forested hills.

[jayjackson]

Originally Posted by ParadigmShifter

A worker has corn and fur to improve so I'd do that before a workboat. You'd want to build a workboat using the highest hammer tile anyway (3H) so your city isn't gonna grow then either. It's certainly not going to grow to size 2 before a worker is needed unless you build 2 boats.

EDIT: I'd go agg/mining/bw as tech path. You are going to want to mine those forested hills.

I agree with you, in some situations the worker doesn't have much to do initially - but here that worker will be working from the minute he touches down, so I'm in agreement here. I am also in agreement with the thoughts on the tech path of Agri/Mining/BW.

What I am NOT so sure on right now is that we shouldn't consider the inital move of the scout to 1N, 1NE - we know we will have two resources on the left of the BFC but we know very little about the right, and I'm kinda of curious what we might miss out on to go get those furs... maybe its just me trying to drub up discussion though.

[GreenShift84]

Similar to many above, but my 2 cents:
Scout to forested plain hill, if nothing settle 1W
Research: agg->mining->bw->wheel->sailing/mysticism
Build: worker->workboat X2->warrior

Improve the corn first, then furs. Grow on the corn tile until size 2, then work 3H plains hill for workboat. Focus on growth early because you have a lot of tiles that benefit from the financial bonus (seafood and furs) and you want to be working them. After furs are improved, chop the PH into another worker and mine it, grow to the capitols happy cap. Use the new worker to road to the furs for +1 happy.

Explore around for new city sites, potential victims and alter plans as necessary (need an early settler for an awesome gold site or resource etc.) Road towards upcoming city sites and plan for barb spawnbusting.

The GLH could be nice here, or else/in addition go with Oracle->MC for colossus possibly, but this is probably speculating too far ahead. Monarchy is often good to research on prince because the AI is too slow with it.

Also, maybe consider switching to epic/normal speed for future games? About how many turns do you plan to play per set?

[jayjackson]

Originally Posted by GreenShift84

Similar to many above, but my 2 cents:
Scout to forested plain hill, if nothing settle 1W
Research: agg->mining->bw->wheel->sailing/mysticism
Build: worker->workboat X2->warrior

Improve the corn first, then furs. Grow on the corn tile until size 2, then work 3H plains hill for workboat. Focus on growth early because you have a lot of tiles that benefit from the financial bonus (seafood and furs) and you want to be working them. After furs are improved, chop the PH into another worker and mine it, grow to the capitols happy cap. Use the new worker to road to the furs for +1 happy.

Explore around for new city sites, potential victims and alter plans as necessary (need an early settler for an awesome gold site or resource etc.) Road towards upcoming city sites and plan for barb spawnbusting.

The GLH could be nice here, or else/in addition go with Oracle->MC for colossus possibly, but this is probably speculating too far ahead. Monarchy is often good to research on prince because the AI is too slow with it.

Also, maybe consider switching to epic/normal speed for future games? About how many turns do you plan to play per set?

Well, considering my micro is not generally that extensive, I don't have all that much trouble getting games in on Marathon. For an example, I'm already to 1520 BC in the start I have been playing this morning (also a Marathon start) - only I actually feel really good about the start I have as far as my micro and tile management has gone. So while I don't know exactly how many turns it will be - I'm sure my updates will be long enough of a time period to where people don't get bored following the game, and at the same time may provide us more time to think about key strategic situations then we would normally have playing a faster speed.

I feel this will probably improve my own game play a bit as it will force me to think more methodically also. Forcing myself to slow down and think more about situations is something I need to work on!

But, by all means - if this game drags out for too long, I will definitely lower the game speed for future installations! Thank you very much for your interest!

[jayjackson]

I'm going to move the scout to the forested plains hill. Picture in a moment.

[jayjackson]

First scout movement of 1N, 1NW to forest plains hill.