It's now turn 87
I went Liberty. Now about 5 turns away from completing it. Thinking of getting a Great Prophet for the Religious Wars. I have 4 cities, just completed the NC. I took Goddess of Festivals, but Russia messed me up a bit with her city placement of Rostov. I wanted Helsinki to be one south to get ALL the wines, and incense, and the fur. I fully expected to get into a war with Russia, especially after I bought some tiles between our cities, but nah... she seems to be more worried about England, and would go to war with England for a resource and 208 gold. I have a Comp Bow placed to keep an eye on any approaching army. So far all I see is bows of her own.
Egypt's army is the same size as mine, so no threat. Arabia's is lot's bigger as is Russia's. Arabia is further away and is now officially a Friend as is Maya. I also hope that the few CS's between me and Arabia will act as a buffer, but I do need to get something south to keep an eye out down there, just in case. Maya has been beaten up by the French and is the first loser.
No Wonders yet. I was thinking about Petra for Birka, but there are actually not that many non Flood Plain tiles, so I have decided it's not worth the attempt. As I stated earlier, I'll probably get a Great Prophet as I complete Liberty because Russia's religion is a threat. Egypt just created his religion. If I quickly enhance my religion and send out missionaries, I hope to spread my religion "Woodism" to Arabia who has missed out on getting one. I also need to stop Russia's spread to my cities.
Tech order:
Pottery -> Calendar -> Writing (ruin) -> Mining -> Archery -> Animal Husbandry -> Masonry (was getting a bit scared, thought I needed Walls) -> Philosophy -> Trapping -> Wheel -> Construction -> Mathematics -> Currency -> Horse Riding in one turn
On my way to Civil Service, I'll pick up a quick Sailing, then look at the situation again to see if I need Iron Working or can continue on towards Education.
The location of Birka was a hard choice. It seemed to be on either the Cotton or the Horses. I went with the Horses.
I have been pretty lucky in all the luxuries I have, selling them for money etc. I've only gone negative happiness a bit for a few turns because I sold so many of them. Plus 6 now, I need to sell again. I was able to get enough money to buy two quick libraries so I could start building the NC, which as I said is done now. I also bought the two Settlers, and just bought a Worker.
This was GREAT! My scout watched a bow finish off a barb near a CS. A Worker was left. I moved on it and then returned the worker to the CS. THEN I noticed that the empty camp (well except there was another worker in it) was now right next to me, so in the same turn I moved into it, captured another worker, returned it to the same CS AND got credit for eliminating the camp. In one turn I went from zero to 140 influence, and never fought a barb. The only down side? England got even madder as she wanted Quebec City herself, but then she was already mad at me, and it seems she always gets mad at me anyway!
This settling of Sigtuna was also interesting. My Warrior moved south, keeping on top of the Settler, but there was a Barb camp, with a warrior right next to where I wanted to settle, and a barb bow right on the spot. I bought a bow down, to help kill the barb bow, crossed the river in an attack that wiped out the bow. And with a bit less than half health sat a turn until I could place the city. A bit nerve wracking, never settled right next to a barb camp before.
Other lucky quest fulfilling got me an alliance with Yerevan (but not all on the same turn
). Quebec City is now 113, Yerevan 123. So both will be allies for a while and I haven't spend a dime on them.
I also maybe made a mistake stealing a worker. Egypt, England and Ethiopia think I'm a Warmonger. But England and Ethiopia are far away, England always hates me anyway and Egypt seems to be going the peace route, his army is no bigger than mine according to the advisor.
This map is a bit strange, almost like a Torus, except open in the south? When I saw both coast lines I first thought a Large Island, then a Small Continent, and finally as I kept meeting AI's I realized it was a Pangaea map. I still have more CS's to find. I'll need to make a boat or two to find them I think.
rush is not my speciality 
