European Berzerkers, Take 2

At the end of Antonius Block's Berzerker brouhaha, there was much interest in the European team in conquering the world with Berzerkers instead of swords.
I'd like to extend a special invitation to the members of that team to join up once more and prepare for battle, Viking style !

Suggested game parameters: Standard map, Archipelago, 80% water, v1.14f, Emperor level - all up for discussion though.

Any takers ? I'll give priority to those who were in the earlier SG, but in case of extensive interest, we can just create a European and an American team again.

I'll edit this post for a roster and a start position once we have a team together.

Roster
Jack Merchant
Stapel
Lt. 'Killer' M.
Aggie
Datsekkar

I'm in (again).

IMHO, more civs and bigger map is ok.

Jack, Pm-ed you.

I'm in, too.

Great ! Would you both prefer a standard or a large map ?

Stapel says I should join, so I'll join the party!

EDIT: large map would be nice imho... the rest of the settings look OK.

Very well, I'll start the game this evening.

Aggie, you may know people who create maps for PBEM's - could you ask one to make a map for this game just to make sure it is a true archipelago ? I don't really trust the map generator.

Jack, I will do that!

EDIT: request submitted.

Anarres suggests that the game would be too easy on emperor with archipelago... He could be right, considering how good we are What about making it Deity? We could change the settings to have the AI start with just one settler...

I'd be agreeable to that - call it Deity minus While I am enjoying kicking total AI butt in GOTM18, I would prefer a challenge too.
Emperor with reduced cost factor a la LK42 would work, too as the AI doesn't really need all those extra units on an archipelago map (unless they start next to us). Make it so

On edit, I'll be away for most of tomorrow, so if you can get a map, you're quite welcome to play the opening turns

Here it is. Thanks to Anarres who made the map. He says that it is suitable to our plans.

Level is Deity 'light':

- Large map
- THE VIKINGS!
- Archipelago
- 80% water
- v1.14f
- 'Deity -' level
- Culture linked starts OFF
- Respawn OFF
- All other settings random
- The AI has only one settler at the start

4000 BC

Here's the starting position:

Jack, could you start this game? I don't have the time until tomorrow night...

Sure, I'll get it. Thanks for getting the map, and thanks to Anarres for creating it

The map is difficult, but I made sure to give you everything you need to survive.

I hope it lives up to your expectations and delivers the unexpected.

Tricky start ! Water to the east, possibly coastal. A wheat that could be irrigated right away from the starting position. I move the scout 1 NE to discover one more grassland to the east that would be wasted by settling on the spot, not to mention not being able to build the lighthouse in the capital as the water to the east is indeed coastal. On the other hand, sending the settler to the NE will result in a less productive city which will be slower to get off the ground. There is desert to the south, but two grassland wheats to the north.

4000 BC (1) After long deliberation, I decide to move to the coast, onto the hill after all. This turned out very well in the previous game and it should do so here. We need to have nearly every city able to produce galleys if we are to conquer an island map.

3950 BC (2) Trondheim founded, starts scout. Alphabet ordered up at min sci - I don't anticipate getting 3 techs from huts on this level so we will have to research it ourselves.

3850 BC (4) Ivory spotted to the west - is there another civ on this island ?

3700 BC (7) Trondheim finishes scout, starts warrior. It appears we have an island to ourselves. Squinting at the map, I think I spot some coast (and thus a possible galley crossing) to the south. There are a lot of fish around as well.

3500 BC (11) Trondheim finishes warrior, starts granary.

3150 BC (16) Luxes to 10% to keep Trondheim happy.

2750 BC (25) Trondheim builds granary, starts settler. Luxes at 30%.

I have our scouts positioned so as to minimize the chances of barb huts appearing. Suggestions for a dotmap are welcome - I'll make one myself tomorrow, too. We should probably continue to beeline towards mapmaking to get out and meet some people. This being deity level, getting the lighthouse is unlikely but early contacts will help.
In the first round, I think everyone should play 20 turns, as until mapmaking arrives, there's simply not all that much to do.

the save

And a look at our island:

Got it!

Pre turn 2750 BC. Move a scout: new coastal sea to the east.
2710 BC.
2670 BC. Scouts in barbspot position again. We are going to bring in the beaver: worker moves northeast.
2630 BC. Build road.
2590 BC. Entertainer in Trondheim.
2550 BC. Settlers: another one!
2510 BC. Decide to bring in ivory first: easier. The settler moves to the spot next to the fish on the westcoast
2470 BC. Funfactor from 10 to 30% again.
2430 BC. Bergen founded: rax
2390 BC.
2350 BC: lux to zero, due to ivory. Trondheim builds settler: worker. Worker mines ivory
2310 BC
2270 BC. New worker goes roading
2230 BC. Copenhagen founded near two fishes in the west. I think Bergen should make soldiers, so Copenhagen starts on a granary.
2190 BC.
2150 BC. :sleep
2110 BC. We know the alphabet! Strange enough we do not know how to write. We order our scientists to find a way to write things down, as we might need that to learn how to make maps.
2070 BC. Bergen starts on operation multi warrior.
2030 BC. A new settler goes south. Make another worker.
1990 BC.
1950 BC. Save

The worker in the west is heading for the wheat, which really needs a road an imho irrigation. The other worker has to make a road to Copenhagen. The scouts are on the city spots. Trondheim is micromanaged to low sheild, high trade, as the worker will be completed in 1 turn anyway.

I realize that the road on the goldhills will not be used that soon, as we won’t go for ceremonial burial first. I simply didn’t think about it, until the road was finished

The save: http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads4/EB2-1950BC.zip

Our empire:

Ah, nice You placed the cities just where I would have suggested them ! Great minds think alike Maybe we can also cram in a fishing village next to the northern wheat that is now wasted for extra income ?
I don't know how long it will take to research ceremonial burial, maybe we can slip that in at max science after writing completes.

===============

Jack Merchant
Stapel
Lt. 'Killer' M. --> up now
Aggie ---> on deck

lurker's comment:

I would personally settle next to the wheat in the NW, and settle another city in the NE (2 tiles from Trondheim.

Since land is limited you need to take advantage of all available tiles, including the water tiles with 2 commerce each. ICS style layouts work on islands very well, you not only get increased commerce but can support a larger military for you initial invasion.