TSG78 Opening Actions

Welcome to the TSG78 Opening Actions thread. This thread is used to discuss the game once you've started playing through your first 100 turns. There are no posting restrictions as such (apart from normal decency), although we encourage players to use the spoiler tags for screenshots. Here you can post questions related to the game and share your achievements/anger/frustration/victories while you play. Please remember that we are running a family friendly site, so express anger or frustration with this in mind.

STOP - Please do not continue reading this thread until you have completed at least 80 to 100 turns in your game.

Please use this thread to discuss your goals for the game and your opening moves through the first 100 turns. We are going to try something new and limit your game description in this thread to the first 100 turns. Anything after that should be posted in the After Action thread once you have completed your game.

- How did the terrain and map settings affect your early decisions?
- What were your initial priorities?
- What tech path did you follow and why?
- What Social Policies did you choose and why?
- What are your early thoughts on Japan's new traits?

When I see salt I always go workers first mining>pottery. Priority 1 was The Great Library. Mining>Pottery>(AH from hut)>Writing. Open Tradition then Honor, then left Honor because of the neighbors. The extra culture from the boat should give a slight boost to culture - obviously.

I played 45 turns and must go to work now. I will have The Great Library next turn and I can take IW or Philo, hmm...

At Turn 100.

Only met Zulu, Shoshone and Mayans. The surprise of a nearby Zulu turned me away from exploring and focused me on eliminating the Zulu threat. I still did manage to get Great Library(Iron Working), the Great Lighthouse and the Statue of Zeus.


- How did the terrain and map settings affect your early decisions?

Seeing it was small continents, I planted in place. With a heavy amount of salt near-by, I figured I could go three cities all with good production.

- What were your initial priorities?

After seeing the Zulu borders, I raced to get settlers out to grab all the salt and Grand Mesa. Then it was planning my strike against them. Going in with three CB and a swordsman in a couple more turns.

- What tech path did you follow and why?

Pottery > Mining(ruin) > AH > Archery > Bronze Working > Writing >> Optics >> Construction >> Steel(in 16)

Once I saw Zulu, all I went for were techs for the attack on them.

- What Social Policies did you choose and why?

Tradition > Legalism > Landed Elite > Monarchy to get a decent size capital and stave off unhappiness. Honor > Discipline in preparation for the the first attack.

- What are your early thoughts on Japan's new traits?

Not much use so far. But, it will help later as I see a couple capitals with sea resources.

I'm at about turn 215 or so and have conquered the Zulu, Shoshone and Maya. About to start on Siam and will then roll up Austria and Morocco before ending with the more isolated celts. I'm unlikely to break any turn to victory records but I've built a ton of wonders, my score is through the roof and I'm an era ahead in tech. Wasted opportunity perhaps!

It would be much more of a challenge if the starting location had been swapped with the Zulus.

How did the terrain and map settings affect your early decisions?
First off, a great set of resources and hills so despite the lack of fresh water, I settled at the starting location.

I was expecting to be somewhat isolated but the discovery of the Shoshone, Mayans AND Zulus on the same landmass, was intriguing. If not downright worrying to have Zulus as immediate neighbours.

I settled 2nd city on the north bank of the river to the NW of Kyoto and 3rd on the promontory near the sea resources and salt on the Zulu side of the mountains.

What were your initial priorities?
Finding out the size of my continent and what neighbours I had.

My build order was as follows: Scout>Shrine>worker>Settler>GL>Settler>Granary

Stole a worker from Sofia. You probably shouldn't be able to declare war and peace within the same turn as it means your unit doesn't even take damage.

Bought 2 caravans without thinking i should have used a cargo ship given the distance to my 3rd city, so was unable to send it food :S.

Built the NC by about T110, late I know, but I had 3 juicy cities by the same point and a strong tech lead.

What tech path did you follow and why?
Pottery>Mining>Writing>AH

Bulbed iron working with the GL. Beelined for Steel and then Machinery for Samurai and XBs. Opened renaissance with gunpowder and then switched back for civil service and education. Just entered modern era with industrialisation and

What Social Policies did you choose and why?
I made a big deal of how i'd go liberty if the continent were small and with less than 2 neighbours but in the end i went Tradition as I thought a road network was impractical and I wanted the growth/culture bonii. So much for planning...

After completing tradition I opened faith and then patronage. Got faith up to Theocracy and then opened commerce. So far only started the left channel of commerce.

Faith wise I took Earth mother as founder belief givent he salt and iron around the start location and i'm pumping out faith for pagodas everywhere. Celts are staring to annoy me with prophets but they are miles away so at the end of my to do list.

What are your early thoughts on Japan's new traits?
The UA is useful, providing you don't run units down too much, but not earth shattering (i had a tech lead so XBs and Samurai vs spearmen and CBs is already one-sided).

Samurai are nice. They come with free Shock and ratchet up golden age points. This was the first time I'd used the fishing boat building ability and that was good - saves alot of gold/hammers you'd need for work boats and gives a unit on its (leisurely) way to the front something to do. Especially after my trireme had raided Ulundi's 3 or 4 sea resources.

T101

Meet Zulus, Shoshones, Mayans, Austria and Siam.
Ulundi and Shoshones capital are mine. Terracota army next turn will give me a CB, a catapult and a warrior (maybe a swordman or an horseman, or maybe I'll keep money for a galeass to go in 15 turns to conquer Siam and Austria).

- How did the terrain and map settings affect your early decisions?
Two salt, marble, wheat, I opened Liberty for free worker. GL for philo T45. NC T53. I landed my 2nd city turn 65. Finish Liberty for great scientist with Oracle T85. Pyra between NCand Oracle. Marble helps a lot. I wonder if Tradition made better result.
Scout show me 3 cities on my continent and stole a Mayan worker.
I thought about a chariot archer rush, but many mountains teached me CB are better.

- What were your initial priorities ?
Growth and production. It regret sun god, prefered pantheon for faith from salt.
Found first religion for +100 gold for new city and +1% per adept in city. I plan pagodas for happinnes in reformed belief.
I managed to have luxs. I saw Ulundi have 2 luxs, so I settled Tokyo on flood plain 3 tiles south of polar incense. With 6 luxs, I might manage my two cities and 3 capitals. Te Moak annoy me, I must go through its territories to catch Palenque.
I hope to have enough money before Banking, hoping have finish the game before. It's an issue with early warfare. Other civ will not trade with me or not enough.

- What tech path did you follow and why?
Pottery - Mining - Archery - Writing - Calendar - Iron working - Philo - Sailing - Optics - Compass.
Education will be reach around T125/T130. Steel is too far to be plan, I think. I loose my 2 initials scouts. I hope have enough land army to conquer capitals.

- What Social Policies did you choose and why?
Liberty - Citizenship (for free worker) - Republic - Collective rule - Meritocracy - Representation (cause with 2 luxs and poor AI, I use to have an early Golden age). I pick representation the turn when my first golden age ended.

- What are your early thoughts on Japan's new traits?
Steel is too far too exploit Samurais for fishing boat. UA is wonderful for war, just care to not lost an unit, but it's always full power : nice.
I never used Zero, and if I used them in this game, I'm a crap.

Build order in Kyoto started with scout - worker - shrine - granary - library. Discovered Shoshone, Maya, and Zulu (in that order, amazingly enough). Used cash from ruins and meeting CS to rush-buy a settler, and put my second city on the river by more salt. The Zulu complained that this was settling near them, and denounced me. This convinced me that I wanted to start raising troops early to kill them long before they can think about Impis. Cranked out three archers, two warriors, and two spears. As soon as possible, upgraded the archers and the two warriors (all I had iron for). Along with a gifted chariot archer, DoWed Zulu. Razed one city and captured Ulundi. Then moved my army across the hills to attack the Shoshone. Razed Agaidika and (on turn 104) just captured Moson Kahni. (And what's the deal with three unique luxuries at that city site? I don't think I've ever seen that before.)

Built Colossus in Kyoto and used the free cargo ship to run trade to Sofia. Have a couple of triremes out looking for other civs; so far, have found Siam and Morocco. Still have two to go.

How did the terrain and map settings affect your early decisions?

With all the salt, I just settled Kyoto in place. Founded my second city on the river next to three more salt tiles. Built an early shrine to get the Earth Mother pantheon, which eventually let me found an early religion.

What were your initial priorities?
Find my neighbors and start eliminating them.

What tech path did you follow and why?
pottery (for both shrine and granary) -- mining (to develop the salt) -- (AH from ruin) -- writing (for libraries). Then beelined construction and iron working to get composite bows and swordsman to start a war. Currently beelining compass for galleasses to take the war across the sea.

What Social Policies did you choose and why?
Tradition. Want solid growth in only a couple of cities since I intend to dominate the world....

What are your early thoughts on Japan's new traits?
So far, they don't really matter. Haven't yet gotten to samurai, so their ability to develop sea tiles is irrelevant. The culture from fishing boats and atolls also has no impact.

Turn 101.

- How did the terrain and map settings affect your early decisions?
I saw 3 salt and just about exploded with happiness. The food and production from these tiles is ridiculous!

- What were your initial priorities?
I assumed we'd be isolated to make conquering hard at first, so I decided to go for the National College early -- the later I get to attack the stronger my troops need to be. Ran into Zulu, Maya, and Shoshone on starting island and revised my assessment of the situation; decided to go for early wiping out of said nations while scouting around to find new targets. Also, decided to play friendly with city-states -- not much benefit from targeting them.

- What tech path did you follow and why?
Pottery first for a pantheon (founded the 2nd pantheon and got Earth Mother). Mining would have been next to hook up my salt, but I got lucky and popped it from ruins. Next, went Writing, Archery Calendar, detour to Masonry to hook up the marble while 2nd city built a library, detour to bronzeworking during same time period to take out Zulu, then back to Philosophy. After that, Sailing and Optics. I had taken out the Zulu on turn 50 with a few archers and a spearman from a hut, so I decided to scout the waters a bit. Found Austria, Siam, and Morocco; this told me that the rest of my enemies were really quite close. I picked up Construction and Mathematics for CBs and Catapults to take out Shoshone; now teching towards Gallegases since all 5 capitals I can see are coastal.

I underestimated Shoshone pathfinders combined with their defense bonus and the pantheon that gives increased bombardment and lost about half of my veterans from the Zulu war while fighting their capital. Still, they made peace and gave me their 2nd city (which I am currently razing); meanwhile, I'm sending over some more advanced backup. Will hopefully take out the Shoshone and Maya using catapults and crossbows, then build a fleet and blitz through the three guys on the southern continent. While I do that, my galleys are gonna look for the last civ -- hopefully they're reachable by coast.

- What Social Policies did you choose and why?
I decided to go for a small, 3 city core at the 3 salt deposits. All 3 had great food and production (from the salt itself, and from the rivers near the salt deposits to the North and near the Zulu). I figured 3 cities which can pump out units should be enough; no need for ICS here. I decided to puppet enemy capitals and leave them that way for good. So, I finished Tradition on turn 90 or so using the Oracle for the last policy, and have now opened Honor. Once I enter the Medieval era I will probably switch over to Commerce long enough to get a speed boost on my ships; whoever builds the Lighthouse is gonna be my next target, since I could use the movement bonus but don't want to waste the hammers.

- What are your early thoughts on Japan's new traits?
Japan is a very war-like Civ. Even though they have the Zero, their real strength comes at Steel, which means that they should be able to finish Domination victories in the middle ages. I just don't see culture mattering all that much in that case. Bushido is sweet, but culture from boats? Meh.

Okay, my second GOTM...Should work out better!
I'm at T134 (forgot to stop at 100, as seems custom). Have just recently taken the first capital (Zulu)...built up an army and fell for the wonder-hoarding opportunity



- How did the terrain and map settings affect your early decisions?
Small continents are what I usually play, like others I found and planned to settle the three salt-heavy areas.

- What were your initial priorities?
Well, first was to explore a bit and hope to get some nice goody huts to get a head start. Once I found the nice spots, I wanted to get a settler out to claim at least one. Found Poca really quick, and when I found Zulu I knew where my first settler was going. He didn't like that, but oh well.

- What tech path did you follow and why?
I went Pottery--mining--masonry--animal husbandry--bronzeworking. Built the Great Library and took Ironworking. Filled in a little until bpt was good enough to beeline steel.

- What Social Policies did you choose and why?
I went Tradition--aristocracy--landed elite--monarchy and then opened Honor. Went back and finished Tradition before warrior code and discipline...just in time to start my war with the Zulus.

- What are your early thoughts on Japan's new traits?
Having never played Japan, I kind of like them, actually.

I went wonder-crazy and built the GL, HG, SoZ. I also noticed I had a decent shot at Terracotta Army, so I built a bunch of units so as to have two armies to (hopefully) hasten my domination. It delayed taking the Zulu, but he didn't expand much ( my units blocked him off to the north with the help of a barb camp).

Not gonna set any records, but this one is in the bag. I'm leading in tech (barely, but will pull away soon). My army is feared, and it's just a matter of managing my unhappiness/gold from here on out.

I took an interesting path this game. I'm used to playing on Deity and small maps (on account of having a slow computer), so I'm looking at this as a challenge to end the game as fast as possible. Prince feels easier but I wasn't fully prepared for the difference -- without the AI's trade routes and mountains of gold, I came within two turns of going bankrupt, and was saved only by a timely Representation golden age.

I took a fast Liberty start -- building Monument right after Scout combined with finding a culture ruin let me expand extremely quickly. Second city went to the northeast, on a river mountain within range of all the Salt spots and the Incense. Third city was a VERY aggressive forward settle, dropped next to King Solomon's Mines and Ivory! Fourth city went a bit NW of the capitol, again next to a bunch of Salt. National College is a few turns away from completing, after which I'll pop out two more cities: one on the peninsula just east claiming Pearls and Horses, and one on the north coast of the starting area in order to claim the Iron and Crab up there. Samurai are going to be pretty awesome, as they should come online at a convenient time for getting Fishing Boats in these late cities.

Shaka settled a city next to the Incense about two turns before I would've been able to buy the tile, so he had to go. Only needed a force of two Warriors, a Spearman, and a Composite Bow for most of it (although the Bow count had grown to three by the time Ulundi fell). Pocatello is going to get DoW'ed within a couple turns -- about turn 85 right now.

I have yet to rush-buy anything, instead spending all my gold on tile purchases and a single Composite upgrade. My economy is very weak, and I'm hoping Tithe can pull me out of it. I also plan to build the Colossus. I haven't decided whether to hard-build it or use my Liberty finisher on a GE to rush... I'm not sure if I can afford to give up the early Academy.

The only wonder I've built is the Pyramids. I actually forgot to plan for it and built one more Worker than I would've otherwise. As a result, I started building roads earlier than I normally would've, figuring the fast movement would be helpful to push along the war effort. That definitely contributed to my GpT problems for a bit, but it'll pay off in turning on Meritocracy sooner.

This is my 1st attempt at a GOTM and feel like I am behind already! Domination isn't my strongest play style so this will be interesting as I am at T110 and haven't conquered anyone yet.

How did the terrain and map settings affect your early decisions?
I decided to settle right where we started since it seemed like a rich spot.

What were your initial priorities?
With the salt and wheat nearby I went with a worker & a then a scout to explore. I sent the warrior east then north but the Shoshones beat to the 1st Hut! They will pay....

What tech path did you follow and why?
I went mining, pottery, masonry, archery and then sailing.

What Social Policies did you choose and why?
I decided to go Honor and will choose another soon since I wanted the extra strength for fighting.

What are your early thoughts on Japan's new traits?
I haven't played Japan yet, but it feels very slow for some reason.

I start it as normal game as I had no idea of ai on that difficulty, did not played civ for ages.
How did the terrain and map settings affect your early decisions?
Settle in place, went standart 2 scouts-granary-worker. The only consideration I made for difficulty was that I did not look to steal workers, just build them myself.

What were your initial priorities?
Scout, find places to settle.

What tech path did you follow and why?
Pottery-ah-mining
I am believer in granary first.

What Social Policies did you choose and why?
Tradition for fast development.

What are your early thoughts on Japan's new traits?
did not effect game, except full str of units. I did used samurais to build some boats.