LK153 - Australia

4000 BC (0)
We see 2 visible cows, so I move 1E to a non-bonus grassland that should still be coastal.

There is at least one spice visible, so it looks like we got the traditional 1 luxury in Australia.


3950 BC (1)
Canberra is formed. Knowing that we are isolated for a bit, I start with a granary. I just hope Indonesia doesn't find our landmass too quickly. The initial tech is writing; as it is the only second tier tech we can start at minimum.


3250 BC (15)
I squeeze in a Curragh before starting the settler / worker cycle.


3000 BC (20)
(IT) This isn't something you see very often on the world map. Germany is potentially a monster if they are the ones to take Paris.

2630 BC (28)
We make the first expected contact of Indonesia. No trades are possible at this point.


2590 BC (29)
Sydney is founded. I start it on a ship. Right now the ship by Indonesia can head toward India. We need a second to head toward Japan, and then America.



Summary:
This is a bit short for a first turn, but city #3 isn't clear. Sydney was easy as we needed another coastal city to get the boat out, and it as least has some food.


Blue dot gets the cattle immediately. After border expansion and we can afford a jungle chop, it also gets banana.

Pink dot will be a little weak until jungle chops, but our fighting will be mostly overseas. We need lots of naval ports for ship building.

This is our south. There is some food, but not that close to the capitol. It will need a lot of irrigating to become useful.



ROSTER:

LKendter
Elephantium (up)
Arathorn (on deck)
Greebley
Northern Pike

lurker's comment: Lurker checking in! Good luck guys.

I'd say our next city should go three tiles directly southwest of the capital, so that it will be on fresh water and claim the westerly plains cow, though only after an expansion. This will be a cramped site, but no more than was the case with our capital and second city in the last game, and that worked out well.

The main benefit of this location is that the new city will be able to use very productive tiles that the capital won't need for a long time while it's just pumping out settlers and workers--eventually two BG and one hill.* This city would also give us our best shot at the Great Library, and in fact the math works out almost identically to the last game: with full development and large-scale merging, the town would top out at size nine in despotism, with sixteen shields after corruption, very like our GLib city as Venezuela. The city will need to pre-build a temple (since we don't know CB yet) first whatever we intend for it, so we don't have to make the Great Library decision quite yet, though as usual I'm for it.

*This assumes that we mine Canberra's spices tile, irrigate its plains tile, and chop and mine its forest tile. None of these ideas assume any jungle burns.

Our fourth settler could claim a site on the one-tile lake to the SSW taking in the two plains cows. We need to uncover three additional tiles in this area. Overall, I’d rather settle areas with fresh water first in this rather dry start.

Good work getting the first curragh out. I think we could even send three curraghs north past China and Japan towards Alaska—one to turn west and cross the top of Siberia, one to head down the American Pacific coast, and one to cross the Canadian Arctic, which could give us quicker contact with America or even European civs in some cases. There would be less for a second curragh sent towards India and Africa to do, since there are fewer choices on that route.

Well at some point we do need to stop the farmers gambit.
I am not sure if we can afford 3 more boats before the first warrior.

I see your point, but Australia is a unique case--we're invulnerable until someone comes up with Map Making/galleys. We will need a few warriors for happiness duty, of course.

Don't forget Indonesia's UU that we had fun with. And they are right next door.

Ah, of course. For the lurkers, Indonesia's Bangkas are available from the start of the game and can carry ground units.

Lurker:

Dang, desert right next to the start.

I'll need a swap - busy week!

ROSTER:

LKendter
Elephantium (on deck)
Arathorn (up - swap)
Greebley
Northern Pike

I am here. I am sick (cold) this week but I think I will be able to play.

I understand the sick comment. I am fighting some type of low-level cold right now.

Arathorn's post of April 2 in the planning thread tentatively expressing interest in this game was his first since...2010. So it's unclear how often he checks in, and while I hope he'll show up and play, does it make sense to wait for him now?

ROSTER:

LKendter
Elephantium (on deck)
Arathorn (waiting confirm)
Greebley (up - swap)
Northern Pike

@NP - I was already debating putting Arathorn on hold waiting confirm.

Northern Pike said:

I'd say our next city should go three tiles directly southwest of the capital, so that it will be on fresh water and claim the westerly plains cow, though only after an expansion.

Click to expand...

What do you think about SW-SW-W, between the two cows? That gives it the more productive cow tile immediately, it's still on the water, and it also gets the banana with an expansion. The only downside that I see is that it doesn't get the hill tile from Canberra.

BTW, I can play a bit tonight and more tomorrow, so I no longer need the swap

Can you post a dot map with the city proposals? I can't tell with just descriptions.

LKendter
Elephantium (up)
Arathorn (waiting confirm)
Greebley (on deck)
Northern Pike

Elephantium said:

What do you think about SW-SW-W, between the two cows? That gives it the more productive cow tile immediately, it's still on the water, and it also gets the banana with an expansion. The only downside that I see is that it doesn't get the hill tile from Canberra.

Click to expand...

I considered that tile, and I see the long-term appeal of having the city command the banana. But I finally concluded that the SW-SW-W site would sacrifice too much production for the Great Library run--two hills and a plains tile lost, only one plains tile gained. The difference between 16 spt and 12 spt in this context is huge.

Black is NP's original suggestion. White is my proposed adjustment.