Classic GOTM 32 Spoiler 1: End of ancient age

This is the first spoiler for GOTM 32: Aztecs!

To participate in this spoiler, you must have contacts with at least two other civilizations on your starting landmass. You must have an outline map of the starting land-mass, and be researching a middle-age tech.

You may post screenshots and minimaps, but please do not post any that show locations of non-ancient-age resrouces, nor any that show other landmasses aside from the starting one, or the paths of any galleys, successful or not!



The starting turns in this game gave you some interesting decisions to make: Where to settle your capital? Where to settle your subsequent cities. The early Aztec Unique Unit required you to decide whether to trigger an early golden age; whether to try to use the unit as an initial advantage to attack your neighbours, or whether to hold-off the golden age, perhaps even to the extent of 'wasting' your UU!

So, what decisions did you make?

This one seems to be turning out a little rough for me. I won't bore you with the QSC notes, Just a few highlights. I set out with the plan of trying to conquer all civs I came in contact with by the MA. Unfortunately, I didn't run things like this was my plan. I moved the settler SE and just settled there, big mistake. This didn't turn out to be a good spot. Initial build was Jag/Jag/granary/settler. Started researching pottery at max, but after contacting Americans traded WC and CB for Masonry/Pott/9g. Contacted Iroqois and traded Masonry for BW/Wheel/10g. Settler founded a city to the NW which is where I wish I had put my capitol, because the river/wheat/forest and dyes would have been good. So I tried for a settler factory out of this city. And again a mistake, forgot about movement penalty over river and started building roads over them. Made for slow expansion because it took me a while to realize this .

I declared war on America 750BC-470BC after trading for IW and getting an Iron colony. I wanted to attack them before they started building too many swords. But I didn't send enough and wasn't able to finish them off. Peace for 77g/Seattle/Chicago. After a few more swords sent south I declared war on America again 600BC-470 BC, but didn't send enough this time either. Settled for peace for Miami/worldmap/mapmaking.

This whole time I was ignoring Iroquois . Send a lone settler up the eastern coast and I suddenly see about 10 Iroquois units heading right for me. They DOW, taking my settler and destroying a city. I almost quit at this point, but decided to gut it out. I only had one Jag warrior within striking distance and accidentally set off my GA. The war lasted from 330 BC untill 70AD They would not recieve my envoy! Settled for world map/currency/100g, and gave them construction/Code. 2 cities lost each.

170AD discover Republic and quickly change. I usually don't go with Rep but will try it out, because everybody else seems to have better luck with it than monarchy. 280AD discover mysticism and enter the MA leaving Iroquois and America in the AA.
Firaxis Aztec:455
Iroq: 366
Amer: 197

Sorry not sure how to put images in the post. I thought this was pretty scary. Was warned of a barbarian uprising.

Hmm How did I get that one in?

The Iroqois are very easy to defeat in this GOTM, at least on Predator. I built my first city on the starting spot and went straight for jaguar warriors. I sent my first one south where he encountered the Americans and then scouted the map. I sent my second warrior north. He encountered an Iroqois settler, unprotected. The settler immediately retreated, but I declared war and captured it on a mountain two spaces from their capital. They pulled in two workers towards their capital, and within range of my warrior, so I captured them too. Their counter attack triggered my golden age and then killed my warrior, but I escaped with four workers and completely crippled their civ. After that I easily conquered them and expanded into their space. As soon as I got my troops back to the south I declared war on the Americans and took about half of their space including their capital. I'm now by far the largest civ (republic) in the world, but my development and technological advances were hindered by my prolonged periods of constant war under a monarchy.

PTW 1.27f Open

Well, ainwood, you really got my attention with this one! I settled SE of the start position, mainly because it didn't seem as if there were any use to continuing to explore. In 3350BC, after sending out my second Jaguar Warrior, I found myself with this position:



So, there's a factory just to the west. City #2 could operate as a factory but would need a temple in an addition to a granary if on the river. City #2 would experience 1 shield corruption. To operate as a factory on the tile to the west of the worker, you'd need an aqueduct.

As the capital, City #2 could operate as a 4.5-6.5 factory with the Fish and Wheat leaving the Game to another town operating as a Warrior/Worker factory.

Additionally, this map was beginning to feel very Jungle rich, hence workers would be required in large numbers. A second ring Warrior/Worker factory seemed problematic. Such a town would need to be first ring.

I felt I needed to make this decision at this point as I could change a citizen to work a forest on this turn to get 10 shields and whip a settler.

I decided to continue hand building the settler, leaving the capital intact for the moment. I needed some more explorers/MP/defense and would use the current capital for that. As well, some time would be required to prepare the tiles for City #2.

The first settler founded one tile west of the worker in the pic and started a granary immediately. The capital pumped out another Jaguar Warrior.

I then whipped a settler upon growing to size 2 again and disbanded the capital in 2350BC, jumping the palace to City #2. Whew!! I agonized over this one, but it appeared to me that development would be better off in the long run. I recall considering an early Palace Jump in GOTM28, however, as I recall, you could operate the 1st ring town as a factory comfortably in that game.

The settler resulting from disbanding the capital moved 4.0 NW of the new capital and became a Warrior/Worker factory using the Game tile.

There is a large element of luck in this opening, I believe. The most lucky ones will settle in the west straight away and start the factory. I sent my first warrior east then north and missed the factory for the second time. Had the first warrior headed west, I believe I would have disbanded the capital and moved west 20 turns earlier.

I won't be discussing my game any further, as I abandoned it in a later age for reasons my erstwhile SG/GOTM14 Teammates will easily divine. I will discuss in a later spoiler my reasons for the abandonment.

ainwood, a REALLY interesting and thought provoking map. I'm not so sure it's appropriate for a tournament, but fun to play nonetheless (sort of the whole point, I think). Thanks for your and the staff's time!

PTW 1.27f Open

4000 bc
Hmm looks like a good start position, but we'll explore for a bit. Settler travels W and the worker moves SE.

3950 - The settler sees a strange shadow to the SW so he moves S to investigate and discovers grain.
3900 - Settler moves back N for founding the capital.
3850 - Tenochtitlan founded and the people decide to begin jaguar warriors as they heard that there may be many barbarians in the world surrounding them.
3600 - Jaguar warrior built and explores.
3400 - 2nd Jaguar warrior built and explores.
3350 - Americans sighted and are willing to give me pottery and 35 g for warrior code.
3250 - work begins on first settler.
3150 - iroquois sighted and will give me BW + 10 g for warrior code.
2800 - Settler made and sent w to the tile w of the game so as to block the 3 way intersection.
2630 - Tlateloco founded
2270 - Granary built and settler factory is started.
2190 - Lost 2 jag's to barbarians.
2070 - alphabet discovered and traded to iroquois for masonry and the wheel.
1870 - texcoco founded and my jaguar warriors avenge their fallen comrads by looting the barbarians
1870 - 1375 Found more cities and discover more land.
1375 - writing discovered and traded to the americans for Myst. IW and 15 g
Polytheism started as I figured on a conquest/domination victory and wanted Monarchy instead of republic.
1000 bc - I now have 8 towns, 1 settler, a granary and a couple of temples, a baracks, 4 workers, 10 Jag's. According to the demographics I am 1st in Area, Literature, Life expetancy, Income, and Productions, though I am 4th in Man. Goods.
925 Polytheism discovered and monarchy begun.
825 - Poly. is traded to the Iroquois for HR, Mapping, World map + 85 g
Poly., world map, + 45 g is traded to americans for math and ter. map.
690 - Off continent civs get the pyramids, and iroquois get the oracle.
390 - A suicide galley discovers new lands!!!
350 - Monarchy researched
310 - New civs are met. I don't know if I am allowed to mention their names or not in this spopiler, so we'll won't mention them by name.
270 -Polytheism is traded to the new world civs for contacts, philosophy, literature, code of laws, territory maps and 35 g.
130- philosophy and litereature are traded to americans for construction + 80 g + world map
-philosophy to the Iroquois for 87 g + world map
- construction to the new worldfor 109 g + world maps.
50ad - the discovery of currency sends the aztecs to the middle ages.

Planning for the MA -
UCS in SW land mass to produce lots of cheap units.
Eventual war to take control of my own continent.

[PTW] 1.27f - Open Class

Ancient Age



I started out by sending the worker E,E to mountian. I moved the Sellter SE. The mountain didn't reveal anything special, so I start my capitol there. Right in the middle as I had planned. Unforetuneately, there is no room for any kind of ring.

One thing I saw early on and took advantage of were the two chokepoints. I was able to keep the Iroquois and Americans unware of each other for a long time. I benefited from both's research. I got a lot of early tech for basically no cost.

I got 3 goody huts. 2 for 25 gold and one settler. Teotihuacan was founded on the eastern chokepoint using that sellter.



1000 BC - 7 Cities, 20 pop, 5 workers, 9 Spearmen, 1 Horseman, 7 Jagaur Warriors (plus 3 lost to Barbs). All the first column techs plus IW and Mystsium. I had 3 sellters under construction with one due next turn. I also had spices and dyes connected.



The nearest iron is west in the jungles.




250 BC - Ouch. I had around 1000g. I had less than 500g when they finished. Barbs were a constant proplem through out the AA and well into the MA.



310 AD - I pushed the Americans back to the southern coast. Then the Iroquois decided to attack. The took a city which I was able to take right back with local forces. Made a quick pease with American and started the long walk back north with 2/3 of my forces. I only got one city far to the south.



350 AD - End of AA, but researching Monarchy. I have kept the northern border static. Southern forces beginning to arrive. Armericans are re-colonizing auto-razed cities. I can't do anything about it right now. Iroquois first.

Well, I must say that the starting position for this map sucked, and it impacted my game well into the industrial age. But that's another story!

As stated in the pre-game thread, I moved my settler SE and settled there. Made 4 jags first, then a settler. Based upon the findings of my jags, I decided to make my settler factory the the west of my capital, 1 space north of the wheat. This would give me wheat and game. So, the settler factory started straight away on a granary, then slowly pumped out settlers. The capital, meanwhile, pumped out workers, jags and the occasional settler. The starting location did not really allow for RCP, so I did not use it.

To further complicate matters, we had no immediate source of iron. The closest deposits were deep in American territory, or out in the jungles. I chose to go for the American iron, as it would take to long to road through the barb infested jungles.

Next item was horses. I discovered that there was only one source within the Iroquois territory, so I hiked a settler up there, only to be two turns too late. I decided to try the old culture-boundary-squeeze, so I made a town 2 squares distant that would encompass (eventually) the horses AND the silks. At the same time, I sent a settler into Iroquois territory on the other side to take control of the spices.

All of this wrangling left me with an arc of towns from the spices down around through the capital back up to the horses/silks. And a tail of towns looping down around to the iron source in American territory, with an American city landlocked between. Not exactly a strong core of cities! And in actuality, these loops and lines were not really completely filled with towns until nearly the AD's. At 1000BC I had 6 or 7 towns with a settler on the move. Hardly awe inspiring.

Technolgy: I started with Pottery at max. I always do. I then went iron working gambit (failed), Polytheism gambit (worked), Philosophy gambit (worked). Can't remember order from here on.

Most new towns started their builds with temples. I did this for two reasons: 1. Since we are religious, they are cheap. 2. Since most of my new towns were in "enemy" territory, I really wanted to solidify road networks and have solid boundaries.

I actively farmed the barbarians in the jungle area. I think I made more money on barbs than I did on min research. My plan was to try a pre-medieval era mass swords upgrade attack on the Iroquois. Original, eh? Oh yeah, forgot to mention earlier that I stationed jag warriors at all bottleneck points to prevent wanton settling by my neighbors, and interestingly, I also prevented contact. They NEVER met each other.

After trading for Map Making, I sent out suicide galleys. the very first one came within 1 square of coast and sank ( and I saw a red border). It took many more galleys to actually have one succeed, but that came after I had nearly wiped out the Iroquois. How did that happen you ask?

Around 90BC I had finally upgraded many jags to swords and moved into position for attack on the Iroquois. The swords (20 or so) were supported by a few horses and a handful of elite jags. I started my attack by the horse town. I did not want to chance the Iroquous taking the horses for even a turn! I took maybe three towns before my assault stalled. I incurred heavy casualties, and the Iroquois seemed to have way too many units, mostly archers and swords. But I was able to get a jag victory, starting my GA. After a few turns I was able to start advancing again, when I got my first great leader. I saved him for my FP, which I put in the middle of the newly conquered territory, about 5 squres SE of the Iroquois capital. Shortly before I eliminated the Iroquois (they had maybe 2 or 3 cities left) I made contact with the other continent (like 5 suicide galleys) and entered the Medieval Age.

Then the barbs came! I was ready for them in the jungles. The Americans were not. The barbs brutalized the Americans, but more on that in the next spoiler.

The start postion was ok, especially considering the CGOTM1 start on desert.

I moved SE, too. I made 3 JW's and went exploring. I met the American scout soon enough, but he ran by a GH, which gave me a settler!

That put my expansion to the SE in good order.

I discovered an unguarded Iroquois town to the NW and decided to pillage - no GA, thankfully. After a few turns of chase-the-JW we made peace for g+map. That pushed them back from the spices.

The rest of the time it was expand-o-matic and barb farming.

PTW 1.27 Predator

Settling-
I moved the settler south and saw the dyes, but I did not want to settle

there because It would waste coastal tiles so I moved 1 east and settled

there on the coast with 3 dyes in range and on the river.



Contacts- I met an American warrior in 3600 BC. An Iroquois scout in 3300 BC.

Techs:
Pottery-researched
Bronze Working-traded for from America
Alphabet-Researched-2190BC
Wheel-traded for-2190BC
Iron Working-traded for-2190BC
Mansory-Traded for-2190BC
Writing-Researched
Philosophy-researched-1075BC
Mysticism-traded for-1075BC
Horseback riding-trade for-1075BC
Map Making-traded for- 900BC
Mathamatics-researched-670BC
Republic-researched-50BC
Currency-traded for-110AD
Construction-traded for-110AD
PolyTheisem-researched-270AD


By 1000BC I had 6 cities, 1 settler, 4 workers and 9 jaguar warriors.





Barbs:
Lost a settler in 925BC to one. The barbarinans caused alot of problems for me.

Wonders:
I built the Colossus in 90AD.

Wars:
Declared war on the Iroqoius in 530BC.
370BC made peace, gaining 2 cities.

War on AMerica in 510BC.
Peace in 310 BC, gaining 1 city and Iron.
War on Amerinca in 90 AD.
I avenge my defeat at Washington last war and capture the city in 130 AD. New

York falls in 230 AD.
Revolt to republic in 30 BC.

I researched polytheisem in 270 AD and entered the middle ages.

Attempting my first GOTM in PTW version, I ususally play in Civ III, but I like the renaming ability of units - helps with my QSC timeline.

Opening thoughts-
Based on competitors I see that the WHEEL is the only first tier tech not in play. Our only 2nd tier tech available is MYST, since the AI will usually beeline for IW, I decide to go MYST route.

Now to decide where to build, S SW is jungle but looks to contain a Dye, currently 3 BG in sight. I’m tempted to move SE allowing the Dye and all 3 BGs, plus 2 hills and a mountain. If that is actually coast and not lakes to the N & NW I could do a RCP3 with the SE move. Map is continents and standard size. Our minimap shows us in the middle N/S wise. I decide to make the SE move.
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QSC Highlights

4000BC
Settler SE (spies another Dye E SE) / Worker1 mines

3950BC
Found TENOCHTITLAN set to JW
Sci to 20% MYST in 40 turns +3gpt

3700BC
TEN JW=>JW

IBT to 3500BC – AMR scout comes into view by JW1

3500BC
Contact AMR – polite, 10gold, up MAS & POT, down WC & CB
Trade MAS & POT for WC, CB, 30gold & 1gpt

3250BC
JW2 N (mets the IRQ – Polite, 10 gold, up BW, down WC & MAS) trade IRQ WC for BW & 10gold

3050BC
JW3 NW to GH (The Wheel)

2950BC
TEN settler =>granary

2750BC
settler founds TEOTIHUACAN

2500BC
roads to Dyes completed

2270BC
TEN granary => settler

2150BC
JW4 SW to GH (HRB)

2110BC
learned MYST set to POLY @10% in 40turns

2030BC
AMR learned IW – will trade IW for HRB & MYST & 2 gold – I make the trade – no iron close to me

1990BC
JW3 N N (moving around top side of inland sea to meet up with settler / settler NW (going on long journey to grab horses from IRQ and silks)

1625BC
settler1 founds TLATELOLCO set to worker (this city takes away the only horse tile near the IRQ - turns out to be a very good move as I later wage war on the IRQ first)

1600BC
settler2 founds TEXCOCO set to worker
purchase ALPHA from AMR for 175 gold

IBT to 1575BC- AMR extorts 25gold

1425BC
settler founds TLAXCALA set to worker
mm TEOT so granary completes before growth

1175BC
road for horses completed

IBT to 1100BC - AMR & IRQ both have WRIT

1100BC
Buy WRIT from IRQ for 132gold (5 cheaper than AMR)

1025BC
settler2 founds CALIXTLAHUACA
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QSC Summary

Cities
Tenochtitlan founded 3950BC
Teotihuacan founded 2750BC
Tlatelolco founded 1625BC
Texcoco founded 1600BC
Tlaxcala founded 1425BC
Calixtlahuaca founded 1025BC

16 Pop / 91 Tiles

Improvements
3 Barracks
2 Granary
2 Temple

Units
1 Settler
5 Workers
1 Spear
3 Jaguar Warriors (lost 2 more JW in combat with barbs)

Techs
WC 4000BC started
CB 4000BC started
MAS 3500BC trade from AMR
POT 3500BC trade from AMR
BW 3250BC trade from IRQ
WHEEL 3050BC from GH
HRB 2150BC from GH
MYST 2110BC researched
IW 2030BC trade from AMR
ALPHA 1600BC trade from AMR
WRIT 1100BC trade from IRQ
1 turn from POLY at 1000BC




Post QSC Action

975BC learn POLY
950BC sold POLY to AMR for 354g & to IRQ 139
850BC found XOCHICALCO
750BC found TLACOPAN in jungle
710BC buy Map Making from IRQ for 429g
570BC found ATZCAPOTZALCO
430BC buy MATH for 131g from IRQ
190BC found TZINTZUNTZEN
150BC learned MONARCHY – revolted on prompt
130BC became MONARCHY – cycled cities – PHIL in 5 turns at –4gpt(50%)
110BC buy CoL from IRQ for 157g
30BC learned PHILOSOPHY set to REP in 36 @ 30%
10BC found MALINALCO
10AD found TULA
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

250AD declare war on IRQ also sign MA w/ AMR vrs. IRQ for PHIL & 70gold – capture CATTARAUGUS & AKWESASNE

IRQ are still without horses thanks to my long journey with that early settler, so I'm am facing an IRQ without Mounted Warriors.



-------------------------------------------------------------------------

260AD - I VERY GOOD TURN

Had one of my best trading efforts EVER in 260AD – Unfortunately it cannot be too detailed because it is not allowed by the Spoiler 1 rules.

Any similarity to any real civ living or dead is purely coincidental and is protected by my right to eliminate them from the game at a later time of my choosing. These events are based on fact, the names have been changed to protect the innocent.

260AD suicide galley survives 2 turns at sea and I meet CIV3 & CIV4

Reports:
CIV3 - up REP & LIT, down POLY, has contacts with CIV6, CIV4, CIV5 & CIV7

CIV4 - up CUR, REP & LIT, down MON, has contacts with CIV6, CIV5 & CIV7

TRADE: CIV4 will trade contact w/ CIV5 & CIV6, CUR, REP & LIT for MON and 82 gold – I accept the trade

meet CIV5 (via trade) – has contact with CIV7, down POLY
meet CIV6 (via trade) – has contact with CIV7, down POLY & CUR

TRADE: CIV5 will trade contact with CIV7 & WMap for POLY & 74 gold - I accept trade

meet CIV7 (via trade) – up CONST, down POLY

CIV7 will give up CONST for my WMap, POLY and 515gold (my treasury is only 524) – they will do it for less gold if I give contact to AMR or IRQ which I do not want to do. So I decide to wait a few turns, CIV4 should be researching CONST now and CIV5 is down MON then will probably go CONST. If I wait a few turns 2 or even 3 civs will have CONST and it should be cheaper to buy.

260AD Trade recap: I pickup Wmap, CUR, REP, LIT give MON, POLY and 156 gold – hold onto my Wmap & contact w/IRQ & AMR – so I should be able to broker techs between the landmasses

I change IRS guy to Scientist and lower Sci rate to 0% yielding +31gpt & CONST in 40.

(This turn took so long to complete I literally slept on the CIV7’s offer before making my decision.)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

IBT
Reports of Massive Uprising near TZINTZUNTZEN (2 civs in MA)

270AD – That did not take long 3 civs on other landmass & AMR now have CONST

TRADE: AMR will trade Wmap & CONST & 40gold for LIT & CUR – done deal – hopefully AMR will build the GLib for me

CIV5 got Feudalism upon entering the MA
I gift CUR & CONST to CIV6 they enter MA and learn ENGIN
I gift CUR, POLY & CONST to CIV3 they learn MONO
I net about 65 gold & Wmaps in the gifting

TRADE: CIV5 will trade FEUD for MONARCHY, WMap & 463gold (best deal of the 3 MA techs) – I accept trade

TRADE: CIV3 will trade MONOT for FEUD, MONAR, WMap, 135 gold & 3gpt – I accept

TRADE: CIV6 will trade ENGIN & WMap for MONARCHY, FEUD & MONO – I accept

TRADE: CIV5 will trade WMap & 446gold for MONOT
TRADE: CIV4 will trade Wmap & 217 gold for MONOT

270AD Trade recap: I pickup CONST, FEUD, MONOT, ENGIN & net gain of 65g (not counting the –3gpt I gave away) for LIT, CURR, MONARCH, MONOT, FEUD, my WMap, & 3 gpt

After all the trading I set Sci to 0% THEOL in 40turns w/ a Scientist – I’m still in Monarchy and have not traded contact with AMR or IRQ.

The last two turns take me over an hour each to play because of all the trading.

I enter the MA in 270AD (my earliest entry in a GOTM).

PTW 1.27 Open - Up after last month's win in conquest class

Montezuma gathered many of his trusted counselors in the speculation thread and devised the plan to settle SE and have his workers mine on the starting location. Thus in BC 3950, the Aztec empire was founded.

Jag Warriors were commissioned to scour the lands and our neighbors were found in BC 3400. Everything was peaceful as the Aztecs expanded their knowledge with Pottery, the Alphabet, Masonry and BW. Then one day in BC 1790, the greedy Americans, jealous of our superior knowledge, demand to know the secrets of the Alphabet. We politely turn them down and begin to walk away when Abe has a hissy fit and declares war. Bah, I say bah! Angry but not blind, Montezuma holds his position not wishing to trigger an early GA despite the tempting placement of Philadelphia on our southeastern borders.

In BC 1600, the Americans do it again, attacking the city of Tlatelolco. The Jag Warrior successfully defends the town but now the Aztec nation has been christened with a golden age. Retaliation was slow and weak. Instead of war, Montezuma opted for infrastructure and expansion. The meaningless war was over in BC 775 with no land changing hands. In that time the Aztecs had gained more knowledge, the Wheel, Myst, IW and Writing.

With IW came Iron and a rush to settle Xochicalco in BC 825 to secure the source, directly south of the capital. With Lit shortly after, came the fools rush for the Great Library. Montezuma had now become greedy wanting knowledge without having to pay for the research himself. He would be distraught to find it grabbed out from under him by an unnameable civ. Instead the Great Wall was built to protect our empire. With Map Making in AD 70 came the desire to search the seven seas and the finding of new lands and civs shortly after. Fortunately, no lives were lost on this one and only voyage to the new world(s).

With a complete knowledge of the world and an adequately growing empire at home, Montezuma was happy with the Ancient Age but is now ready to move on to the Middle Ages and a new government to boot, the Republic in AD 310. The Aztecs ruled the histographic leader board, however, it was the consensus among city governors is that the Americans must go for their greed in the past and the Iroquois must go because they encroach south into our rightful lands.

From here, we desire to continue expanding through the jungles to the southwest and capture the continent by the end of the middle ages. Turn in next time to see the fate of King Montezuma.

Empire in AD 320


Mini Map in AD 320

please delete

1.27f

I moved the settler S and then the worker N. I didn't much like what I saw so I moved the worker E. Seems that the best spot for an RCP build would be 2 SE of start, so move settler east, finding a decond dye. Settle here in 3900 BC, uncovering the 3rd dye. Looks to be about 6 RCP3 spots available.

I decide to head for Monarchy, researching Mysticism at speed, Polytheism at 40 turns, and then Monarchy at speed.

I built 3 Jagauars, granary, and built first settler in 2510BC.

Met America in 3450BC, they apparently popped Burial, and Iroquois in 3200BC.

Iroquois have 2 workers available in 2670, so I trade Mysticism, 29g and 2gpt to get them both. Then I trade Myst and 7g to get Masonry from America.

Pop a settler from a hut in 2470BC in the jungle spices, walk him to the NW land bridge to settle in 2030BC and build a temple. Was no point settling anywhere in the jungle.

By 2110BC, the Iroquois had a nice ring of 4 cities at RCP5, was looking worriesome, but the AI doesn't seem to manage things to well.

Noticed America isn't growing, still only 2 cities by 1990BC, must be barb troubles.

Buy Iron from Iroquois in 1950BC for 109g. Dismayed at how far away iron is. Envious of Iroquois with iron in capital radius.

Buy Wheel from America in 1700BC for 80g. At least horses are close, and I happen to be roading the horses at the moment. Iroquois horses are near the silks, I may be able to get to them first and keep them from getting and mounted warriors.

Learn Poly in 1425BC, trade to America for Alphabet, Horseback and 220g, and then to Iroquois for 40g (they were obviously researching it as well). Pass America in score, for 2nd place.

In 1400BC I decided I placed Tlaxcala poorly 1 tile NW of horses. Build a worker and then abandon it in 1375BC, in favor of Xochicalco 2 tiles SW of it's ruins.

Notice Iroquois heading for NW spices at this time, try to keep them from grabbing all of them, and appear to be successful as they settle on coast in 1325BC grabbing only the NW spice.



In 1300BC America settles Atlanta in what appears to be a really bad spot, namely smack dab in the middle of the 9 square river area, but not actually ON a river. Only thing I can think of is they were afraid of my Jag that happened to be standing next to them. The thing is, they were on the hill 1 tile N the turn before. Why not settle the hill instead?



Iroquois and America have Writing in 1125BC, costs 150g, decide not to buy it until 1000BC for 132g from Iroquois.

By the end of QSC I have:

9 cities (+1 I destroyed, for 10 built)
18 population
3 granaries
2 barracks
2 temples

1 settler
8 workers
4 slaves (all bought)
10 jaguar warriors
1 archer

I'm ranked 1st in everything but land area (3), disease (6) and military (8), and have dyes, spices, horses and heading for silks.



Continue founding cities up both sides of the north sea, and SE around Atlanta, completely encircling them.

Learned Monarchy in 875BC, start Map Making at speed.

Revolt in 850BC, should have done it immediately on learning, as I learned later in the game with Republic.

Settle on silks in 775BC.

Learn Map Making in 650BC, start Math at 100%. Wishing I could get some tech help.

Start Lighthouse in 570BC, but will lose it later to Germany.

Learn Math somewhere in here.

530BC Pyramids built by Germany.

430BC Learn Code of Laws.

310BC Korea builds Colossus.

Learn Currency somewhere in here.

270BC Korea builds Great Library.

250BC Spain builds Great Wall. See a pattern? Only wonder built on our continent is the Oracle so far.

130BC Learn Construction same turn that America gets Philosophy. Trade Currency for Philosphy and enter Middle Ages. I realize I badly need Republic so, start that, due in 15 turns.



So as I enter the middle ages, I have 23 cities, 3 settlers, 21 workers, 6 slaves (3 from each, all bought), 1 archer, 4 swords, 2 galleys and 18 jags. I'm well ahead in score and ratings. Still don't know where I'm going as far as victory condition though. I'm way too late to start a culture 20k, and probably too late for a fast conquest or domination, maybe.

this's my first GOTM game. thanks for ainwood for such a no-download-required GOTM!
i don't have any clear goal. just want to see what kind of a score my play style can give me.

after moving the worker north-east and found nothing special, i establish my capitol at the starting position. the sesond city was established to the east, expecting to have the wheat after border expansion, which happened so many years later that i almost forgot ...
i was so usded to reloading games that i always sent out a lonely settler to claim lands. the forth settler was killer by a barbarian horseman . i almost went crazy and tried to reload the game but then realized it's a GOTM...

i declared war on american when i only had 6 cities, for no good reason. they are just too weak. they built their 2nd city very very late and i just don't want such a weak civilization to share the same continent.
the first elite azetc warrior give me a great leader.


all my army went to washington and conquered it, only losing one archer. forbidden palace was rushed by the first leader the second turn.


then i destroyed 2 more american cities and left america with only one city -new york. i don't want an empty F4 screen and so i sue for peace and take all the money and tech. tech is really easy on monarch, wehther you research it or broker.

only a few year elapsed before i decided to declare war on iraquois.
here is a picture of my empire before the war. you can see that my city placement is quite bad.

here is a picture of my city placement. i know i did a very bad job this time. but it doesn't seem to matter at this early stage of the game.
i asked them for 30 golds and they gave in. but i still declared war on them. with about 10 swordsmen and 10 aztec warrior i soon wiped out all the cities. i got the the oracle and the collusus during the process.

i made a HORSEMAN army which helped me to conquer several of iraquois cities. i know it must be very stupid but i don't care.
but then... a 3rd leader!!!

i stopped when iraquois had only 1 settler left.

i am thinking about building the heroic monument(i forget the exact name of that small wonder) but the war in the past centuries left me a little tired and i wanted to shift gear and start a peaceful age... so let's leave the leader there for a while.

GOTM032 OPEN

4000: Worker NE and see coastal tiles.
Settler N for coastal city on river in 1 move.
Remembered to adjust preferences on 1st turn
3950: Found Tenochtitlan (city names are gonna be tough to keep straight)
Start JW to scout with
Start researching pottery 100% = 14t (less after road)
3550: JW W and see American scout. Initiate contact before 2nd move NW onto mountain and spotting a 3rd dye.
Receive Masonry, Pottery, & 10 gold for Warrior Code and Ceremonial Burial
Got the impression Abe was researching CB.
Set research to Alphabet
3450: Borders expand revealing what appears to be a narrow landmass.
3200: Iroquois scout
Receive Bronze Working & 10 gold for Masonry from Hiawatha.
Abe has Alphabet & Mysticism already. Must have been from huts.
3050: Change production to granary before popping hut hut near silks. Deserted!!!
2900: Abe got a conscript warrior from hut.
2750: Teotihuacan founded just south of game
2710: Buy Alphabet from Abe for 25 gold, saving 3 turns. Leaves me with 1 gold.
2630: Trade Iroquois Alphabet for The Wheel. I appear to have horses hooked up already
Abe will be insulted offering TW for either of his techs so he is probably researching it. Sell TW to Abe for 25 gold to get it back.
Thucydides says Aztecs are #8 in happiness... lol
2510: JW3 block route of Iro settler/warrior for 1 turn... hehe
2110: Teotihuacan: pop rush granary before growth and realize i have no MPs so change entertainer to scientist... big mistake
2070: Teotihuacan builds granary and starts Temple
JW6 head for Teotihuacan as MP and heal
1950: Iroquois will take all of my 109 gold for Iron Working, Abe wants more than i have. Losing 2/turn so think i will wait.
1910: Tlatelolco founded 3 tiles due S of capital
1830: Abe demanded 25 gold and i refused since he was polite, now cautious.
Iroquois started Pyramids.
GH = 3 barbs
1725: Amer warrior attacked barb and was in turn attacked and lost.
1700: Discover Writing, research Philosophy
Establish embassies:
America = 38 gold: waiting for size 3 to pop settler in 4 turns, 1 regular spearman defending
Iroquois = 40 gold: Pyramids = 87 turns, 2 regular spearmen defending
Abe got Writing same turn.
Trade Writing to Hiawatha for Iron Working + 50 Gold
Sell Abe contact with Hiawatha + 29 gold for Mysticism
1625: Forgot to change production of settler before popping hut, got 3 barbs, had to kill a barb to pop it and retreating to mountain reveals camp
1600: Begin garrisoning at home to avoid tempting the AI
1525: Saw first barb horseman
1500: Dyes hooked up
1475: Texcoco founded on NW isthmus
We all now have 4 cities
1400: Abe went a long way to build Atlanta screwing up my planned city locations to the east.
1375: Discover Philosophy, research Code of Laws
Will hold onto it to help trade for mapmaking (assuming the AI is researching it)
Teotihuacan built settler, will have to grow now, not a good settler factory yet.
1225: Tlaxcala founded SW of gold hill.
1175: Give Hiawatha Philosophy + World map + 182g for Map & Mapmaking
Abe only pays Map + 24 gold for Mapmaking
At least i know where the camps are now.
1150: Sell Abe WM for WM + 30 gold. Hiawatha pays 2g
1075: Calixtlahuaca founded 3 tiles due east of capital.
1050: Iroquois building Oracle
1000BC: Discover Code of Laws. Research Republic
Sell Abe Philosophy for WM + 25g
Sell Hiawatha Code of Laws for Horseback Riding + 151g
Sell Hiawatha WM for 1 gold

Inventory @ 1000 BC

6 Towns
15 Citizens, 4 Happy, 11 Content
1 Luxury = dyes
1 Horses

1 Barracks
1 Granary
2 Temples

3 Workers
3 Elite, 10 Veteran Jaquar Warriors

91 shields accumulated
71 food accumulated
87 tiles, 2 are sea tiles

314 gold
-4g/turn

All 1st tier techs
Iron Working, Writing, Mysticism
Philosophy, Code of Laws, Map Making, Horseback Riding
0 research done on Republic because Code of Laws discovered 1000 BC.

3 settlers, 2 workers, & 1 galley in production

13 Barb camps taken so far

825 BC: Disorder from missed micromanagement in Teotihuacan
Xochicalco founded @ western isthmus of central peninsula
Tlacopan founded @ southern isthmus SW of home
800 BC: Berlin completes The Oracle
Hiawatha switches to Lighthouse
750 BC: Atzcapotzalco founded NW of NW spices
670 BC: Tzintzuntzen founded N of western iron
Iroquois complete Pyramids
570 BC: Buy Mathematics from Abe for Horseback Riding, WM, 51g
Buy worker from Hiawatha for WM + 102g
450 BC: Malinalco founded at S of Silks to NE
Buy Iroquois worker for WM + 102g
430 BC: Tula founded on central peninsula
410 BC: Discover Republic and become one.
I wasn't aware of the 2g support until after i started researching it. All these JWs are gonna cost. Will probably switch to Monarchy later.
Tlacopan: rush harbor
Atzcapotzalco: rush temple
Tzintzuntzen: rush temple
270 BC: Abe demanded Republic and i refused w/ no consequences
250 BC: Tamuin founded NE of home
230 BC: Teayo founded SE, N of game
210 BC: Barbs sank Iro Galley... hehe
50 BC: Hiawatha wanted to give me Construction for Republic... i said no.
10 BC: Discover Construction, research Polytheism and head for Monarchy. Republic isn't gonna work with the 2g support that I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT WHEN I STARTED!!
To revet to Despotism or not, that is the question at the moment.
I adjusted sliders to 8.2.0 and micromanaged some more gold out of cities and can research at roughly the same rate as i think i would in Despotism.
A GA is definitly needed soon.
Upgrade 1 JW just so i have a swordsman.
Begin moving JWs into position to take horses away from Hiawatha before he connects Mauch Chunk to network
30 AD: Lost suicide galley.
Chalco founded @ western most tip of landmass
Investigate Mauch Chunk = 45g, 2 regular spearmen, settler = 1turn, 60% science
If i wait 1 turn there will be 2 more JWs in position, he won't switch to MW if i don't take it this turn and 1 spearman may leave with the settler.
Rush barracks in my Iron city, Iro galley headed that direction.
50AD: Trade maps, Declare war on Hiawatha.
Abe wants ROP + 20gpt for alliance before i attack. Let's see if taking a city reduces it.
Failed to take city or get a kill with JWs... bummer
Alliance prices must be based on relative power. He now wants 25gpt but i will pay.
This could be disasterous if i don't get a GA soon.
Science = 1 scientist
90 AD: GA via JW killing archer
Sliders = 7.2.1
130 AD: Took Oil Springs
Got loan from Abe to do a couple upgrades: 85g for 5gpt
150 AD: Trade Abe Republic for Literature, 16gpt, + 126g
170 AD: The Colossus finished in Tenochtitlan
I don't know why wonders aren't being built elsewhere.
190 AD: Destroy Kahnawake, 13g: was settled down south of jungle same turn
210 AD: Polytheism discovered
230 AD: Tlalmanalco founded
250 AD: Hiawatha finished Great Wall & Lighthouse, same turn, GA for him
1st GL will build horseman army
290 AD: 2nd GL to build FP in Teotihuacan

Missed some turns keeping record of war.

Total of 33 documented barb camps taken for 825g

370 AD: Enter Middle Ages

Edit: (i thought i had the image thingy figured out, but...)

watorrey said:

410 BC: Discover Republic and become one.
I wasn't aware of the 2g support until after i started researching it. All these JWs are gonna cost. Will probably switch to Monarchy later...<snip>...and head for Monarchy. Republic isn't gonna work with the 2g support that I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT WHEN I STARTED!!
To revet to Despotism or not, that is the question at the moment.

Click to expand...

That's the same issue I faced, which is why I am still in Monarchy. With 63 units the unit cost would kill me.

I guess the republic route people are doing it with less troops and more road improved cities (which will raise your commerce).

watorrey said:

(i thought i had the image thingy figured out, but...)

Click to expand...

Here is a link for some help with uploading images. You also have to make sure the spelling & CAPITALIZATION is the same in your file name and when you reference it in the post. Also spaces in your file name are converted to an underscored space when uploaded (ie "pic 01.sav" would upload as "pic_01.sav")

davidcrazy said:

{IMG}http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads7/beforeiraquoiswarr.JPG{/IMG}
here is a picture of my city placement. i know i did a very bad job this time. but it doesn't seem to matter at this early stage of the game.

Click to expand...

I like dense build in fast conquest games. All you need is maybe a few bigger 8-10 towns near Palaces besides river and then maybe 6 workable tiles per towns not totally corrupted. The farther you go, the denser you can build. Many totally corrupted 1 shield towns will produce many horsemen compared to single big corrupted town. Smaller towns are easier to keep happy, too. They need no improvements except barracks.

I noticed in Xevious' post that he placed a town 2 tiles from IRQ. AI tends to attack if your town is nearer than 3 tiles. I lost Medal Play game 5-4 due to that early Deity AI attack and during that game AI reasoning was noticed by someone (you can check the thread if you want). That's good to know and not much known.

i saw newyork had quite a lot of gem and was defended by a sigle spearman and a settler. so i declared war on america and took new york. it's at this momoent that my empire faced the fiercest attack... though only 1 message popped out warning me of the uprising of barbarian, there were actually 3 groups of barbarian horsemen coming towards from two directions. i simply don't have enough army to defend the two ends of my empire because all my army was at the front of the war with america. so i rushed build all the temples and libraries, using up all the money. so all these 60 horsemen disappered after ravaging my cities either taking 2 or 1 gold... it's the first time for me to see so many barbarian ever.

but then, i went back home without saving the game, thinking that i would resume from the autosaving... but the second day my wife played a multiplayer game with me online and by the time i wanted to come back to my GOTM i couldn't find it anywhere... i almost collapsed at that moment... but well... so ends my first GOTM. i guess i must be one of the luckies guys to have 3 GL so early in the game (regardless of how i wasted them )
final image of my gotm:

(i used the command:
[ IMG]http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads7/american2ndwar.JPG[/IMG] ) to insert the picture. but why doesn't it show up correctly?)
i'm pretty sure that i can win the game. actually my next plan is to fill the continent with cities and try for the 100k culture win... but it can only be a dream now. what a miserable first attempt for GOTM.

i'm waiting for the release of the next GOTM. hope it's still download-free.

A bright pair of moons lit the night sky as a myriad of shining metal cocoons flashed through the atmosphere and landed across the planet. The lush planet was no longer an uninhabited world.

With a jolt, his stasis pod thumped into the soft grasslands, Mursilis woke and spoke for the first time in months “All right, Alpha Centauri at last”. As he reached for the handle to open the pod door, he noticed the message waiting light blinking. “I’ve got a bad feeling about this,” he thought as he stabbed the button. Once again the weathered face of Captain Ainwood appeared on his display, “I knew that voice was familiar,” he muttered as he pounded the play button.

“Sorry to drop you and you merry band of travelers off early, but there’s this new Hooters opening back by the spaceport and I’ve got passes for opening night. There are a couple of things we should let you know about this little planet. First, some of the general rules for planetary colonization have been returned to the old ways and I’m sure you’ll enjoy these classic conditions. Secondly, this is a normal sized world with a couple of large pieces of land for you and your followers to settle. And finally, due to the Tecate virus we picked a couple of weeks ago while Karasu was checking out some Mexican nude beach web-cams, all of your colonists speak Spanish. Enjoy your new home and try to stay out of trouble this time, Adios, mi amigo. ” And with the sound of Mariachi music in the background, the message ended.

“Adios, indeed. What next?” Thought Mursilis as he gazed at the monitor as it gave him a quick display of the terrain around his landing site. “Rivers all around and the high ground to the east, the seers speculated something to the southeast, so let’s go check it out. Sure enough, there’s dyes down here, this spot will do for our first city” declared Mursilis. His first city was in place, research to re-invent the wheel had begun using all the thinkers available and a Jaguar Warrior in being trained, that’s a start. “Whomever came up with the names for these cities, needs a quick lesson in brevity” said Mursilis and he made a trade with his advisors, “I’ll let you all call me Montezuma like you’ve been pushing for and I’ll re-name all the future cities” and with nods of ascent the deal was done.

After surveying the local terrain, Montezuma’s scouts made contact with the Iroquois to the north and the Americans to the south. Deals were struck to the approval of his neighbors and all were equally advanced in technology and Montezuma had all of the gold in the known world. The explorer knelt before Montezuma and handed him the dull, metal container. “A knowledge tome. First on I’ve seen on this planet.” Montezuma said and soon his people were riding around on horses. Another knowledge tome, this one with the technique for working iron, would dictate the expansion for Montezuma, as with none local, it became imperative to acquire the precious metal.

Montezuma was disturbed that tribes of uncivilized peoples were attacking his outer cities and was determined to end this harassment, so he sent his Jaguar Warriors to get a taste of battle against these wandering miscreants. With the destruction of a barbarian village, his people cheered and the next morning, he was quite surprised to find a gorgeous lawn growing in front of his modest hovel.

For quite a while, things went on quietly with new lands being explored and new cities being founded. The only interruption to this quiet time was a demand from Abe for gold. “I thought he was going to be a cooperative neighbor, tell him to calm down and relax, maybe go to a play” said Montezuma and as expected Abe’s ambassador humbly left the room in disgrace.

Sadly, word came to Montezuma that Odin, the finder of iron working tome, had been killed in a barbarian ambush. “Send the troops to the barracks for training, we’ll soon make use of these new weapons our blacksmith’s have been creating. The barbarians will be driven from our lands.” Montezuma proclaimed. The graduation ceremony for the first four companies of swordsmen was punctuated by the sighting of a barbarian galley off the coast. So somebody we don’t know has discovered the making of maps, thought Montezuma.

“Call in my generals, I’m getting tired of Abe’s cities occupying my lands, prepare the armies” Montezuma ordered. The war was quick, lasting only 80 years, yet quite profitable as two American cities lay in ashes and with the sacking of Abe’s capital, America gladly ceded another city and the knowledge of numbers for peace. However, with the completion of a tall pointy wonder and the settling on spices that rightfully belonged to the Aztecs, Hiawatha had painted a large “EAT ME” sign on the Iroquois Nation. The discovery of a new form of government led Montezuma to rename his lands the Aztec Monarchy and thanks to the help of the church the period of confusion was brief.

”The troops are in place as you have ordered. We have seven companies of swordsmen in the west and eight companies in the east, all of the fully trained and equipped with the best weapons known in the world.” General Grahamiam reported to Montezuma. “Cry havoc and loose the dogs of war, general” was the reply that echoed through the castle. One by one, the Iroquois cities fell to the power of the Aztec swordsmen. Soon nine of the Iroquois cities, including the capital of Salamanca, flew the banner of Montezuma. During the war, the builders of Hiawatha completed a Great Wall and Hanging Gardens in cities that would soon join the Aztec empire. With the ceding of a city, gold and a slave, the once mighty Iroquois nation was left with a single city on the tundra in the northeast corner of the continent. After the acquisition of the Pyramids in the Iroquois capital the builds in his home city presented Montezuma with a wonderful stone entryway to his hovel.

News that other nations had completed a giant bronze statue and a large building for the exchange of knowledge alerted Montezuma that other leaders on the planet would need to be brought under his rule before peace could be attained. The discovery of a system of justice signaled the end of the Aztec time in the Ancient Age and the entry into the Middle Ages as the strongest empire on his continent. Soon all of the lands of this island would be his, but that is for another tale.