Jungly Germany

A couple weeks ago I posted a thread asking for advice, as the start location was really lousy. However people encouraged me to continue and I decided to give it a shot. I'll keep the progress updated in this thread.

Game setting is Emperor, large Pangea (70% water), Climate/Normal, Temperature/Temperate, Age/4b, Barbs/Roaming, others all default but culture links and AI respawn is off. Of course 1.15 patched.

Background: it's now 1625BC. Germany is surrounded by strong enemies. To the north is Persia, to the south is Maya, to the east is Spain, and many unknown enemies are still in the dark fog. Germany has founded three tiny cities, and his only choice is to expand into the wet jungle with deadly diseases, insects and snakes. Will the brilliant German people survive both the evil nature and other aggressive tribes that want to enslave them?

Part 1

1600BC: Konigsberg is founded. There are 4 very nice floodplains for immediate use, and once it expands there are 2 more. I should have founded it as the first city for a settler factory! It was a big mistake.

1425BC: Spain requests 41 gold for tribute. It's pretty far so I refuse, he declares.

1350BC: Maya is at war with Egypt!! A barb horse approaches Berlin, the spearman blocks its way and protects the slave worker. Have to make a scientist out of Berlin to keep the happiness.

1325BC: 4 CIVs know Mathematics, but Maya has monopoly on Map Making. Hold on trading. Philosophy due in 4 with max sci, since I hope to get a free tech (construction).

1275BC: Frankfurt founded to secure the iron. It's gonna be a tense build in the jungle. Warrior also leaves Humburg to kill a barb. Maya builds Pyramids.

This is Germany in 1275BC:


1250BC: Philosophy is due in 1 turn, so buy Math from Egypt for 282 gold as I want Construction as the free tech (am I the first?). Click end turn - yes, I got Construction [dance]. Set min research to Currency. And Dutch builds Colossus.

1225BC-1150BC: ZZZ

1125BC: Map Making passed around, time for a trde. I move a warrior to an open spot and find 3 Spain warriors at the next tiles!

1100BC: Spain attacks. 2 vet warriors are defeated by my regular warrior and he promotes! The third warrior kills my hero, though, but has only one hp left. I have no fear of warriors. Let's fight! We German people can beat anyone in the jungle! Meet with Netherland. Wip a temple in Leipzig.



1050BC: oops, some CIVs have Construction now! Should have sold it earlier. Trade Philosophy+Construction to Maya for Polytheism+MapMaking+4g. Construction to Netherland for 176g, Mongol doesn't have Mysticism yet, sell to it for 71 gold. All others are broke. Maya beats me to found Quiriguo.

1025BC: People love me the first time! 4 CIVs have Code of Laws. Map Making to Mongol for it. Pop a hut, get Barbs. I found Munich. I originally wanted to found on the white dot to claim the horse but now I decide not to go there, as once the war starts that city has no way to defend itself. Yes, my plan is to attack Maya. I need more land, and Maya is the best target. Its land is fertile, it's close, and its UU is not too strong compared to swordmen. Persia is on the other side of the jungle and Immortals are just too scary. However, Maya is currently No.1 in score and its culture is very strong, so I'd have to raze every single of its city.



This is the power histograph:

Part 2

900BC: Spain now agrees to pay 5g for peace (its all gold). I'll wait a little while..Konigsberg builds granary, now it's popping up a worker every 3 turns..I am not sure if I should have wipped the granary. It would have built the granary 10 turns earlier.

850BC: Saw Spain's horsemen..



825BC: THe Spain archer and a horseman attack my archer in the jungle, both are defeated!!

800BC: Polytheism to Iroquois for 126g. Zulu builds Oracle.

750BC: Persia builds Statue of Zeus.

670BC: Spain pays 40g for peace.

570BC: Persia demands 63g tribute. I cave. There is no way I can survive if he attacks. I've been trying to grab the silk resource far in the east, close to Spain territory, but then Spain beats me to it. I cannot settle in the marshes, but I could settle on the silk directly, but I don't want to be too aggressive (which may anger the AI), and that silk may take ages to be connected to my homeland anyway. So the settler returns home.



510BC: Persia has Republic, Maya has Monarchy. Egypt asks Construction, I refuses.

430BC: Maya demands tribute, I cave. Iroquois builds The Great Lighthouse, many cascades happen. Konigsberg pops up a worker every 3 turns. I'll only build warrior for now, to be upgraded to swordman soon. Now I have 5 warriors, 5 archers and 10 spearmen, but 2 warriors are not at home.

370BC: Gems online, lux drop to 0.

330BC: iron online. Upgraded 4 warriors to Swordmen. Plan to build a donzen more and..attack Maya!

290BC: Persia is building SunTsu's Art of War!

130BC: Currency is done after 50 turns! Enter Middle Ages, got Engineering as the free tech - I was hoping for Feudalism. Persia wouldn't trade me Feudalism for Engineering plus all my gold. Min research to Monotheism. My initial plan was to get lazapa and the city in the fog with iron, but in fear of Maya getting Feudalism (since Persia has it already), I decide to try a quick attack first. Ask Maya to leave and he declares. Let's rock!

lookin' good

Part 3 - First War with Maya

110BC: lose a swordmen and get Lazapa. Ally with Spain vs Maya with Engineering, and get Republic+Literature+71g+10gpt (actually I trade 201g to it for 10gpt, and ask for 272g in the alliance, so I could drop out of the alliance without losing the money).

90BC: Iroquois demands Engineering. He is far away so I say no. He declares. I guess my lone warrior deep in its territory will die soon. I get war happiness so lux drop to 0.

70BC: vet swordman kills a Javellin Thrower excorting a settler. Get two slave workers.

50BC: A MDI kills my spearman, and I see pikeman in Palenque, the iron (and also horse!) city! I move my force on top of its iron. I disband Lazapa after my troops heal. I should have razed it in the first place. I don't have enough forces to prevent flip, and my settler is ready to replace it.

30BC: MDI attacks and dies! My swordman doesn't lose a point. Pillage the iron (and it's Maya's only iron) and fortify on the mountain, waiting for reinforcement to take Palenque.

10BC: two more MDI are defeated when attacking my swordmen on the mountain!!! Who needs anything more than swordman?

50AD: I move to pillage the horse. Maya has another horse though. I don't know if I have enough troops to pillage both.

70AD: keep pillaging. One swordman kills one JT, captures two workers. One Maya MDI and one horseman die when attacking, and one Maya horseman retreats. I join 3 workers into Leipzig to make The Great Library due in 12.

110AD: Now I don't really think Spain is helping me, and I could gain nothing by continuing the war, as I see more and more Maya's troops show up, so I make peace and take 235g + 11gpt. The first war quickly ends.



My current plan is to get Great Library, build a decent army with MDI and take out Palenque quickly after the peace treaty expires.

In retrospect, I am not sure if I should get more prepared before I launch the attack. On one hand it would be fantastic if I had more units to take out Palenque, on the other hand it would be bad if Maya builds more pikemen and MDIs to defend itself. It's always hard to judge. Anyway, since Maya is so strong and big, several small and quick wars seem to make more sense. It's more feasible to weaken its position over time than to give one single decisive strike, as I don't have that much strength. This war has achieved some goals. It took out a size-8 city directly next to my capital, and pillaged Maya's only iron to make it not able to build the best units for quite a while. This makes the next attack much easier. Not to mention I've got some gold too.

Part 4

130AD: The Great Library is due in 9 turns in Leipzig. I should be able to get it, then revolt to Republic. All workers still busy cleaning jungles and marshes.

190AD: Cologne founded to replace Lazapa. The next attack to Palenque is suppose to be easy.

210AD: But..



230AD: Arrrrgh..Beat me by 4 turns??? I buy Feudalism with Engineering+1018g (expensive!!) and switch to Sun Tsu's. I also decide not to revolt to Republic - the military upkeep would be too high. Upgrade 1 swordman to MDI and 1 spearman to pikeman.

270AD: Persia demands 41g, I cave. Byzantine and Egypt allied against Persia. Good!

280AD: Mongols declares on Egypt!

310AD: Egypt demands 30g, refuse and it declares. Good, I don't fear you. Lux drop to 10%. Spain and Egypt ally against Mongol.

340AD: Persia builds Sun Tsu's while I have 6 turns to go! So much for my wonder building. Switch to marketplace. Trade Engineering to Portugal for 64g+12gpt.

350AD: Spain makes peace with Maya and Persia. Lux drop to 0.

380AD: a Egypt spearman apprears.

390AD: Many CIVs have Monotheism. Egypt agrees to pay 20g for peace, but I did nothing!

400AD: Maya wants to renew peace treaty. What should I do?

Part 5: The second war with Maya (1)

400AD: Of course I say NO! I kill the Egypt spearman, now it asks for 20g for peace?! Move my SOD next to Palenque.



This is the "field" of the second war:



410AD: 6 Trebuchets bombard, two Maya pikemen lose one point each, the third no hurt. Two MDI kill two pikemen and both promote, only lose one pt! Palenque is razed. A Maya longbow kills my pikeman. Portugal and Arab ally with Egypt on us.

430AD: not much counterattack?

450AD: Hannover founded! Now I have achieved the goal, so as long as I can hold for a while I'm OK. Wait a minute, Maya already agrees to talk? But I'll see if I can get the other horse, and hopefully get a free tech or two. That would make the third (also the last) war to Maya much easier. So my soldirs move on to Lagartero.

460AD: a Maya MDI kills my pikeman and redline. It's all its counterattack?

470AD: kill the Maya MDI.

480AD: Zulu allies with Egypt. Phony war anyway, but if Persia is pulled into the war..I should have ended the war with Egypt earlier. Establish an Embassy with Mongols, see they are at war with Egypt and Spain. Now I know what those Mongol troops in my territory are heading for. Establish Embassy with Persia, he turns polite. Sign RoP with Persia as some insurance. I lose 3 MDIs when attacking 2 1-pt pikemen in Lagartero!! But I razed Lagartero. Some Arabia swordmen approaches Frankfurt. Forgot to write down Arabia is at war with us too. Not good, I don't have enough defense there. Move defense from closeby cities over there.



490AD: Kill a pikeman and longbow. Maya is "doubtful" to give Invention or Monotheism. Anyway we won't stop till we get Quiriguo! For the first time, FA says "Maya's military has the same size as ours". Aha! I guess the war will last longer than I thought! Spain and Maya sign a peace treaty. Arabia swordman attacks my pikeman, dies. The next swordman kills it. Portugal drops a spearman at west coast. What is he ?

500AD: Arab agrees to talk. He is very backward (lacks Currency and Republic). I don't want to have wars at two fronts, so I give it Currency for 5g for peace. Elite MDI kills a longbow. Mongols and Persia sign an alliance against Iroquois! (Great! The more world war the better) Spain and Netherlands sign alliance against Byzantines. Renew RoP with Spain. Mongols also wants RoP and Alliance against Spain. I accept RoP. Spain builds Leonard. Persia builds Kights Templar. Pikeman kills an MDI, but my elite MDI dies.

510AD: Berlin in disorder. Maya has Musketman! Netherlands signs alliance with Persia against Iroquois. Netherlands demands 63g, I refuse. He doesn't declare. Mongols makes peace with Egypt and Spain.

520AD: Bremen founded to replace Lagartero. Spice is online. Bombard Quiriguo, two musketmen drop to 2 pts. One MDI kills a reg pikeman, one MDI kills a musketman. One MDI fails, another kills the last musketman, Quiriguo is razed! [dance] Kills two MDIs and longbows without a loss. Now Maya agrees to give Monotheism for 120g.

Mongols and Persia sign alliance against Byzantines. Heidelburg has disease!

530AD: Should I plan end the war now?

540AD: Wip a library in Konigsberg. Spain and Egypt ally against us. Mongols declares on Maya!! Hmm, I think I can get the wine city and sue for peace.

Part 6: Second War with Maya (2)

550AD: kill a reg longbow. Stattgart founded! I still cannot build FP? One more city to go I think. I switch some cities to library. My culture is alsolutely pathetic.

570AD: kill a pikeman with MDI, capture a Trebuchet.

580AD: Arabia and Persia sign alliance against Byzantines. Mongols captures a Maya city!!

590AD: Portugal declares on Persia.

610AD: Bombard Cop (actually due to some regional setting the full name of that city is not displayed correctly. But doesn't matter, it's gone soon . 3 musketmen and one longbow. I have 5 MDIs in the stack. Can I take them all this turn? One elite MDI fails, but 3 MDIs just kill 3 musketmen. The last MDI kills longbow. Cop is mine! Now Maya agrees to give both Invention and Monotheism for less than 500g. Since I don't forsee any more war, I decide to revort to Republic. I've been in Despotism for 4610 years! It's the longest I've had in any game. 5 turns Anarchy, well OK. Found Bonn in the place so all 4 wines are mine.

620AD: Found Salzburg on the west coast (I should have done this long time ago), and now I can build FP. I think Hannover is a good place. A Iroquois galley kills mine. I see some Mongols Keshiks coming, Maya is gonna have big trouble.

630AD: Now I need to make a decision. How should I end the war? I'd like to take another city, but which one? Yaxchil seems easy to take (it's fighting with Mongols I think, and the pop has been shrinking. But there is a city below in the fog that really looks juicy - but it's probably Maya's capital and hard to take. I decide to take Yaxchil.



640AD: a Zulu Impi enters my territory. Make peace with Portugal. Arabia declares on Mongols? Egypt delcares on Mongols? Maya kills one MDI and one pikeman.

650AD: Kill 4 longbow. Mongols and Iroquois make peace.

660AD: We are Republic! WW kicks in so raise lux to 10%. Despite 54 unit upkeep we are still making 104gpt!

670AD: Rush a library in Hannover. Maya and Persia sign alliance against Iroquois. Netherlands and Persia sign alliance against Egypt. Arabia demands Engineering, I refuse. Go away, backward people!

680AD: Kill two musketmen and one pikeman, still one longbow with 2pt holding Yaxchill! Well it's mine the next turn. Arabia and Persia sign alliance against Iroquois.

690AD: Yaxichil razed. Maya agrees to give Invention and Monotheism plus all his gold (15g). I will wait a bit hoping for getting a leader to rush the FP. Another Zulu impi appears. Persia and Egypt make peace.

700AD: Spain elite pikeman steps on my iron. Oops, I have nearly no offense or defense in the north front. Make peace with 100g. Abaria and Spain make peace. Oops, that Zulu impi is killed by Maya - they are at war.

This is the new map:

Part 6: Time of Catching Up

710AD: One Maya knight appears. They must have bought iron from someone else. OK, make peace.

This is the power at this point. I am about in the middle range. Persia is the biggest and most advanced, next are Netherlands, Mongols and Ironquois.



I'm still No.10 in score in the world - now it's time to build.

In diplomatic part, Iroquois is at war with Persia, Maya and myself. Maya is at war with Mongols and Zulu. Byzantine is at war with Persia and Mongols. Egypt is at war with Mongols (and it's shrinking).

Egypt will take peace and give Theology a big discount - a couple of turns earilier she didn't even want to take peace up front. I don't know what they are smoking but Let's! Maybe because it's losing to Mongols. 823g for Theology and peace. She turns annoyed. Spain doesn't have Theology yet, and wants to trade Gunpower for it with 348g. Hold on, let's see what others have.

Persia, Netherlands, Egypt, Iroquois and Zulu all have Printing Press and Gunpower. Netherlands asks 820g but accepts 742g. Iroquois and Zulu are at war with me, and I can buy Printing Press for 677g with Iroquois and 637g with Zulu if I sign peace.

If I take the Zulu deal, I would only have 329g left, not enough for trade with Spain. I think I should take Spain's deal first, then Zulu's next turn when I have enough gold, since I don't want Spain to get Theology elsewhere.

Wait, I can use gpt. I make peace with Zulu, buy Printing Press with 601g + 2gpt. Mongols has Chemistry but no Printing Press, but he wouldn't trade! Sell Printing Press back to Spain for all her 474g, still Mongols wouldn't trade. But it would trade Chivalry for PP+Contact with Portugal+214g. Deal! We would need knight for the next war.

So in summary, I bought Theology, Gunpower, Printing Press and Chivalry by 1557g and 2gpt. Not too bad. I set min research to Education. Now we have 233g in treasure.

By the way, I notice AI is reluctant to take my gpt offers. I think probably it's due to my breaking the alliance with Spain in the first Mayan war. Although I actually paid Spain for the alliance, it still hurts my gpt rep if I break out? I don't think I broke any other deal. Allying with Spain was a big mistake in the first place.

We need to disband some units and join some workers to make cities up to pop 6 as the upkeep is currently 60.

My plan at this point is to keep building, and when the time is right give Maya a final strike and claim all its territory, then stay in peace until late Indistrial Age when Panzer comes in hand. Unfortunately, it seems we'll not get a GA till then.

Establish an Embassy in Maya, he has serious happiness problem. Its capital is only building a knight with 5 shield per turn. But it has 7 musketmen+1 longbow as garrison. Glad I didn't try to capture it. But next time it will be mine (probably after 20 turns), and Pyramids is just too nice!

We have saltpeter.

Egypt and Mongols sign peace treaty.

720AD: Persia demands 34g, I cave. Spain and Zulu sigh alliance against Maya.

730AD: Join several workers to Hannover, FP due in 20 turns. Zulu and Persia ally against Byzantines. Mongols and Maya sign peace treaty. Arabia and Mongols sign peace treaty.

750AD: Persia has Education! I'm making 137gpt with min sci. Maya now agrees to trade Chemistry with Printing Press+639g+18gpt+Spices+Wines+Contact with Byzantines. Deal. It will help with Maya's happiness and hopefully he'll continue the war. Almost everybody has Metallurgy. Sign RoP with Egypt, Spain and Maya. Hopefully this will add heat to the war. Lux raised to 10%. Yes, Persia and Zulu sign alliance against Maya! Egypt and Arabia sign peace treaty.

760AD: Arabia and Persia sign an alliance against Portugal. Mongols and Persia sign an alliance against Portugal. Zulu and Maya make peace. Spain and Zulu sign alliance against Byzantines. Netherlands and Mongols sign alliance against Portugal.

770AD: Spain and Netherlands sign alliance against Portugal.

780AD: Spain demands 38g. I refuse. She doesn't declare.

790AD: I am about the No.4 in power. But absolutely the last in culture.. Persia agrees to trade ivory for wines. Deal. Lux to 0. Mongols and Byzantines make peace. Egypt and Byzantines sign alliance against Portugal. Portugal is really in deep shoot.

800AD: Portugal asks Gems+689g+9gpt for Education. Hey, last turn he still lacked Printing Press and Chemistry, where did he get all these techs?? Stop cheating! However if I make peace with Iroquois, I could get Education cheaper, and Metallury for 693g+39gpt. Iroquois has Cavalry! I am too far behind.
Trade Metallurty to Portugal with Education. Oops, making peace loses the war happiness. Raise lux to 10% just to make FP complete two turns earlier. Mongols pay 22gpt for wines, great. He wouldn't even add one more gold - this is what I said about my rep hit.
Min sci to Banking. Spain and Persia sign alliance against Iroquois. Persia cancels RoP.

810AD: Persia has Banking! Sci set to Music Theory. Second Iron is online. Nobody except Maya lacks it - oops, Maya now doesn't have iron. He only pays 9g+3pgt, I wouldn't sell. And I'll run you over in 20 turns. Mongols and Iroquois sign alliance against Maya. Yeah!

820AD: Still nobody builds Sistine Chapel? I couldn't believe it. Guess everybody has serious happiness issue. Anyway, Leipzig has still 33 turns to go, but I may have a chance for JS bach or most probably Smith's. I can research Music Theory in 8 turns. Should I set to max? Hmm..I'll wait one more turn (and next turn I could research it in 7 turns).

And this pops up, to my surprise, we are "The Great", second to Persians! What did Toynbee base the ranking on?



This is my current territory. Compare it with the one at the begining. Also most of the jungles have been cleaned up..



830AD: Set sci to 80%, Music Theory due in 7.

840AD: Set sci to 90%, MT due in 5. We are at a deficit of -77gpt.

850AD: Looks like Maya is losing to Mongols. Our RoP and other deals expire in 10 turns, so I need to prepare a force of knights. My only knight is blocked by Persia when it canceled RoP. I switch Salzburg from harbor to galley to bring it back.

Maya and Netherlands sign alliance against Portugal. World War continues.

Mongols demands 36g, I refuse. We have RoP, would they declare? He didn't. How lucky..I shouldn't have risked it.

860AD: My horseman pillaging all tile improvements outside a city Zulu seemingly captured from Egypt.
Hannover grows, I have to MM it..FP due in 9.

Arabia declares on Egypt.

Netherlands demands 32g. He has Cavalry. I cave. Now my focus is on Maya, and I try to avoid war with anyone else.

Mongols approaches Chichaltza.

Zulu completes Sistine Chapel and Persia cascades to Copernicus's Observatory - so he gets Astronomy. Good, all cascades end so I probably could get Bach's! And it seems I can get MT too. Man this Persia researches too fast!

Maya has MilTrad..

Now we are No.8 in score. Spain, Egypt, Portugal and Arabia are behind us! What, Byzantine is ahead of us? What the...she doesn't even have Theology.

870AD: Egypt and Netherlands sign a peace treaty. Egypt and Portugal sign a peace treaty.

890AD: MT is due. Trade MT to Persia for Astronomy+40g, buy Banking from Iroquois with MT+Gems+173g+9gpt, sell Zulu MT for 127g + 5gpt, and buy Military Tradition + 16g from Egypt with MT+Astronomy.

I trade Theology to Byzantine for incense, 20g and 4gpt. Should have done it earlier.

Persia and Netherlands have Democracy and Economics. What should I research? Min research to Physics for now.

Byzantines demands iron, what are you smoking?

900AD: Netherlands and Persia sign alliance against Maya. Egypt and Iroquois sign alliance against Maya.

910AD: Upgrade a bunch of cannons.

930AD: Persia has Physics. I want to wait for one turn and set max research to Navigation to get it in 6 turns. Maybe I could get it..

And this pops up:



Income increased from 418 to 423gpt. That's ... it???

940AD: Persia has Navigation. Hmm..I guess I'll stick to min sci for a while. Astronomy to Maya for Economics+4g, as a safe fallback to Smith's if Bach fails.

Egypt and Persia sign alliance against Byzantines. Maya and Persia sign peace treaty. (good, I don't want Maya to fall too fast)

950AD: Mongols and Maya sign peace treaty. Good. Iroquois and Maya sign peace treaty. Spain and Maya sign peace treaty. Egypt takes Piedras Negras from Maya.

960AD: Spain and Byzantine sign peace treaty.
980AD: Portugal and Persia sign peace treaty. Iroquois and Spain sign peace treaty.
990AD: Persia and Iroquois sign peace treaty.
1000AD: I decide to research Physics myself as the market value is almost as high as the cost I research myself. Set to max, due in 5. I declare war on Maya. Pikeman step on Maya's saltpeter.
Egypt and Maya sign a peace treaty.

this an enjoyable read...please finish it

indeed

Part 7: The Third War with Maya

We've had 2 wars. In the first war, we were very weak compared to Maya, and had to quickly end the war when we were hit with counterattack. In the second war, our strengths were about equal. Now in the third war, we for the first time have overall military advantage, and there is only one goal: wipe Maya out of the planet.

1010AD: move cannons next to Chichen Itza. Egypt and Spain sign alliance against Portugal.

1020AD: Bombard, first cavalry retreats, second kills a musketman, third retreats, fourth kills another musketman, fifth kills musketman, two elite MDIs kill two musketmen without a loss, one cavalry kills a musketman, the last one retreats. OK, next turn..
Two Maya longbow kill my two injured cavalry. Another musketman gets on my second iron.

1030AD: bombard. 2 elite MDI kill a musketman and a spearman, I've got Chichen Itza, the Mayan capital. I keep it because it has Pyramids.



Cavalry kills the musketman trying to pillage my iron.

Buy Physics from Zulu for WM+590g. I still have 2 turns to finish and this is slightly cheaper. Persia and Netherlands are already in Industrial Age. Set research to Theory of Gravity, due in 6.
Bad news: Iroquiois is almost conquered by Persia. My, Persia is really huge now. Not good to have a superpower next to me..



We are No.7 in world ranking now.

1040AD: Bombard a longbow to 1pt, my 2pt elite cavalry attacks, and..



I got my first leader (what a shame for a military civ)! Cav army for sure.

It looks like all Maya has as offense is longbow. That's the result of having no horse or iron.

1050AD: wines to Netherlands for 25gpt. Wines to Spain for 5gpt. Cancel the deal with Persia (Ivory/Wines).
Spain and Netherlands sign alliance against Maya.

1060AD: Buy ToG from Netherlands for WM+1120g. Mongols has Magnetism but he doesn't want to trade it with ToG+all my gold. Sell ToG to Zulu for Navigation+426g+WM. Research Magnetism in 5 turns.

1070AD: Mongols enters Industrial Age too! Cavalry army razes Cuello all by its own. Egypt demands iron, no way. You are the next to die, by the way.

1090AD: renew incense deal with Byzantine, give her Chivalry. WW appears, raise lux to 10%. Iroquois and Mongols sign alliance against Portugal.

1100AD: MM all cities to fix WW. Bach is due in 2 turns so things will be good. I could trade wines with Persia for ivory, but he refuses to pay more and I don't want to improve his happiness.
Buy Magnetism from Netherlands with WM+338g. We are in Industrial Age! And I have Steam Power! Yahoo, I have coal in Frankfurt and that's an IronWorks city!!! I immediately switch to Iron Works, due in 20.



This is the third game that I could build iron works, and the second game in a row (my last Germany game also had it). Hey, who said Conquests has fewer resources? And does Germany have better luck?

Trade Steam Power to Persia for Medicing+1622g+98gpt. Trade Medicine to Netherlands for Monarch+WM+1360g (he wouldn't give Democracy).

Set research to Industrilization, due in 10.

1110AD: Tikal only has one defender? Easily taken. I didn't raze it because I think now I can quickly take Maya out, so the flip is not so scary. Cancel RoP with Mongols.

1130AD: Spain sroops arrive at the front line. I don't want them to capture any Maya city so I cancel RoP.

1140AD: Captured two Maya cities. Now he has only one city left. Dutch builds Shakespear.

1150AD:



Maya is eliminated. Yes! Since our first war vs Maya, there has been 1280 years passed.

Part 8: Fall of Egypt (1)

1160AD: Let's see. Our unit cost for the first time is zero, good, but after the war and more units needed for garrison, our military is relatively weak now. Gotta build more cavalries. I have very decent size of land, but I need more to compete with Persia. My next target is Egypt (it has only 5 cities now). Then when Panzer comes, I'll unite the world against the mighty Persia! War is ended, lux drop to 0, Industrilization due in 4. My income is right now 827gpt with all the gpt payments, max sci still has 67 surplus.

From tech point of view, I need to get Sci Method ASAP and build Theory of Evolution and Hoover Dam.

This is the world map:



We are now No. 6 in score and No. 2 in power.

Persia demands wines, I cave.

1170AD: rush a University in Heifelburg. I hope to push Persia backward to get that coal at the border..



Egypt and Byzantines sign peace treaty.

1190AD: This surprised me:



One more reason for me to take over Egypt! This is just fantastic.

But Zulu completes Newton's, and my Newton is due in 2 turns! So I switch to Unversal Suffrage. Due in 21 turns.

Dutch completes Maggllan's Voyage. All cascades end. Exactly what I wanted, plus Smith's will be mine soon.

Mongols destroyed Portugal.

1220AD: Theology to Arabia for 15g + 5gpt + WM.

1230AD: I declare war on Egypt. Cavalry Army and a vet cavalry raze Pi-Ramesses. 3 cavalries raze Piedras Negras. An Egypt cav kills my cav.



1240AD: army kills the cav. Move more troops. Netherlands demands Industrilization, I refuse, he declares? No.

Egypt cav attacks Dortmund and retreats. I have only one elite MDI.

1250AD: That MDI leaves Dortmund and kills the cav. A cav replaces him to guard Dortmund. Found New Leipzig. My elite cav kills a vet cav.

Renew wines deal with Netherlands for 24gpt. It's "never" when I want 10g more. My breaking the first alliance with Spain indeed has some negative impact. 3 Egypt cavs appear and kill one cav.

Part 9: Fall of Egypt (2)

1255AD: kill the 3 cavs.

1260AD: Iron Works finished. Change to factory. Electricity is done, set to Sci Method, due in 6. Universal Suffrage is due in 7, so I can switch to Theory of Evolution just in time. A Egypt musketman and settler pair go to the razed Piedras Negras spot trying to re-settle. This is one of the most AI stupidity in the game. When they are at war with someone, they still constantly send settlers to the enemy controlled territory.

1270AD: Banking to Byzantine for incense. Army takes out Elephantine and Smith's is mine.



My elite cav kills the musketman and turns the settler into two workers.

Mongols and Egypt sign trade embargo against us.

Persia seems to be researching Electricity as he only wants to pay 1079g+silks+ivory. Netherlands wants to pay much more. I'll wait for one more turn to let Persia keep researching it, then trade to Netherlands and Persia at the same time.

From now on I'll hold on important techs (such as Industrilization) not to trade. With ToE within 7 turns I can take the lead for the rest of this game.

We are No.4 in score and No.2 in power now. Culture is still behind but we are catching up.

1275AD: Persia now only pays 640g for Electricity. I think he will research it this turn, so I trade to Netherlands for Nationalism+77g+41gpt+WM. Also trade to Persia for 836g. Upgrade a pikeman to rifleman to let AI think twice before they attack me.

Netherlands and Persia sign a military alliance against Byzantines.

Egypt is sending another settler over.

1280AD: New Hamburg founded. Army attacks Thebes. Beat a reg Musketman and has only one hp left??
Zulu and Egypt sign trade embargo against us.

1290AD: Resistance in Elephantine ended. Rush a library. I move cannons to Thebes.

Netherlands demands Industrilization (again!), of course I refuse, he declares? No.

1295AD: Sci Meth is due. Research Sanitation.

Heroic Epic is due. Continue on Military Academy.

Oops, if I switch Universal Suffrage to ToE I'd lose almost 200 shields - I thought they were the same cost. Well, complete Suffrage, and build ToE in 12 turns with my new iron works city (it's producing exactly 50 shields per turn). In the mean time I can research Sanitation (5 turns) and Replaceable Parts (8 turns). Totally 13 turns. I may have to slow down for one turn? I will build a cannon first.

1300AD: Leipzig is also producing 50 shields per turn with factory+coal plant. I decide to build ToE there. Frankfurt switches to university in 2 turns, and then will start on Palace as a prebuild for Hoover Dam. Nuremberg is building Military Acadamy.

Bombard Thebes. Army kills 4 musketman, one cav kills one longbow, and Thebes is razed!

1305AD: Two Egypt cav show up. One cav dies but redlines one, two cavs take out the two. I decide to wipe out Egypt completely to prevent flip forever. But she has a city down to the south so I'd have to sigh RoP with Zulu and get it.

1310AD: I found New Konigsberg in the current location, not immediately bringing the fur online, as the current location is more optimal once the city expands. I don't need the fur right away, and I think I can culture-push to get the tile anyway. I'll rush a library next turn. Maybe I am too much a perfectist when it comes to city placement.



Netherlands and Persia sign alliance against Byzantines. Geez, how many times has this happened?

Arab MDI attacks Memphis (you can see the MDI in the above screenshot).

1315AD: Rush library in New Konigsberg as promised. Brandenburg switch to settler.

1320AD: Sanitation is due. Start hospital in certain cities. It seems I could research RP in 7 turns, not 8, but ToE is due in 8 anyway. I set it to 7 and will shut off research for the 8th turn.

Memphis only has one defender. Razed. Move on to Heliopolis.

Oops, Giza expands and gets the fur! I have to rush more culture. New Konigsberg switch to temple.

Persia/Netherlands still haven't researched Industrilization or Sci Method. I cannot judge which tech they are researching. Maybe they are researching Ironclads? Here is the second AI stupidity: in Industrial Age they alway go the Nationalism line, while human players always go after Industrilization, Scientific Method and Electronics to get all three wonders. Up to now I always get ahead in Industrial Age. I think the tech tree is designed this way to favor human players. If AI goes after the bottom line, I am sure the game would be more challenging in higher levels.

1325AD: Rush a temple in New Konigsberg. I've spent almost 400g just because I chose an "optimal" city placement.

Razed Heliopolis. There is the last Egypian city at the far south-eastern corner behind Zulu's territory. Sign RoP with Zulu. Cav army and one other cav on the way to destroy Egypt.

New Leipzig is setup to pop up a worker every 2 turns.

1330AD: Egypt is eliminated.

Part 10: The Sneak Attack

Oh, Persia has Replaceable Parts. No wonder. It took Persia about 11 turns to research it. That tells something..Of course, Netherlands now also has it.

1335AD: Nuremburg is in disorder. We need more lux..if the fur is there..Nuremburg starts Colosseum. I haven't had to build this thing for a long time. This game is tough.

I trade Persia Sci Method for 746g + 187gpt + ivory. This tech wouldn't give Persia any advantage in military anyway and I'm finishing ToE in 5 turns, so no fear for it to build the wonder. Trade to Netherlands for RP+18g. Yes, I'll get RP 3 turns earlier, and I can research Corporation before ToE comes online so I wouldn't waste 2 turns of time.

Establish embassy with Netherlands. He has 7 lux and everybody is happy? But Amsterdam is producing 10 shields per turn and 15 food per turn. Is it a worker factory or sth?

1340AD: WLTKD everywhere..

I just found that Persia is in Facism. That's why it now researches slow? I guess the long war caused it to have serious WW problem. And Netherlands is in Anarchy?!! I went back to a previous save and it shows the following:
1130 Monarchy -> Anarchy -> 1160 Facism (BTW, Persia is not religious, how come it only has 2 turns of Anarchy? Clearly, AI cheats!) My, it has been in Facism in almost 200 years. I guess I should check F3 more frequently.

At that time the only CIV that was at war with Persia was Byzantine, which I believe was just a phony war. Apparently Persia intentionally switched from Monarch to Facism after it discovered the tech. Interesting.

I want to wage a quick war on Spain to get Toledo, the Leonard city, to upgrade my pikeman and cannon. She is still in Middle Ages lacking Physics so it should be fast.

1350AD: ZZZ

1355AD: Corporation done, set to Atomic Theory. ToE completed. Get Atomic Theory and Electronics. Perfect timing.

1360AD: Switch Frankfurt from Palace to Hoverdam, due in 4. Refining due in 7. Byzantine and Persia sign peace treaty. Mongols and Netherlands sign MPP. Yeah, New Konigsberg finally pushed the border to Giza and fur is online.

1365AD: declare war on Spain. Lose one cav and get Valenica. I didn't raze it hoping for a barracks to heal my troops.



But a truly unexpected event happened:




Persia sneak attacks! And Heidelburg falls with one reg swordman as the only defense. OK, he may regret paying me 187gpt. I only received payment for 6 turns. You'll regret more and pay more, I swear!

Bad timing, as I just started a war with Spain (AI is being smarter now?), and my military is absolutely weak compared to Persia. What should I do?

Persia probaly attacked because he saw you did'nt have much defense in Heldinburgh and to get out of GPT payments.

Time to get Persia's neighbors involved, and start taking Persian lands! :soilder: That's what I'd do with a superpower. Good luck!

Sounds like its time for the first war of the anti-Fasicist coalition!

Part 11: Homeland Defense (1)

My current military is really weak: 6 pikemen, 1 longbow, 8 cavalry, 4 infantry, 11 cannons, 10 MDIs, and that's about it. And I have 28 cities to defend. Other than cannons I nearly just have one unit per city. There is no way I could really stand against Persia. But the nice thing is that my production in core cities is strong, and with Hoover in 3 turns I may have a chance to defend myself.

I decide to quickly take out Toledo as planned, and upgrade all my troops, then focus on Persia.

I also need to make sure my wonder cities are safe. Frankfurt is just next to Heidelburg, which Persia just captured. It has Hooverdam almost finished, and also ironworks. Leizpig is also at the border with Bach's and ToE. Nuremberg has Heroic.

This is the front line:




This is the map:



We share a long border.

Of course, we need alliance. Elias Rex said, "time for the first war of the anti-Fasicist coalition!" Netherlands is now Facism too, but we don't care about your government. Just fight for us! And at the end of the war, I expect all AIs to change to Facism anyway.

1370AD: I give Mongols Sanitation for 16gpt for alliance. He will drag Netherlands into the war since they have MPP. Give Zulu Sanitation for 43gpt for alliance. Give Arabia horse for alliance. I switch most cities to produce infantry.

Netherlands and Persia sign alliance against Zulu?

Netherlands declares on Persia too due to MPP.

1375AD: Bombard and kill a Persian infantry which killed my cav. Saw a huge Persia SoD (like 50+) close to Valencia (the Spanish city I just captured) - but mostly crusaders and immortals. Fortunately it is not immediately close to my homeland. There are a few Zulu/Dutch cities in between.



Zulu cav captures a Persian city. Nice!

1380AD: Bombard and kill a Persia inf which tries to pillage my coal. Abandon Valencia. An elite MDI kills a Spainish cav, and..a leader! Another army would be nice. Should it be cav or inf?

I'll take defense for a while, build up my military, and then counter-attack. With Hoover online next turn, I should be able to pop up units faster than Persia.

Sign RoP with Netherlands. Netherlands destroyed Byzantines. Hey, focus! Mongols also declares on Zulu. Not good..they are fighting each other at Zulu's border. This would not happen if I had signed alliance with Netherlands right away without waiting for the MPP to trigger.

1385AD: Persia moved a small SoD of 7 units close to Frankfurt. Let me see..take out Toledo first. Get Leo. Spain agrees to talk, sign peace and ally with Persia. Upgrade several MDIs and pikemen. Load 3 infantry into the army and let it guard Frankfurt. Later this army will pillage Persia all over the place with an explorer. Haven't tried that before.

Raise lux to 10%.

Persia mini SoD retreats from Frankfurt. AI is reluctant to attack armies..

1395AD: Infantry army moves into Persia's territory and start pillaging with an explorer.

1400AD: turn on governor to manage mood for all cities. Bombard Heidelburg, only two defenders. One cav kills one inf, another cav..what? No more cavs in my homeland? Move 3 infantry to it.

1405AD: Heidelburg now has 2 riflemen and a cav. My two inf kill the cav and one rifleman, but the third inf loses to the 1-pt rifleman! Wait, I just built a cav, take that rifleman out. People, welcome home.



What, there is a resistor? Now it's pop 2 and has one persian citizen. It was at least pop 6 before! That is Facism and Persia must have pop-rushed a rifleman or something. I think it's unfair that if I take over a city, people are still unhappy with previous governor's cruelty.

Kill 3 infantry, lost 2 infantry in the process.

OK, after 8 turns I finally in a position to defend myself. I now have 21 infantry, 11 artillery and 8 cavalry. Persia doesn't seem to focus on me - I haven't seen its huge SoD approaching. It's mostly a couple of infantry trying to pillage something and always turned around when blocked by my infantry.

However, I don't forsee this war as the final war towards Persia, as I don't have enough offense to take out its infantry. I'll pillage as much land as possible in its core area, and wait for Panzers to give it the real strike. So in this war I'm building more infantry than cavalry.

Netherlands now have Byzantine's incense. Trade to him with Gems + 166g.

Persia infantry kills my Guerilla on the mountain close to Heidelburg.

1410AD: Kill the two Persian infantry.

Persia two SODs show up close to New Leipzig. About 30 units mixed with crusaders, immortals, longbow, muskemen and riflemen.

1415AD: Military Acadamy is online, I start building Armies. Due in 6.

Bombard Persian SOD. Next turn when it enters my territory I'll bombard again and kill them. Persia now agrees to talk and pay for peace, and..he doesn't have rubber! That means no more infantry? Ha!

My infantry army is pillaging around Persia's capital. I should have put two or more explorers in it to pillage much faster.

A Dutch Frigate sinks a Persian Frigate.

Zulu and Persia sign peace treaty.

Persia requests audience, no way that I'll drop out of the alliance. Still got stuff to pillage!

AI absolutely fears infantry, even if there is one single infantry they would not attack. I remember long time ago in a game America got a huge pile of infantry trying to attack me, and I put a straight line of infantry along my border (with fortress), and America just turned around trying to find an open slot, but never attacked a single one of them.

Iroquois and Netherlands sign alliance against Persia. Isn't it stupid? Iroquois now only has one single city surrounded by Persia. It will die soon.

Steel is done, start Combustion, due in 7 at -71 deficit.

1425AD: New Munich pushed the culture border to get the Rubber from Zulu. He doesn't have Rubber now. I could give it Rubber to ally with Persia again, but I don't want to be locked into another 20 turns. I plan to sue for peace after a while, and wait for Panzer then counterattack.

Nobody researches Espionage. Do I have to do it myself?? Not until Panzer.

Persian SoD turns back? I kill several crusaders and immortals.

1430AD: bombard Alaxandia, only two riflemen in the city dispite the SoD close to it. Easily taken, and it has Great Library.

Pillage the fourth ivory around Persepolis, now Persia loses one lux.



IBT: A Persian immortal kills my 2-hp infantry. Another Persian infantry pillages a tile of Toledo. I don't care. I just need to keep Leo.

1435AD: Bombard around Alaxandia. 3 inf and a guerilla redline and kill two immortals and a rifleman. Two inf attacks a one-hp inf and both die! The third inf kills it but I do not make more attacks on those 1-pt infantry.

Part 12: Homeland Defense (2)

IBT: A Persian cavalry sneak attacks my SoD of workers working on a hill. Please, do not disband them! He is stupid enough to actually send those workers INTO my territory. Iroquois and Zulu sign MPP, which means..Zulu declares on Persia again.

1440AD: get those workers back and kill the cav. Continue to rail the hill. Pillage a horse. WW shows up in certain cities. There are 6 turns alliance left (9 turns with Spain).

1445AD: Army is built in Berlin. Start Pantegan in Leipzig.

1450AD: Load another infantry army. Bombard and take out Hieraconpolis by a cav, a nearby infantry and the new army.

IBT: Persia attacks Hieraconpolis. I have the infantry army there. I thought AI doesn't attack armies (the Leonard city has my cavalry army and never got attacked), but apparently it does. The army fends off about 5~6 units and has only 3 pts left. Iroquois declares on Mongols.

1455AD: We are No. 2 in score now. Bombard around Hieraconpolis. Have to raise lux to 10% as WW is now 30%.

This is the hot field:



IBT: massive attack on Alexandia. 3 Persian cavs die, 2 retreat, 3 win, we are still holding.

1460AD: Combustion comes in. Set Mass Production due in 8 to not have too much deficit. Still 5 turns alliance with Spain, but others expired. Persia retreats from Hieraconpolis and Alexandria.

Iroquois is now on a lone tile-one island.

IBT: Persian reinforcement comes to Hieraconpolis & Alexandria again, and some units move to Hamburg and Dortmund. Spain and Iroquois sign alliance against Mongols.

1465AD: Kill a bunch of units (mostly cav)

1470AD: bombard and kill 2 inf and 2 cavs guarding Kaminaljuy, take it. It's size-1 so I keep it. There is coal in its radius.

Just realize I forgot to sell the coal plant in Leipzig after Hoover is built. Nah, wasted almost 20 turns of maintenance and pollution!

1475AD: Netherlands has Espionage. I could trade Corporation for it plus all its gold (1627g), but I want to wait one more turn to see if I can get more.

I am pushing toward Persia. I feel I have to post such a screenshot to illustrate one thing: resources. Could you count all the resources that the 3 Persian cities have?



The answer:
1. Hamadan: iron, oil and saltpeter
2. Seville: coal and 3 silks
3. Zaragoza: coal and oil

Kaminaljuy (at the bottom) which I just captured one turn ago also has a coal. Man, those jungles are really resource-rich! Look back at the cities in my jungly area (which has already been cleared), there are iron, coal, rubber and two oil, including an iron works city. Now I understand why some people said it would pay off in the long run when I was initially doubtful whether to play this game or not. Yeah, stick with it, man!

1480AD: Capture Zaragoza, and get a leader. I use this leader to rush Battlefield Medicine.

1485AD: Oops, Persia has Corporation, and Netherlands no longer wants to trade Espionage with Corporation. Capture Hamadan, 3 Persian citizens and 2 on resistance. I'll keep it. Once the border expands I'll get the saltpeter too.

Now the WW is over 50% and all my alliance treaty has expired, so I sue for peace. Of course before that I'll kill as many units as possible, and..I get my fourth leader. I decide to save it for Wall Street since it's unlikely I'll be able to get another one.

Persia wouldn't give me any tech or gpt. I ask for all its gold (502) and 6 workers. The 115-year war started by Persia's sneak attack, and ended by me capturing 3 of its cities and pillaging all roads around its capital. Persepolis is now size-6.

In less than 10 turns I'll have panzer, so I'll mass-produce them and in 20 turns I'll invade Persia on two fronts: to the east I'll go directly to its capital and gets Sun Tzu's, to the west I'll get Ghulaman and Seville. Persia is at war with every other civ, which I don't think will change very soon.

Oops, I'm at war with Spain? That's right, I asked for alliance against Persia when I signed peace with Spain, so now I cancelled the alliance, I also cancelled the peace treaty. I actually thought about it when I signed peace, but I thought it was not quite possible to work this way, apparently it is! Good to know then. Anyway I am not unhappy to wipe out Spain. I sign RoP with Persia so I could quickly do that.

WW is gone, but all clowns are still there. Updating lux bar still doesn't refresh it. Go to "Contact governor", choose governor for all cities (again), now it's right.

Regarding governor, I almost always used it to manage moods when I played Monarch and below. Now with Emperor I do a lot more MM. Now I've got factory and Hoover running, MM is no longer needed so I set to governor to manage the moods.

My military is 52 infantry, 8 cavalry, 4 armies (one is empty) and 3 Guerilla. Upkeep 62. I'm glad to use some to conquer Spain to lower the upkeep.