COTM 08 Spoiler 2: Entering the Industrial Age

[chunkymonkey]

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Falling behind

We entered the Middle Ages realising we were missing essential resources, and only posessing a small portion of land. At this stage, we are looking to direct a future assault on Babylon with longbows in an attempt to obtain iron and horses. We may require the help of Theodora.

In 30BC, we meet Japan. In 70AD we meet China, and Lagash, the fortress city on the border of Babylon completes the Forbidden Palace. We are now a monarchic state, so our economy gives us a great boost. We continue down the research path towards Gunpowder and reach it in 350AD. We are extremely grateful for the saltpetre! Rival civs are beginning to build Magellan's, Newton's and so forth. We are rapidly slipping behind in the technological race, something has to be done, or this game is lost. The only thing i could see to do would be to capture the Great Library, currently residing in Adrianople, a Byzantian city nestled in the heart of Theo's empire. This was going to be tricky.

Capturing the Great Library

The plan was to take an army of longbows, muskets and trebuchets to attack Adrianople before Theo learned Nationalism. First of all, we buy Chemistry and use this to buy Monotheism. In 570AD we buy Metallurgy and trade this for Theology. In 580AD we establish the Byzantine embassy and investigate Adrianople. The GLib is guarded by 3 riflemen! (luckily only one veteran). Modify the plan to pump out vast numbers of trebuchets.

In order to slow down the world tech pace a little, the Sumerians decide that a little World War would be very useful. We establish embassies with nearby civs and sign appropiate ROPs to reach Adrianople. In 790AD when we reach the gates of Adrianople, our longbowmen peer over the city walls, and what do they see... INFANTRY! This is going to be a close battle. I have a stack of 20 longbows, 6 muskets and 20 trebuchets. We attack, and our valiant medieval warriors slaughter the modern age troops of Adrianople. We have 5 longbows to spare!

World War 1

In 800AD all civs hour their pacts with us and immediately declare war on Theodora. WW1 has begun. As a reward for commencement of the apocalypse, the Sumerian people are granted knowledge of 13 techs, dragging them kicking and screaming into the Industrial age! They are also given 4 IA techs, Nationalism, Communism, Fascism and Steam! Never again will i underestimate the power of capturing the GLib.

We realise this turn that Adrianople has a 77% chance of flipping. So we donate it to Babylon! Enter Anarchy ready for a more enlightened form of government suited to the times.

At the Beginning of the IA, the Byzantines are still way ahead in tech. I've given up on fast domination or conquest now, and there is no way i am going to win a cultural victory. I'm going to have to go for diplo/space depending on how crafty I can be with my trading. My reputation is probably completely ruined after that ROP rape on Adrianople, so i'm not expecting an easy ride. I'm also going to need to sort out my infrastructure if i'm going to be able to compete scientifically. A Golden Age would do very nicely right about now... but that's a story for the next spoiler!

The world at 800AD:

 

[Darkness]

Predator, Barbarian fix enabled…

When I entered the MA I got feudalism as my free tech, and after gifting the scientific civs into the MA, all initial MA techs were available, but no-one wanted to trade. So I had to research engineering and invention myself. While doing this I built libraries, barracks and after that archers and trebuchets in my core, to add those to my standing army of about 10 Enkidu’s and for my upcoming war with Babylon. I got invention, and I at that point I upgraded my archers to longbowmen, in the late BC’s. After this I did no more research for the rest of the game, because I was going to invade Persia as soon as I had control of my own continent, because I’d then get tech-parity because they had the Great Library in Persepolis. Babylon and the Byzantines were still at war, so both were not as strong as they could have been, which was a great advantage for me. My assault on Babylon started in 10 BC, and it went really slow. An Enkidu managed to trigger my GA against a redlined Babylonian warrior. During the GA I built more longbows/trebuchets as well as some marketplaces and aquaducts. After Babylon had been reduced to 4 cities I gave Hammurabi peace for 20 turns (210AD). Then I went after the Byzantines. After taking some of their cities I gave them peace in 320AD in exchange for a town on the small island on the W of my core. In 340AD Persia built Leo’s in Persepolis, where they already had the Great Library, making this a great target, because I had already spotted horses in the far N. If I could hook it up in time and build some horses, I could upgrade to knights after capturing the GL, and if I was lucky, cavalry would fall into my lap.
At this point Persia and China were at war and Persia was slowly losing…
In 430AD Babylon was eliminated by the Byzantines. In 520 AD I declared war on the Byzantines again. This turn gave me my first leader, who became a longbowman army, This turn also saw Persepolis falling to the Chinese, which meant I had to go up against the runaway AI to get the Great Library. 550AD gave me my second MGL, who became the Heroic epic. At this point I was already cashrushing galleys until I had somewhere around 35 of them. 570AD netted me another leader, who also became a longbowman army. The Byzantines died in 600AD. Around this time the Persians were driven of their home island, which meant they only had 2 towns on my island.
In 620AD I hooked up horses, so I began building horseman immediately. 650AD featured a one turn war in which Persia was eliminated by the Sumerian army.
In 700AD I landed 70 units (longbows. MI, pikes and trebuchets) on the other continent. Persepolis fell in 720AD, which gave me all mandatory MA techs except theory of gravity by means for the Great Library. It also gave me military tradition, which allowed me to upgrade my horseman to cavalry. 750AD gave me my fourth and final leader, who became a cavalry army. After that it was a rout. The fast units allowed me to breeze through the AI. I eliminated Egypt and took parts of China and the Mongols for a 950AD domination win.


Great game Ainwood! The start was quiet challenging and it was great to do warfare with units other than horseman/knights/cavalries!

 

[Ljdjr]

1140 BC I see Horses! Is it too late?

I build a bunch of Horses, and beeline to Military Tradition. So I thought.
I was planning on skipping Knights, so when I had researched Metallurgy, and it asked me if I wanted to research Chivalry. I thought it said Calvary. It's a story as old as time. I am the smoking gif.

1485 AD Byzantines are about to get Tanks. I'm way behind in tech, so it's now or never. I'm gonna sign China to an MPP and get Byzantines to declare on me. I've got about 50 Calvary in a stack to send into their heart. They've got about 50 Infantry marching to the North to fight the Persians.
1485 AD

My stack took out one city and then my troops got diverted defending the horses. Great Map! I stood for a while but the Tanks and soon Mech Infs were too much to handle. I did get the pleasure of seeing many Tanks taken down by Enkidu Warriors.

1565 AD I finally got another MGL. But the game is already lost. If I had just saved the two Armies I filled with Longbows for Calvary...

1772 AD Ur is taken. The AI foolishly commit suicide. For all is lost.

Game status: Conquest Loss
Game date: 1772 AD
Firaxis score: 2925
Jason score: 1390
Time played: 70:50:39

 

[civ_steve]

Ancient Age Report

Tank loses to Enkidu? Not a good thing at DemiGod! Sorry Ljdjr

Entered MidAges in 530 BC. Other Scientific civs had already entered, but I was waiting for Republic and once I had that, I got the remaining Techs quickly. I found that 2 civs had gotten Mono, and the other had Engineering and had traded for Mono. I got a unique Feudalism , and had no problem trading for both Mono and Engineering, all lose Gold and those Babylonian Silks; even some gpt! Very fun going from Loser to Leader! Revolted to Republic - 6 turns of Anarchy.

So Republic in 410 BC. I start on Theology. Very critical that I get there fast as possible; if I don't have Techs to trade the AI will totally leave me in the dust at this point. On top of that, I see an accumulation of Gold happening, about 2000 gold pieces are changing hands. This gives me a good indication of who the latest researcher is; all of a sudden, they have the gold. Also, it gives me a clue that not only are Invention and Chivalry known (Techs I can see), but also Gunpowder (a Tech I CAN'T see.)

I'm pulling out the stops. My army drops to 8 Archers and 1 Enkidu by disbandment (and two Curraghs; my first couple have died to barbs, but my next two are off and exploring the 2nd continent.) I form scientists where it makes sense; I'm managing the Treasury - all that gold I got from Feudalism trades is evaporating! Finally I win the race in 50 BC and learn Theo first. Trade for Invention, Gunpowder and Chivalry, get Silks (Babs) and Incense (Byz), about 1400 of that Gold and some gpt. I feel a bit more comfortable.

I'd met Persia in 925 BC and the Mongols (by their Galley) in 750 BC. Egypt was met by my Curragh in 430 BC, and the Chinese and Japanese in 310 BC, so I had all contacts available when I learned Theo.

I started on Education. I needed 10 turns to learn it, but it suddenly dropped in 50 AD - the Chinese had learned it in 5!!!! Turns out they were at war with Egypt, and were in the midst of a GA (and they were kicking Cleo's behind as well!) I used my Gold hoard to make a deal, and it was off to Astronomy. Again, Egypt beat me to it in 190 AD. They wanted an outrageous amount for it at that time. I waited one turn, and they'd traded it to some of the other AI's, and I picked it up for 30 Gold. I was also able to trade it for Chemistry. I learned Physics uniquely in 290 AD, and Theory of Gravity by myself in 370 AD, trading for all required Techs except Magnetism along the way. The AI learned Magnetism in 400 AD, but wouldn't trade it for anything I was able to pay; finally in 430 AD the price was low enough that I could get it and enter the Ind Era.

BTW, my army still consisted of 1 Enkidu, 8 Archers and 2 Curraghs.

 

[Ljdjr]

Thanks for the condolences civ_steve. It was actually a big confidence builder.

I really didn't think I had a chance, just from the demigod standpoint. And with no iron and horses. Although in this case am I correct in thinking that an

Enkidu Warrior + Longbow = MDI. Perhaps even more than equal?

Going to start on COTM9 tomorrow night.

 

[civ_steve]

Although in this case am I correct in thinking that an

Enkidu Warrior + Longbow = MDI. Perhaps even more than equal?

Perhaps more than equal. You have a 10 shield unit protecting a 40 shield one and any hp's you take while attacking do not diminish your defense. Only negative is the doubled maintenance cost; that can be lessened by having a 'few' Enkidu's protecting 'many' Longbows. I took a very pacificist approach to this game and was never at war.

Good luck in COTM9!