DS GotW, July 27 - Aug. 2

[dojoboy]

Results to include:

Civ:
Score:
Difficulty:
Attempt #:
Finish Date:
Leader Rank:
Victory Condition:

Spoiler :

And, if you've got the time, feel free to provide a recap of your game using "Spoiler" tags to hide anything about the map or rival civ start locations that someone may not want to read before their first play.

 

[JohnSearle]

Civ: Spanish
Score: 75303
Difficulty: Deity
Attempt #: 1st
Finish Date: 2006 (I believe)
Leader Rank: 1st
Victory Condition: Domination

Spoiler :

First sent out units in either direction to block off a section of the map from computer exploration. The two locations were the bottleneck above Egypt, and the eastern bottleneck near Japan. I then settled those two locations, which secured the middle section, so I didn't need to concentrate on military.

I produced one Galleon, and then sent it around to find the artifacts. After finding them, I brought it back and settled the Northern islands. This is because the comp doesn't usually attack islands.

I built my defences up around both the bottlenecks, because that would be my stronghold against the computers. Egypt never did attack me, so it was partially a waste on the western front, but every eastern AI attacked throughout most of the game. I was at war with Aztecs and Germans for the entire game.

I then worked out settling the middle, while constantly researching the techs that give you the bonuses in all your cities (esp. industrialization and corporation). I then picked a city with high gold production possibilities, and bought Trade Fair of Troyes and East India Company. I was making about 1000-1500 per turn at this point.

At this point in the game Japan was the highest in tech with tanks being their best, and Aztecs in second with Metallurgy and cannons. I had modern infantry at this point.

Japan was still at peace with me, so I paid him to go to war with the Aztecs. A couple turns in Japan declared war on me, so I darted to artillery. I purchased an army, since I was making about 2000 per turn at this point, and wiped out Japan with little trouble... as well as collected their advanced tech by city capture.

I then just proceeded as anyone would, and wiped out everyone.

By the end of the game I was making 17000 gold per turn.

Score by Breakdown
Population: 16158
Military: 22623
Buildings: 16170
Technologies: 2804
Gold: 14388

 

[Maquiladora]

That is a massive score John

 

[JohnSearle]

That is a massive score John

I blame the predictable AI.

I'm still following my gold rushing strategy, which I doubt would be even near as effective against a competent human opponent.

Interested to hear the tales of other's GotW attempts / strategies.

- John

 

[dojoboy]

That is a massive score John

I agree. He scares me.

Interested to hear the tales of other's GotW attempts / strategies.

I've got as far as saving the d/l, but I want to finish two other games first - well, one other game now. I'm going to play this week's game on Emperor as Greece.

 

[XxtraLarGe]

I haven't finished the game this week, but I did notice something cool that happened.

Spoiler :

There's a Barb hut right near my city, which I didn't attack. It spawned a barbarian that was approaching my city, and a "militia" unit spontaneously appeared in my city, fending off the barbarian. Basically, it's an easy way to get a free unit for your city

 

[Maquiladora]

I've got as far as saving the d/l, but I want to finish two other games first - well, one other game now. I'm going to play this week's game on Emperor as Greece.

I wanted to finish a game I had going with the Mongols too but I had my first freeze today. Wouldn't have been so bad but I lost something like 50 turns, wish there was an auto save Kinda killed my enthusiasm for the game ATM, but I still hope to get this week's game finished before the next.

I haven't finished the game this week, but I did notice something cool that happened.

So what happens if the militia loses?

 

[JohnSearle]

I haven't finished the game this week, but I did notice something cool that happened.

Spoiler :

There's a Barb hut right near my city, which I didn't attack. It spawned a barbarian that was approaching my city, and a "militia" unit spontaneously appeared in my city, fending off the barbarian. Basically, it's an easy way to get a free unit for your city

Not sure how useful the militia units actually are... They have only 1 defence and 1 movement, and you can't make them, so no army can be formed.

I've also had this happen to me, but I was wondering if it actually pulled a population point away from me to make it - kind of like nationhood in Civ4.

- John

 

[XxtraLarGe]

So what happens if the militia loses?

I imagine that you lose your city & the game if it's your only city.

Not sure how useful the militia units actually are... They have only 1 defence and 1 movement, and you can't make them, so no army can be formed.

That would be interesting to figure out. You could always make 3 galleys and try to form an army from the crews, but that would be pretty useless.

I've also had this happen to me, but I was wondering if it actually pulled a population point away from me to make it - kind of like nationhood in Civ4.- John

I didn't notice losing a pop point, I'll try to recreate the conditions. It happened pretty early in the game, so that shouldn't be too difficult.

 

[dojoboy]

Civ: Greece
Score: 13,926
Difficulty: Emperor
Attempt #: 1st
Finish Date: 2096 AD
Leader Rank: 3rd
Victory Condition: Economic

Looking forward to reading more results.

Spoiler :

This was an exciting game for me, but I'm having a devil of a time on Emperor v. King.

All started out well. I built 6 cities on the mainland and 3 on island landmasses. I placed 2 cities (Rhodes & Corinth) on the large island north of the Aztecs and Spaniards. Rhodes would become my "saving grace."

I didn't have an answer for Egypt's and Japan's culture. They pushed my borders back severely. In fact, by the end of the game, Herakleia and Marathon were almost completely surrounded by the Japanese. Egypt flipped two of my cities (Sparta & Knossos) w/ GP. In a long war w/ Egypt I was able to regain Sparta - rushing a wall soon after. Knossos flipped during my push for the World Bank, and since it was not an important gold city, I left well enough alone.

The Japanese & Spanish were very, very peaceful toward me, but the Egyptians and Aztecans came for me almost the entire game. I eventually secured peace w/ Egypt after giving them a tech. Monty wanted large sums of my treasury for peace, but I was on my way to 20k gold and kept refusing.

Rhodes was one of my major gold producing cities, as well as being quite productive. Since it was right across a channel from the Aztecs main territories, it and Corinth were constantly attacked. I was finally able to park units on all coastal ties w/ supporting fighters to defend the island. I could not lose Rhodes.

Once I hit the 8th milestone to trigger the World Bank, I bought peace w/ Monty. Rhodes immediately began building the World Bank. After micromanaging its workers, I had the initial build down to 23 turns.

Back home, Thessalonica was my military pride & joy. Due to receiving a Military GP earlier in the game, every unit I built there was given a bonus (love infiltration - 100% v. cities). This was even bettered w/ the barracks. As a result, I had several powerful tank armies.

In this game, I had to use fighters a lot because Monty & Cleo loved them. I soon had many fighter wings flying around - love the dogfight animations.

I thought Egypt for sure would go for a Culture win fast, but they languished - just had huge culture borders. The Japanese as well enjoyed a vast culture border, but they went after a space victory. And, they would have had it if they weren't bent on building every part multiple times. Even after Monty built the Apollo Program, they refused to launch. At that point though, I pretty much was destined for an Economic win. My 2 concerns were losing Rhodes to either a military offensive or one of Egypt's wonderful GPs. During my respite from war w/ Monty, I moved 3 of my best tank armies to Rhodes, and parked them outside the city in case it was stolen by Cleo. Unfortunately, I had never built a wall in Rhodes which was why I worried. My hope was that Rhodes was too large and productive to allow a GP to flip it, but I don't know the modifiers that go in to determining this. Anyone?

 

[JohnSearle]

Civ: Mongolia
Score: 85,315
Difficulty: Deity
Attempt #: 2nd
Finish Date: 1996AD
Leader Rank: 1st
Victory Condition: Cultural

Spoiler :

Played the same type of game as the other.

Decided I should try Mongolia out... Made it a LOT easier to win. Mongolian barb cities gave me the advantage, carrying me ahead in tech by at least an full age at any point throughout the game. When I took Japan out, they had archers against my artillery.

This time I sent guys down to block both Japan and Egypt. This tactic worked very well, since neither of them expanded, nor explored. They were very much behind the entire time.

Score Breakdown
Population: 17,236
Military: 19,943
Buildings: 20,171
Technologies: 3,223
Gold: 18,803

 

[Quotey]

Civ: Japan
Score: 16164
Difficulty: Deity
Attempt #: 1
Finish Date: 1950AD
Leader Rank: 1st
Victory Condition: Domination

Spoiler :

Only my 3rd game, so I have no idea what increases score. I rarely built buildings, instead beelinging for Knights while trying to create some sort of meaga city, but I soon forgot about it and just built Knights until I got Combustion. Blocked off Egypt and France on the first choke on the right because I couldn't get a settler to 2nd fast enough.

Loosely beelined to Feudalism, picking up Code of Laws and Alpahbet along the way. I got a Great Builder very soon after researching Monarchy and rushed the Hijemi Samurai Castle

Declared on Egypt early 1600s with one or two Knight Armies and took Cleo's 2 mainland cities and made peace. I shifted my Knight armies to Napoleon and they arrived just after Shimonosekei, the choke city, flipped. Napoleon had never declared on me or made a demand which was surprising (I was at war with Spain and Azteca the whole game). Took all his mainland cities (which gave me the opportunity to build the UN, though I never started it), and never made peace because he kept demanding things.....

Aztecs were the most difficult because they had made Rifle Armies, but a GG Infiltration Tank at 88 Strength takes care of them. I flipped one of their mainland cities, took the rest... and Monty bowed out.

I then let Spain take one of my Azte possesions while I marched straight up to her capital, took it and gave her Printing Press to stop any counter attacks.

This game was VERY easy- was it the map or is CivRev just an easy game overall? I might get the 360 version if they improve the AI. Monty and Issy never sent a troop at me while being at war the whole game.

Also, can tanks move through roads in enemy territory? It certainly seems like it, making my conquest of France and Spain VERY easy.

Will probably try Mongolia to see how getting those huts as villages will help.. probably a lot considering they block Egypt and France without wasting a settler.

e: Maybe it's just ecperience with previous civ games? I see dojo had some trouble. Setting up a gold city seems nevessary to boost score, so I will have to look out for that in th efuture. I never built a ginle boat this game. Guess I'll look into the whole Island cities thing. In my 2nd game (Spain, Emp) my Island cities were producing lots of research due to dyes, but I never needed it during this one.