Do Barbarians Grow On Trees?
I have never seen that many, and that while I did post lookouts outside my borders. In 920BC, one of them was attacked by an entire stack of at least 5 barb Warriors that popped up out of nowhere. Or hero managed to kill 3 before he got trampled. There must also be a secret barbarian compound on the northpole because so many came out of the snow right north of London. Soon after, they came with Axemen, and we were fortunate to have the cash to upgrade our Warriors (science was halted as we were waiting for the Libraries to come online), or surely we would have lost half our realm.
As it is, the English Woodsman II units are running from one corner of the empire to another to fend off the hordes. They are managing, but couldn't prevent some pillaging. Exploring the unknown had to be postponed, but we have seen borders of all the rivals.
Meanwhile, Mali destroyed a closeby barb city, but a few turns later it was already there again in the same spot southeast.
There was a very short war between Spain and Aztecs during which nothing happened that the game considered worth announcing.
Despite the continuous barbarian threat, we are doing quite well.
Exploration
Our initial Warrior went west, popped a hut for 81 gold in 3640BC and another for a free Warrior in 3200BC. We sighted no more huts. Between the two of them, these Warriors killed a lot of animals, and they got to Woodsman II in 2560BC and 1650BC. Later, they got upgraded to Axemen.
Contact with the AI came easy enough. Mali was the last one we met, as early as 1950BC. We signed Open Borders with everyone and managed to trade for a good number of techs, probably because at the moment we have no religion yet.
Religion
The three early religions were grabbed by three different AI's which I guess is not bad for us. Buddhism went in 3520BC, Hinduism in 1650BC and Judaism in 940BC. We are presently researching Code of Laws and are quite confident that we can get Confucianism, which comes with a free Missionary.
Civics
England turned Representation and Slavery in 520BC, for only one turn of anarchy.
Great people
Moses appeared in York in 260BC and is, historically quite correct, standing on the stone, waiting to see what the holy city will be. Some claim that he has found some rules of living written on that stone, but the English are not sure what to believe yet.
Towns
4000BC London, on the starting tile (wheat,sheep,iron)
2040BC York, in the southwest (rice,pig,stone,gold)
1625BC Nottingham, in the west (corn,cow,2xwine,silk)
1275BC Hastings, in the south (copper,2xgems)
380BC Canterbury, in the northeast (fish,marble,copper)
240BC Coventry, in the east on Lake Mali (sheep,crab,whale)
London
4000BC Founded
3240BC Worker
2840BC =2
2600BC Warrior, =3
2160BC Settler
1975BC =4
1875BC =5
1700BC Settler
1575BC Worker
1325BC Settler
1200BC Work Boat
920BC =6
560BC
The Pyramids
460BC Granary
440BC =7
300BC =8
200BC Library, =9
100BC Work Boat
60BC =10
1AD building Lighthouse
York
2040BC Founded
1750BC =2
1675BC Obelisk
1650BC Warrior
1375BC Worker
1225BC Warrior
1125BC =3
1025BC
Stonehenge
960BC Warrior
540BC Settler
340BC Granary
300BC =4
140BC =5
40BC Library
1AD building Worker
Nottingham
1625BC Founded
1350BC =2
1250BC Warrior
1050BC =3
640BC =4
540BC Granary
480BC =5
400BC Settler
300BC =6
200BC Library, =7
80BC Barracks
60BC =8
1AD building Axeman
Hastings
1275BC Founded
1050BC Warrior
880BC =2
860BC Warrior
360BC Granary
340BC =3
100BC Library
1AD =4, building Walls
Canterbury
380BC Founded
1AD =2, building Lighthouse
Coventry
240BC Founded
1AD building Work Boat
Technology
4000BC Fishing, Mining
3480BC Agriculture
2760BC Animal Husbandry
2000BC Bronze Working
1825BC Mysticism
1650BC The Wheel
1450BC Masonry
860BC Iron Working
760BC Pottery
600BC Writing
60BC Alphabet, Sailing (America), Hunting+Polytheism (Arabia)
40BC Priesthood+Archery+Monotheism (Arabia), Meditation (Mali)
1AD researching Code of Laws (Mali has Metal Casting to trade for)
Situation in 1 AD
Score: England 531, Mali 414, Arabia 400, Persia 362, Aztecs 336, America 329, Spain 321
Cities: 6 (10,8,5,4,2,1)
Population: 22,06% (Arabia 15%)
Land: 8,06% (Persia 8%)
Units: 5 Worker, 5 Warrior, 3 Axeman, 1 Work Boat, 1 Great Prophet
Buildings: 1 Barracks, 4 Granary, 1 Obelisk, 4 Library
Wonders: Stonehenge, The Pyramids
Resources: corn, rice, wheat, fish, copper, iron, gems, gold, cow, pig, sheep, stone (within borders: crab, silk, marble, whale, wine)
Tech: all ancient except Horseback Riding; Iron Working, Alphabet
Gold: 69
Playing sessions: 10