SGOTM 01 - Short Straw

[AlanH]

Welcome to your C_IV SGOTM 1 Team Thread. Please use it for all internal team communication, turn logs and discussions. Subscribe to it to receive notifications, and do not visit the other team threads for this game until you have finished. Please also subscribe to the Maintenance Thread for this game, where teams and staff may post non-spoiler information of general interest. I hope you enjoy the game.

This game will be played in Civ4, patched to v1.61.

This first SGOTM will not feature any advanced variant.. the winner simply will be the team that wins the game at the earliest game date with either domination or a diplomatic victory. All victory conditions are still enabled though, with exception of Space Race, so you have to avoid getting another type of victory (and of course prevent the AIs from winning).

Individual start files for all teams will be available on the SGOTM Progress and Results Page at midnight, server local time, at the start of May 12.

Here's the start position.

​

Map Parameters
Playable Civ - Hapshepsut of Egypt
World size - Standard
Difficulty - Monarch
Landform - Mystery
Game Speed - Epic

Permanent Alliances are turned on (can form permanent alliances after either communism or fascism is researched)
Space race is disabled.
Egypt is locked into war with Huayna Capac of the Incas.
Egypt is locked into peace with an unknown civilization.

The map is hand built, and therefore may not have a standard configuration.

Please visit the following links to ensure that you are adequately prepared:
Civ4 SGOTM reference thread

Notes:

A. ONLY Civilization4 v1.61 is supported for this SGOTM. All teams will compete for a single award - the Gold Laurels.

B. All teams must play the sponsored variant - victory will be awarded for the fastest victory by either domination or diplomacy.

C. All saved game files uploaded to the server are parsed through software that extracts and archives data about your save, including reload count for each turn set.

Good luck to your team, and remember rule #1: Enjoy your game

 

[mushroomshirt]

Hi all, according to the sign up thread AlanH has nominated Grogs to coordinate for us. Grogs, Hopefully that means you are a SGOTM veteran? Forgive me (and maybe some others) on the team for being noobs. Any pointers / thoughts on what our next steps are? Should we discuss some initial strategy? Sorry for the stupid questions.

BTW here's a copy of my sign in information:

Which level (noble, monarch, etc.) are you comfortable playing in a solo game? Prince / Monarch
Have you played any Civ4 GOTM games before? Yes #2-5 (I'm 2-2)
Have you played any succession games or Civ3 SGOTM before? no
Do you have a group of players you want to play with? no

[Edited to add sign in information]

 

[llib_rm]

Hello, Checking in...

Sign in info:
1) Prince/Monarch
2) yes
3) no
4) no

I am looking forward to a great game!! Fair warning: I tend to build too much to be a war monger and war too much to be an expert builder.

The game looks interesting. I have never payed with an always war or always peace. I suspect the trick is to not let the "alway peace civ" get enough land to prevent a domination victory, or decide early for diplomacy.

Any thoughts on a team name?

 

[RobertTheBruce]

Hello,
I've never played a succession game before and am new to always war and peace. Hopefully someone is familiar with succession games and can get us started.
I tend to be a warmonger although I do suffer from builderitis and am recovering from a recent bout of its more fatal cousin wonderitis. I was playing some practice games for the GOTM and am too tempted when I'm confidnet I can get wonders. Haven't played many monarch games since 1.61 so I'm not too confident in my chopping strategy either.

Looking forward to a fun game.

 

[Lmtoops]

Hi All,

I have played a few succesion games for Civ3. It's a lot of fun, and a good way to learn from better players.

I am not a better player. I have won at Emperor my last two tries. My biggest problem is starting strong and then losing my focus late into the game. I tend to micromanage, a bit, early into the game...but when the empire gets large, I tend to go on automatic, which hurts my final score....a lot.

In general the team sets up a general strategy (build order, where to explore, what civs to befriend, etc.), but it's up to the current player to apply the strategy as they see fit. If something unexpected happens, then the active player can save his game and stop. The active player can then go the forum and post the situation. The other players can give their opinions and recommendations....but the active player is king and can do as he/she sees fit.

I suggest really think hard on every decision. The main question is how am I helping the overall team strategy. So your 20 turns should take double the time as a usual game.

Keeping a detail log is a good idea. Since you are only playing a limited number of turns, a detail log is not much trouble.

Finally, since you are playing for the team there is more pressure. As you play, you feel as if every decision is being scrutinized by the other players. Well they are, and you probably make some bad moves...such is the nature of the game. In the end, it's for fun and for learning.

Hopefully, Grog (and the others) will post soon and our team can take shape.

 

[Lmtoops]

Grog, Danthor, Mahatmajon, and Ungy have not responded.

Tonight, I will send private messages to these folks and see if they are still interested.

 

[mushroomshirt]

Hi All,

I have played a few succession games for Civ3. It's a lot of fun, and a good way to learn from better players.

I am not a better player. I have won at Emperor my last two tries. My biggest problem is starting strong and then losing my focus late into the game. I tend to micromanage, a bit, early into the game...but when the empire gets large, I tend to go on automatic, which hurts my final score....a lot.

I hope we have some of those better players here! Myself I am a recovering builder. Civ 1-3 I couldn't help building practically every building in every city. After playing through the first through civ IV GOTMs I have gone to the dark side of warmongering. I like an early axe rush and then don't let up unless there is no one to kill or you are on a continent that you need astronomy for.

Cottages are only for when your economy starts to tank in my games... (maybe that is too extreme for some?) I do like a GP farm, though.

For this SGOTM, I think our first problem is city placement. We don't just want to throw a city in the middle of those flood plains, do we? After that I think AH and BW to get the military units. Fast war is probably essential for fastest domination or diplo.

In general the team sets up a general strategy (build order, where to explore, what civs to befriend, etc.), but it's up to the current player to apply the strategy as they see fit. If something unexpected happens, then the active player can save his game and stop. The active player can then go the forum and post the situation. The other players can give their opinions and recommendations....but the active player is king and can do as he/she sees fit.

I suggest really think hard on every decision. The main question is how am I helping the overall team strategy. So your 20 turns should take double the time as a usual game.

Is every "round" where each player gets to play 20 turns long? I remember reading somewhere that it was 20 turns for the first player and then 10 turns after that. Or is it up to us?

Keeping a detail log is a good idea. Since you are only playing a limited number of turns, a detail log is not much trouble.

Finally, since you are playing for the team there is more pressure. As you play, you feel as if every decision is being scrutinized by the other players. Well they are, and you probably make some bad moves...such is the nature of the game. In the end, it's for fun and for learning.

Hopefully, Grog (and the others) will post soon and our team can take shape.

Thanks for the tips. Glad someone here has some SGOTM experience!

 

[Lmtoops]

The number of turns is up to the team. I think 20 was what was used for Civ3, and it's a good number.

I didn't send any private messages, last night. I will try to send a few before work gets started. I could not find Danthor in the members list. Can any one find his sign-up information?

 

[Lmtoops]

The number of turns is up to the team. I think 20 was what was used for Civ3, and it's a good number.

I didn't send any private messages, last night. I will try to send a few before work gets started. I could not find Danthor in the members list. Can any one find his sign-up information?

I sent messages to Grogs, Mahatmajon, and Ungy.

 

[AlanH]

Danthor is here

 

[Lmtoops]

Danthor is here

Thanks Alan...I have sent a message to Danthor.

We can wait a few days, so the others can get a chance to check their messages and respond.

Until that time, you can look at the screenshot and think about good starting locations. Look at our leader traits, and starting techs, and get an idea how on what to research.

Also, what is our first build(s). Since we are at War with Incas and their UU is Quechua (super warrior), we probably don't want to skimp on units. At Monarch level, Incas will start out with more units...not how many.

Egypt:
Spiritual - No Anarchy, double production on temples
Creative - +2 culture, double production speed on theaters and coliseum
UU - War Chariot

Anyway, these are things that we can chat about for a few days.

 

[mushroomshirt]

What do I know, but what do people think about settling on the plains hill to the SW? I like plains hills for the first city because of the extra shields. 6 floodplains, at least 2 forests and 1 cow in the fat cross probably means health won't be too big of a deal. Of course I learned the hard way on the last GOTM, maybe we should look for some blue circles if there are any in the starting map.

How about building a worker right away and researching AH? That way we work the cow and find out where the horses are for 3-man chariots. The incas can't find us that quickly, can they? After the worker maybe then build a few warriors to scout and maybe worker steal before a settler build to grab the horses or copper?

Like I said not that I know anything. Any other thoughts?

 

[mushroomshirt]

According to the maintenance thread, AlanH says we need a new team name (& coordinator?) by today. Lmtoops, since you seem to know what you are doing and we haven't heard from Grogs (who was AlanH's default choice), do you feel up to the challenge? I'd be happy to have you as coordinator and while we're at it, let you pick the name.

All in favor?

 

[llib_rm]

All in favor?

Aye

 

[AlanH]

Your team seems to have draw the shortest straw, with four no-shows. With four players you'd be hard pressed to maintain momentum and team discussions. Assuming we don't hear from the others in the next few hours, I can either split you among the other teams with multiple no-shows, or add a couple of standby players to your team. Please let me know which you prefer.

If you stick together, and don't have a name of your own, I'll use Three Degrees, based on your current name.

 

[Grogs]

I'm here. Sorry about that guys. I finished exams and went away for a few days. I completely spaced on the SGOTM.

 

[RobertTheBruce]

According to the maintenance thread, AlanH says we need a new team name (& coordinator?) by today. Lmtoops, since you seem to know what you are doing and we haven't heard from Grogs (who was AlanH's default choice), do you feel up to the challenge? I'd be happy to have you as coordinator and while we're at it, let you pick the name.

All in favor?

I will second Lmtoops if we survive as a team.

To start, I would suggest the plains hill as well, cows for additional early production, fresh water, and split the massive floodplain between two cities.

Send the warrior up one of the rivers and first built warrior up the second. Worker when city grows to size 2 to take advantage of the extra production of the cows.

I would suggest AH then mining, BW as the first techs to play find the horsies for a chariot rush.

 

[Grogs]

Now that I've had a few minutes to look over the thread, here are some of my thoughts:

Your team seems to have draw the shortest straw, with four no-shows. With four players you'd be hard pressed to maintain momentum and team discussions. Assuming we don't hear from the others in the next few hours, I can either split you among the other teams with multiple no-shows, or add a couple of standby players to your team. Please let me know which you prefer.

If you stick together, and don't have a name of your own, I'll use Three Degrees, based on your current name.

Since I'm late to the party, I feel like I've got less of a say in this than the others, and I certainly wouldn't want to make that decision unilaterally. FWIW though, we've got 5 here (now) I'd like to try and get it going. Maybe add an alternate or two if that's necessary.

EDIT: If we *DO* decide to give it a go as a team, we're going to need a name. Does anyone have any suggestions? I think something representing our initial problems would be good, like Team Short Straw

Grogs, Hopefully that means you are a SGOTM veteran?

Unfortunately, not the case. I've played in GOTM's and Succession Games, but never a SGOTM. We'll all have to just muddle our way through on this one I guess.



As for the start, AH sounds like a great first tech. I've played a Monarch game as Egypt before and I was able to win my first war with war chariots. Also, I make it a habit to never move my settler unless there is a good reason, but this looks like a case where there's plenty of reason to move. So the plains hill sounds like a good idea as well. I've never played the Inca, but from what I can see the Quecha aren't much of an additional threat to us. I almost never build archers (usually only if I'm hurting on copper/iron/horses) so they're basically just warriors in that situation.

 

[RobertTheBruce]

Grogs,
I think you have a good starting plan and Short Straw would be a great name.
Actually, I think the Quecha are a bonus. The AI tends to overbuild UUs and they are much easier to overrun with chariots than archers. With axes, Quecha are just promotion fodder. But I would be surprised if HC is our nearest neighbour and permanent war ends so quickly. I've never played with permanent war so I'm curious if war weariness grows from that conflict.

I guess my next questions are thoughts on general strategy. I've never came close to winning any awards during the GOTMs and am playing to learn since some of the writeups baffle me with their speed. I usually rush one nearby civ during the ancient/classical era to gain land and techs followed by a slow consolidation period. Continued conquest with maces/knights and cavalry if boats are required. I would be interested in trying different strategies if there are any suggestions.

Since conquest is not an option is our general strategy a production emphasizing domination or a science-race to mass media for diplomacy?

 

[AlanH]

Now that Grogs has arrived you are in no wose shape than a couple of other teams. I can add a standby player to get you to my minimum target of six players if none of the other three turn up, so I recommend you stick together. Good luck