The Great DoC UHV v 1.12 challenge

[Andrrew]

Thailand / Paragon / Normal / 600AD
v1.12

Normalised Score: 4,392
Actual Date: 1900AD
Effective Date: 1781AD

Spoiler :

UHV #1: Open borders with 10 civilisations in 1650AD
This is the easiest one, just send an elephant (and later a caravel) to the west, open borders with everyone (give tech if needed). Switch to Free Religion as soon you get Pagan. I had ~19 OBs by 1650.

UHV #2: Ayutthaya largest city in the world in 1700AD
Just make sure to develop resources around the city quickly, give all tiles in the BFC to the city and build 3 farms & 1 windmill around. Trade for health resources (feel free to trade away stone, copper, etc.) and put 8 military units for happiness to exploit UP (warriors are fine). Let it grow i.e. don't build units and don't whip here. A plague usually hits around 1650AD but that should affect your competitors as well (usual suspects include London and coastal China). In my game 20 was the required size, which I maintained at Bangkok till end-game.

UHV #3: No foreign powers in South Asia in 1900AD
Basically you need to counter the trading colony armies of the colonial powers (Portugal, Spain, England, France, Netherlands).
I have followed a pacifist strategy with only 1 short war declared.

Starting strategy: Conquer Hanoi and Pagan ASAP. Afterwards settle Manila and Sri Lanka (on iron).

Techs: Meditation, then beeline for Rifling (got it in 1736AD). The entire game is a mad tech race – I traded techs at almost every opportunity. Also traded and brokered maps aggressively to boost treasury. With OB, resource trades, generous tech trades and Free Religion even the big powers (in this game Arabia, China/Mongolia, Europeans) liked me and traded a lot with me. Also gave in to tribute requests (got one from China, Mongolia).

You can think of Indonesia and Mughals as allies - I gave them all my techs for free, with the key being Rifling. Bear in mind to research essential techs to Rifling yourself (e.g. Replaceable parts, Rifling) otherwise you won't be able to give it to them. After I got Rifling I quickly upgraded / produced a dozen or so Riflmen + a few cannons but never had to use them.

Portugals, 1685AD: They were quite miserable and at colony event they had crossbows so my elephants massacred them after Indonesia sold Singapore to them.
England / France, 1742AD: Mughals quickly upgraded their army with the Rifling I gave to them, so with their superior numbers they pushed back both relatively easily. They lost 1 city at the beginning which I could have easily avoided by giving them a few Rifles as a gift in the turn before, which case my effective win date would have been 1700AD. By 1781AD the enemy army was exterminated and Bangalore reconquered by Mughals (I did not have to intervene).
Dutch, 1806AD: Indonesia also got reasonably strong by that time (they even had Grenadiers) so quickly pushed them back.
Spain: Never happened, although my Manila was well prepared.

 

[Andrrew]

<reposted>

 

[ales_]

I can't see the image.

 

[Andrrew]

Mughals / Paragon / Normal / 600AD
v1.12

Normalised Score: 8,387
Actual Date: 1751AD
Effective Date: 1695AD

Spoiler :

Tech route: Drama (Theatres everywhere asap), Music, Patronage, Military Tradition, then beeline for Constitution, then beeline for Rifling.

UHV #1: 3 Islamic mosques by 1500AD
Basically you need 12 cities with 12 Islamic temples first. Apart from conquering the indie/Tibetan subcontinent (9 cities), I prefer putting down Sri Lanka (on Iron), ~Karachi (named "Barbarikon", 3W 1N of Mumbai), and conquer Herat.

UHV #2: Build Red Fort, Harmandir Sahib and Taj Mahal by 1660AD
This is a bit of a tech race - trade techs aggressively (Tibet and Arabs usually open for trade). Send HAs and boats both west and east to make contact.s with others for OB/trade.
I got Meditation, Feudalism, Engineering, Philosophy, Education, Banking, Military Science and Astronomy via trade. Of this Engineering is the key one for the wonder.

Good idea to conquer Pagan early as well so that you can switch to Free Religion (boost to your science, as well as more OBs and Tech Trades) along with Levy Armies.

UHV #3: 50k culture in 1750AD
+ Implicit goal of fighting back the Brit colony army as they most likely come by 1750AD.

With Theatres, Mausoleums, Monesteries, Temples built, and emphasise Artist specialists it's fairly doable. I've generated ~7 Artists (one via Patronage) and 1 Priest (which I used for Golden Age).
I also ran 100% Culture between ~1620AD and 1695AD + built culture (to get an early effective win). Only afterwards I started to built military and tech towards Rifling which was a bit dangerous as Brits came a bit early in 1724AD, 3 turns to Rifling. I had the numbers but they still took 2 cities that I quickly recaptured by 1751AD. Score can be boosted if going for Rifling first instead of the 50k goal in the 17th century.

 

[Andrrew]

Congo / Paragon / Normal / 600AD
v1.12

Normalised Score: 5,053
Actual Date: 1852AD

Spoiler :

Tech route: Sailing, Calendar, then beeline for Steel. Trade techs aggressively to catch up, esp. Optics/Astronomy is useful to OB/trade with others. If you can, OB with Mali before you turn Christian (I missed it hence had no trading partners for many turns..). To be fair I got Education as a present from Brits which was helpful.

Civics: Switch to Absolutism/Dynasticism at spawn and keep it that way.

Expansion: after you hit goal #1, put 1 settler on Copper and 1 on Ivory to the NE (encompassing Bananas). Otherwise I captured Quelimane (Portuguese defended with only 1 heavy swordsman) and Mombasa (was barbarian). Afterwards also settled Durban on gold (I love that spot).

UHV #1: 15% vote in Apostolic Palace by 1650AD
I've let my capital grow a bit (up to pop ~12) before building settlers which was enough for this, achieved around 1560AD.

UHV #2: 1,000 gold from slave trade by 1800AD
Spain is the golden ticket who is willing to pay 200 gold for each (assuming they have money which they usually don't), while the others stay around 50 each at Paragon. I had to "whip" out c.5-6 slaves as the natural generation was not enough, but there is plenty of time until 1800AD.

UHV #3: Enter Industrial era before anyone enters the Modern era
With the expansion described above, and building science buildings and wealth/science, trading resources for money etc. it should be relatively easy to achieve this. In fact not a lot of civs had Steel in 1852AD when I got it, so was able to quickly trade techs with many to boost score.

Portuguese threat: they hit me with 4 heavy swords and 2 trebs which is no big deal if you keep a couple of Pombos in your capital.

 

[ales_]

Thank you! The OP was updated to post #235. Kbee38 replaced Kbee38 for Korea 3000 BC Paragon/Normal. Wessel V1 replaced Alhambram for Winning date Egypt 3000 BC Monarch/Normal.

 

[ales_]

Thank you! The OP was updated to post #240.

 

[ales_]

Thank you! The OP was updated to post #242.

 

[ales_]

Thank you! The OP was updated to post #249.

 

[ales_]

Thank you! The OP was updated to post #272.
Citis, after loading your save (post #256) I had to play for several turns before receiving the victory in turn 82 with a worst score. I've included that in the OP but you can post a more correct save (if you have or can create one).
Tigranes, after loading your save (post #267) I had to play for several turns before receiving the victory in 1766 AD with a worst score. I haven't included that in the OP (because there was already a victory with the same winning date and a better score) but you can change that by posting a more correct save (if you have or can create one).

 

[citis]

Citis, after loading your save (post #256) I had to play for several turns before receiving the victory in turn 82 with a worst score. I've included that in the OP but you can post a more correct save (if you have or can create one).

You are right, wrong save. I should save after the conquest. Fixed the save, the score is right, at least according to my computer.

 

[ales_]

OK, I'll recheck it.

 

[citis]

Id:
Version: SVN 980
Scenario: 1700AD
Civilisation: Prussia
Difficulty: Monarch
Gamespeed: Normal
Score: 5198 Nero (I conquered whole Europe and I will be known as Nero??? Anyways...)

Victory info:
Type: Historical
Actual Date: t438 1958AD
Link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/dc5nudxscnnunfa/Frederick AD-1958 Turn 438.CivBeyondSwordSave?dl=0

Images:

Spoiler :

Strategy:
UHV1:
Adopt scholasticism and representation. This should be enough. If you need farming use your core cities. Don't use great generals, you need them for UHV2. You can try to discover Physics and Communism for the free specialists, but given the difficulty of UHV2 focus on military techs instead.

UHV2:
In fact that's the game. I write down what seems to me essential to win this goal methodically and surely.

1: Discover Nationalism ASAP and adopt autocracy:

a: Drafting will constantly feed your army, while your cities can produce something else (additional units? maintainance/research buildings?)

b: Drafting will keep periphery population low. Don't draft from your core, you need core cities populous for GP farming and stability.

c: Olympic park can help you aquire a tech and thus military lead. Compined with your UP it is a deadly combo.

d: Bradenmburg Gate: Let great generals flow. I even spent a great engineer to finish it early.

e: Stability problems? Declare wars and see your stability skyrocket.


2: Sieging:
You have to encouter so many armies, thus sieging seems a reasonable if not the only strategy. Focus in siege weapons:

a: I prefer to transform Frankfurt to military center. Make Frankfurt work all production tiles in fat cross and transform a couple of towns to workshops. Settle all great generals as military instructors there. The military center should train solely siege weapons (you have drafting for other units) before Panzers. It shall buy (not build, there is no time for building) production buildings. Thus you have a constant flow of deadly siege weapons, that can beat even stronger armies than yours.

b: Discover artillery:
The deadliest siege weapon you can discover in time, and neglected by your rivals. If you are lucky enough you may get the great scientist of physics.

c: Blietzkrieg:
Make sure you can capture the target city ASAP before invading enemy territory. Don't let your rival to feed his defences, else you will waste resources. Use siege weapons to nulify resistance.

d: Panzer:
Capture Budapest, discover Industrialism and Combustion. Combined with military center analysed above you can capture Europe in a few turns. An army of panzers with all city raider promotions plus barrage I promotion is just invicible.


3: Allies:
a: In fact there is no ally. However, you shall avoid a two sided war, at least in the early conquests. Exploit DPs to engage eastern and western sides in war, thus having an ally against target civ and weakening your next target .

b: Start from Scandinavia, Sweden's army is pathetic and a number of indie cities will be your breakfast.
Next targets are Poland, Austria and France.

c: Poland can be conquered in one turn if you are willing to sacrifice some cavalries.

d: Austria shall inevitably be conquered due to Italy, Budapest oil, Vienna is productious and near your core. (and there is no other city left for Austria).

e: France: conquer core (obvious).

f: Netherlands: This port can help you transport troops to England and withdraw your transports.

g: Russia and England are last. You must have panzers by then.

h: Do NOT make peace with rivals you can hanndle. You need the stability bonus, and you avoid congresses.

UHV3:
Build internet and focus on cottage economy.

 

[Fresol]

Did you disconnect the iron and exploit the UP that way?

 

[citis]

Did you disconnect the iron and exploit the UP that way?

No, no need to do so. Frankfurt can train almost 1 siege weapon per turn.

 

[Eric Cartmenez]

Thank you Ales for maintaining and updating this thread for us

OK, I'll recheck it.

 

[ales_]

Eric Cartmenez, I'm trying as hard as I can.
Thank you! The OP was updated to post #291.
Citis, I've updated the information about post #256. Everything is alright.
Citis, after loading your save (post #276) I got a lower score. It's in the OP.
Citis, the link in post #280 is wrong.
Citis replaced Rackham for Thailand 600 AD Monarch/Normal.

 

[citis]

Eric Cartmenez, I'm trying as hard as I can.
Thank you! The OP was updated to post #291.
Citis, I've updated the information about post #256. Everything is alright.
Citis, after loading your save (post #276) I got a lower score. It's in the OP.
Citis, the link in post #280 is wrong.
Citis replaced Rackham for Thailand 600 AD Monarch/Normal.

Welcome! We thank you.
Great!
Fixed.
The number of post is wrong. But I fixed it anyway.

 

[ales_]

Citis, you're right, it was post #290. I've included it in the update.
Thank you! The OP was updated to post #313.
Citis, after loading your save (post #292) I had to play for several turns before receiving the victory in 1866 AD. I've included that in the OP but you can post a more correct save (if you have or can create one).
Konkoka, I can't load your save (post #293) because I don't know what revision to use.
Citis, after loading your save (post #294) I got a lower score. It's in the OP.
Citis, after loading your save (post #299) I got a lower score. It's in the OP.
Citis replaced Alhambram for Aztec 600 AD Regent/Normal.
The OP is fully up-to-date.
There are 4 civs left.

 

[konkoka]

Konkoka, I can't load your save (post #293) because I don't know what revision to use.

Sorry I forgot it. It is revision 972. I have also updated my post.