What can I do in this position?

[Sharples]

I am playing a Russian immortal game on turn 32, I've built a scout to explore my surroundings and explored with my warrior a little far (dire to search suitable lands).

RNG Russia with Tundra bias has made this position extremely challenging, I am playing on a shuffle map with standard settings, I have Gems and Fur in the capital, outside of my capital is nothing but garbadge, settling in fertile locations will take a very long time to get too plus to improve them (currently teching to Optics to try and get there faster).

The is the right side of the map, (from what I can see). This is the most fertile location but it is pretty far location. (I found Venice unit here).

Spoiler :

The left side however, is almost all junk, you have deer and fish.... no luxaries. Songhai and Tyre are located in this position.

Spoiler :

And the first pantehon to go (which I REALLY wanted) was 1+ from camps. So I didn't get it. (Considering going Tundra faith).

Spoiler :

So, what can I do in this position? What would be the best route to take?

 

[prodi]

Your capital location looks decent, but losing out on +1 food from camps is brutal.

I can't remember rolling such a bad map happiness-wise ever, it's seriously awful. There's tons of food around with all the fish and deer, and there are several great locations for cities, if you had the happiness to support it.

To tiles northeast of the whales should be a good city, and another city southeast of that to catch the truffles and all the other resources there, but all in all, I can understand very well why you asked for advice on this board, because I can't really see how you will be able to keep your happiness at bay on this map, and I hope that some pro's share their knowledge here, because it looks really difficult. I would concentrate on the east, definitely, and bring your warrior back up to scout more there.

Why are you researching sailing? I can't see any reason to do that in this position at T32. You're also producing a second worker at the moment, I suggest building an archer (and teching archery if you haven't already). Mining is an obvious tech you want as soon as possible as well.

I'm eager to see how this game goes along for you, and which approaches other players might see in this position. The way I'd play it, I'd be very uncomfortable with the distance between my capital and my other cities. I wish you luck

 

[revelation216]

You still have a powerful pantheon in tundra faith.

IMO this map is bad but can be overcome through religion and taking happiness benefits. By expanding religion ASAP with a the tundra faith pantheon you can make the most of the happiness from shrines and temples.

Having 3 copies of furs means you can trade it for other luxes and get happiness that way. Your double quantity iron etc UA can help with gold that you lose by not swapping the furs for gold.

You can also ally with mercantile CS by doing their quests.

There is also Protectionism from Commerce.

 

[Sharples]

Your capital location looks decent, but losing out on +1 food from camps is brutal.

I can't remember rolling such a bad map happiness-wise ever, it's seriously awful. There's tons of food around with all the fish and deer, and there are several great locations for cities, if you had the happiness to support it.

To tiles northeast of the whales should be a good city, and another city southeast of that to catch the truffles and all the other resources there, but all in all, I can understand very well why you asked for advice on this board, because I can't really see how you will be able to keep your happiness at bay on this map, and I hope that some pro's share their knowledge here, because it looks really difficult. I would concentrate on the east, definitely, and bring your warrior back up to scout more there.

Why are you researching sailing? I can't see any reason to do that in this position at T32. You're also producing a second worker at the moment, I suggest building an archer (and teching archery if you haven't already). Mining is an obvious tech you want as soon as possible as well.

I'm eager to see how this game goes along for you, and which approaches other players might see in this position. The way I'd play it, I'd be very uncomfortable with the distance between my capital and my other cities. I wish you luck

I'm producing another Worker to get my capital to a decent sized city so that when I get to Optics I can pump settlers to the east out-ward, it seems moving my settler to the east on land is going to be very slow, although this is not really a path I would like to take.

So maybe I should scrap continuation of sailing --> Optics and go build an Archer (by going archer tech). Then go straight Mining?

Another route I could probably take is go straight one city Philo --> National College then produce settlers out fast?

I'll also do the advice from Revelation216 as well, which will be to trade Lux for Lux (seems like the ONLY way for happiness after expansion to the east. I am very tempted to settle next to my capital on the four fish, one door and one sheep too.

 

[beetle]

I think the maps is okay. Cap is good. Pick open tundra pantheon and you are guaranteed a religion. People like going wide with Russia, but with this sparse map I would definitely just do four city tradition.

Like Prodi said, one city on the bay near the whales, and a second on the bay close to the truffles (with a lake) so that is two good locations, and you just need one more. Like r216 said, you can pick up more happy from trades. I would have expected more furs nearby, and I like getting a monopoly, but it seems like you have explored enough to rule that out.

Having all four cities coastal is strong. No harm waiting on fourth city until after NC. You have the space, and it does not look like the neighbors will be forward settling on you. So waiting a bit on that 3rd expo should be okay. Plus Russia gets double iron, so you want to get that revealed soon.

I am very tempted to settle next to my capital on the four fish, one deer and one sheep too.

That is good spot, it has 3 deer my count (plus 4 fish and the sheep).

To the east you there are two bays near the stone (stoneworks gives a happy), each have 3 deer and two fish. Maybe you could go Liberty after all!

 

[Sharples]

I think the maps is okay. Cap is good. Pick open tundra pantheon and you are guaranteed a religion. People like going wide with Russia, but with this sparse map I would definitely just do four city tradition.

Like Prodi said, one city on the bay near the whales, and a second on the bay close to the truffles (with a lake) so that is two good locations, and you just need one more. Like r216 said, you can pick up more happy from trades. I would have expected more furs nearby, and I like getting a monopoly, but it seems like you have explored enough to rule that out.

Having all four cities coastal is strong. No harm waiting on fourth city until after NC. You have the space, and it does not look like the neighbors will be forward settling on you. So waiting a bit on that 3rd expo should be okay. Plus Russia gets double iron, so you want to get that revealed soon.



That is good spot, it has 3 deer my count (plus 4 fish and the sheep).

To the east you there are two bays near the stone (stoneworks gives a happy), each have 3 deer and two fish. Maybe you could go Liberty after all!

I went to Tradition before exploring my surroundings enough (culture ruin), I am already one social policy into it, (Oligarchy)

 

[beetle]

Can you post the T0 save?

 

[consentient]

My opinion is to re-roll. Your cities will be small, and it will take you 100 turns longer to win than on a decent map.

 

[prodi]

My opinion is to re-roll. Your cities will be small, and it will take you 100 turns longer to win than on a decent map.

Personally I prefer trying to succeed even when the odds are against me and with whatever dirt I'm given, but that can make for both fun and painfully boring games - so there's a fine line and it is very dependant on personal motivation at the given time.

 

[Sharples]

Wish I could find the auto-save on turn 0, I can't.

Also this is how I am doing, I am on Turn 170 and are about to...

Spoiler :

Declare war on Venice for their capital. They have a massive amount of world wonders in this game, plus their lands are fertile and close to my own lands. Here is the situation currently:



(My four cities, I planed St.Petersburg and then Novgorod and then went straight Philo for NC, settled Rostov after National College and send a trade caravan to that place, then went straight up to Education, Venice has been giving me superior techs from steals (Astonomy and Banking).

Made Novgorod the production city for the empire as it the closest to Venice, can produce faster with production fromsea caravans, and pump out Crossbows + Trebuchets. I am currently chopping down the rough terrain near Venices land so my troops can get in better positions fast, Venice does not have a good military (it's been focusing on wonders). So I'm declaring war on this turn.



My Religion, I have Pagodas, Tithe and 2+ culture from temples with 5 followers, (here wasn't anything else good to choose from.

 

[Erneiz Hyde]

Are you not selling your resources? With that many resources and that many Civs you really shouldn't be in the reds.

 

[Sharples]

Are you not selling your resources? With that many resources and that many Civs you really shouldn't be in the reds.

Buildings + Other AI luxaries to compensate for the huge cities of Novgorod and St.Petersburg make me have to get the AI luxaries. I've been selling horses though.

Also would like to say that this is probably the first game I have played on immortal difficulty seriously.

 

[Erneiz Hyde]

What are you even talking about. Irons! 41 Irons with 12 civs. even half of those irons sold can net you +40 gpt if you sell them one by one. Sell all your strategics and copy luxes.

 

[neilkaz]

Are you not selling your resources? With that many resources and that many Civs you really shouldn't be in the reds.

Yes, this! And/or trade some with the AI's to lock up a copy of their lux's for purposes which may be needed as you grow and perhaps after taking Venice if they don't have some happiness wonders/buildings.

 

[Sharples]

What are you even talking about. Irons! 41 Irons with 12 civs. even half of those irons sold can net you +40 gpt if you sell them one by one. Sell all your strategics and copy luxes.

The AI won't do GPT for strategic resources if it isn't in its interests, all of the AI's do not want iron without paying for it.

 

[revelation216]

You can usually sell 1 iron for 2 GPT, and each AI will usually accept a maximum of 4.

If relations are more tense these numbers are lower or they will not accept the trade at all.

 

[Erneiz Hyde]

Seriously? None of the AIs want to trade even a single piece of your strategics? You got some kind of luck man. The benefit of playing russia is all those money you make selling your extra strategics.

 

[Sharples]

Seriously? None of the AIs want to trade even a single piece of your strategics? You got some kind of luck man. The benefit of playing russia is all those money you make selling your extra strategics.

All nations (except Venice) are netural or Friendly, no one wants my Iron, Japan wanted my Iron for a Luxury so I gave them... 13 I think, after that they didn't want anymore.

 

[Acken]

Unless you're trying every single turn you're probably missing a ton of sales. EUI helps with this "problem".

 

[InDubioProReo]

I would either discontinue playing that game or turtle for a SV in that positon. Some maps are horrible for DomV and that's what I usually go for.