1.18 Inca UHV?

[Mcbc_6]

I've been trying the Inca in 1.18 for the past few days now with no luck. Has anybody tried them on the larger map? I didn't play them on pre-1.18 games.

I'm currently stuck on the 3rd goal - controlling 90% of South America's population in 1775. I understand the idea here (I think). You're supposed to conquer European colonies. But I feel like the Inca's core pop isn't strong enough to sustain those conquests. You can only squeeze two cities into it which can't grow too large anyways and ~20 population seems to be the max. You're also way behind technologically come 1550 so the majority of hammers are being wasted on subpar unit. You have to prepare units for incoming conquistadors, then prepare settlers and units to cover all of South America. There's no iron in the Andes either, so you have to get it from inner Brazil or from Buenos Aires. It just doesn't seem feasible. Any tips here?

 

[DanLT3]

You used to be able to block the coastline all around South America with your cities. But with the larger map I think that is now impossible.

 

[AOS9001]

I've been able to lock down the first two UHV goals, but I too am stuck on the third. Inca's core is just too small to sustain any conquests. I think this civ needs some further balancing.

 

[banzay13]

Nope, it's fine

 

[AOS9001]

I guess you just gotta be fast, then.

 

[Fresol]

Nope, it's fine
View attachment 711187

Can you show your city screen(F1)? I thought stability-wise it was impossible.

 

[Mcbc_6]

You used to be able to block the coastline all around South America with your cities. But with the larger map I think that is now impossible.

I'm able to get Argentina and maybe Southern Brazil if I'm discovered fast enough by the Old World. But I feel like if I spammed settlers 1. I'm not building units for defense, and 2. my stability will suffer. I can certainly try it.

Nope, it's fine
View attachment 711187

Where did you get 127 core pop from? Building cottages in the core area? That's incredible. And you're far ahead in the tech tree compared to where I can get. I'm usually researching medieval techs still despite putting 100% into research.

 

[banzay13]

I didn't have save from 1775AD (on different computer), so it will be from 1644. As i remember pop of Mawkallaqta was 18, and your core will expand in Renaissance, so you get 4 city in it.
So, switch to Despotism and found Mawkallaqta, beeline Navigation for whales boats and Thalossocracy, whip boats, contact Aztec (you can trade slave if they have and build slave plantation). I have noticed playing other civ, that now (latest version of game) Inca can send scout and archer in Bogota won't attack him. So at first i build scout (if archer attack - you can build 2 scout) and contacted with Spain in 1420AD (it was very rare game, where Spain was able get Cordoba). So you can save hammers for building infrastructure. With academy (your second great ppl must be scientist) and RegTrade you can boost nice you science in capital. Steal, of coz. And buy tech, then 1 turn left for discover. Well, maybe some classical tech you can buy for full price only.
I was able to found Buenos-Aeros, but Spain found Montevideo. Lucky they collapse to core (Look! It's small Spain core! Say Hello to him!), so i could capture it w/o war with Spain.
Also it's still luck base, coz there can be no passage to Cayenne or Anna Regina, and to capture Bogota you'll need sail around South America, and you don't have time for it. Actually, i was thinking it can't be done on Monarch/Epic but somehow i did it in last turns. But Marathon must be more easy, maybe.
Also, you can switch to Monarchy, Vassalage (you see - there some use for Vassalage ), Manorialism, RegTrade, Thalossocracy and Clergy/Monasticism (i didn't in this attempt) and get +13 domestic stability. Plus from religion union (+2 or +4). So OE want be a problem.
UPD. 4th city better found on hill 1NE from Alpacas, it will be your core in Renaissance

 

[xerxess]

How do you guys survive the European conquerors? I can meet Spain around 1450ish with a scout but I never have enough units to deal with the stack

 

[AOS9001]

I don't. I send a great merchant to the Aztecs and pray the Europeans sail to Mexico before they sail to me.

 

[Mcbc_6]

Didn't Leoreth add a cape to Panama in a recent patch so you can't send units to Mesoamerica? With Europeans discovering America around 1430-1490, I never meet the Europeans before they meet me.

 

[Mcbc_6]

I don't. I send a great merchant to the Aztecs and pray the Europeans sail to Mexico before they sail to me.

I started up another game and had this happen exactly. I was lucky the Aztecs were strong enough to conquer the Mayan natives to their east, so my merchant made it safely to Tenochtitlan. Not only that, but the Moors were really strong this time, holding Alicante and Tarragona and leaving Spain with just two cities. Somehow, Europeans didn't discover the Aztecs until c. 1550 CE, and it was England. I came really close to succeeding on the third goal but I didn't focus on growing my cities enough + a second plague wiped out a lot of my population, and I probably waited too long to conquer Brazil.

I'm satisfied that I could get that far in the first place, but it feels frustrating that the game revolves around cheesing a meeting with Europeans before they meet you, otherwise your game is over. With how late you spawn and trying to build up infrastructure/commerce you don't have enough time to focus on units that could at least damage the conquerors. I suppose that's kind of the point, but it's not fun to try over and over again. Without cheesing (which it seems to be considered, with the capes around the Inca) I'm not sure how you're supposed to win this "naturally."

 

[banzay13]

I started up another game and had this happen exactly. I was lucky the Aztecs were strong enough to conquer the Mayan natives to their east, so my merchant made it safely to Tenochtitlan. Not only that, but the Moors were really strong this time, holding Alicante and Tarragona and leaving Spain with just two cities. Somehow, Europeans didn't discover the Aztecs until c. 1550 CE, and it was England. I came really close to succeeding on the third goal but I didn't focus on growing my cities enough + a second plague wiped out a lot of my population, and I probably waited too long to conquer Brazil.

I'm satisfied that I could get that far in the first place, but it feels frustrating that the game revolves around cheesing a meeting with Europeans before they meet you, otherwise your game is over. With how late you spawn and trying to build up infrastructure/commerce you don't have enough time to focus on units that could at least damage the conquerors. I suppose that's kind of the point, but it's not fun to try over and over again. Without cheesing (which it seems to be considered, with the capes around the Inca) I'm not sure how you're supposed to win this "naturally."

Well, Inca have copper and can beat almost every civs conquers (except Mongols), but it will consume a lot of hammers, and you couldn't build-up your cites well, will fall behind in tech deeply - and the 3UHV will be unreachable
So, as Inca's UHV - it's alternative history - i don't see problem here with evasion of european conquers