2. open game:easy immortal space-race (easy = great starting position)

[Winston Hughes]

I continued my post-cheating game, and things are going surprisingly well...

Spoiler :

I've still only got three cities in 700ad, but have just won the Liberalism race (easily; none of the other civs even had Education), and traded my way into a two-tech lead over everyone else (though I still don't have Archery ). It seems that gold mines, Pyramids, Rep/Caste/Pacifism, and a hell of a lot of food is a remarkably effective combination for a small empire, if you can keep the AI off your back.

At one point Monty was looking very threatening, being the tech leader and the most powerful civ, so I bribed him to attack Peter. To my amazement, the Russians have actually had the better of it, and have done some serious damage to the Aztec economy with their pillaging. I was worried that Monty would quickly beat the Russians down and sue for peace on favourable terms, before turning his attentions to my poorly defended empire. But, as it turns out, they've been at war for ages (I'm guessing it's because Monty really doesn't like giving up until he's clearly won or lost), and I've now bribed Genghis to join Peter against the Aztecs. The best part of it is that the three of them are now much less friendly with each other, whilst I've become everyone's best friend.

I've sailed over to the other continent, and they seem pretty weak (although I've yet to meet the 7th civ). And, with three well-developed Aztec cities just over my southern border, if I can take advantage of Monty's present troubles and stab him firmly in the back with a couple of rush-built mace/treb stacks, I might just have a chance at coming into the late-game in a respectable state.

ps. I haven't done any more cheating, even when I missed out on the GL by one turn.

 

[Giaur]

I am doing well ca 600AD, will give an update later.

PS. Am I the only one who didn't do SE with the Pyramids? I just ignored them and did a cottage spam.

I have Pyramids and I am running mainly CE

Mutineer: My Monty will be running around only for several turns.

 

[Snaaty]

I also played one more session... ...but my game processes quite strange:

I played in one go from 300something BC to 1300something AD... ...Monty never went to war in my game... ...he also was best friend with everybody... ...and Monty turned into THE superpower... ...he even was a heavy rival for lib, because he had education only 3 turns after me (like 600something AD)!!!

...

So I made 3 decisions:

1. I would try to live in peace and harmony with this lovely Monty forever

2. I will try to play this game without a war

3. I wont build any troops (except the forgbusters from old: 3 warriors and 4 archers; and the remaining 4 axmen that survived after I took a barb city)

Spoiler :

Well, I failed a little and have forgotten to save at 1 AD… ….very likely because it was so short after I began my second session at 350 BC… …so this screenshot shows my empire at 350 BC:

pic removed

I moved my capital like Winston Huges. I but I didn’t go as far as the river, I stopped with the pigs and the first gold in sight (but I popped a second gold after settling).

With 2 gold, pigs and 2 floodplains in reach of my capital, I decided to build only a worker. Then I built some warriors and archers for fogbusting and grew my capital to size 5. My research was:

Everything to improve and work the land, then writing-math, later on to lit. I choose this path, because I wanted to profit most from the many forests. Therefore I chopped what I could after math was in and went settler spamming. I settled in this order:

Bombey (blocking city and gold)
Madras (blocking city)
Bangalore (gold and horses)
Kalkutta (stones)
Lahore (bronze)

At this point, I had 4 goldmines and therefore could support a quite large early empire without CoL. I just started to build barracks and axes, because west of Bombey is a barb city I wanted to capture before Monty.

The Pyramids were started in Kalkutta some turns ago (only 4 or 5) and the GL in Delhi (this turn I think.

…

It’s amazing how fast the game plays when you don’t go to war. So I almost also forgot to save 1000 AD (but I remembered 1020 AD). Must have been because I played on up to 1300something with this session. I won the lib race shortly before 700 AD (with Monty very close) and am now researching towards Astro.

I only settled one more city (Karachi up north) to claim the fur. Since the barb city was taken long ago, my empire now contains of 8 cities. I managed to get both, the Pyramids and the GL (thanks to chopping)

I was in a very lousy position to tech trade, because Peter was in a war with Dschingis for about 3000 years, before he finally vassalized to Monty. So both (Peter and Dschingis) were extremely backwards in tech while Monty started to run away. I only managed to do 2 lousy techtrades:

Ironworking and calendar

pic removed

There was a short period of danger, because Monty turned to angry and closed borders, but after I gifted him phil, he was cautious again. When some turns later his rel (Buddhism) spread to one of my cities, I was very eager in adopting it…

…

Right now I’m quite save, because Monty is pleased and I bribed him in a war with Dschingis (but I fear Dschingis won’t last too long)

...

BTW, I didn´t build a single cottage and don´t plan to build one...

 

[Dirk1302]

Spoiler :

Things are going fine sofar in my game, chopped pyramids but didn't build any other wonder so as not to pollute the gp pool. got a GE with which i built GL. Got liberalism round 1000 and chose astro for it. A gamble but my empire is kind of expensive and i really need this tech. Monty and Ghenghis are my hinduist friends and all three of us are at war with judaist Peter. Bribed Monty todo so. Ghenghis hates Peter so much that he joined without having to ask (it's his second war against Peter) . Met Hatsy who is annoyed with me and my 2 friends but willing to trade and open borders. Caravel is on it's way to meet others. Tech wise i have education, astro and lib on the others and 2 scientists ready to light pp. They have all have guilds on me and some probably banking.
I'm thinking of trading astro instead of education to clinch the economics race still not sure about this. At this moment i have 8 good cities, lots of farms and not a single cottage, really looking forward to biology.

 

[Giaur]

Spoiler :

After 1000AD things went not as I predicted. I brought to few troops to anihilate Monty. War lasted long (and still lasts). I had a stupid idea to adopt Free Religion, just to grab some Brenus gold. Turn later Monty agreed to be a vassal of Peter and now I have two opponents. Peter has Cossacs. My best unit is Cav. Fortunately he brought only two cossacs till now. Adopted Police State. I am waiting for the fastest possibility to end this war. Only my wish is take one more Monty's city. Peter grew to superpower in research. My research became pathetic after Police State, ww, and upkeep. I am looking forward for rifles, but I am afraid I will lose tech race. G.Khan is pleased with me, but doesnot want to trade with me. I am in trouble. The only way to escape this show is to anihilate the entire continent. But it's a long way.

 

[Snaaty]

@ all:

Seems like not 2 games play out the same this time (concerning strat used and development of other civs)

Well, in some games it seems that things are getting pretty ruff in midgame... ...all players better be prepared for that, this is immortal... ...some civs (mainly Russia, in my games in the past it was always Russia) are extremely dangerous because the develop incredible fast... ...in a deity I played (and lost) for exemple, they had lib BEFORE 400 AD

...

My post lib plan for this game:

Spoiler :

Well, I´m standing actually at 1300something... ...I have enough cities (8) with decent production and research to compete in space race, as long as I can slow the others down with war... ...here comes Monty into my picture: I plan to use Monty as my war machine... ...I will give him tech, money, basicly everything he needs and wants... ...so in generall, there wont be any turn from now on, where Monty isn´t in a war with somebody when things go as intended and I can cruise to a save and sound space race

EDIT:

Please remember that this round will close on Saturday. If you want your saves to be included into my first summary, you have to submit them today (but everybody feel free to join in later)

 

[Mutineer]

Well, played a bit more. Thinks going slow.

Spoiler :

Well, about 1060AD Mongols desided they want some of what I got from Mounty and declare befor I finish him.

That forced me to make peace with Mounty and spend my trade mission gold on Upgrades. darn, slow me down a lot. He drop 2 big stack. I hold one of them, but second took and raise most south ex Mounty city.

The moment I got Education I bribed Peter to declare on Mounty.
wend gunpoweder-chemistry
Finally stabilise front, took ex babarian north city and the took one of his and new city he build on place of raised one.
Peter got lib somewhere there.

Peter make peace, I do not have that many trops. So, I raise one mor eof his cities to make space and made peace.
I still did not meat anyone form other continent, thought map from Peter I knwo where it is.

Her is save 1400AD
http://forums.civfanatics.com/uploads/84898/Snaaty_AD-1400.CivWarlordsSave

 

[Giaur]

Spoiler :

Thinks ended happily for me. I can no match with Peter in tech yet. He has Constitution, Scientific Method and possibly Physics. However he send only 2 cossacks towords me. Then I finally understood, then he has no horses. Monti lost few more cities. I lost one too, but it was retaken back. And I grabbed riffling first (after Khan only). And send half of my forces to capture Novogorod. This city was very important, cause inside of it was built GL, ND and Versallities. After capturing this city made peace with Peter. And unbeliveble ... he was friendly towards me. I took my chances and exchanged Rifling for Chemistry. I am not gonna make him my enemy now. I suppose he will adopt one day free religion, but now I am happy there is someone who wants to trade with me. There are some certain sets of leaders which determine that you cannot win easily. This game is close to that picture. I own half of the continent. Now it's time to improve the economy

BTW. Can you tell me if Novogorod is influenced by culture from Moscow? I do not know if to adopt Free Speech.

 

[Giaur]

btw. knowing the personalities very helps on this level.

 

[ungy]

Snaaty AD-1000

 

[ungy]

Spoiler :

Went for hindu and got it--Monte Bud.

Built 4 cities and started pumping out units to go after Monte but waited for cats and was too late--Genghis and Monte attacked Peter and by the time I was in Peter caps to Genghis.
Am in the lib race but look to lose it. Took about half of Monte inc Ten. Cottage spamming. Not quite sure how I bring this home but seems like good play. Not down too much tech but Brennus has big score lead.

 

[Dirk1302]

Here are the saves.

 

[Galileo44]

My submission for this game:

Spoiler :

I am doing a lot better than I thought on Immortal. Like Snaaty, I moved inland and founded Delhi a little farther in, grabbing 2 gold, 4 floodplains, and a cow. Research ignored religion, going for worker techs of Agriculture and AH first. Second city claimed the origional starting spot for a GPFarm, 3rd got gold and floodplains, while the fourth went in the north for copper, wheat, and another gold! For my last two, one was captured from barbs and one was founded late as a secondary production city. After getting Ag and AH I found that hinduism wasn't founded yet, what the heck, lets pray. I landed hinduism as my third tech was Polytheism. I built stonehenge in Delhi and my research was very strong early due to the lots of gold.

Then, I consolidated, cottaging some places and going for the GL and landing it around 1AD in Bombay(GP Farm). Then I headed up the Liberalism path quickly, lightbulbing Philo and Education while building Academies in Delhi and Bangalore. I reached 1 turn left on Lib with a lot of time to spare. I headed back, and picked up compass, machinery, optics, and calender before going Liberalism --> Astronomy in 800AD. I then quickly got some ships out to the other continent and met Hatty, then Wang, then Brennus. I have been in last place almost the entire game, including now. However I am the clear tech leader. I have Liberalism and Astronomy on everyone, and Nationalism on everyone but Hatty. On the turn of 1000AD, I traded around Education and some other backward techs (calender, optics) to get some gold and get Monty to declare on Khan, and Hatty on Brennus. I am pleased with almost everyone, and unlikely to be attacked despite my pitifull army because everyone has someone they hate more. (I am im Free Religion) I have not been at war the entire game! Printing Press in 2, then I will go for Constitution and Democracy and continue up the tree. I think that without getting crushed by an AI, I should do fine in the Space Race despite my small territory. Perhaps I should attack Monty later with a tech advantage, maybe with cannons.

1000AD:
My empire, north, then south:

 

[lilnev]

I got to thinking about it yesterday, and realized I'd done some things tactically wrong in defending myself against Monty (trying to get barracks up instead of raw numbers of troops, fighting in the field instead of turtling up and hoping he wastes time pillaging). I went back to the autosave from the turn he declared and managed to hold all my cities, though he pillaged me pretty savagely for 600 years or so. And I'm still in too-small a spot and without metal. But anyway, I'm going to play it out even if my entry comes with an asterisk for the reload. Fuller update and saves tomorrow.

peace,
lilnev

 

[Winston Hughes]

Spoiler :

Despite a few dumb moves, the war against Monty went as well as I could have hoped. I grabbed the three cities without too many casualties, and I've managed to keep up with the leaders in the tech race (Russia and the Mongols). The Aztecs have crashed from top dog to whipping boy, so that Peter and Genghis are now the powers on our continent (and Genghis is still at war with Monty). The previously unmet civ turned out to be Brennus, who is the score leader, and has the largest empire by some distance, but is at least 4-5 techs off the pace at the moment.

Getting Optics early, and meeting the other continent before my neighbours, proved to be a major bonus, allowing me to avoid WFYABTA and to play the lucrative role of middleman in the intercontinental tech trade. I've also sold a hell of a lot of techs for cash, to run the slider up full for most of the game, and to upgrade my troops to give Monty a beating. Oh, and I still don't have Archery. I would've benefitted from a couple of longbows in the war, but the 1 turn of research I've saved has been the secret to my success.

I've now switched back to peacetime civics (Rep/Bur/Caste/Merc/Pacifism), and once again I'm running loads of specialists (including Artists to expand my southern borders - this is where the Pyramids really come into their own, imo, ensuring that you can keep the beakers coming whilst running lots of non-scientist specialists). However, I've also been cottaging every unused tile, and all the tiles around my newly captured cities, with a view to making the switch to a CE as time goes on.

The main question I now have to ask myself is whether (or when) to invade Peter. If I can take his two northern cities, I'll have a strong empire and two severely weakened neighbours providing a buffer between me and the increasingly powerful Mongols. However, going to war again will stagnate my economy once more, letting Brennus catch up, and perhaps allowing Genghis to develop a major lead.

btw, I haven't done any more serious cheating, although I did reload on two occasions (iirc) to correct minor oversights (moving a cat to a roadless tile; forgetting to change to merc when switching civics).

 

[Giaur]

It's Saturday. It's time to close the first round.

 

[druidravi]

Well I played till 1000ad . Here are the saces at 50ad and 100ad. I don't know how to use spoiler tags. I would post screen shots and summary, if anyone tells how to do it

 

[Mutineer]

[s p o i l e r]
[/s p o i l e r]

remove spaces

 

[druidravi]

Thanks Muitneer.

Spoiler :

I built in place and didn't go for relegion. Chopped pyramids with stone , Great Wall was built way too early this game just in time as I researched masonary . Had a 90% chance of engineer for my first gp and got scientist, great. Then went for literature for Great Library and got a scientist again great just finished great Library then finally got my enginner who built national epic immediately.
Monty found buddhism which was the only relegion till I lightbulbed Pacifism finding Tao. Adopted it and pacifism for 5 turns and Monty cancels open borders . Barbarians found 3 cities. I built only 2 cities. Captured 1 city from barbarian losing 2 axe and another hill barbarian city losing 3 axes. Went for 3rd baba city with big army and Peter beat me to it by 1 turn and I had only a 9exp axe so far so no heroic epic.Then massed axes for war against Monty, but got jittery this being my first Immortal try. I was afraid of monty attack followed by a dogpile by genghis. Fortunately one of my barbarian city ( It was placed on a gold hill ) I captured got buddhism so adopted it and whipped quickly monastry and missionary and spread to my capital which had national epic+ Great Library and was my gp farm with pacifism and caste systtem .Had 116 gp/turn coming, needless to say I had no gp from any other city.

I suddenly noticed that one of my captured baba city was surrounded by 3 new monty cities, 1 old monty and 1 new peter city. So raced away to Music and had a extremely nice culture bomb which gave me horses and iron and gave -4 from monty for our close borders spark tension . Soon everyone became pleased with each other due to same relegion and at the end of game I have friendly with Gengis and Peter and Pleased from Monty, no war at all.So no WFYBTA with gengis/peter. However there were 2 great generals born in other continent. I built heroic epic eventually when a 3 baba archer stack fortified itself on a forested hill for a long long time. The Ai sacced HA's on it enabling me to have a 99% combat odds with my 9exp axe on the last archer.

Right now I 'm in golden age due to my second engineer (who was produced when I was reserching liberalism) building Taj exactly timing it with research of military tradition. I'm up Liberalism/Printing press /Natinalism/ Military tradition on all civ's. Monty and Genghis are only up banking on me..I built caravels very late however whipped them in 2 cities and heading them in opp directions. No one has met other civ's as I could see from World Map. The other coninent is pretty behind in tech as some idiot told me I was 1 in reasearch followed by 3ai's on continent and then 3 unmet civ's.So I think I can get circumnavigatiuon as well.

Military wise my Heroic epic city with golden age is producing 5exp cavalry per turn and I'm whipping them in other cities. I used 1 ge on national Epic,Tajmahal. I gs on academy/Education,/Printing press /chemistry. I still hace 2/3 gs remaining in capital for astronomy/scientific method route. I am 2/3 turns away from chemistry, then would research that cannon/Iron works enabling tech and will hopefully take over whole continent with cavs,grens, cannons and hopefully have a peaceful spaceship.

 

[Mutineer]

no problem