Domination win, T115, 25BC
Providing a somewhat detailed write-up. Hopefully it will provide some ideas to other and looking for analysis to help me play better. The limits I used are no joint wars, no trading works/relics, no trading cities. I’m sure I copied something down wrong; and probably some other stuff worth tracking and some things not worthwhile.
EARLY GAME (about T1-40)
Warrior to Wheat, Settle 1 NW on Mercury.
1-ROME: Scout-7, Builder 16 (develop Mer, Wh, PlHi), Slinger-20,23,25,27,29,31; Warrior-36
Notes: I like to start scout/settler/builder; due to low food and clear tile upgrades decided scout/builder/setter; on turn 16 when I finish the builder I realized there were Barb Encampments to my N, SE, and SW, so went immediately to slingers. Holy Crap Batman.
23-LUGDUMUM (North of Rome, 2 away from BE): buy BE tile-23, Slinger-30, Warrior-37
Notes: Initial build goal was explore/expand/military. Turned into holy crap build military just to survive.
Science: Mining-8, AH-22, BW-28, Pottery-28, Archery-32, Writing-34, Irrigation-37
Culture: CoL-7 (survey, urban), Crafts-17 (agoge), FT-28, EE-37 (fail!!)
Notes: Survey as I want a promoted scout for better exploring, ideally 2 promotions with both faster terrain promotions so I can discover the world quickly; then to agoge for slingers/warriors; on turn 37 forgot do to colonization for my settler spawn (idiot!)
Meet: Spain-6; Stockholm-7 no envoy: captured by Spain on turn 13, notices of unmet defeated- 15,17,21,34
WAR: Spain 17-28, capture settler and worker with 1 charge on turn 17 by my warrior
Tribal Villages: 5-exp warrior, 11-Astrology, 15-Craft, 16-40g, 41-builder
Trade: On turn 12 traded Spain 1 Mercury for 111 gold and 2 gpt [comment: this type of trade needs to be fixed also, anything that is given per turn should be per turn both ways; getting one time BIG gold for lux and then declare war is just stupid]
Exploration: War to N, hung out near Spain waiting for a settler to appear. Scout to SE and then clockwise circle looking for spot along river to SW to put next city.
Survival notes: T21 scout destroyed near BE to N by 2 horsemen – ugh!!; T23 stealthily create city to ‘destroy’ BE and realize at least 9 barb units (to include horsemen and horse archers) in area; use river north of Rome as defensive line while War in Lug attacks/heals/repeats – barbs have overwhelming force, but attack Spain and me in disarray instead of concentrating on the city; more horseman come in from SE, but past Stockholm so Spain helping; upgrade 7 slingers on T32; takes until T39 to destroy BE to SE; BE to SW is sending War/Arch combos, but hold them off much easier due to terrain.
MID GAME (about T41-86)
1-ROME: Settler-43,47; Encampment-??, Trader-63, Campus-72, HChar-76,78,81, Builder-86
23-LUGDUMUM: Settler-56, Scout-61, Warrior-65, BatRam-75, HChar-79, Builder-83,84
48-PUTEOLI: buy +2cul tile-50, Builder-52, Galley-61, Builder(g)-64, HChar-74,80
50-AQUILEIA: builder(g)-50, Galley-55,61; Warrior-61, HChar-76
52-ARPINIUM: Warrior-66, BatRam(g)-72, HChar-73,77, Builder-81, ComDistrict-85
53-STOCKHOLM: Mon-68, Granary-76, Builder-87
55-RAVENNA: Builder(g)-58, Galley-60, Warrior-67, HChar-76, Bath-86
61-ARRETIUM: Warrior-67, HChar-75,81
65-MADRID: Mon(r)-67, WM(r)-70, Walls-78
80-SPARTA: Mon(r)-84, Granary(r)-88
Notes: Used the 3 built and 2 captured settlers to create circle around Rome - extra culture to SW was nice. Early Districts: Encampment and Campus to assist in great general and faster science and even Comm for money. Main goal was obviously military with policy synergies (warriors to upgrade, galleys to help explore, HChar to upgrade). I did some items for culture/science eureka.
Science: Wheel-41, Sailing-55, Currency-64, Masonry-65, IW-68, CelNav-69, HBRiding-71, Apprenticeship-76, Engineering-79, Stirrups-82, Machinery-86
Notes: Main goal was Stirrups (also IW and Machinery) – think I got distracted with Cel Nav for Harbors.
Culture: StateWork-43 (conscrip, colon), PolPhil-54 [Autocracy] (conscrip, agoge, urban, colon), MilTrad-55 (maritime, strategos), G&R-59, MT-62 (agoge), DefTac-67 (maneuver), Feud-70, Merc-74 (ProfArmy), Mysticism-76 (conscript, maneuver, urban, serfdom), MedFair-82 (ProfArmy), D&P-83 (Discipline)
Notes: Main goals faster production and reduced cost military; get great general. I didn’t even get a Pantheon until T67 – took God of the Open Sky for +4 culture (and more over time).
Meet: Greece-45, Sumeria-45, Norway-65, China-77, Scythia-79, Germany-84; BuenosAires-50, NanMadol-56 (3 envoy on T76 – for 2 Lux resources), Brussels-69, Jakarta-86 (3 envoy on T88)
WAR: Spain 45-65 (48 settler, after Stockholm and Madrid peace); Greece 50-60 (50 settler, otherwise benign); Greece 77-87 (get Sparta, avoid city to S, head E – held up in terrain); 77-Great General!!!
Notes: Madrid was long as it built walls and then a barb warrior/archer rush came in from the NE. Normally 2 shots to an archer from the walls is death, but after initially retreating each archer with one hit the barbs showed up. I used the river and forest as a defensive line; Madrid focused barbs over me and barbs attacked all; I always left a barb alive for Madrid to target and split my archer shots to city and barbs, eventually taking down city walls. Took 20 turns from the start of the war to capture Madrid. I had Legions and a Bat Ram with a Great General for my attack on Sparta. On T82/83 upgraded HChars to Knights for the major push outward. Upgraded Warriors/Archers as soon as I could.
Trade: Didn’t keep details. In general, open borders (if useful), trade resources for g/gpt and just stay content. At end of war try to get all g/gpt/resources in that order. Messed up trading Iron away somewhere, on T82 when I could upgrade to Knights I had to trade China 2 luxury resources and 3 gpt for Iron – would have been 35gpt without lux. (Again hate that AI will give me all their gold and then I can declare war to get my resource back a turn later; fix it to lux per turn = gold per turn, not this broken system.)
Exploration: I like galleys even on one of these maps; I was wondering if the extra AI might be on an island so I build 4 galleys - I think 2-3 would have been good enough and didn’t even get to help take a city this game; normally try to build them with all chops so I only need Maritime up for a 1-2 turns; took longer to go around the continent as two went toward NanMadol area and other two checked for other islands vice hugging the coast. The 2nd scout I built was killed by barbs on T87 without doing anything useful. I should have split my forces better – main Army through Greece with small force of Knights sent to NE after T82/83 upgrade.
Survival notes: Finally cleared BE to SW T49. Left two Legions behind to ensure no ‘fog’ squares near starting cities – scared of some crazy barbarian rush. After the 3rd BE destroyed no major issues with Barbs again.
LATE GAME (about T87-115)
1-ROME: Knight-97,101,105,107; Catapult-106
23-LUGDUMUM: CommDist-93, Market-100, Knight-107
48-PUTEOLI: Harbor-97
50-AQUILEIA: 93-Builder, Harbor-103, Knight-106
52-ARPINIUM: Trader-89, Builder-103
53-STOCKHOLM: Shrine-92, Temple-93, Builder-97, Knight-99,104
55-RAVENNA: Harbor-98
61-ARRETIUM: Harbor-101, Knight-107
65-MADRID: Temple-91, Market-98, Knight-106
80-SPARTA: Builder-101, Knight-106
Others: Kabul Liberated – 87, Mediolanum-91, Nidaros-92, Cologne-93 (note: buy battering ram), Uruk-95, Brundisium-96, Ur-98, Aachen-102, Palmyra-103, Caesar Agusta-105, Antium-107, Caesarea-108, Xi’an-109, Chertomlyn-110, Pokrovka-111, St. Petersburg-115
Notes: Some of these were captured settlers that built cities with auto-roads in mind, but last set of knights didn’t even make it to the front lines. I think I should have skipped some of this for more military, but wanted money for the next set up upgrades.
Science: Construction-89, Mil Eng-94, Math-98, Gunpowder-?, Metal Casting-108, Castles-111
Note: Goal is to head to next military upgrades.
Culture: Theology-88 (Prof Army), Recorded History-91 (Sack), Civil Service-95 (Raid), Divine Right-96 [Monarchy] (Conscription, Chivalry, Raid, Urban, Merchant, Serfdom), Humanism-100, Mercantilism-105 (Logistics, Prof Army), Guilds-106
Notes: Goals were Div Right for Chivalry and Mercantilism for Logistics.
Meet: Russia-107 finally with a galley!!!; Hattusa-87, Valetta-89, Toronto-96; Liberate Kabul-87 (3 envoys)
WAR: Norway 87-97, Germany 93-103, Sumeria 94-104, China 107-end, Scythia 109-end, Russia 113-end
Notes: In Norway war liberated Kabul for the double experience, then forces split N and E. Although I started Germany on T103, my small N force only could manage Cologne which was too far for auto road, bought Bat Ram, but couldn’t take Aachen until forces from S Army arrived – if I’d known how far I could have saved a settler to ensure auto road for reinforcements instead of most units heading SE to Kabul and then N. After forces split Sumeria goes down easy. Initially held off on Scythia until I found Russian capital with a couple knights. Forces from China and Scythia campaign jointly converged on Russia. I didn't destroy a single civ, just captured all the capitals and a few other cities in my way.
Trade: Didn’t keep notes, same goal as mid-game.
Exploration: Galley headed along S of main continent finally found a Russian city on turn 107 – delayed as it took time altering coastline tiles and looking for an island passage. Knights became primary explorers desperately trying to find Russian capital. Got an TV relic on T91.
Survival notes: Barbs no longer a significant issue, but still managed to be annoying a couple times.
Did you enjoy the game? Definitely. Need to play GOTM6 more often.