6otM53 Opening Action

[leif erikson]

Welcome to the 6otM53 Opening Actions thread.

STOP - Please do not continue reading this thread until you have completed at least 80 to 100 turns in your game.

This thread is used to discuss the game once you've started playing through your first 100 turns. Apart from normal decency, the only posting restrictions are to please not post videos until the deadline is finished and to use the spoiler tags for screenshots. Here you can post questions related to the game and share your achievements/anger/frustration/victories while you play. Please remember that we are running a family friendly site, so express anger or frustration with this in mind.

Please use this thread to discuss your goals for the game and your opening moves through the first 100 turns. Anything after that should be posted in the After Actions thread once you have completed your game.

- Where did you settle your capital city? Your second city?
- What did you research and which policies did you choose and why?
- What was your build order?
- How long did it take to find your neighbors? Were they hostile or friendly?
- How soon did you build a District? Which ones did you prioritize?
- Did you try to build any Wonders?
- Did you emphasize expansion? How many cities have you built/captured in the first 100 turns?
- How quickly did you get Trade Routes working, who did you trade with?
- How did you play your governance cards, priorities?
- Which Governors did you choose and why did you choose them?
- Was your first age a Dark Age? Did you take any Dark Age cards?
- What City-States did you meet and which ones did you cultivate to your side?
- How were the Barbarians?
- Any surprises?

Please use spoiler tags for any surprise details you'd like kept hidden. Thanks.

 

[BarbarianHunter]

- Where did you settle your capital city? Your second city? Uruk, across the river on the 1/2 hill. #2 Eridu, 3 clicks west and 1 north.
- What did you research and which policies did you choose and why? Generally whatever I could come up with a boost for.
- What was your build order? Got started on warcarts a bit late. Built a builder, then settler, then captured a settler, then warcarts…
- How long did it take to find your neighbors? Were they hostile or friendly? Found Saladin early. Assumed he was going to attack but had no evidence. Then I stumbled onto a lone settler with a goodie hut scout I was awarded.

Spoiler :

I traded with him for as much "lump sum" gold as I could get, then declared and stole the settler.

Spoiler :

Luckily there were barbs about, as he was poised for a sneak attack .

Spoiler :

- How soon did you build a District? Which ones did you prioritize? It was quite some time. Between Saladin and the 2 barb camps there was allot of combat and attendant healing.

Spoiler :

- Did you try to build any Wonders? Saladin built the pyramids in Cairo before I conquered it. I also chopped out the colosseum sometime later in Hattin. (Edit: Oh yeah, I also chopped the great library out in Cullen.)

Spoiler :

- Did you emphasize expansion? How many cities have you built/captured in the first 100 turns? 16 built/captured, 3 city states liberated for 3 envoys each (Kabul, Hattusa, Toronto).
- How quickly did you get Trade Routes working, who did you trade with? Find I am running routes to Carthage for +2 production & 4 gold.
- How did you play your governance cards, priorities? Nothing special & not allot of overflow.
- Which Governors did you choose and why did you choose them? Magnus for chopping, Amani to suz CS’s and era score, and Reyna for gold.
- Was your first age a Dark Age? Did you take any Dark Age cards? The 2 eras have both been golden with monumentality decications. Between Saladin’s plus Scotland’s holy sites and my religious idols pantheon, I have a ½ decent amount of faith.
- What City-States did you meet and which ones did you cultivate to your side? Kabul is the big one. Hattusa just came online as well.
- How were the Barbarians? Lots. They were getting into it with Saladin’s warriors in the beginning of the game and my units within 5 tiles were sharing in the experience!
- Any surprises? I usually can’t get going quite this well with Sumeria on deity. Strikes me more like immortal or emperor. Well, other than the like 5 knights I lost to Varus.
Western empire

Spoiler :

Eastern empire

Spoiler :

Envoys

Spoiler :

Happiness

Spoiler :

Strategy going forward: Planning to leave Korea be and let them recruit all the great scientists they like (which should give me tech boosts from the great library). I'm also building theatre squares and plan to suz Babylon at some point as well. On to Egypt...

 

[kcd_swede]

100 turns? Wow I am lagging. I thought I was doing OK so far. Mostly organic settling and doin barb camps for bonuses. Just started a war on unprotected Saladin, took one city and waiting on more as I levied a war city state and they are just getting to the show.

 

[BarbarianHunter]

100 turns? Wow I am lagging. I thought I was doing OK so far. Mostly organic settling and doin barb camps for bonuses. Just started a war on unprotected Saladin, took one city and waiting on more as I levied a war city state and they are just getting to the show.

I noticed the same thing. I usually do pretty well on Pangea maps with early game unique units. With this one the warcarts just kept rolling along , shrug. After conquering Saladin I found Scotland with all infantry (2 swords and 4 warriors) poised on Saladin's former borders. I declared and fortified my warcarts. The infantry imploded on the fortified warcarts (I did have 3 archers to pick off weakened units). That was essentially all for Scotland as well. Now the group of tightly clustered -5 per Varu around India's lead city, that put my knights in a bit of a spot .

Edit: You know, I think Robert the Bruce's amenity crazed aganda may have been his undoing. If those warriors had been swords it would have been quite different. But I was trading him amenities @ like 10 gold per turn, which bought me archers for 240 gold while simultaneously keeping him financially strapped and unable to upgrade .

 

[GeorgeF]

I'm lagging a little. I'm really regretting taking God of the Forge over Harvest. I'd have filled out my territory much better. I settled second city South next to the Horses, where I could get plenty of early ziggurat culture. Other than that built WarCarts and eventually found Arabia. I bribed William into war with Arabia as well, and I cleaned up all of Arabia's cities. Built Pyramids and Oracle in Cairo, building colleseum in Arabia's second city to the SW of Cairo. Attacked William immediately, but after taking 2 cities and being 2 turns from knights all of Williams's Chariots turned to Knights and I pulled a retreat. With Defenders of the Faith my WarCarts, Swords, and Archers are killing knight after knight, and now crossbow after crossbow on defense, but I can't take any more cities while he has the tech advantage. I just got my second golden age, took the Faith one the first time to nail down my religion from Arabia's Holy Sites (since I didn't have enough faith to use Monumentality). Took Monumentality for the second since I have no CH and could use the builder extra movement, even though i still don't have enough faith to buy settlers. Took a pause there, because the game is really stalling out and I could really use William's campuses (and Great Library). In a turn I'll have Mercenaries and can upgrade all my carts into knights then maybe I'll be able to go on the offensive. Game would be so much different if I had Harvest (not that its going really poorly). I'll pick it up for another session in a day or two.

 

[kcd_swede]

God of Harvest was gone before I could get it. Otherwise, I am confused by your reference to William and to CH. Do you mean the Scottish Bruce perhaps? I've played so much Civ4 that CH means couthouse to me, so

 

[GeorgeF]

God of Harvest was gone before I could get it. Otherwise, I am confused by your reference to William and to CH. Do you mean the Scottish Bruce perhaps? I've played so much Civ4 that CH means couthouse to me, so

William the Bruce, I guess. I don't have the game open and did the report from memory - I have no commercial districts at this point, so it feels like I'm lagging. I did get 800 gold from the failed Emergency after I took Cairo, so thats what I'll use to update units.

 

[DanQuayle]

I got a lucky start. I met Carthage first and got an easy quest (early empire) from Kabul.
This allowed me to build war-chariots every 2 turns in the capital!
Also, I stole a settler from Arabia.
However, Saladin wasn't as nice to me as he was to @BarbarianHunter as he didn't build the Pyramids for me, but was instead churning out heavy chariots.

Spoiler :

Cairo

• DanQuayle
• Dec 23, 2018

I peaced out with with Saladin leaving him on one city right in the middle on my empire and Robert's.
As we were both in a golden age, it didn't take long before Saladin's last city turned into a free city, effectively eliminating him from the game... Or did it?

Spoiler :

Saladin GPT

• DanQuayle
• Dec 23, 2018

Saladin was still paying me gpt from the grave!
(Here you can also see Robert planting military units in my territory and not moving them making me regret to give him open borders as I couldn't improve/harvest certain tiles)

Saladin Religion

• DanQuayle
• Dec 23, 2018
• 2

And Saladin also recruited the last Great Prophet (with the Last Prophet ability I presume), but he never founded a religion (as he had no city!)

T100

Spoiler :

T100-1

• DanQuayle
• Dec 23, 2018

T100-2

• DanQuayle
• Dec 23, 2018

 

[Fluphen Azine]

Long time since I posted a GOTM game.
I think this might be my first Civ VI posted and or finished.
Sometimes I download the Deity or Immortal game but don't post.
Miss the Civ V File Upload site.
Anyways felt like sharing this game and comparing to improve my gameplay.
I will try more in the future since Gathering Storm coming out soon.

Spoiler Turn 100 Uruk :

Spoiler Turn 100 Cairo :

- Where did you settle your capital city? Your second city?
Moved East onto the Plains Hill
Second City unsure... Stole a Settler from Arabia and settled Shuruppak.
Hard Built a Settler and was going to settle Dover but didn't need the Era Points.
Settled on the Horses instead.

- What did you research and which policies did you choose and why?
Mining First for the Luxuries and Bronze Working.
Animal Husbandry to sell the Horses.
Bronze Working to get Encampment First and some Great Generals.
Pottery for the usual reasons.
Irrigation, Writing, Currency, Wheel (Should of delayed this tech)
Masonry, Horseback Riding, Stirrups around turn 85, some detours waiting for Feudalism.
Iron Working... got a bit lost in the tech tree and started to research things like Construction and Apprenticeship losing my focus.
Built so many War Carts forgot to get up 3 archers so delayed Machinery a bit.
Also for some reason I forgot about Education and researched Military Engineering first

- What was your build order?
Warcart X 2, Builder, Settler, Encampment, Builders chopping Warcarts.
Since I got up Harvest I opted to build many builders chopping up the land.
It looked like I was going to get a Classical Golden Age so I wanted to stock up some Faith with Chops.

- How long did it take to find your neighbors? Were they hostile or friendly?
I found Arabia before Carthage.
After that I found Robert and Korea along with a few CS's... kinda quit scouting after that.

- How soon did you build a District? Which ones did you prioritize?
Encampment First in the Capital... mostly Campuses First in the expos and some Commercial Hubs First.

- Did you try to build any Wonders?
No... Figured I would let the AI build them.
Too busy Warmongering as usual for me.

- Did you emphasize expansion? How many cities have you built/captured in the first 100 turns?
16 total with Faith Buying and Warmongering... 1 built the Hard Way and 1 stolen.
I was a bit late with expansion.
I was hoping to expand more with my Golden Age Harvest.
I stole one Settler from Arabia around turn 30 or so.
I chopped one in the capital.
The rest I Faith Bought or absorbed through Warmongering.

- How quickly did you get Trade Routes working, who did you trade with?
Not very quick as I was focused on Builders chopping out Warcarts.
I used the Faith from chopping to buy one Trade Route.

- How did you play your governance cards, priorities?
The usual for the most part.
I decided not to use God King but ended up getting harvest from a Hut and Pillaging.
Thought I took a picture but didn't see it on Steam.
After that I used Maneuver mostly along with +1 Production.
Autocracy First and never switched out of it.
Used it for the +2 Great General Card, Conscription, Urban Planning and Maneuver.
Switched out Maneuver for Limes as well.

- Which Governors did you choose and why did you choose them?
I went with Magnus First and Provision next to keep from losing Population in the Capital.
Next was Amani for the usual CS's and Era points but I haven't done very well with her.
It took what seemed like a long time but now the Governors are coming in quick.
As I was warmongering, I used them to help with Loyalty.
On turn 100 I think I have Pingala, Liang and Reyna moving around.

- Was your first age a Dark Age? Did you take any Dark Age cards?
No... Back to Back Golden Ages so far.

- What City-States did you meet and which ones did you cultivate to your side?
Carthage First... mostly met the others by way of War.
Couple Science, Gold and Production CS's.
I mostly have one point in each and a couple have been used for Era Points.
Haven't focused much on them since killing is my business.

- How were the Barbarians?
Yes but no problems from Barbs.
Helpful to get extra Era Points which many times my games don't have as many as this game did.

- Any surprises?
16 cities on turn 100 which is nice.
Probably could of had 20 but I am lazy.
This game I was able to wall off Arabia with Warcarts posted around his borders.
The tactic made it easier for me to expand and warmonger.
Could of taken out Carthage easy but laziness is an issue.
Whenever I can get Harvest, Classical Golden Age followed up by a (Mid Evil) Golden Age I am always a bit surprised.
As you can see I have neglected Trade Routes... just more laziness from my gameplay.
Obviously neglecting my Culture Per Turn as well.
I get too focused on War and War Only forgetting things like population and districts.
As usual I just eliminate Civs... Killed Arabia getting +5 Era points and going to kill Robert next on my way to more Warmongering which will delay our Rocket Ship to Space.

 

[assegai]

It seemed to go nicely, I quickly settled three cities and was conquering Arabia with a nice little army around t40. However, despite garrison and governor, Arabia's capital turned into a free city every 4 turns and after taking it three times I lost patience and abandoned the game -- it was no fun. It is probably due to the fact that I am usually playing on Immortal and not deity: I should probably have built more troops to take several cities in quick succession.

 

[Zedseayou]

N.B. please disqualify me from whatever ranking there is, I have reloaded since I am just trying to get a hang of how the Deity flow should go and seeing others' games is a useful learning exercise.

This is my first real attempt at a Deity game, so I hope it continues to go well. I have finally managed to eliminate Saladin and Robert, though there were definitely some hiccups. Thankfully they had DOWed each other early, so I could amass some warcarts, build a settler and an encampment on a bought tile (so the war carts didn't have to go over the hills from Uruk) and attack Saladin. I forward settled to try and alleviate some loyalty pressure when taking Cairo, but I still didn't have enough time to get Hattin before all of my Arab cities were going to revolt from loyalty so I made peace and left Hattin to rot while I dealt with Robert. Eventually it revolted from Loyalty and then I took it to avoid another warmongering penalty, though after eliminating Robert everyone hates me anyway so maybe that was a waste of a few turns. Robert also had some annoying cities to manage; Stirling's chokepoint near the mountains was a close thing and Hattusa is nestled behind a mini range as well. I had to back off and spend a bunch of money on 4 knight upgrades to take Hattusa, since he had a couple of crossbows by then.

My main problem now is that I inherited a lot of cities with holy sites and campuses, which isn't inherently bad but I have no commerical districts and therefore only a single trade route, and my gold income is plummeting. I am trying to deal with that since I would prefer not to have to sell any knights, in case I decide to continue on the warpath. I am leaning towards just consolidating though, maybe building/buying a few more settlers to bring my 16 cities up to 20 and making sure that I can finish key wonders (Colosseum especially). It's also a surprising game in that I have several cities that don't seem to have much to build; I think I'm not used to the military tech path leaving me with few districts and district buildings. I have also never actually finished a science game so I am interested in thinking about how to prioritise getting through the rest of the tech tree.

Spoiler East cities (near Uruk) :

Spoiler West cities (Scotland) :