6otM97 Opening Actions Thread

[Eyswein]

Welcome to the 6otM97 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.

- What was your plan for achieving a Science VC? What are the major steps you planned to take? What events, if any, changed the plan in execution and to what new plan? Any interesting decision points?
- How did the leader bonus and civ unique ability impact your plan/play, if at all?
- Where did you settle your capital city? Why? Your second city? Why?
- Early order for technology/civics? What did you prioritize for technology/civics?
- What was your early build order in your capital and other early cities? Military units / Civilian units / Districts & city development / Wonders / Civ Unique Unit & Infrastructure? Most critical or interesting?
- Pantheon chosen and why? Religious beliefs chosen, and why?
- What governments did you select? What policy cards did you use? Why?
- Which Governors did you choose and why did you choose them?
- How long did it take to find your neighbors? What did you do for early diplomacy/trading? Peace or War (and by you or them)?
- What City-States did you meet and which ones did you nurture to your side?
- How did Dramatic Ages affect your play? When did you have Dark/Golden ages?
- How were the Barbarians?
- Any surprises/frustration/elations?

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

 

[Email10]

I have played until Turn 100 and have had a good start with not too many complications or big mistakes.

- What was your plan for achieving a Science VC? What are the major steps you planned to take? What events, if any, changed the plan in execution and to what new plan? Any interesting decision points?
Find good Campus & Oppodum spots while keeping enough Military around to cope with my neighbours. I pretty much followed this plan during the first 100 turns.

- How did the leader bonus and civ unique ability impact your plan/play, if at all?
Highlands were very nice for quick border expansions and strong tiles plus the culture boost. I used Gaesateas for scouting and fighting barbs. Oppodums are really strong on these maps. My first two were +6 & +7.

- Where did you settle your capital city? Why? Your second city? Why?
I settled the capital in place as there seemed to be both a good Oppodum as well as a Campus spot in range. Second city was settled East as I saw an even stronger Oppodum spot there.

- Early order for technology/civics? What did you prioritize for technology/civics?
Techs: Mining (strong mines), Animal Husbandry (Horses for Oppodum bonus), Writing (Campuses), Bronze Working (Iron for Oppodum bonus and Iron Working boost), Irrigation (Olives)
Civics: Craftsmanship (faster builders), Mysticism, Military Tradition, Early Empire (fast settlers), State Workforce (Gov. Plaza), Political Philosophy (Government)
I prioritized everything linked ot faster production & science

- What was your early build order in your capital and other early cities? Military units / Civilian units / Districts & city development / Wonders / Civ Unique Unit & Infrastructure? Most critical or interesting?
Build order in capital was: Gaesatae, Builder, Settler, Slinger, Scout, Campus, Gaesatae, Settler

- Pantheon chosen and why? Religious beliefs chosen, and why?
Religious Settlements was surprisingly available, so I took it

- What governments did you select? What policy cards did you use? Why?
Policy cards: I started out with Discpline & God King to fight barbs and get a Pantheon. After, I went a lot with Ilkum, Agoge and Colonization.
For Government, I chose Oligarchy for the better slots and stronger military in case of wars

- Which Governors did you choose and why did you choose them?
I started with Pingala but should have went with Magnus. Pingala and Magnus was the most useful. I used Liang as well for extra builder charges.

- How long did it take to find your neighbors? What did you do for early diplomacy/trading? Peace or War (and by you or them)?
I met Greece Turn 24, Germany Turn 45. After, I met Zulus, Byzantimes, France and Sumeria as well. One civ is still unknown for me. I have sold of all my horses and iron when possible and gained a lot of gold from that. I have stayed peaceful all the time although Greece is very threatening with multiple units in and just outside my borders

- What City-States did you meet and which ones did you nurture to your side?
Akkad was met first, then it took time until I met Kabul and Mexico. Turn 100, I have met 9 city states, I am suzerain of 2 (Akkad, Kabul) and have minimum 1 envoy on each.

- How did Dramatic Ages affect your play? When did you have Dark/Golden ages?
Getting the Golden Ages was easier than I expected (see my turn log below). I had plenty of buffer for both Era starts. The next one might be trickier.

- How were the Barbarians?
One Horse-camp was quite painful Northeast of my capital but I managed to kill it, but after losing 2 Gaesataes. The Horsemen never seized to spawn... Apart from that, no big problems.

- Any surprises/frustration/elations?
Religious Settlements available even I had no faith generation except God King. I'm curious if other players had the same luck.
I wanted to go for the Pyramids, but even before I could start building it, someone completed it. Never seen it completed so fast.
Matterhorn so close was really nice. I equiped almost all my military units with Skis
I have been lucky so far with the City State Quests, often getting easy Inspirations or Eurekas for free Envoys

Screenshot Turn 100

Spoiler Turn 100 :

Turn Log first 100 turns

Spoiler Turn 100 :

1: Settled in place
5: Matterhorn discovered (+3 Era score, 7/25), nice +3 Hills & movement bonus for Gaul
5: Plans my Capital, +5 Oppodum next to 2x Stone with Gov. Plaza SW, then +3 Campus next to Matterhorn
6: Alpine Training for my Gaesatae. Tundra to the South
7: Tribal Village - Boost Irrigation (+1 Era score, 8/25)
9: Looks like coast to the South-West, buys another 2/2 tile for 50 Gold
10: Desert to the West
11: CoL (thanks to boost from Gaesatae build) & Mining finished (+2 Era score, 10/25). Discipline & God King selected. Gaesatea finished
12: Met Akkad and got an Envoy, Quest: Inspiration for Craftsmanship - nice! It should be possible to get them as Suzerain
13: 2nd Gaesatae get Alpine Training
15: First Barb Scout approaches from North. Another Stone discovered to the East, nice +7 Oppodom location for 2nd city!
16: +1 Pop from Tribal Village (+1 Era score, 11/25)
17: Builder completed, start build mines!
19: AH discovered (+1 Era score, 12/25), Horses next to Stone, Oppodom will now be a +6! Changed plan for Gov. Plaza
20: Switched Civic to Military Tradition to wait for Inspiration of Craftsmanship
23: Barb camp moved in to the North of capital, Builder completes Pasture on Horses for the Inspiration - get's another Envoy in Akkad. Changes back to Craftsmanship. Gets Experience from Tribal Village (+1 Era score, 13/25)
24: Someone completes the Great Bath. Meets Gorgo to the East (+1 Era score, 14/25) for Writing boost. Sends a Delegation. Craftsmanship completed (+1 Era score, 15/25). Switch Policy to Agoge as I plan to build some troops for clearing Barb Camps. Started on Mysticism because I will need the Envoy for the Era Score.
25: Oh no, I forgot to send the delegation to Greece, first mistake in the game, but hopefully just a small one. I wrote it in the timeline but forgot to actually send it
27: Slinger completed, moves up towards Barb Camp. I decided to build a Scout because I'm scouting slowly with my Gaesataes and there are still so much land to discover and hopefully Tribal Villages and City States to find. In hindsight I should have gone for Scout as first build.
28: Writing completed (+1 Era score, 16/25). Switch to Early Empire Civic, waiting for Pantheon to boost Mysticism. Start research on Bronze Working
29: Scout completed, moves towards Matterhorn. Started on Campus, had to buy the tile for it (80 Gold)
30: Samarobriva founded on Amber to the East, with the potential +7 Oppodom and a +3 Campus in range. Starts on Builder
31: Mount Etna explodes and destroys a Stone that would have been nice for an Oppodom
32: Destroys Barb Camp to the North (+2 Era score, 18/25) for Military Tradition boost. My Slinger killed the Spearman for Archery Boost. Buy the Stone tile for Samaraobriva (55 Gold)
33: Discovers new continent to the East for boost on Foreign Trade. I notice that 2 unknown Civs have just completed Campuses
35: Switches back to Military Tradition to wait for the EE boost (6 pop in 4 turns)
36: Completes +2 Campus in capital. This will become +3 when I build the Plaza, but no Era Score points unfortunately. I should be fine for the Golden Age however. Boost for State Workforce
37: Meets Kabul, just East of Akkad, someone already met him, but he gave me the quest for Inspiration Early Empire, which I gladly take . Pantheon - OMG, Religious Settlement is still available! I take it (+1 Era score, 19/25). Boost for Mysticism. Now where to place my next city. Strategic position to forward Settle Greece seems a good option. I also have a nice Pyramids/Petra-spot to the West, next to the Deers. I think I will go for this one as this city was "for free" and I can afford it. Switches back to Mysticism (1 turn) to be able to Switch policies faster and remove God King.
38: Mysticism finished (+1 Era score, 20/25). I decide to keep researching BW without the boost because I can't find any barbs to kill but the tech is key for my strategy so I really need it. I need to find Iron to know where Iron Working is in the tech tree.
39: Reaches 6 Pop and completes Military Tradition & Early Empire at the same time (+2 Era score, 22/25). Got envoy in Kabul. Barb scout approaches from the East. Moves my newly build Gaesetae towards him. Starts on Settler in capital. Changes policy to Colonization and keeps Agoge. Next Civic: State Workforce
40: Forgot to assign governor, so assigns Pingala to capital now. I was thinking of Magnus because there is a lot of chopping to do, but I don't have many workers at the moment.
41: Scout finds Diplo favor in a Tribal Village (+1 Era score, 23/25). I should have gone with Magnus since I will soon have another promotion and would have had the Provision promotion before my Settler finishes Sells my Diplo Favor to Gorgo for 7 Gold per turns (!!) and 2 gold. An unmet player builds the Pyramids - there goes my Pyramids/Petra-City But better to know it is already built than to waste production... I think I never had Pyramids built that early in the game before.
42: Builder finished in my 2nd city and begins to mine his way to the Campus spot. Starts to build another one. Founds Divodorum on Marsh next to the Desert. First build: Builder.
43: Bronze Working finished - 4 Iron found, 3 of them nearby (+1 Era score, 24/25). My next Settler will go for on of them. Switches to Political Philosophy one turn before State Workforce is finished, because I want to wait with the free Policy change until the Settler is finished. I still don't see Iron Working in the tree. I research Irrigation because I want need that Olives. Built my 3 Mine for Apprenticeship boost - it is far, far away in the Tech tree.
44: 10 turns left of Ancient Age. Gets 20 Iron from Tribal Village (+1 Era score, 25/25) - Golden Age secured. Meets Mexico City with my Gaesatae who has went on a Go East polar adventure. Boost of Political Philosophy. The quest? Build a Campus - should be easy to achieve. Gorgos Military is getting threatening (255 points). I need some defense soon in case she jumps on me.
45: 2 Barb horses arrives from the East where my Gaesatae is heading. This will need to be taken care of quickly before they spawn more. Gorgo finishes Hanging Gardens. Meets Kumasi who wants me to build a Government Plaza - sure I will do that! Switches back to State Workforce. My slinger finds Inspiration for Drama and Poetry in a village. My scout meets Germany - this time I don't forget to send a delegation. He wants none of my Horses or Iron.
47: Another Barb Horseman spawns. My Gaesatae is fortified on a Forest Hill and tries to singlehandedly fight them all. Reinforcement is on the way, but I'm not sure he will survive. He lacks the Alpine promotion but I hope he can get a promotion next turn. Frederick agrees to a Friendship with me.
48: My Gaesatea kills two Horsemen and gets the promotion. Sells Open Borders to Frederick for 3 Gold per turn. Gorgo bus my open borders for 2 gold per turn. Hopefully she will soon be happy enough to send a delegation.
49: Meets Zulu, sends him a delegation. Sells him 40 Horses & 20 Iron for 9 gpt and 24 gold. A Horseman Archer Spawns and another Horseman arrives. My 2nd Gaesatae is almost in place to help. Irrigation finished, I go for Wheel with the hope that Iron Working is hiding behind it
50: Another Horseman killed and my 2 Gaesateas kills the Horseman Archer.
51: Another two Horsemen spawns One of my Gaesatae is almost dead. I retreat him. First Greek Warrior shows up at my southern border. I hope it is not the first of many, because then I can say goodbye to this nice start.
52: My 2nd Gaesatea survives thanks to Alpine Training and Forest Hill and gets a promotion. Greek Warrior disappears.
53: Another Horseman and Horseman Archer spawns. My Gaesatae manages to kill another one.
54: World enters the Classical Age, Political Philosophy finished. I choose Oligarchy for the combat bonus and because I need to produce military units. As Policies I keep Agoge and Ilkum and add Charismatic Leader and Monumentality to make my settlers and builders faster.
55: Gaesatea killed, one more remaining to fight the barbs. I need more. Completes Circumnavigation for 5 era score. Send envoy to Akka for Suzerainship
56: Meets Cardiff and Hong Kong
57: Next Gaesatae dies, I need to push more military units there to get rid of the barb camp. It is delaying my Iron City as well.
59: Library finished in capital
60: Campus finished in 2nd city
62: Finally settles my city next to Iron and mines it. Iron Working is behind Archery which I'm currently researching
63: And finally destroys barb camp
66: Government Plaza finished in capital, starts on Ancestral Hall. Magnus moved to Capital and added Provision promotion to chop out the Oppodum once Iron Working is finished
69: Ancestral Hall chopped
70: I need 7 pop in my capital to build Oppodom since I already have 2 districts. I start to chop Marshes adn switches production to Granary
71: Met Eleanor of France. She is willing to buy some diplo favor, horses and iron from me. Another 5 gpt. Chops another Marsh and places my +6 Oppodom in capital. Another +6 Oppodom is on its way in my 2nd city.
72: Oppodom ready in capital. I missed to switch policies the turn before so I sacrifice 45 gold to slot in Colonization and Limes. Also chop Settler and Granary on the same turn.
74: Meets Byzantime. Declares friendship with France and Zulu. Start working on Petra.
75: Friends with Basil
76: Oppodom finished in Samarobriva. Noviodunum founded Northeast by the 2 Iron + Horses. +6 Campus/Holy Site spot discovered.
79: Alesia founded Northwest on Citrus by the lake next to Horses
80: Met Gilgamesh, sends delegation and sells him Horses, Iron and Diplo Favor
82: Friends with Gilgamesh
83: Lutetia founded North of Mount Etna
84: 10 turns left of the Classical age. I have 79 of the needed 66 Era score, I will try to delay Era scores for now to push them into the next age.
85: Tornado hits Divodorum where I'm building my Petra, no serious damage done.
86: Divodorum drops 2 Population and several mines destroyed, Petra delayed 4-5 turns
87: Greece is moving around 4 Military units in my Eastern-most city. I need to build some more Military Units
89: That's 6 units now, including a Catapult, I think we are in for our first war and I'm not yet prepared for it
92: Still no war with Greece - they seem to want to trade still with me
94: Enters Medieval Era with Golden Age.
95: First Vote - Melee units +5 strength, Eastern Orthodoxy +10 strength. Petra finished in Divodurum.
96: Kabul becomes my Suzerain. Greece now have 9 units within and around my borders. I feel more prepared now with City Walls, Oppodums, Archers and Gaesataes in range.
98: Founds Cenabum North at the coast and get's +3 Era Score for being the largest civ
100: 8 cities founded, 301 Score