7OTM11 (Nov 2025) - Completion of Age of Antiquity Spoiler Thread

[Eyswein]

At the top of your post please post the following:
- Turns = Number of Turns (for Turn Game)

A few questions to consider:
- How did the new patch impact your play?
- What was your plan for moving toward the victory condition? 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?
- Did you settle in place or move?
- What were your initial 5-10 builds in the capital and/or other early cities?
- Early order for technology/civics? What did you later prioritize for technology/civics?
- How did the leader bonus and civ unique ability impact your plan/play, if at all?
- How many cities/towns did you settle and/or capture? Where did you settle your first few towns? What was your mix of towns vs cities?
- What were key production/purchase focuses?
- Pantheon chosen and why?
- What government did you select? Which bonus did you choose most and why?
- Other good info we didn't think to ask?
- How did you focus your use of influence for diplomacy?
- Any surprises/frustration/elations you ran into, how did you deal with it?
- Did you enjoy this Age?

 

[Head_North]

Turn 110.

Settled in place. didn´t have much of a plan. Have only played Egypt so far. Was focusing mostly on early settling.
Inital 5 builds: Scout, Scout, Scout, Warrior, Settler

Cultural: I usually prioritize discipline for the scouting bonus. But now I went Mysticism before discipline. Then I went for the Tonga specific Civics.
Settled 7 and captured one (Chitchen Itza).
Influence was only used for befriending independents.
Enjoyed it, especially being able to discover distant land early. I also befriended Independents on distant lands

One war: Pachacuti declared on me. I was just defendeing myself up around Heketa until he seeded Chitchen Itza in peace deal.

Spoiler Map at turn 110 :

 

[ABigCivFan]

Turn 90 Finish.

Started with 3 scouts as they are so good and popped as many huts as possible on land and sea. Decided early that Himiko was the only good target for war and wipe as I was expanding West with settlements and there were multiple silver resources near her. Slight issue was that she expanded into 6 settlements early so had to deal with more settlements, luckily Trung was hostile toward her as well forcing Himiko to a 2-front war.

Science and culture were low, Converted 2 towns to city asap to help boost those. Gold was flowing in nicely with multiple silvers and towns. Bought 2 ballistas as soon as i got the tech to facilitate the town capture pace.

Made big mistake of building the expensive Villas instead of Unique buildings at the end so did not finish any given the sudden end of age. Only had one unique quarter. Also wasted a lot of influence on befriending 2 DL IPs which did not finish to get the 2 settlement limits.

0 ships, usual war build, ended with a lvl 8 Army commander. dispersed 3 IPs early to get XPs and clear land. As usual, built Great Stele, Gate of All Nations in capital, Oracle+Pyramid in Fakat to get 2 Cultural LPs. Ended with 3 military, 3 Econ, 1 science LP. Wipped Himiko on turn 90 to end age. Ended with 9 settlements with 3 cities. Denounced Amina on the last turn as she will be my target in Exp age as she was the leader in DL with multiple wonders.

Spoiler Turn 55, 4 settlements, first wonder built :

Spoiler Turn 70 start war against Himiko :

She had 6 settlements but with border ones lightly defended as she was in a 2-front war.

Spoiler Turn 81 took Well developped Himiko Capital :

Spoiler Turn 90 Himiko Wipe and End of Age :

 

[pmarc]

Turn 90 Antiquity (3 econ - 2 mil - 1 sci - 1 cult)

I settled NW of the initial position to save the 3 coast adjacency for our unique district. 3 scouts opening, then brickyard.

I settled the first two towns going west and north, both grabbing a 3-resource adjacency spot next to the city hall for the UQ. Heketa inland became a urban center and Nukuleka on the west coast of my peninsula eventually became my 2nd city to also build a UQ (also lots of reefs to synergize with the last Tonga civic). Settled a 4th settlement in the southwest near the 2 sheeps and kaolin before starting on infrastructure. I picked the food government. Science pace was ok, Bronze Working finished around turn 50 if I remember well. (I got Masonry after Writing but otherwise beelined Bronze, delaying Sailing for example since our scouts don't need it.)

I picked some culture discoveries and rushed Mysticism for Stone Circles, but then pivoted to the Tonga civic for the culture on warehouse mastery. I eventually picked up discipline but otherwise continued on the Tonga civics before getting Myst II and continuing the regular civics tree. I'm not sure if it was a good idea. You get very good bonuses at the end of it but the buildup is slow, and the distant lands CS completed too late to really be of much use. On the other hand, our homeland CS selection was bad (mostly diplo, 1 econ) and I instead used influence to support research endaevors from Himiko and Trung Trac. I probably could have got Stele and Oracle if I had prioritized those civics instead.

I settled 3 more towns in the tundra-ish area to the south and captured Himiko's capital with the Colossus and Hanging Gardens. Trung Trac took her two other towns to eliminate the Khmer. Had I captured a 2nd settlement, I would have gone for the 3 points of military legacy, but instead sat at 8 settlements and got 4 settlers ready for the next age.

 

[MutilationWave]

I'm just an amateur, but I'm trying to improve my play by reading everything here. I'm curious why you would take stone circles over god of the sea playing Tonga with all the fishing boats.

 

[pmarc]

It's a good question. I think looking at the special resources in that capital, it was a clear pottery opening for me, not to mention you need a land building and another mine to reach the cotton. I think the 2 production from (non-reef) fishing boats with harbor and altar is bit too little too late for the capital's production base, and sailing delays the military techs; with more reefs the calculation might be different.

 

[MutilationWave]

Thanks for replying in detail. Since I don't optimize my games for turn count (yet) my math is different.

 

[Bleidraner]

Turn 90 Antiquity, 2 culture, 3 military, 1 science, 2 economic

Not a great game. I was extremely slow in science and culture, and somehow instead of beelining writing and converting to cities asap to fix it, I got distracted by conquest and wonders. Wiped Himiko t53. I am not sure what I was thinking of. Maybe that I could do 2 wipes. But Trung Trak was already in multiple settlements and I decided to focus on culture and science after that to try to fix the game, but did not make a lot of progress. I finished the age with 43 science and 64 culture per turn, the lowest numbers I remember doing in a long, long time.

I did declare on Trung to soften her up for Exploration and was at war for the last 30 turns of the age. I built Great Steele, Gate of all Nations, Oracle and Pyramids, all relatively easy to get. I stopped there as clearly I had no chance to do the three points.

I did not really maximize Teach's naval advantages. I did use Tonga's abilities and built one unique quarter. But the biggest thing was the exploration. I opened with 3 scouts and that paid off big time, lots of huts and DL intelligence. I even managed to squeeze a 4th scout before my second settler. The resulting exploration should set me up well for the next age, I explored really well and make a couple of strategic suzerainities to reveal even more of the map.

But with an abbreviated age, I should really be aspiring for t80-85 finish. Also, after 90 turns I was only able to get 1 science point and only 2 economic. Not a great submission.

Spoiler Screenshot :

 

[Bleidraner]

Thanks for replying in detail. Since I don't optimize my games for turn count (yet) my math is different.

@MutilationWave really great question. I am not sure the math is that different even if not optimizing for turns and just to win. Early production is incredibly important and has a snowball effect on everything you do. The bump in production from God of the Sea comes late (if at all, as I think there is a valid strategy to never research Sailing with Tonga due to the explorers ability to embark). In my game I actually only had 4 sailing boats by t90, for a 4 production bump total. Stone circles is usually my go to choice for pantheon if I cannot get God of the Sun.

 

[Ballcrusher]

Turn 106 Antiquity

1 Culture - 3 Military - 2 Science - 3 Economic

I went for war mongering, but unfortunately failed to do a Civ Wipe. I forward settled Himiko as I intended to eliminate her, but before the war started I found out that both Trung Trac and Pachacuti only had 1 city each. So I redirected my army and hope that I could eliminate one or both of them. But before I could take Trung Tracs capital she settled 2 other settlements (very far apart) and she made 4 walls in the capital. Actually all 3 of my neighbours had walls in all settlements around turn 50-60 (has the AI improved in that matter in the latest patch?). In the middle of my war, Himiko also declared war on me, and my army was stretched thin, so I had to make peace. Later I tried again to eliminate Trung Trac, but I only got her down to 1 settlement - her capital with lots of walls. I don't know if I will push for elimination again in Exploration age.

The failed wars took a lot of ressources, and I ended up with only 2 cities and 7 towns (and 2 towns being razed as the age ended), and a very miserable science and culture. Exploration age looks to be difficult.

Spoiler End of antiquity :

 

[Manpanzee]

(I wrote this a couple weeks ago and sat on it until I was sure I wasn't gonna continue with the game. The writeups I've seen in the Exploration thread kind of confirm my fears about how this one was gonna go.)

96 turns

This was a fairly low-power era, as Blackbeard was pretty much a blank for this part of the game. Also generally weak IP spawns around the starting area. With poor prospects for yields, I figured that I should simply go hard for military, and that the age would end whenever I managed a civ wipe. That proved to be the case, and the age ended immediately with Himiko's elimination. Himiko put up a good fight, and I really had to work to take her out, even with Trung also warring her from the north.

I am not feeling particularly enthusiastic about this map, and probably will not continue beyond this. A couple thoughts:

--This has been several games in a row with abbreviated ages. While that setting does have its interesting facets, it also has its downsides, namely limited time to actually use unique stuff. For example, completing Tonga's unique civics capper is an exciting milestone, unlocking both an attribute point (for decreased IP befriending cost) and a potent discount to befriending distant lands IPs. However, in this game, I didn't get there until around turn 70, and by that point, the abbreviated end of the age was well in sight. It didn't look like any new IP friends would have time to be relevant, so I chose to ignore my exciting new boni and hoard influence for Exploration.

I clicked through to Exploration, and it looks like the devs have seen fit to give the Pirates one of those extra-expensive unique civics trees. It will take a long time to research through there, and I'm guessing that the easier-to-accomplish legacy paths will bring the era to a close before the interesting unique stuff has much chance to matter.

--While the Fractal map generated an interesting continent for antiquity purposes, I am really seeing the difference between the old and new maps. In particular, the new maps seem to have significantly cut down on the amount of deep open ocean, creating more consistent crossing points and less space between home and the distant lands. This is a huge improvement IMO, as it makes interacting with the flagship mechanics of the Exploration era exciting and relevant from early in the age. No more hitting a bunch of dead ends and twiddling your thumbs til Shipbuilding!

Here, I'm looking at the vast ocean expanses, the shortage of stepping-stone islands, and the generally low-science leader/civ combo and thinking... it's going to take a while to get any piracy going, and it's going to take a long time for any treasures I claim to make it home. All of that might just not be relevant.

 

[Bleidraner]

--This has been several games in a row with abbreviated ages. While that setting does have its interesting facets, it also has its downsides, namely limited time to actually use unique stuff. For example, completing Tonga's unique civics capper is an exciting milestone, unlocking both an attribute point (for decreased IP befriending cost) and a potent discount to befriending distant lands IPs. However, in this game, I didn't get there until around turn 70, and by that point, the abbreviated end of the age was well in sight. It didn't look like any new IP friends would have time to be relevant, so I chose to ignore my exciting new boni and hoard influence for Exploration.

+one on the getting tired of abbreviated ages. @Manpanzee 's comment on not being able to use the unique stuff is absolutely correct. Tonga's unique civics are pretty powerful and fun to play, but with the abbreviated age the end comes very fast and there is no time to use them. I also have other gripes with abbreviated ages: bunched results, difficult to benchmark with the games I normally play, never reaching the top end of the trees, never using the advanced units, no possibility for future techs and civics, etc.

 

[Eyswein]

+one on the getting tired of abbreviated ages. @Manpanzee 's comment on not being able to use the unique stuff is absolutely correct. Tonga's unique civics are pretty powerful and fun to play, but with the abbreviated age the end comes very fast and there is no time to use them. I also have other gripes with abbreviated ages: bunched results, difficult to benchmark with the games I normally play, never reaching the top end of the trees, never using the advanced units, no possibility for future techs and civics, etc.

I'll make sure we mix it up more and do a poll. One complaint earlier was that it was too easy for many players to finish all the legacy paths on standard age length so overcorrected.

 

[jes_terday]

110 turns, 2 Eco, 2 Mil, 2 Sci, 3 Culture

From my perspective, an unusual setting and an unusual game.

I started with 4 scouts and immediately researched Tongan technology to gain a free trade route. Was it worth it?

In any case, I soon discovered Thera and desperately wanted it.

The Mayans weren't too happy about that. They soon declared war, but I couldn't find a way to get enough units there without a reasonable amount of effort. So I fought small skirmishes, but no war.

And without war, the game takes a long time. Exploring the world with the scouts is fun. Time will tell if it provides an advantage.

 

[Bleidraner]

I'll make sure we mix it up more and do a poll. One complaint earlier was that it was too easy for many players to finish all the legacy paths on standard age length so overcorrected.

I understand where you were coming form, and applauded the decision to do one abbreviated age. I just think it should be an exception, and not the rule. Thank you!

 

[GoblinMatron]

Turns: 105

2 cultural (Ha'amonga a Maui, Great Stele, Oracle, Colosseum)
3 militaristic (9 settlements, 6 founded + 1 captured + 2 gifted, 2 cities + 7 towns)
1 scientific
3 economic

Phew, this is a hard one.

Since I did not find any hostile IPs in the early turns, I decided to build my 3rd settler before any military units. That lead to me wanting Irrigation early which delayed Writing for far too long and made my science yields very bad.

But it also meant that I had a quick 4th settlement on turn 34.

Because I think that Reefs are very good tiles with Tonga, I was very happy to see a lot of them to the west of the Capital. I wanted to have a city that uses them well and founded my first settlement close to them, planning to make it a city and building Ha'amonga a Maui there.

Pachacuti did not like me and declared war on turn 41 without sending any units my way. He killed the Scout I sent in his direction, so I could only see one of his settlements close to Thera and it had walls very early. So I let the war just sit there until he has enough and gifts me Chichen Itza in a peace deal.

I instead decided to go to war against Himiko, because she looks weak. No walls and only 2 settlements after she lost one to Trunc Trac. So I denounce her on turn 59 and a turn later, she is walled up . I still decide to go to war against her, but I fail miserably. She has Archers behind the walls and Elephants in front of them and crushes me. I suicide some units to her and take a weak new settlement she founds, but I do not make progress against her Capital.
Then the crisis hits and I do not see that there is a new hostile village close to one of my settlements.After some turns, it is overrun with barbarians. I will losse it next turn to the 6 enemy units surrounding it. So I decide to make a peace deal with Himiko, taking her one non-capital settlement for the settlement that I am about to loose. She takes the deal. As planned, the barbarians take that settlement and I can capture it back from them

Since I did not manage to get a civ wipe and it is clear that I can only get 2 cultural LPs and one scientific, turn 105 is the new target. That leaves with enough time to finish a 4th wonder and build some settlers for the next age.

Spoiler End of Antiquity :

 

[pmarc]

I'll make sure we mix it up more and do a poll. One complaint earlier was that it was too easy for many players to finish all the legacy paths on standard age length so overcorrected.

It probably doesn't go too well with Deity specifically, I see the use on the lower difficulty levels.