Aabra-cadaabra: Demigod Iroquois
Welcome to Aabra-cadaabra: Demigod Iroquois.
A while back, I began playing Emperor in my solo games and, over the past few months, I've noticed that the "tipping point," where I begin to feel like the game is just a matter of time before it's won, has been coming earlier and earlier. That meant that it was time to give DG a run. It's not the first time I've tried DG. I've had several failures at it. I tried the first few on continents, thinking, "Hey, this is what I'm used to, so I'll stick with it." Suffice it to say that those attempts did not go well. . . Then I decided to go ahead and go with an archipelago map. I tried a few runs with 80% water & played the Dutch. I wanted to reduce AI-AI trading and to try to put myself in the broker's seat. Perhaps I could have won one of those games, but I decided that the islands that I got were just too small, so I rolled it back to 70% water and chose the Iros. Unlike "The Unluckiest Lucky Start" and "Awn of an Ynasty," I expect to post saves regularly in this game. Input, criticism and pointers are welcome.
So, without further ado, here are the stats:
The Statistics:
Version: Civ III Conquests
Level: Demigod
Civ: Iroquois
Victory Conditions Allowed: Any
Victory Condition On: Domination, SS, Diplo, Conquest, Cultural
Opponents: Random
Barbarians: Roaming
Scientific Great Leaders: On
Land mass: Archipelago
Water: 70%
Map size: Standard
Age: 4 Billion
Climate: Normal
Temperature: Temperate
After several restarts, I got this & decided that it was worth a shot:
Here's the full-screen shot.
Spoiler :
Now, let's be clear: I've not yet had a DG victory. If I can pull this one off, it will be my first one. For me, it will be like magic if I can win.
I founded on the spot, and named my capital Aabraxa. Just so that you know this is not entirely a case of unbridled narcissism, perhaps a little of my gaming history is in order here. I've always liked being able to sort my towns/colonies/bases/planets in the order in which I settled them, and I like having my capital at the top of the list, so that it's easily accessible. As a result, years ago, I started naming my capital Aabraxa . . . You don't have to say it. I already know that it's nerdy. I came to grips with that a long time ago.
Anyway, here was my basic plan: (1) Expand until I'm boxed in; (2) Try to build the GLib; (3) Build Mounted Warriors; and (4) Survive as long as possible. I set research to Writing on max, thinking to use it for trade bait. Popping the hut gave me a warrior, and he set about exploring.
I soon spotted a couple of scouts on my landmass and realized that I had two neighbors: the Americans and the Mongols. OK. Two expansionists on my landmass. Hmmm, that tells me that I can expect to fall behind in tech very, very early. Not that I really expected to keep up at DG, at least not through self-research. On the good side, though, my neighbors: (a) do not have a great AA unit (like the Greeks or the Persians); and (b) are not agricultural. The Americans are industrious, so they're a little scarier than the Mongols. By 1750 BC, the Mongols and the Americans were at war & I sat back and let them traipse across my land, hoping that they would weaken themselves enough for me to perform some "aggressive expansion."
Spoiler :
I had gotten Writing as a monopoly and traded it around for everything I could lay hands on. I then set my sights on Philosopy and continued expanding. Much to my own amazement, I pulled off the Philosophy slingshot!
I grabbed Literature as my free tech and swapped whatever I had been building at Aabraxa to the GLib.I expanded until I was boxed in, which happened at about 6 cities. This is much more cramped than my Emp games. Through trade and expansion, I learned that I had horses, but no iron. That's OK. I'll get MWs, if I survive long enough. I was also near furs, but Temujin grabbed them first. Silks are to the north and ivory to the east, but the ivory was too close to the American borders for comfort.
By 1000 BC, I was boxed in & knew I was going to have to fight someone. here's the empire at that point.
Spoiler :
I grabbed the GLib, shut off research and began amassing gold. I also got HBR and began building MWs. Eventually, the Americans and the Mongols made peace. In ~650 BC, I DOW'd Temujin. He had furs and iron that I wanted, and the Mongol-American war had weakened him. I took a big stack of MWs and headed south. By 330 BC, I had taken Karakorum, which contains both the Colossus and the Great Lighthouse, and pushed UglyMug off the continent. The Americans got an MGL during the war and finished the SoZ, as well. Fortunately, they finished it shortly before the Mongol War ended, so, if luck holds, I'll be able to take it before Abe gets much use out of it.
It's now 110 BC. I'm preparing for a war with the Americans with Boston being my first target. It's the home of the SoZ, which I want for my very, very own. If I don't think I can hold it, I'll burn it down. From what I've seen, Abe has horses, but no iron. I've also made contact with the Spanish and the Incas.
Here's the empire at 110 BC.
Spoiler :
Wish me luck!
about the celts settling in land that I sooooo conveniently cleared for them. That's OK. I'll deal with that later. I also see some action in the Russian-Spanish war.
Anyway, in 520 AD, I destroyed both celtic cities in formerly American land. As the Celts are mostly on another landmass, and on the other side of the 'Muricans, I'll probably just let them slug it out while I get my forces together for another push against Abe and get some settlers out into this open land.
