Aabra01: Training for Mid-level Micromanagers

[Aabraxan]

Welcome to Aabra01. This is a Training Day Game. It's going to be played at Emperor, but is open to players of any skill level of Emperor and below. If you're out there lurking and wishing you could get beyond Warlord, come on in! We don't care what skill level you're at; just be candid about your skill level and come ready to learn.

Post #2 will be reserved for an informational post. Any important announcements or decisions will be posted there from time to time. I will also post the roster there, but please bear in mind that I will not update it after every turnset to show who's just played, who's up, who's on deck, etc. I will try to update it for long-term skips and the like.

Post #3 will contain the opening save.

The Story:
At this point, I've read most of the War Academy articles, followed several games played by "local experts," and gone through (or am going through) two TDGs myself. Here's what I've learned: if I really want to play at the higher levels (demigod or above), I have to learn to squeeze every last schilling, every last morsel and every last shield out of a peasantry that is, somehow, kept smiling while wars rage all around them.

What I've learned from all that I've seen is that micromanagement is the key to turning a one-shield bonus in 4000 BC into a spaceship before 2050 AD. Worker turns, efficient movement, which tiles to work, how to minimize waste – these are the things I must learn if I ever want to change my "Civ 3 Skill Level" in my profile from "Regent" to "Demigod." In other words, micromanagement is the key, and it is the primary focus of this TDG. The Grumpy Old Monk has kindly agreed to help us with these skills.

At this time, I expect turnsets to be 20 turns in the Ancient Age, 10 in the Medieval and Industrial Ages, and 5 in the Modern Age. This, of course, can be adjusted if necessary.

As to timelines, I don't see the usual "24 to get and 48 to play" as being feasible, simply because of the nature of this beast. How about 48 to grab, 96 after that to play? I'm open to suggestions here.

So what are my guidelines?

Rule #1 of Aabra01: We're all friends here. We will learn as much from our mistakes as from our successes. Criticism of your turnset or questioning your decisions is not a personal attack. Don't use it as one, don't take it as one.

Rule #2: Detailed logs. We can't spot mistakes unless we can see what's been done. Granted, we can't all be CommandoBob, but the whole team needs to be able to make sense of your turnset.

Rule #3: There are no stupid questions. If you're in the middle of your turnset and either: (a) realize that you're in over your head; or (b) have hit a crossroads that needs a group decision, stop and ask.

Rule #4: When in doubt on cheats, exploits or bugs, consult. If you can find someone online to ask, great. In the absence of that, I like to use GOTM rules as a guide. They are always accessible, even if no other team members are online. If they need modification or if we decide not to use one of those rules, I'll put it in the informational post once a decision has been reached. GOTM rules can be found here: http://gotm.civfanatics.net/games/rules.php

Rule #5: Have fun. I hope everyone enjoys this one and learns lots.

Bede's Rules: I don't expect any conflict between Bede's rules and the GOTM, but if there is one, please follow Bede's rules:

I am going to add a couple of items dealing with standards of play to your rule set, if I may. The GOTM rules address many exploits of mechanics but miss some of the more subtle issues of game design.

1) No false peace treaties. Pointy stick research is a long and honorable tradition but breaking a peace treaty secured with technology and installment payments before the treaty has run its course will not be allowed. Any treaty secured by gold per turn or resources on our side must be honored for the full twenty turns.

2) "The trading reputation is golden" say LKendter, and so it is. That means no deliberate act on the player's part that will cause the premature end of any deal involving gold per turn or resources from our side. Losing the "Trade Rep" has consequences that will affect the entire course of the game, and not for the better. Being unable, ever again, to buy tech for gold per turn or resources, or supplying resources for a lump sum payment, changes the dynamics of the game so much that what had been a game of building, diplomacy and warfare, becomes a game of war or rumors of war, unending. I can play that sort of game, at Deity, and win, but I don't like to; it takes way too many options off the table.

Unfortunately the game does not recognize the difference between random events and player actions when considering the impact of a broken trade route. So volcanic eruptions can destroy a road and break a deal, barbarian galleys appearing on a coastline can break a trade route, war not involving the two principals in a deal can break a trade route, and the demise of one of the parties to a deal can break a trade route. So when considering a resources or gold per turn deal for cold cash, World Maps, or technology, look around carefully and make sure those risks are minimal

3) RoP rape is not a permitted tactic, nor will the use of RoP's or scouts to deny a resource to an opponent by parking a unit on it before it can be roaded.

4) No worker automation, ever, and limit the use of go-to orders to situations that are detailed in the notes to the save. It is really annoying to press enter on the first turn of a set and have little figures scampering all over the landscape. It is even more annoying to chase them down and turn them off.

The Statistics:
Version: Civ III Conquests
Level: Emperor
Civ: Random, 1st start rolled
Victory Condition: Space Shuttle, but all victory conditions will be left on.
Opponents: random
Barbarians: restless
Land mass: continent
Water: 70%
Map size: standard
Age: 4 Billion
Climate: normal
Temperature: temperate
Max Players: 6

To answer two questions that will no doubt arise:

1) Why spaceship victory? To learn the game from start to finish.
2) Why a random civ? To keep us from cherry-picking.
3) Why the first roll? See #2, and to teach us to MM with whatever start we draw.

 

[Aabraxan]

Current Roster:
Trainer: Bede

The Rest of Us:
Aabraxan
Mr_2_You
Elephantium
Phaedo
CoolioVonHoolio
Cyllus

Holding for open slots:
SimpleMonkey
sercer88

 

[Aabraxan]

Here it is. We will be (drum roll):

The Byzantines . . . Ummmm, ok. Seafaring and scientific with the dromon. Never once have I played them. This will be interesting.

And the save is below:

 

[Beorn-eL-Feared]

lurker's comment: If you wish to work on micro, I'd advise against playing 20 turns each even in the ancient age. Will lurk, might toss in a thing or two from time to time.

 

[Bede]

This looks like fun!

TGOM checking in.

Gotta go check the save to refresh my memory of what Theodora brings to the party.

 

[choxorn]

Would join, as I would also like to get past Regent and to the *cues dramatic music* higher levels, but sadly, my Conquests disk doesn't work (on 1.22 patch, at least) . Besides, even if it didn't, I have too little time to play much anyway.

 

[D'Artagnan59]

I'll join.

 

[Phaedo]

I'm in Aabra. TGOM as a trainer is a nice incentive

 

[Elephantium]

Peanut Lover checking in

...and thanks for picking up on my post in the other thread, Aabraxan!

 

[Cyllus]

Just what I'm looking for Aabra, would love to join. I'm pretty new to the boards, read most of the articles yet Micro-managing still eludes me. I play comfortably on Emporer where I can play pretty loose without clear game ending goals yet still pull it out, unfortunatley usually with late game war, which I'm getting bored with. I doubt I could move up to DG without fulling understanding mm skills though.

 

[Bucephalus]

lurker's comment:

"Lurker Hotel? I'll take the Penthouse suite please."

Good luck, Guys.

 

[CoolioVonHoolio]

if there any room, i would like to join. I used to be able to beat a good emp game, but i havent played for about 5-6 months and would like to catch up a bit, and brush the dust off.

 

[SimpleMonkey]

Any room for a DG player who needs to learn the level of mircromanaging needed to get to Deity? If not, just lurking for TGOM's advice will be well worth it.

Byz are my favorite civ, and I've taken them to wins a lot, so that might be a plus or a minus.

And CVH, don't we have a game as Germany to finish??

 

[Aabraxan]

Wow. This filled up a lot faster than I expected. Signups now exceed open slots by two. That puts me in the untenable position of having to tell a few of you that you can't play. Unfortunately, I just think 8 people is too many for a TDG. In keeping with my original number of 6, Cyllus took the last open slot. That said, I would certainly invite and encourage the others to join Bucephalus in the lurker's gallery. I will make a note in the roster as to who has asked to join. In the event someone drops out or is otherwise stricken from the rolls, invitations will be extended in the order that signups were received. That's the only fair way I can think of to do this.

Thank you so much for your interest. The roster is now closed.

@Bede -- what do you think of the length of turnsets? Beorn commented that 20's too long for MMing work. I'd like your input before proceeding.

 

[Cyllus]

Didn't even see the pic and civ we landed with, must have scrolled right by it. I've never played any civ with Seafaring, just doesn't suit my playstyle. Those Dromons have pounded my coastal cities early in past games, looks like I'll learn a lot from this SG Also could be an Island start which I've never drawn. Anxious to get rolling

 

[Bede]

I am going to add a couple of items dealing with standards of play to your rule set, if I may. The GOTM rules address many exploits of mechanics but miss some of the more subtle issues of game design.

1) No false peace treaties. Pointy stick research is a long and honorable tradition but breaking a peace treaty secured with technology and installment payments before the treaty has run its course will not be allowed. Any treaty secured by gold per turn or resources on our side must be honored for the full twenty turns.

2) "The trading reputation is golden" say LKendter, and so it is. That means no deliberate act on the player's part that will cause the premature end of any deal involving gold per turn or resources from our side. Losing the "Trade Rep" has consequences that will affect the entire course of the game, and not for the better. Being unable, ever again, to buy tech for gold per turn or resources, or supplying resources for a lump sum payment, changes the dynamics of the game so much that what had been a game of building, diplomacy and warfare, becomes a game of war or rumors of war, unending. I can play that sort of game, at Deity, and win, but I don't like to; it takes way too many options off the table.

Unfortunately the game does not recognize the difference between random events and player actions when considering the impact of a broken trade route. So volcanic eruptions can destroy a road and break a deal, barbarian galleys appearing on a coastline can break a trade route, war not involving the two principals in a deal can break a trade route, and the demise of one of the parties to a deal can break a trade route. So when considering a resources or gold per turn deal for cold cash, World Maps, or technology, look around carefully and make sure those risks are minimal

3) RoP rape is not a permitted tactic, nor will the use of RoP's or scouts to deny a resource to an opponent by parking a unit on it before it can be roaded.

4) No worker automation, ever, and limit the use of go-to orders to situations that are detailed in the notes to the save. It is really annoying to press enter on the first turn of a set and have little figures scampering all over the landscape. It is even more annoying to chase them down and turn them off.

Now that is off my chest.

@Aabraxan - 20 turns for the first player and ten after that are pretty standard. Too much can happen in twenty turns for a trainer to keep up with, especially since everyone's play style is unfamiliar to me.

I am also going to ask that, especially in the early going at least until the end of the Ancient Age, that whenever a technology trade comes up, that the turn player stop and post a save along with a description of the deal on offer. There are many things to consider in the early trade meetings between nations (who knows what, who knows who, what are the benefits and so on) and I want everybody to have a chance to comment.

Now on to the game -

Theodora starts with Alphabet (good) and Bronze Working (so-so). BTW don't train a spearman, ever. This is not Always War and we won't need the protection until we can train even better units.

Our start position is bland and that is the charitable assessment. Only one visible bonus grass and a lake instead of a river and at least one of the capitol's fields is a desert. Lots of trees to chop, though, so that will help with the early need for shields.

So how about a rundown of opening moves from everybody? Research path and goals, first three worker actions, first build, what field worked, what is most important output (food, gold, shields) at this stage are the things I want considered.

 

[mr_2_you]

@Aabraxan - 20 turns for the first player and ten after that are pretty standard. Too much can happen in twenty turns for a trainer to keep up with, especially since everyone's play style is unfamiliar to me.

there is a lot to learn in the first 20 moves of the game. what do you think about all players playing the first 20 turns and then we select the best one to go with from there?

So how about a rundown of opening moves from everybody? Research path and goals, first three worker actions, first build, what field worked, what is most important output (food, gold, shields) at this stage are the things I want considered.

this is a great idea. unfortunately, i won;t be able to post my plans until tomorrow. perhaps i'll dream about it tonight!

 

[choxorn]

there is a lot to learn in the first 20 moves of the game. what do you think about all players playing the first 20 turns and then we select the best one to go with from there?

lurker's comment:
This is customary for most TDG's, and is a pretty good idea. Everyone learns something in the first 20 turns because everyone plays the first 20 turns. And comments on them.

 

[Aabraxan]

I'm good with the new rule additions, Bede. When I get freed up from RL, I'll copy them into the OP so that we've got one ruleset that everyone can refer to.

As to opening moves, unfortunately, RL blindsided me yesterday, so I'll be tied up for a couple of days. Here are my thoughts.

1) Plant our capital where we stand.
2) Food is probably most important right now, but we don't have any bonuses (bonii?) to capitalize on. So move worker to BG and begin mining. That will speed up #3.
3) Warrior build first, so he can get out and explore. We need to find good land and luxes.
4) Since we begin with Alpha, we're well-positioned to pull off the Republic slingshot. I'd immediately start with Writing with an eye to beelining that and trading along the way for other AA techs.

 

[choxorn]

lurker's comment: commenting on 3 and 4, starting with Alpha also enables you to make Curraghs, which are great for exlporing, especially on worlds with multiple continents (suicide curraghs).