Against the Entire World I

[dankok8]

Just like many people before me, I think I'm going to start my own ALC-type games starring the so commonly proclaimed 'weak' leaders on huge maps in BTS!! I'm willing to hear suggestions for future games but if no one minds, I'd like to play with Saladin first and showcase some of his abilities with your help. Many people including myself have called this guy the weakest leader in the game and so I couldn't resist giving him a try.

Saladin:
UU: Camel Archer (replaces knight, requires no resources to build, 15% withdrawal chance)
UB: Madrassa (replaces library, +2 extra culture/turn, can make 2 priest specialists)
Traits: Spiritual, Protective

Game Settings:
Huge Pangaea - 18 civs
Prince Difficulty
Choose Religion

My Preliminary Ideas:
- early religion --> religious economy/research
- lots of warfare
- beeline to Feudalism for protective longbows?

I'll post the starting location either tonight or tomorrow.

 

[dankok8]

Hmm, I guess no one has anything to say about Saladin.
Either way, here are the settings ..

..and finally the start!!

Not a bad start. 2 elephants and a few flood plains.. the only bad thing is I cant really see what's 2 tiles away if I settle and a warrior is far away. Do I settle in place?

http://forums.civfanatics.com/uploads/117021/Saladin_BC-4000.CivBeyondSwordSave

 

[Gooblah]

Pop the hut, then decide. If the hut provides a map, follow accordingly. A tech is even better. Move the Settler onto the Ivory space 1NE. If Nothing can be seen, go back and settle in place.

 

[dankok8]

I don't think I can pop a tech unless I'm already settled so I'd luck to pop after I settle .. wow .. so hard to decide .. if I move the settler and find nothing, I lose a turn. If I don't, I might miss something hidden in the fog.

 

[Welnic]

I would trust in the initial start and just settle there, then you can go ahead and pop the hut. You have enough forests to deal with the unhealthy flood plains. If you want to found a religion it is best to settle on the first turn.

 

[oynaz]

IMO, the only reason for not settling in place, is if you get a coastal start, and want to block the AIs' expansion. Given the fact that blocking AI expansion isn't terribly important at Princa, and that you are already inland, I would definitely settle in place.

 

[DesertRogues]

I am watching closely and will play along.
I say settle in place, make the best of whatever turns up. Hate to lose a turn when trying to get a religion, I usually go Poly.

 

[dankok8]

ok sounds great .. I think I'll settle in place. What do you guys think about tech order? How about poly, mining, hunting, and then BW? Either way, I'm gonna be posting Round 1 tomorrow.

 

[DesertRogues]

Tech line sounds good to me.

 

[dankok8]

ROUND 1: 4000BC - 2840BC

The Awakening of an Empire

I followed everyone's advice and my own intuition and I settled in place. I immediately popped the hut .. and .. no tech Hey but I did get 47 G's. it helps more than most people think!!

I went for Polytheism (13 turns) and for a huge scare as someone founded Christianity about 8 turns into the game (would have taken me 11 to research Meditation!!). I decided to build a warrior first in my capital followed by a worker and possibly another warrior and then settler. Anyways, important milestone in 3480BC:

I immediately went after mining and then as mining is almost completed, a foreign scout finds our civilization.

Soon after that, the worker was finished and I started on another warrior while I let the city grow. I also reseached hunting to I can build camp on the ivory. It will increase my production and increase my happiness cap. When my city became size 4, I started a settler. Then, we meet 2 more neighbours.

http://img139.imageshack.us/my.php?image=kublaikhanxc1.jpg

http://img138.imageshack.us/my.php?image=tokugawapa3.jpg

Finally, I start on BW and with 7 turns left and not much else going on, I decide to end the round.

And the Map Overview.

The settler will finish ~3-5 turns after BW (I plan to chop) so maybe we'll send it to get us some copper. My research path after that could be either Priesthood (if we decide to get the Oracle to get a Great Prophet soon) or Animal Husbandry to connect the pigs in our BFC and reveal horses. Or maybe something else?!?

 

[oyzar]

please fix so we don't have to click the links all the time(i belive the

 

[DesertRogues]

I think I would send the settler north to grab the gold. Also get the Oracle and try to spread the religion. Looks like you will be ok money wise.

 

[dankok8]

ROUND 2: 2840BC - 1600BC

This round started off pretty bad. My only exploring warrior got mauled by a bear just northwest of that lake. I sometimes have bad luck with animals/barbs.

A few turns later, Bronze Working was finished and the Arab people decided to adopt slavery. A source of copper is revealed to the west and I got a settler- not a great spot but I decide to move there (it does have a few calendar resources). I immediately switched to Priesthood and after researching it 5 turns later, I quickly went after Oracle.

Soon later, we meet another neighbour, Roosevelt. I move on and found our second city near the copper, Medina.

In a few turns, Writing is researched and I switch to AH so I can connect the pigs and reveal horses. After intense chopping and nail-biting, THE ORACLE!!!

I chose Hereditary Rule because I'm anticipating a military build-up as soon as I connect the copper and some of those units can help me combat unhappiness.

I open borders with Kublai and look at Median after the warrior has been built there .. this city will need some serious MM to do much.

Then, we meet our last rival for this round, Huayna. That guy founded Christianity + I've had really bad experience with him before. That guy is a backstabber, good techer, and has a rival religion. He must go down!!!

Animal Husbandry is finished and the horses are just outside of Mecca's BFC. I'll be connecting those soon as well.

Here is the resource map.

Where do I settle future cities and in what order?
Do I attack now (ie. axerush) or wait till Cosntruction to get some elephants - probably should have taken mathematics with the Oracle in that case.
What do I build in my capital?
Who do I spread my religion to first?

 

[dankok8]

OOPS .. forgot the save.

http://forums.civfanatics.com/uploads/117021/Saladin_BC-1600.CivBeyondSwordSave

 

[Gooblah]

Good round, but as couple things:
Unhappiness in this stage is easily vanquished by trading for Fur or Gold after Sailing, so it grabbing Monarchy probably wasn't the best way to go. I was thinking Code of Law, since an extra religion is useful, and it comes with a missionary (which reminds me, if you choose a religion in BTS, does a religion that normally has a missionary with it still have the missionary?), which can be used to spread said religion for diplomatic bonuses or LOS onto a neighbor whom you don't have many espionage points directed to. Plus, courthouses should be the first post-war builds to help stabilize a war economy. Just my two cents. But besides from that, great game!!

 

[eewallace]

Nice start. I haven't looked at the save, but from the pix, it looks like you might be able to get a reasonable city that has both the northern copper and 2 gold, if there are enough flood plains there to provide some food.

I don't think that Saladin is one of the weakest leaders. (I'd say the Khmer guy is worse.) He's not great for aggressive military games, but he's actually pretty good at expansion and teching. I had a space race win with him on noble. The madrassa is not too bad a UB, actually.

 

[Terrance888]

Hi! Hi! Hic!

 

[Welnic]

...
I was thinking Code of Law, since an extra religion is useful, and it comes with a missionary (which reminds me, if you choose a religion in BTS, does a religion that normally has a missionary with it still have the missionary?), which can be used to spread said religion for diplomatic bonuses or LOS onto a neighbor whom you don't have many espionage points directed to.
...

Whether it gets a missionary is tied to the tech that founds it. If you found a religion with Meditation you don't get a missionary no matter what religion you pick, if you found one with Philosophy you get a missionary.

 

[Johan^^]

Try and grab the gold city to the north and the one to the east which is really good. There are several possibilities for good city locations and the gold will help the research

 

[dankok8]

Round 3: 1600BC - 650BC

In this, round we focused on improving our economy and science while expanding a bit and preparing for war.

As our capital finished the madrassa in 1320BC, we met another neighbour..

Uh oh, when I see this guy or his buddy Julius even before like 1000AD I get scared, those praetorians are nasty I tell you. As you can see here, my workers are hooking up the elephants and horses with roads while I'm waiting for pottery to finish so I can cottage those flood plains.

Pottery done:

Since I'm planning to attack with horse archers and I need Archery and HBR for those, I figure I should postpone connecting the horses and should just cottage now while I research away on those techs. Since BTS, horse archers are uber good units and are a good option if you have horses nearby - I could have taken HBR with the Oracle if I researched archery early.

Then in 1000BC, a lot of big news; well not really. Archery is done so I start on HBR, I find that Ceasar is quite far away and Damascus is founded.

Soon later, Ceasar comes and demands that I cancel deals with Kublai ..

I refuse and tell him to shove off. BTW he switched to Christianity so now he and Huayna are buddies. I better convert someone to my own faith or I may be in trouble.

Here's Mecca in 725BC building another settler. This city has great growth potential and has pretty decent science output for early on.

Then, the first statesman of Prussia pays us a visit:

A turn later, a settler is done in Mecca and I decide to end the round.

Round Summary:

Map:

East:

West:

Diplomatic Glance:

Domestic Advisor:

Tech Tree: