AM7- Wonder Race-- Another Challenge

[amirsan]

Ok, I know it looks like I'm going crazy bringing up SG every other day but this one is an Idea I thought I must share. I call it "Wonder Race". This varient is where you must build 5 Wonders from each age (all of them if there is less than 5). This is an ideal challenge for the "builder type" and I personally wanted to try it. So it means that in the end we must have at least 20 wonders in our nation. (BTW, if you miss one from one age then you can aquire it in battle--this is vetoable if it makes it too easy ) I didnt want to make this varient too hard so I hesitated from makeing it on Emperor and decided to put it on Monarch instead. Sounds like a challenge?? Then Join!


Civ selection not known
Monarch
Small Map
Max # of AI
Pangea
Wet
Moderate
60% Water
No Barbs
Any Victory Condition (but I think a culture one would sound more realistic)

I think an Industrious and Religous Trait civ would make them the most powerfull for this varient. (1 turn Anarchy and more production).

Anything else that needs to be cleared, please ask.

 

[cgannon64]

I'll gladly join. I've never really done a good builder game, this one looks good - and challenging. Monarch sounds like a good level, BTW. IMO, Regent would be too easy and Emperor too hard...

 

[amirsan]

Ok, your in!!

Roster:
Amirsan-
cgannon64-
Open-
Open-
Open-

 

[cgannon64]

Just a question: how many SGs do you have going at once, Amirsan?

 

[amirsan]

Well according to my Sig, I have 7 SG's (one dead, so I have 6 of mine) and one that I'm part of so that makes 7 at once . Hehe...

 

[Rubberjello]

*Ahem*...speaking of your other S.G.'s amirsan...Doncha think you are stretching yourself a little thin? You are fast approaching your 48 hour play limit on Amirsan1.

I hate to sound like your parents and say "Don't start anything unless you inted to finish it!", but......there you have it!

As to this one, your biggest challenge is going to be the ancient age. The most wonders I've ever built in the Ancient Age on Monarch is 4. That was with a kick-butt starting location. Emporer level would be "impossible", in my opinion.

 

[cgannon64]

Two questions:

Are there 5 wonders in the Modern Age? I haven't built a single Modern wonder, so I'm not sure...

And how are we going to avoid the Culturual victory?

 

[amirsan]

No I think there are 6 Wonders, UN, Manhatten Project, Seti, Longetivity Cure for Cancer and I think one more. I dont think you can avoid a culture victory. The main strategy for this is to control the cascade.

 

[Rubberjello]

In the Modern age, you've got Seti, Cure for Cancer, The Internet , Longevity (the worst Great Wonder ever, btw), Manhattan Project, and the U.N. So 6. If you have managed to build 5 in the previous 3 ages, you should be in a kick-butt enough position to get all 6 Modern Age ones with no problem.

You might have to worry about a cultural victory only if the tech race is very slow. You don't really have to worry about the 20K city victory as you most likely will end up spreading your wonders around between cities. Depending upon your emphasis on infrastructure, and the size of your empire, you MIGHT have to sell off most of your Unis, Cathedrals, and Libraries near the end of the game in order to stop going over the 100,000 mark. It is something to be concerned about and to keep an eye on, certainly.

 

[amirsan]

I knew there was one more! The Internet, how could I forget.

I think we should go for a cultural anyways, unless we go for Diplomatic. Wonders spread out cant take us to 100k that fast. Unless we build in our cities as if we were going for 100k.

Our only way probably is to build only 2 cores (one for FP and origional Palace) and a couple more cities and thats it. With min. cities it will be almost impposible to get the 100k.

 

[Dark Savant]

Ooh, I like building wonders. Count me in.

I actually think Industrious/Scientific is about as good a combination as Industrious/Religious for this purpose. (There's also something to be said of Industrious/Militaristic and getting lots of leaders, but that seems contrary to the spirit of this game.) The rationale is this:

There is a time late in the Ancient Age and early in the Middle Ages where there is a lot of competition for wonders. It's going to be important to quickly get as many of these as you can, particularly the early 600-shield Middle Ages wonders. To do this, it helps to either get a Great Leader or two, or get a Golden Age in late Ancient or early Middle.

Also, we will probably want to build the Pyramids, as not building them on Monarch usually results in a cascade to the later Ancient wonders. However, building the Pyramids will result in an early Golden Age if we are Industrious/Religious.

This suggests that the Persians may be best. Immortals can help to nail our closest neighbors, too. The Persians also start out with the tech for the Colossus.

However, a religious civ can reach Monarchy quickly: the idea would be to research pottery and mysticism at max, then polytheism and monarchy at minimum. Early Monarchy is great for that early shield-producing edge.

I think it may even be a good idea to not research Pottery, and instead build two settlers then get going on the Pyramids. Have city #2 build the Colossus, and city #3 pump workers and settlers. This is Monarch; we should be able to get by just fine on 3 or 4 cities in the early game if there are no barbs.

 

[Dark Savant]

Whoops.

I wish I could delete my own posts.

 

[amirsan]

OK your in, Scientific doesnt help as much as Religous does. Religous civ cut down the Anarchy but like at the most 6 turns and those 6 turns are one of the most critical times not to waste turns (beggining of Middle/end of Ancient & Near Democracy). I think we will need the Religous Trait alot. The key wonders of the ancient age is (by rank);
1. The Collossus
2. The Great Library
3. Pyramids
4. Hanging Gardens
5. Oracle

Even if we dont start with the tech for collossus, we can start researching it. We wont start building it untill we have at least 4 other cities. Each city we build should have a worker for it and start pre-building.

 

[amirsan]

BTW, an early GA will realy hurt us. Alot! We need the GA where we could use the shields it gives us. For this varient also, Republic would be the most logical government sinse we shouldn't be getting in many wars and the extra gold helps.

I agree with you that more leaders will help, so maybe we could consider a Militarialistic type but realy, I dont want to get in many wars in this game. Industrious and Religous would give us the Egyptians.

 

[Dark Savant]

BTW, an early GA will realy hurt us. Alot! We need the GA where we could use the shields it gives us. For this varient also, Republic would be the most logical government sinse we shouldn't be getting in many wars and the extra gold helps.

Yeah ... I think the early GA the Pyramids would give is sufficient reason, all by itself, to seriously consider Ind/Sci instead of Ind/Rel. (And the Pyramids are worth building just to stop the cascade to the late Ancient wonders.)

The representative governments are of course better, but they take longer to reach -- since our goal is to build wonders, not out-tech or out-wealth our rivals, we'll want to reach a more productive government ASAP. We can reach Monarchy around 50 turns sooner than The Republic. That's a lot of potential extra shields. Such a tech path would also make the Hanging Gardens close to a lock for us.

 

[amirsan]

Yes, Monarchy is easier reach but the way to get wonders first is to get the tech first and getting Republic is the best way. Yes, Pyramids are very worth giving for the Ancient but not if it will trigger a golden age. We are playing on Monarch, I'm sure we could trade our way to Monarchy. Or maybe we could research Monarchy but we must immediatly trade for Republic, becuase it is truly one of the best Governments.

 

[amirsan]

Roster:
Amirsan-
cgannon64-
Dark Savant-
Open-
Open-

 

[andvruss]

I would like to join, but I'm not to sure if I'm comfortable with Monarch....

 

[amirsan]

Ok, your in. We have enough to start but one space is open for one more if wanted to join, cgannon64, if your here your can go first, I'd like to play second or third. We need everyone to be here to pick which civ to play with. Vote below or propose yourself. The two options so far are;

Persia (Scientific and Industrious)-- 1 Vote (Dark Savant)
Egypt (Religous and Industrious)-- 1 Vote (Amirsan)

Please propose a civ with an Industrious trait if you dont agree with the above.

 

[cgannon64]

I'll go first Amirsan. Just because you're from New York.

BTW I vote for Persia, because Pyramids would give Egypt their GA (IIRC).

One last thing: I can't guarentee a wonder in the 1st 40 turns. I've never honestly done that. I always wait until the empire is big enough, for better or worse.

EDIT: Hey, 6000 posts! [dance]