Antonius Block's Learning Experience 1: Zulu Dawn

[Sultan Bhargash]

If this is in the wrong forum you could move it out to stories and tales.

What I have in mind here is not a succession game but not just me telling you how my game went. It evolves out of the way I would share the end phases of my games looking for advice.

Why not start at the begining instead? I'm going to post a game log with saves here and anyway who wants to play a parallel game, or comment on my play (without spoilers, please), or especially post screenshots of my downloads, please feel free.

The conditions: Monarch level, v. 1.21, Snoopy's 4.1 g (greener) terrain, large world, raging barbarians, continents, 70% land, warm temperature, normal climate, 4 billion years old world.

Blocka Zulu rules Zululand, all the rules are default.

Here is the save for the start of the game:

 

[Sultan Bhargash]

The begining phase of the game is where I especially am striving to improve.

4000 BC- Move the settler one space to the west to be on the coast. The scout goes 1 west, 1 north. The worker moves over the cow.

3950 BC- Zimbabwe founded, warrior started, road build started. Researching Bronze working.

3900 BC- exploring
3800 BC- mine cow spot
3700 BC- pop hut for Nubian map.
3750 BC- Warrior>scout
3600 BC- 25 gold from Assyrian hut.
3550 BC- scout>warrior
3500 BC- workers goes to the shield tile south of Zimbabwe, new scout heads south then west.

3400 BC- warrior>settler
3250 BC- hut pop for Bantu map
3200 BC- hut pop for Bactrian map
3150 BC- settler>granary
3100 BC- hut pop for Sarbardar ceremonial burial.

3000 BC- the world as saved below:

 

[jack merchant]

I would have liked to comment, but as I am in Europe, I will not be able to open the save. Some comments on the log:

- Good move on building the granary, those are always helpful.
- Obviously I can't see what the terrain is but if there is fresh water anywhere nearby, it is always a better move to irrigate cow squares. This will markedly increase the growth rate of your cities.
- You are expansionist, so use it ! In a large world, you can easily build 2-3 scouts before you need a warrior for MP. Even then, you can just use luxes to keep your citizens happy while exploring.
- One thing about scouts is that if they pop a tech from the hut, they will always get the cheapest available tech that you are not currently researching. So if you are expansionist and there is a good bit of land available, it is a better idea to research the cheapest techs yourself so that you can get more expensive techs from huts.
- Screenshots. This is not so hard. There is a stickied FAQ in the general questions forum which, among others, will tell you how to post screenshots in terms even laymen like me can understand.
Small screenshots can be attached to your posts, for bigger ones you need to use the uploads server.

 

[hotrod0823]

Antonius I would like to shadow along with you and we can compare along the way.

Hotrod

 

[Sultan Bhargash]

Go for it hotrod; you could be the screenshot poster?

@Jack- yes, fresh water is not very close to the cows just now, my second city will have irrigation and eventually I'll stretch it back to Zimbabwe.

I haven't got photo shop which is one problem for screen shots; just photo studio and picture it publishing.

 

[Matt_G]

Originally posted by Antonius Block
I haven't got photo shop which is one problem for screen shots; just photo studio and picture it publishing.

If you are running Windows just use Paint. Works well enough.

 

[jack merchant]

I think other graphics programs should work, too, as long as the pictures are saved in .jpg format. Personally, I use a trial version of Photoshop (other than selecting and cutting parts of a picture, I haven't a clue how it works though). Even Windows Paint should do.
Good luck with the game !

 

[Sultan Bhargash]

It's a big world, and the neighbors are far away.

2900 BC- Ulundi founded on a hill due northeast of Zimbabwe, bordering the Ulundi river. A scout will be its first build as the settler had a warrior escort.

2750 BC- Harrapan tribe teaches us masonry.

2710 BC- Ulundi scout>granary

2630 BC- Contact made with Persia far to the east. I give them ceremonial burial in exchange for 10 gold and bronze working (their whole treasury and a tech I was 10 turns from learning).
Gunning for alphabet->literature chain now.

2550 BC- Nubians teach us the wheel.
Zimbabwe granary>Impi

2430 BC- Zimbabwe goes into overpop unrest. I wish I could stay on the ball with that. Southeastern scout killed by barbs.

2390 BC- Impi >Settler

2350 BC- Roud between Zimbabwe and Ulundi is finished and irrigation begun on tile SW of Ulundi (the shieldy one).

2190 BC- Settler>Impi

2030 BC- Impi>Worker

1950 BC- Bapedi founded on a tile 1 square to the northeast of a dye tile east of Ulundi, further up the Ulundi river. First build, barracks.

More disorder in Zimbabwe. I wish they'd warn you before it happened rather than after it happens.

1910 BC- last made Impi dies attacking barbarian settlement- this is going to be a long Ancient Age!

 

[Sultan Bhargash]

The latest developments at:

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads4/Blocka_Zulu_of_the_Zulu,_1910_BC.SAV

 

[hotrod0823]

4000 BC (0): WoW look at that land! Move the scout to get the lay of the land. See wheat and water to the West move the settler 1 square west and I will have 3 bonus food in one city talk about settler factory.

3950 BC (1): Found Zimbabwe and start a scout. Dial up my science guy and start on Cermemonial Burial only because it is the cheapest and will not pop from a hut if I am researching it.

3900 BC (2): There is a river to the NE and some ice.

3850 BC (3): See my first hut to the east.

3800 BC (4): Pop the hut and get Bronze Working.

3750 BC (5): Build a scout start another. Will not need MPs until after city reaches size 3.

3700 BC (6): Scouts are heading due East and south respectively.

3650 BC (7): More exploring

3600 BC (8): Continue exploring.

3550 BC (9): With no other Civs around decide to forgo the MP and go for granary now.

3500 BC (10): More of the same.

3450 BC (11): Spot another hut and nearby dyes.

3400 BC (12): Hut give Masonry.

3350 BC (13): A third hut give alphabet.

3300 BC (14): 20% lux to keep the peace at home.

3250 BC (15): First contact with Persia they lack Pottery, Aphabet and Warrior code. no trades. And a hut only give maps this time.

3200 BC (16): zzz

3150 BC (17): zzz

3100 BC (18): see another hut.

3050 Bc (19): the hut give my first military unit. found the Persian capital city to the far east.

3000 BC (20): Stop growth and let the granary complete first.

2950 BC (21): Granary completed start settler.

2900 BC (22): CB completes next turn. Growth in 4 settler in 4.

2850 BC (23): Learn CB start on writing at 10%. need 30% lux to keep the peace. Sell Persia CB for 10 gold. Missed an opportunity to get gold for Warrior Code.

2800 BC (24): Hut give another skilled warrior .

2750 BC (25): More exploring.

2710 BC (26): Settler completed lower lux to 20% my treasury is getting killed by conscript warriors my dispand them. Settler is heading NE towar the river.

2670 BC (27): More movement.

2630 BC (28): zzzz

2590 BC (29): Commit hary cary on a conscript warrior and a scout that was no longer needed.

2550 BC (30): Found city number 2 on the river start a barracks. If I must have some units they should at least be vets.

2510 BC (31): zzzz

2470 BC (32): Capital builds settler starts another. Set lux back to 10%.

2430 BC (33): Settler is heading for a new city on the dyes.

2390 BC (34): zzzz

2350 BC (35): Persia is up to 3 cities. see my first barbs.

2310 BC (36): Found Bapedi on the dyes starts warrior.

2270 BC (37): Zimbabwe builds settler starts another. settler is heading south.

2230 BC (38): zzzz

2190 Bc (39): MM capital to go 3,3. Trade persia alphabet and 10 gold for the wheel.

2150 Bc (40): Ulundi builds barracks and starts worker. Settler in postion for my next city.

2110 BC (41): Bapedi builds warrior starts temple. Found Hlobane to the south start temple. Lose a conscript at the hands of barbs.

2070 BC (42): Zimbabwe builds settler starts another. Settler going north.

1990 BC (43): Found Isandhlwana to the north. ulundi builds worker starts warrior.

1950 BC (44): more movement Hlobane builds warrior start temple.

1910 BC (45): Nothing do in.

http://civfanatics.net/uploads4/BlockaHotshadow1910bc.zip

 

[GenMarshall]

Just out of curiosity, is it also possible for me to shadow along as well>

 

[hotrod0823]

Couple things: Because I found out that Persia is the only AI around for miles and quite possibly until maps I went full on settler production. Moving my settler may turn out to be huge. It opened up 3 food bonus and if they ever get water look out. After my granary it is settler here on out. I may pause for a couple worker as I am poor in that department now.

One thing I don't have a lot of is military but now with barbs on the loose I need to be ready for them. Warrior serve just fine and are cheaper than imp. I will have imp soon enough but will use just warriors for the short term.

I would be careful about using imp for attack. I know the AI does it but you are better off using a warrior simply because they cost less and have exactly the same chances. I am not sure and maybe someone knows but I think the imp may be able to retreat.

Anyway there are my turns. I had pretty good luck with huts and actually killed off a couple units because my case situation was poor until I got that second city up and going and those settler crankin'.

 

[Sultan Bhargash]

CivGeneral, yes you can also shadow along.

Hotrod- nice getting 5 cities in the time I got three. And you're having better luck with the huts.

 

[hotrod0823]

 

[hotrod0823]

After seeing the game first hand. Take a look at you worker actions. Passing the cattle up without mining will cost you in the long run as will irrigation of the bonus grass near Ulundi. The irrigation will not help you until you change gov't and that is pretty far off. Doubling the production from that tile is huge compared to a long term irrigation plan.

Hotrod

 

[Sultan Bhargash]

Thanks for the (now extra embarassing) photo evidence!

This is typical for me. The goal will be to make Ulundi the settler HQ, get the capital primed to do a wonder later, and use Bapedi to get senior military staff on line. My next cities will probably be in similar spots to your other two.

 

[hotrod0823]

You may want to rethink not using the capital for settler/workers. I was able to get a settler every 5 turns. Specialization is good using your other cities to provide escorts and MP's is the way to go particularly if you are sending vet impis.

Once most of your cities in the first 2 rings are complete perhaps one of the other cities can get on settler but this city is soo strong for settler why not use it. In LK33 Rome was building settlers and nothing but almost straight through until we won by domination in the in 1300's IIRC. There is so much land there may be a need for another city to pump out settler and workers in between other projects just to fill in all the space.

Hotrod

 

[Datsekkar]

@ jack merchant:

- One thing about scouts is that if they pop a tech from the hut, they will always get the cheapest available tech that you are not currently researching. So if you are expansionist and there is a good bit of land available, it is a better idea to research the cheapest techs yourself so that you can get more expensive techs from huts.

Is this scouts only or does it apply to any unit poping a hut?

@ Antonius: As usual I enjoy reading your threads, and as always I can't participate (damned patch)...

 

[jack merchant]

I think it applies to regular units as well; however, particularly on higher levels the chance to get techs is lower (for non-expansionist civs) so it's generally a better idea to research what you need there rather than hoping to get it from a hut.

 

[Sultan Bhargash]

Sorry Datsekkar and anyone else stuck without the compatible patch- you guys should have been nicer in the UN, you know, Firaxis is punishing Europe for not getting behind the war effort!

Honestly I don't know what is going on or why with the patch, maybe I should investigate further but if anyone knows if they plan to resynchronize their gaming communities I'd be interested to hear it.