Ashoka of the Indians

[ceaserhall]

This is my first Prince level game. It's an ongoing game and I'm sending the updates 'diary' style.

Maharaja Ashoka of the Indians, 2400BC
Things are just getting started. I have seven or eight cities now, and they're all pretty small and weak. Most of my efforts are going into making more settlers for expansion. I have a few triremes for exploring, especially the coast of the home continent, which I have to myself (lucky me). I've met the Chinese to my south, and have heard of the Zulus. One of my exploring triremes found Madrid on a nearby continent to the north.
I have Madras working on the Pyramid wonder, though I'm a little behind the others. I should send a settler unit to build roads around the city.

ceaserhall
"" --empty string

 

[ceaserhall]

Consul Ashoka of the Indians, 1060BC

I switched from monarchy to the republic at a bad time and endured the usual period of chaos. A lot of my cities at the time were burdened with building coliseums, so I spent a lot of time tweaking my cities. My civilization has grown to encompass most of the continent, with more room to expand.

I established an embassy with the Spanish (they are to the north of my home continent), and things went well with them for a short while. We exchanged techs, but then they sneak attacked and took my city of Decca, which I had built in the far west of the continent the Spanish occupied. I’m working on a mess of dips to bribe back Decca and bribe the Spanish city of Toledo for retaliation.

I’m in a tough way. I need to save gold for my diplomacy, yet I need coliseums for happy citizens. Oy! Well, if I wasn’t having fun, I might be doing housework.

I established an embassy with the Chinese. I found them to the south of the western arm of my home continent. I have a caravan of hides enroute to Shanghai. No problems from them so far. I haven't heard much from the Zulus or Germans. I don't even know who the orange rival is yet.

Every time I play against the Spanish, they give me no end of trouble (ex.GOTM75). At least I have my continent to myself. I’ll just have to relieve them of their cities until they are too weak to trouble me.

ceaserhall
"But I've got donuts."

 

[ceaserhall]

Consul Ashoka of the Indians, 1140AD

This Prince level game is something else. I thought it was the Spanish who'd be giving me trouble, but they've been beaten down to their capital. It's now the Zulus who give me fits. Right before I could take back Decca from the Spanish, the Zulus captured it. I subverted the city after that, and then the Spanish city of Toledo. The Zulus then demanded tribute, and I'm not about to give them any, so it's war. They sent wave after wave against Decca, but I held the city and managed to strengthen it. Still, they attack it. Toledo, fared worse. I never lost the city, but the Zulus destroyed every unit in the city except for a dip, and then they'd stop. I'd build up another Musketeer unit, and they'd wipe it out, but still not take the city. Finally I managed to build two Musketeers, and they've left that city alone. Since I have Leonardo's Workshop, I should be able to maintain a lead in the type of units I have.

The Zulus briefly took a newly built city on my home continent. I sent a dip down from Decca and retook it. [edit] I was lucky that I bribed the city then, since the Zulus built the Statue of Liberty and resorted to democracy. My brand of diplomacy no longer works. Bother. I don't have enough combat units to launch a proper counter attack unless I want to leave my other cities undefended. (I usually don't add a second combat unit to the city's garrison until it has a shield production of 8+ or so.)

Since I have Zulus, Celts, and the Germans to the north, I sent caravels with engineers (thanks Leo) to the east and west to start cities with less danger of invasion. I should send some south since the Chinese seem to be stuck on their island with three cities and barbarians for company.

I have long since exhausted the list of Indian city names from the game's file. I had to break out the atlas, but I can live with that.

ceaserhall
""-empty string

 

[ceaserhall]

President Ashoka of the Indians, 1450AD

I switched to democracy right after I discovered it in the late 1100's. Everything went well, and my people stayed happy because I had plenty of coliseums and the Chapel. The Zulus had turned fundy, and I was ready to bribe some of their cities, but no sooner was I in position than they resorted to democracy again. Instead, I bribed some Celtic cities (Cork, in the far north, and Cordoba north of Toledo) since I was at war with them too. Taking the cities got the Celts to the table and peace was declared.

Cordoba cost me a lot. It was a size eight city and it lacked a coliseum. I set the city production to build one, but I didn't rush build it, since I figured the chapel would cover things. Nope, my government collapsed in the very next turn and I was in anarchy for 4 turns. I restructered my cities so I had a lot of performers so I could carry on some kind of production while the chaos continued. I also built Women's Suffrage, but I'm not sure it helped much. Quick build those coliseums! Sheesh.

During this period, chaotic and otherwise, I was able to start a few more cities. They're on four islands to the south--not far from my home continent, but well away from my rivals. At present they are undefended, but they have good production potential, and I believe I'll have them garrisoned well before any other rival finds them. I'll keep some gold on hand in case though.

By 1450AD, I'm finally back to democracy and I'm planning on building the UN wonder in Delhi after it completes building a factory. I need engineers to put down railroads there and to the north. The middle and south of the continent are in much better shape. My off continent cities to the east and west are doing well too. From what I've gathered, my only rivals in the south are the Chinese, who are still stuck on their continent, though a caravel or two passes by, and maybe Carthage. They have a lot of cities, but not as much as India. *

I need to remember to double check my cities, so the populations are reassigned.

I've noticed my rivals use dips much more than they did in the chieftan or warlord levels. My war with the Celts started with a dip blowing up Toledo's walls, and they and the Zulus are crazy for tech thievery.


* I did some research last night and called up all of my saves from this game and collected data of the number of cities I had, population and power. In 2400BC, I had eleven cities, (so I was underestimating things,), and in 1060BC I had 16. When I stopped in 1450AD, I had 33 cities. The Carthagenians had 19 cities in 1450AD and keeps growing. I'll spare everyone the details of the other saves.

Ever since 1400BC my foreign minister tells me our power is supreme and reputation spotless. I wonder how that's figured, since the Zulus field a huge army--mostly attacking Decca and failing, but still. I wonder if having one or two units fortified in 33+ cities makes the difference.

ceaserhall
"Who was General Tso, and why did he eat his chicken?"

 

[ceaserhall]

President Ashoka of the Indians, 1560AD

Everything seems to move so slowly: tech advances, movements, improvements. I do have flight and radio though and I'm building my first airport. I still hold Decca, Toledo and Cordoba to the north, but it's not easy. The Zulus continue their relentless attacks on Decca from their city of Teluga. I want that city!

I'd like to get some NON units and prop up the defenses of the area.

Delhi is busy building the UN wonder. I'm using freight to speed production--even though I have no competition for the wonder. I've been neglecting trade issues all this time. It's all been expansion, development and defense. Money has been tough to get then, and most of that has been used for rush building and bribing.

I still hold the city of Cork in the far north. The Zulus attack it too, but I managed to bribe a Zulu cannon unit as a NON unit and I've fortified it near the city. The bit of land Cork is on is filled with Zulu cities. I'll have to hold Cork until I can expand at the expense of the Zulus.

Having the UN should help my situation. I'll have some breathing space with the cease fires, and opportunities when the peace is broken.

I still haven't encountered any rivals in my explorations to the south. More room for me!

I've met the Carthagenians and have set up an embassy with them. I've rejected their entreaties to enter into a war with them against the Chinese, just as I've rejected the Chinese offer of war against the Carthagenians.

I have 35 cities and my power is supreme and my reputation spotless.

No life, Civ2!

ceaserhall
""-empty string

 

[ceaserhall]

President Ashoka of the Indians, 1615AD

The long war with the Zulus is finally over. I have the UN now, so they had to give me a cease fire. They asked for some tech and I gave it to them and they offered peace. I can use peace for awhile. The Zulus still have their fundamentalist government and their troops fill the area around Decca, Toledo and Cordoba. Instead of fighting me, they're going east to fight the Celts at the Celtic city Caernafon. I may take that city if the Zulus capture it.

I still don't have the gold to bribe Teluga. It cost about 4000 gold during war, so it's going to be a bit. I adjusted my tax rate to 50% tax and 40% research to build gold. I'll do some freight when I can.

Now that I have the UN, I'm working on the Hoover Dam and J.S. Bach's Cathedral wonders. My home continent is nearly completely railroaded, and I'm planning on sending some engineers out to build new cities.

I earlier mentioned wanting Teluga. I did some checking and saw the Zulu city of Bapedi has the Statue of Liberty and the Eiffel Tower. I'd like to get that city too. And a few others. Even though I'm going for the spaceship victory, it'd be nice to pare my rivals down to a few cities each. Maybe I should try bloodlust sometime.

I still have 35 cities. The Carthagenians have 25, the Zulus 12, the Germans 11, the Celts 10, the Chinese 3, and the Spanish one.

Thank you for reading.

ceaserhall
""-empty string

 

[ceaserhall]

President Ashoka of the Indians, 1695AD

I’ve been waiting patiently, building up the needed gold to bribe Teluga from the Zulus. I’ve tried to goad them into war by refusing their demands for tech, but my having the UN holds them back. Instead of Teluga now, I’ve subverted the Zulu city of Ngome, north of Cork, and the Zulu city of Ibabanago next to my city Kozhikode in an archipelago to the west. (I’m working on seeing if I can get screenshots from my ancient mac onto a file format that a PC can handle and upload. It’s not my top priority though.)

I tried disbanding Ibabanago for awhile, but it proved to be problematic, since the city had a full granary, every time I had an engineer made, the city stayed at size two. Finally I gave up on that and sent all but one of the engineers out to start some more cities. I had a similar problem when I tipped a goody hut and got a city in a place I didn’t want. I tried to disband Venice, but I was clumsy and lost an engineering unit. I did build Jhelum with the engineer I had left though.

The Carthagenians must be desperate for city space. They built a city in a tiny, two or three square spot in between two of my cities on an island south of them. I’ll have to bribe it and remove it, before it causes trouble.

The Celts have discovered the automobile, and that’s the end of my Leonardo’s Workshop. I managed to use it as far as rocketry, so I have Aegis cruisers while the best for the rest is the ironclad. That advantage won’t last long though.

I have forty cities now, and my power remains supreme and my reputation is spotless.

ceaserhall
“”-empty string

 

[ceaserhall]

President Ashoka of the Indians 1786AD

I tried a little logging to keep better track of events. In 1720, I subverted Caernafon from the Zulus. They had succeeded in taking it from the Celts. I still want Teluga though.

I built 4 or 5 cities on scattered islands for a total of 50 by 1786AD. A lot of my cities are busy building offshore platforms. The city of Lahore on my home continent went from shield production of 2 to 10 after getting its platform built.

The Chinese are finally off their island and giving me trouble. We had a brief and fruitless war (for me) after they stole some tech. With Chinese ships prowling the south seas, I’ll have to keep an eye on their movements.

Since the last entry, I’ve added the Cure for Cancer and SETI wonders to list of Great Indian Achievements. No cookies though.

My power remains supreme, but my reputation took a massive hit all the way down to dishonorable. Starting in 1776AD, I joined in two wars against the Zulus. In the first I bribed Umfolozi in the far north, and in the second in 1784 I set bombers against Zimbabwe from an aircraft carrier I built knowing the day would come. I also finally bribed Teluga and a destroyed a few Zulu units in my way. The units still in Teluga I used as a peace dividend to build an improvement in the city. Finally! It’s been what, nearly 2000 years (since circa 180BC) when the Zulus first gave me grief?

My third war was a totally gratuitous war against Carthage and it took place between the two Zulu wars. I used a couple of armored units to destroy some paltry forces they had fortified outside of one of my cities.

Before I quit for the night, I gave some gold and tech to my allies and rivals, but I doubt that will do much for my rep. Since I have Teluga though, I have a lot less need to start wars and can go back to defensive positions. If war comes, I'll take advantage of the opportunities.

I sent a transport with a spy searching for goody huts and I found instead the barbarian city of Frankfort. Barb farm!! I bribed a handful of units and I have them fortified at a river bend to keep the Germans from taking their city back and as a holding spot before they go into the transport. I’ll move them out when I have enough and have another transport ready.

At stopping I had fifty cities and nearly 22 million citizens.

Ceaserhall
“Don't worry about it. She's a super hero." --Cliff Steele, Doom Patrol

 

[ceaserhall]

President Ashoka of the Indians, 1810AD

I was bothered by my ‘dishonorable’ reputation and unnecessary war against the Carthagenians (see previous entry), and I wondered if I should open up a save from before 1786AD and replay from there. I went with 1778AD. It was after the ‘first’ Zulu war, but before the war against Carthage—which I declined this time around. A few turns later, the Spanish offered me 400 gold to wage war against the Zulus and I decided I could do that. This time, Zimbabwe was not bombed and no Zulu units were harmed. I bribed Teluga and got all the Zulu units in it. There were so many that the city had a nine shield deficit. I disbanded the surplus units fromTeluga in that city and Decca, Toledo, Cordoba and Caernafon for civic improvements. After peace broke out, I checked with my foreign minister and found my reputation to be ‘Questionable.’

I could live with that.

The Celts sent a dip into Caernafon not long after the Zulu peace and stole tech. In the brief war that followed, I bribed away the tiny Celtic city of Rhondda, disbanded it, and put the engineer to work.

In the far north, I bribed away the Zulu cities of Swazi, Iona, and Umtata. As far as I can see now, one Zulu city remains in the area, and I plan to take it through bribery too. Every city in that particular area to the far north was mine through bribery.

During this time, I’ve been much more involved with freight and trade. My gold reserves have increased, giving me the cash needed for diplomacy. I have the Manhattan wonder and I was within two or three turns of completing the Apollo wonder. Since the Celts and Zulus were working on it as well, I paid about 400 gold to finish the wonder before I quit playing for the night.

Weird thing: The Zulus contacted me and demanded the space flight tech. I refused, but offered some other tech, which they took. A Zulu dip then snuck into Ignome and stole the space flight tech from me, and I got no box offering the choice to declare war. That’s when I decided that all the Zulu cities in the far north had to be mine—and maybe a few others. And I should get some Celtic cities too--just because.

By 1810AD, quite a few of my cities are busy building manufacturing plants. I have 53 cities and a population of nearly 25 million. My power remains supreme and my reputation improved to ‘honorable.’

If I can properly cripple the Celts and Zulus, victory will be mine. The Carthagenians may have more cities than the Celts and Zulus combined, but their technological level is lagging far behind. I don't think the Germans have a chance, and the Chinese and Spanish?

ceaserhall
“”-empty string

 

[ceaserhall]

President Ashoka of the Indians, 1816AD

I got in a few turns before I had to leave for work. I have the Apollo wonder now, and I see the whole map. Not many goody huts left, and I see the Carthagenians got to almost all the remaining islands. I see the Zulus have a couple more cities than I thought to the far north.

I also discovered that the Carthagenians squeezed their city of Hamburg on a single exposed square not covered by my cities of Jorhat and Vishakhapatnam. I rush built a spy to take care of that problem.

The Zulus keep trying to sneak a dip into my city of Caernafon, but the way is blocked. To keep it that way, I bribed the dip and the next one and posted them at the border. I see a Zulu city to the north amongst the Celtic cities. I should try and bribe away some Celtic cities before getting to the Zulu city.

I really don't have the capacity yet to build a spaceship quickly or safely, but I do have three cities working on parts now. I'll have to shuffle production so I don't fall behind in defense, city improvements or trade. I'll have to rely on my plan to cripple the Zulus and Celts, and maybe the Germans as well to keep them out of the running. I should keep an eye on the Carthagenians too. They are still way behind in tech, but they sure are determined to spread cities.

ceaserhall
""-empty string

 

[ceaserhall]

President Ashoka of the Indians, 1834AD

I had a brief war with the Celts back in 1818. They destroyed one of my engineering units near Caernafon with a bomber, so I sent a fighter unit and destroyed it. Peace soon ensued, but I'm not forgetting.

In 1832, the Carthagenians stole tech from me starting a war. I sent my armored units against the Carthagenian units outside Punjab (the ones not destroyed when I didn't have the gratuitous war. ) As of 1834, the war continues, and I'm moving transports with spies to engage in some diplomacy.

The Zulus and Germans are working on the spaceship. Both have one structure each, and I have ten with more on the way.

I have bribed all of the Zulu cities in the far north except for the city of Nuremburg on a nearby island. It disappeared and left the roads and irrigation behind. An entire continent's fill of cities, all mine through bribery. It's a start. Now I have to get engineers up there to do some work.

At my stopping at 1834, I have 57 cities, and 28.4 million people. My power is supreme and reputation honorable. Since I'm on future tech now, I've changed my tax rate to 70 tax and 20 science. I plan to up the luxury rate a few turns before the spaceship lands--given that I get it launched. Ahh, it's going to get launched. I doubt either my allies the Germans or my best rivals the Zulus have enough capacity to build a ship that will ever beat me to Alpha Centari or even launch.

ceaserhall
""-empty string

 

[ceaserhall]

President Ashoka of the Indians, 1856AD

I'm in the phase of the game where I'm constantly beset by angry rivals and their attacks. In 1838, I lost a submarine and a destroyer to a Zulu sneak attack. I bribe away the Zulu city of Kells, and supported by my senate, I bribe the Zulu city of Camarthen for good measure.

Not a good measure though, because in 1842, they attacked again, so I bribed Stuttgart, and my senate forces a cease fire on me. Only one Zulu city remains on the 'Spanish' continent, the city of Armagh. (The Celts paid a heavy price for Zulu expansion it seems.)

Back in 1838, the war with Carthage continued, so I bribed Capua (well away from the capital on another continent) and peace soon ensued. Even in peace though, I'm scoping out the next possible bribery conquest.

In 1850, I have the gold, so I subvert Armagh. The Zulus now only have cities on their home continent and may be too weak to build a spaceship.

But in the next turn, Carthage uses a bomber unit to attack my city of Capua, destroying an alpine unit. I bribe their city of Saguntum to the north of Capua.

Then the Chinese attack the city of Ganges on my home continent. Neither the Chinese or Carthagenians have time to talk, though Carthage becomes more pliable after my diplomatic efforts gain me their city of Tingis. Carthage took Madrid, destroying the Spanish civilization.

During all of this, I'm feverishly working on my spaceship and it was launched in 1855AD. It's expected to land in 1865, and it's not a very large ship. I wanted the ship launched way before anyone else so I could then concentrate on getting a few more cities bribed away from my rivals. As part of this, I sent a spy into Shanghai and the Chinese city became mine.

As of 1856, I'm at war with Carthage and the Celts, who both stole tech. I bribed the Celtic city of Seville, and I've been wondering if I should attack and take the Celtic capital of Cardiff. I've sent a battleship off the coast of the city, but I'll need more than that to take it. After centuries of warfare with the Zulus, my cities on that continent are loaded with units usable for the assault.

In this phase of the game, I usually act like a jerk to my rivals. If they attack me or steal tech, I make sure I bribe away a city or two of theirs, and I do not give them anything. Why should I reward attacks? Ah heck, I act like that almost all the time. Even though the Germans are building the spaceship too, they are way too far behind and too small to beat me to space--even if I give them the needed technologies. I should do that and keep them out of my way.

I've been lucky so far in this later phase of the game: the rivals I've bribed do not have guerrilla warfare, so I haven't had to deal with partisan units popping up after a city grab. Nice and clean.

I've only added one city of my own during this period. The rest I've bribed for a total of 67 cities and a population of 33 million. With the spaceship signaling 'endgame' I'm wondering now if I should bother setting any city improvement taking longer than ten turns. Sure I could rush or partially rush build, but overall I wonder if I should set my cities to capitalization for the gold and luxury points.

Victory is mine to lose.

ceaserhall
""-empty string

 

[ccAMELS73]

excellent game Ashoka!

now will you be moving up in difficulty? I would like to follow your game a little more closely next time to see how your strategies vary from my own.

 

[ceaserhall]

President Ashoka (the Strong) of the Indians, 1865AD

No surprises. Spaceship victory in 1865.

I took the Celtic capital of Cardiff by force in 1857. I believe that is the first time in the game I did that. I made peace with the Celts in the next year and continued working my 'diplomacy' on the enraged Carthagenians. I lost a unit or two, but I bribed several of their cities, and captured a couple in combat. By the end of the game, I was still at war with them, but had taken cities on their home continent and was in good shape to keep my gains and expand further. (and give grief to their capital with my sabotaging spies)

I ended the game with 80 cities, and a score of 1625. It's not my best, but it's still victory. +/-

To everyone: Thank you for reading these posts of the game's progress. This site is a valuable source of information and ideas for me and it keeps me off the street.

ceaserhall
""-empty string