Best Start EVER?!?

[eldar]

I thought when I settled in place and saw 4 flood-plain wheat, it was something of an over-the-top start.

Then after I built a settler and sent him towards the 2 cows I could already see, this is what was revealed:



Can anyone top this?

 

[gmaharriet]

Wow! Not only all that food, but the lux right there as well.

 

[sirdanilot]

That's simply amazing... awesome spot with lots of food, river for several wonders (Hoover Dam!) and irrigation aswell as extra commerce, and even coastal for Lighthouse!

Downside is though, that you only have that forest and one hill for production, so it might be a little improductive. But in the early game it should be a great settler factory...

 

[eldar]

Unfortunately, the rest of the island (after I've kicked the English off it...):


As you can see, half of the island is jungle-and-swamp infested, the other parts were English-infested (but not any more). And the English territory is... dubious, at best.

2 luxes, iron, and horsies, though! And now that I've actually found some islands to settle, I'm sending settlers there (as you may be able to tell, my economy is in the drain somewhat).

The Hittites, somewhere to my NW, have built the Lighthouse for me; except they also have Ivory and are building SoZ, maybe I should try and buy it off them (there would be a trade route, if they built a harbour!)

Oh and the game setup is Emperor, Standard, everything random.

My next priorities are:
(a) Settler-spam those islands to the NE.
(b) CONTACTS!
(c) Kill the Hittites.

 

[eldar]

Next inter-turn: an Aztec Galley sails into view and they have 106 gold and lack a few techs. Well that sorts the economy short-term and goes towards objective (b)!

 

[gmaharriet]

Here's a start I came across that I've never actually played. If I were going to play it, I think I'd want to share the cows among 2 or 3 cities. One of these days I may actually try it.

 

[sirdanilot]

That's simply amazing ... 6 cows and a river! But it doesn't seem anywhere near the coast. But that might also be a plus as you'll have a central capital. The city is rather northern so you'll probably encounter Tundra in the north.

 

[Aramazd]

I had a start with 4 grassland cows and 2 hills with gold, with a river. All the rest was grassland, and there were quite a few luxuries nearby. I'm afraid I don't have the save game anymore

 

[eldar]

gma, your start reminds me of the start in another game.

As for my game... well the Aztecs wiped out the Hittites, but I still managed to trade for Ivory and build the SoZ. This kicked off my Golden Age, and I've since attacked the Aztecs, captured the Great Lighthouse, and met everyone else.

My economy is certainly healthier!

 

[Vidar]

Here's a start I came across that I've never actually played. If I were going to play it, I think I'd want to share the cows among 2 or 3 cities. One of these days I may actually try it.

Wow, what a great start! Is it possible to put up a save? I'd love to try it.

 

[gmaharriet]

Wow, what a great start! Is it possible to put up a save? I'd love to try it.

I'd be happy to do that, but I found it way back when I used to play with fewer than the default number of civs, so it's large Continents, but only 7 opponents. It's at Emperor, which I can change for you if you'd like a different difficulty level, but I don't think I can add more civs without changing the map. Also, preserve random seed and scientific great leaders are OFF, culture flips are on, barbs are sedentary. Most of those can be changed, but not the number of opponents.

Let me know if you still want it and what settings you'd prefer.

 

[eldar]

A 7-cow start should surely be played at Sid...?

 

[gmaharriet]

A 7-cow start should surely be played at Sid...?

Yes, well, I've never had a solo Emperor win. Maybe I'll hang onto it for another 5 or 6 years until I can (maybe) play at that level.

 

[Quintillus]

I'd have to say gmaharriet's start is the better of the two posted here. eldar, it looks like the Aztecs have the Knights Templar in your game, so you might want to keep an eye on those Crusaders.

 

[iambenben]

I often edit my game a lot so getting a good start is done by making every start location good.

 

[gmaharriet]

Here it is as originally generated. If you want help with changing any of the settings that CAN be changed, like difficulty or random seed preserved, let me know and I'll repost it with the requested changes.

Edit: Oh, Phooey!!! I keep getting the message that I've already uploaded the file...even though the original was a .jpg and I'm trying to upload the .sav file. I even tried changing the file name, but it won't take it. I think I uploaded it about a year ago for someone else, so maybe that's the problem.

If someone really, really wants it, give me your email addy and I'll send it that way. You can reach me by PM if you like.

 

[eldar]

I'd have to say gmaharriet's start is the better of the two posted here.

I agree! Apart from the stellar bonuses in my starting location, this map sucks. The AI even taunted me by putting England on the same island as me: England+80% archipelago is a near-unbeatable combination (in human hands).

eldar, it looks like the Aztecs have the Knights Templar in your game, so you might want to keep an eye on those Crusaders.

Not any more. I, er, persuaded them that I needed it more than they did . Mind you the Aztecs were a royal pain in the backside, but not any more.

 

[Mirc]

@gmaharriet: With the seed of the game, you can re-play it on any difficulty and any settings, except the number of seafaring civs, which has to be the same if you want the same start locations.

 

[MAS]

Edit: Oh, Phooey!!! I keep getting the message that I've already uploaded the file...even though the original was a .jpg and I'm trying to upload the .sav file. I even tried changing the file name, but it won't take it. I think I uploaded it about a year ago for someone else, so maybe that's the problem.

Yes, you did! For me! I remember

I can already spoil for you that there are a couple of more cows around in the fog, lots of rivers, a sea of grass, and you are alone on your continent.

 

[eldar]

These AIs are dumb. First the Germans backstabbed me, and they're no longer around. The Romans just did the same, and they're left with a single size-1 city miles from their original homeland - and I'm left with their Spices and Gems.

Just the Sumerians, me, and the two-tile-tundra-island Chinese soon, then.

I've been nice to the Sumerians the entire game - they did try to extort Medicine from me, but weren't serious.