Blackbetsy HOF Attempts

[Spoonwood]

Point well taken on Literature. To be honest, in my most recent game I popped it from a hut so I wasn't in a position to make the decision of whether to continue to focus on building settlers while the AI researched it.

Ah, yea, it's fairly inexpensive, and seems to get popped from huts quite easily in my experience. Seemingly before Code of Laws if researching Philosophy...

I edited the comment above if you missed it.

 

[BlackBetsy]

Realized after I failed to get all the starting techs for the Modern Era in my Russian game that I was in line for a diplomatic victory in 1345. I checked the HOF for Huge Emperor Diplo victories and, sure enough, that would be #3 on the charts. In 1340 I signed a couple of mutual protection pacts, declared on the Byzantines, and got Military Alliances against the Byz with all but the Germans (who had a MPP with the Byz) and et voila,

 

[Spoonwood]

I checked the HOF for Huge Emperor Diplo victories and, sure enough, that would be #3 on the charts. In 1340 I signed a couple of mutual protection pacts, declared on the Byzantines, and got Military Alliances against the Byz with all but the Germans (who had a MPP with the Byz) and et voila

Congratulations! I notice that diplomatic table has 7 spots filled before your submission.

 

[BlackBetsy]

Congratulations! I notice that diplomatic table has 7 spots filled before your submission.

I find it odd that a relatively mediocre SS finish on the SS table would be a higher finish on the Diplo table since Diplo is a faster / easier game.

 

[BlackBetsy]

Rebooting the Spaceship challenge, popped a settler in 3650 BC and walked them to the shore for a Colossus build. At 1600 BC, have 9 cities with a couple of cities popping out settlers on 5/6 turn cycles but I lost the race to Writing by 3 turns. Lots of marsh in my territory, which is just the worst, including in places that prevent me from optimal city placement. 2 luxes close and I'd have to grab 2 more far away from my borders. But lots of rivers.....

If I lose the Colossus, we are dumping this game. It's Republic slingshot or bust as well.

 

[BlackBetsy]

If I lose the Colossus, we are dumping this game. It's Republic slingshot or bust as well.

Lost the Colossus by 2 turns. Wouldn't have lost it had I mined a hill earlier. Gahhhhh, back to the drawing board.

 

[BlackBetsy]

New promising start....popped a settler far away but it turned out only 3 moves from a lux. Good Colossus location with a plains cow in big cross. Just need to settle another city to bring it within culture borders.

PLUS....biggest thing was when I met the Greeks, they had 2 workers in their Capital + Alphabet which they glad traded with all their gold for Pottery, CB (popped), and Warrior Code. A lux w/in 6 squares of capital makes this a very promising start.

One lesson I learned from last game was on the second tech. Normally Alphabet is going to be something you can trade for, so the 50 turn science move is the right one. But if you trade for it early, Writing looks like something you should 50 turn as well. But I went to 80% to get it down to 45 turns and just a few turns later, we are at 23 turns as I added roads and commerce.

 

[BlackBetsy]

Damnit. You trade the Greeks Writing and then they go ahead and do this.

 

[BlackBetsy]

I'm only going to play when I pop a settler, get the Colossus and the Republic Slingshot. Anyone other than the Greeks prioritize Philosophy over Polytheism?

 

[Spoonwood]

I'm only going to play when I pop a settler, get the Colossus and the Republic Slingshot. Anyone other than the Greeks prioritize Philosophy over Polytheism?

The Byzantines likely do I think.

 

[BlackBetsy]

I didn't think these things happen anymore. Pyramids!

 

[BlackBetsy]

Slingshot! Trifecta of settler pop, Colossus and Slingshot

 

[Bartleby]

Anyone other than the Greeks prioritize Philosophy over Polytheism?

Not that it matters for your game now, but I've noticed that Japan will often go for philo, once they get writing.

 

[BlackBetsy]

Here I am again, turn 229....researching Mass Prod (7), with Motorized Trans (7 turns) and Flight (9) to Modern Era in 23 turns. Maybe I can shave off 3 turns to get to Modern by turn 249. Can I do the techs I need and spaceship in 70 turns after that? I dunno.

I am just not getting my beaker count up to 1500 / 2000 per turn like I need. I have too much jungle/marsh near my core, maybe that is my biggest problem. Only 65 cities as the map has me squeezed in.

 

[BlackBetsy]

Made it to the Modern Age. But couldn't get a second level tech because I didn't have enough gold and had burned my gpt rep cutting peace deals earlier than allowed by military alliances :-( I'm in turn 249 and it's 9 turns to Space Flight and I'm at 1360 beakers per turn @ 90%, 255 of which come from my Colossus/Cope/Newton's/SETI city.

 

[Spoonwood]

I started a new one with Sumeria. We managed to settle 6 luxuries! Invention and Fascism have been the free techs so far.

 

[Spoonwood]

Made it to the Modern Age. But couldn't get a second level tech because I didn't have enough gold and had burned my gpt rep cutting peace deals earlier than allowed by military alliances :-( I'm in turn 249 and it's 9 turns to Space Flight and I'm at 1360 beakers per turn @ 90%, 255 of which come from my Colossus/Cope/Newton's/SETI city.

Do you use MapStat?

It often gives clues about when a decent gpt deal is available.

Like here's one turn recently:

So, I ring up Mursilis:

 

[BlackBetsy]

Do you use MapStat?

It often gives clues about when a decent gpt deal is available.

Like here's one turn recently:

So, I ring up Mursilis:

I use CivAssist II but it doesn't auto-update. Map Stat is better? Does it update each turn? My favorite thing is to find workers for sale.

 

[BlackBetsy]

I started a new one with Sumeria. We managed to settle 6 luxuries! Invention and Fascism have been the free techs so far.

Fascism is a bad pull vs. Electricity or Industrialization (I got Industrialization this turn) but it's obviously fantastic to trade if the AI can research anything.

 

[BlackBetsy]

Here I am again, turn 229....researching Mass Prod (7), with Motorized Trans (7 turns) and Flight (9) to Modern Era in 23 turns. Maybe I can shave off 3 turns to get to Modern by turn 249. Can I do the techs I need and spaceship in 70 turns after that? I dunno.

I am just not getting my beaker count up to 1500 / 2000 per turn like I need. I have too much jungle/marsh near my core, maybe that is my biggest problem. Only 65 cities as the map has me squeezed in.

We are now in the end game. I dramatically improved my research with the Internet and now am able to do the Laser in 5 turns on 100% research.

100% research was made possible by the Sumerians - who are 2 civs away from me - inexplicably declaring war on me. (Sumerians are light blue)

That gave me a bump of war happiness but .... even better, the Sumerians had taken the Ottoman city with Wine and another Ottoman city that was next to its Silks city. A quick ROP with the Ottomans, some tanks sent quickly, and we had the Wine city and the city next to the Silks. One turn later we settled next to the Silks and I was +2 luxes because of Gilgamesh. Epic fail, Gil.

I've stayed out of MPP and have been helped by the fact that my neighbors largely don't have strategic resources. The Byzantines declared war on me in the early Modern Age and sent Medieval Infantry and Longbowman backed by Rifles and Musketeers. They didn't get an inch and my borders got bigger.

It is turn 292 and we are maybe 10-12 turns from victory. 4 turns to the Laser and then 6 maybe 7 turns to Robotics. Turn 304 would be 1570. That would actually place #4 with 2 turns to spare. My best SpaceShip victory is a #6 so not bad.

Persia is playing in the Space Race with me and made my heart jump a bit when it got the Superconductor 1 turn before I did. Xerxes then immediately researched.....Amphibious War.