BOTM 01 First Spoiler

[ainwood]

BOTM 01 First Spoiler

Reading Requirements

1. You must have reached at least 0 AD.

Posting Restrictions

1. Please do not discuss anything post 500 AD.
2. Please limit screenshots to the starting island, and anything reachable by galley.
3. You may discuss any civs you meet.

 

[Infantry#14]

Wow, what a nice game, thanks to the gotm staff!

This is certainly a nice break from my g-major game where I keep losing in all my attempts so far.

Ethopia actually has an average start, with a lot of sea squares (moai statues is asking to be built here). My first few techs were fishing, animal husbandry and pottery to quickly utilize all those nearby flood plains and food sources. Meet the only ai on the continent but did not axe rush him as I want to play safe (after all only one legal try). Delay Oracle for like a millennium years until I researched Math and CoL for CS. The ai really tech very slowly. It turns out the oracle is more a curse than bless, as I acquire my first 2 gp as prophet . Finally, by the time I got construction, I built some catapults and rush churchhill. Quickly took out Hasting, York and London, but suffered quite a casualty of catapults and WW. Captured Nottingham and raze another city and finally capitulate Churchill.

I want to have a vassal for 2 reasons. He has land on another continent, so I cant defeat him for a while. Also, he gives me resource and 1 happiness which is much needed for my expanded cities. Another note is that his spies can ravage my territory if I let him go peacefully.

By the end of 800 AD, I researched up to education since I had been suffering quite WW. Since the AI is so slow in teching (noboy except Khmer guy has reach monarchy yet!), it is going to be a breeze to take out the world with cavalry (or maybe curirasser).

I only built 3 wonders so far, and they are Oracle, GL and Colossus. I am going to build that Statues of Zeus next, before anyone can grab that.

 

[Falk]

I played even safer, not attacking anyone. Tried to befriend Churchill, who is Protective after all. So instead of expanding into English territory, I grabbed the islands/peninsula South and SE of my mainland.

This is my first game as Zara, and I really like this guy - he's quite a builder, with so many cheap buildings. Original plan was to attack someone as soon as I have Oromos, but I think, I'll stick to playing peacefully. Culture or Space Race win seem more viable than Domination.

 

[Kennigit]

Took up the Erkon challenge and moved capital onto the ivory- which proved to be a very good spot with the horses. However, I didn't really bother with chariot rushing churchill and instead REXed the place, snagging the floodplain cities and cottaging them up. I didn't do a very good job of maximizing my land, but I did do a decent job overall. I did do a very good job in this game with great people though IMO for me, and in this screen shot I'm close to getting another great scientist (in Debre Burnham).

View attachment 166320

 

[whb]

Got confucianism, which spread remarkably quickly (including to Churchill and Stalin). So that killed my invasion plans -- I usually like to build the AP, and if I invade another confucian country it'll both alienate the other voters (putting someone else in as resident) and then spark all those "reassign Nottingham to Churchill" votes...

However, I did reasonably well in expanding towards Churchill to begin with, while he conveniently expanded in the other direction. So there's only one city between me and London, and given my holy city is right next to it, I doubt England's cultural border will be bothering me too much.

(Oh, I forgot to mention -- I moved my settler to the river on the right of the starting screenshot.)

 

[srad]

Settled in place and started to think about what victory I am aiming for. Because I only met Churchill for quite a while and there was marble nearby I thougth that it might be better to go for culture then for domination.
I personally don't like shipping lots of units around the globe .

Churchill builds a lot of workers for me, chariots were waiting outside London borders and ascorted the workers "home" . So I was quickly expanding, got confucianism and it spreads quickly to Stalin and Sure.? They were pleased with me and so I could concentrate on building culture...

Nice game, I like the traits culture and organized. Thanks to the GOTM staff!

 

[Obormot]

Taking part in the BOTM Gauntlet (and thus also in the Erkon's challenge).

I moved the scout to the hill south of the settler: no seafood. So I decided to move to the blue circle, because that gives a good chance of an extra bonus resource at the cost of two lost turns. And indeed that got me the corn into my fat cross. I started building a worker and research Agriculture->AH.

By the time the worker was finished my scout located Churchill. After finding out how close he was (didn't expect that on a low sea level map), I decided to rush him with warriors, instead of expanding peacefully. At prince level the AI doesn't get free archers, so attacking very early with 3 warriors gives a very good chance of success. So I switched to working the marble hill after the worker was complete, and produced 3 warriors ASAP. I attacked Chuchill in 2725BC, captured Churchill's worker, and then his capital, which was defended by a single warrior.

After producing these warriors I switched to crazy REX mode. I attached screenshots of my empire at 2000BC and 1000BC. The two gold hills (as well as organaised trait & low difficulty level) allowed me to continue researching despite having lots of cities without cottages.

The stats at 2000BC: 5 cities, 8 population, 3 workers, 3 warriors, 1 scout, no buildings. GNP: 27, Production: 24, Crop Yield: 43.

The stats at 1000BC: 8 cities, 29 population, 9 workers, 6 workboats, 10 warriors, 1 scout, 1 barracks, 1 library. GNP: 60, Production: 51, Crop Yield: 91.

The workboats were built for exploration: by 1000BC I met all the civs, and was several turns away from circumnavigation. The library was built to generate a GS and launch a golden age, which is cheap enough in BTS.

Research progress up to 1000BC:
3675BC: Agriculture
3250BC: Animal Husbandry
2975BC: Mining
2525BC: Bronze Working
2375BC: Fishing
2250BC: Hunting
1850BC: Sailing
1675BC: The Wheel
1500BC: Pottery
1300BC: Writing
1050BC: Iron Working

I'll tell the rest of the story in the final spoiler.

 

[Erkon]

Taking part of the BOTM Gauntlet - Victory Condition Domination

I settled on the Ivory for the extra and produced warrior, warrior, worker. Full production queue (for all cities until 1000 BC):

Spoiler :

Warrior
Warrior
Worker
Barracks
Warrior
Chariot
Chariot
Chariot
Chariot
Chariot
Work Boat
Work Boat
Library
Work Boat
Work Boat
Work Boat
Work Boat
Settler
Work Boat
Galley
Settler
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Granary
Worker
Galley

Then I stole an English worker in 2875 BC and capture London in 2300 BC (English Empire defeated). The city was defended by one warrior, so now I have lots of excess Chariots...

Then I entered REX, but not Rapid EXpansion, but Rapid EXploration . I wanted to find out if astronomy was needed, and sent out work boats to explore the world. This led to circumnavigation 1450 BC and by 1000 BC I had exposed most of the coastline in the map.

Apart from capturing London and exploring, my strategy was to use my capital to produce units and the other cities to build settlers for (slowly) expanding the starting continent. My main concern with domination on this map was the extra maintenance for over sea cities, since this is more costly in BtS. So, the starting continent was dedicated for finances (thus focus on cottages) to fund cities that I capture from the AI. So I intended to capture cities with my units from my capital, and then use localized production to build settlers at different locations on the map.

Research path:
3800 BC Hunting
3400 BC Animal Husbandry
3100 BC The Wheel
2875 BC Mining
2700 BC Fishing
2200 BC Writing
1875 BC Bronze Working
1575 BC Sailing
1425 BC Agriculture
1300 BC Pottery
1000 BC Mathematics

Status as of 1000 BC
4 cities (6,4,3,2) = 15 pop
3 wrk, 1 WB, 1 scout, 5 chariots, 3 warriors, 1 galley
Churchill killed, all AI found, all but one capital found
Almost all (>90%) coast in map traversed.
Circumnavigated 1450 BC
3 lighthouse, 1 granary, 1 barracks, 1 library
gold, ivory, copper, fish, clam, pigs, horses connected
Played 4 hours
Plan to research archery and construction. Perhaps currency and CoL.
Foreign trade = 12 gpt
Research : 41 bpt
18 hpt
+30 food per turn
GNP: 69, Production: 18, Crop Yield: 59

Comparison with Obermot's game: I have slighly stronger economy and more exploration, while Obermot has better production. Obermot probably has a better capital, and captured London earlier. Will my intelligence gathering enable me to catch up? What is the best way to settle the lands to get to the 813 tiles? Final spoiler will tell us

 

[Obormot]

I settled on the Ivory for the extra and produced warrior, warrior, worker.

Building one more warrior before the worker and launching an ultra-early attack on Churchill would have left me behind. Perhaps someone else tried this opening. That was one of the choices I considered.

Then I entered REX, but not Rapid EXpansion, but Rapid EXploration . I wanted to find out if astronomy was needed, and sent out work boats to explore the world.

I assumed that astronomy is not needed right from the start. (Before playing I generated several maps with such settings and none of them required astronomy for domination.) But even without such an assumption, I think that such an early investment into exploration was an overkill. I started building workboats in my capital after producing two settlers, around 2000BC.

My main concern with domination on this map was the extra maintenance for over sea cities, since this is more costly in BtS. So, the starting continent was dedicated for finances (thus focus on cottages) to fund cities that I capture from the AI.

Well, my focus was entirely on production. I thought that the 2 gold hills & 1 silver hill & organaised trait & low difficulty mean that there won't be much problems with the economy. I should say that I underestimated the colonial maintenance, and saving my economy from collapse proved to be quite a challenge in this game.

Comparison with Obermot's game: I have slighly stronger economy and more exploration, while Obermot has better production. Obermot probably has a better capital, and captured London earlier. Will my intelligence gathering enable me to catch up? What is the best way to settle the lands to get to the 813 tiles? Final spoiler will tell us

Well it looks like I have a significant advantage at the 1000BC cutoff. But my play in the second part of the game was far from perfect, so all is not lost.

 

[Balbes]

Building one more warrior before the worker and launching an ultra-early attack on Churchill would have left me behind. Perhaps someone else tried this opening.

My scout located London around turn 10. It was size 2 and undefended. The english warrior was out exploring. But it would take 15+ turns or so for my warrior to get built and march to London, and I figured they'd have built an archer by then, so I left England alone.

I then REXed along much the same lines as everyone else.

Eventually I saw that the game would, for the most part, consist of building some 40 settlers and shipping them around - Extremely tedious and time-consuming. So I abandoned the game. Sorry

 

[Roland Ehnström]

BOTM1, Challenger - Roland Ehnström

Settled on the Ivory for the extra hammer. Went for Bronze Working early and settled my second city near the copper (and clam) to the east, stealing the site from the English. Third city on the coast to the west (lots of food = GP farm), fourth in the middle (Marble, Corn, Ivory and Sheep). Then I went for Writing for Libraries, and Sailing for Lighthouses. Settled my fifth city in 1250 BC north east (2x Ivory + Sheep), and in 1000 BC a Settler is on his way to the sixth city site, in the north (Silver, Deer, Copper, Corn).

I didn't try to explore more than the opening continent, as it seemed large enough for a reasonable core empire. The English are neatly boxed in, and I am slowly preparing to get rid of them in the early AD's, but there is no hurry, as they are doing a good job in colonizing their third of the opening continent for me.

1000 BC stats:

5 cities, 19 pop (see screenshot below for details)
8 Warriors, 5 Workers, 1 Settler
2 Lighthouses, 2 Libraries, 1 Granary
Resources connected to capital: Horse, Copper, Gold, Ivory, Fish, Clams, Corn, Sheep (very soon also Pigs, Silver, Deer and Marble)
Running +3 GPT at 60% science rate
Rivals met: Churchill (only)

Research:
3800 BC: Hunting
3400 BC: Animal Husbandry
3150 BC: Mining
2675 BC: Bronze Working
2375 BC: Agriculture
2075 BC: The Wheel
1925 BC: Fishing
1575 BC: Writing
1375 BC: Sailing
1275 BC: Pottery
1150 BC: Masonry
1050 BC: Mysticism

Screenshot below from 1000BC...

 

[Seraphinus]

Hello.

I started to play Civ after half year break and I hope I am not even more behind as then.

I decided to go for cultural. So far things went pretty well. But I had one accident. During the play electricity went out. When situation went back to normal I discovered that I did not make save on every turn. I had the save from one turn before. I was not in the war with anyone and I made exactly same moves on that replayed turn so I hope that the game will still be valid.

 

[pholtz]

Another Gotm, another time I go down in flames. I had a very good start I think then ruined it big time.

3750 - spotted Churchill
3500 - Bronze Working discovered. Saw copper near the second river to the east, decide to set my second town there as a jumping off point to attack the English
3070 - Animal Handling Discovered. I see the horses to the west. While they won't be in my fat cross, they will be in cultural range so I'll have chariots and eventually horse archers.
2275 - Gondor is founded at the second river to the east, in range of the copper and on the coast.
2050 - I have my barracks up and have made my first chariot.
1675 - I saw an opportunity and took it. I attacked York, just after it was settled and also took out an archer with two chariots. No losses.
1550 - Just as I get 3 chariots into place to attack London, he makes his second archer. I decide I don't have the strength to attack. Have to make more units.
875 - I have four horse archers in position, along with chariots and a few axemen. He has 4 archers. My horse attack, one loss, 2 retreats and one victory! The rest of the units mop up the city and London is mine. I've taken out Churchill with only one loss! London looks like a GREAT city. It would be a perfect Great Person factory I think with lots of clams for food and also floodplains. There are enough hills also to switch to prodution for the wanted buildings and wonders.

But now here is where I make my big mistake. I should have spread over the starting island. It probably would have been a good chance for a cultural victory. Instead, for some reason, I try to continue fighting.

675 - first stupid mistake. My Horse archers were healed and coming back to my capital for defense. A lonely barbarian warrior just moved on a road. I check and my defending archer would have a 70 something percent chance of winning the battle, if he left the city and attacked the warrior. Stupid stupid stupid. If I wait for my horse, the worst thing that happens is I lose a road. But if I attack with my archer and lose, the city will fall. So of course, I attack with my archer, it looses with some bad luck, and my capital falls to a warrior. My horse takes it back the very next turn, but the damage is done.

485 - Finding Stalin and a chance to steal a few workers, I start my second war.

The war was a disaster. I saw he didn't have horses so I thought I would have the advantage. But trying to attack this early in the game with only galleys for transport just didn't work. Several times I denied him his access to copper or iron, but didn't have enough units to hold the squares. Mainly because I made some risky attacks... 60-70 percent on a city to take it out and capture it.. but I lost both times, and didn't have another nearby unit to finish the job. So all I managed to do was lose units and give his units experience.

I have to retreat to my island. I'm behind in research, so belatedly work on developing my cities, but now Russia is really mad at me and won't make peace. I fight off several invasions, but then Boudicca declares war, and with some more supid moves on my part she attacks in an unexpected place and takes a city. I retire.

I'm ashamed I did so poorly at prince level. I think I got too used to HOF games where I set things up the way I want them, and just wasn't in the right mindset.

One of these months I'll get a Gotm done

 

[dfi]

I tried to kill off england early... My first wave didn't finish off the town. It turned into a protracted battle that ended up in my finally finishing them off in 480BC.

Now that i'm nice and behind I just sit back and wait for the other AI's to crush me.

 

[Htadus]

I tried to kill off england early... My first wave didn't finish off the town. It turned into a protracted battle that ended up in my finally finishing them off in 480BC.

Now that i'm nice and behind I just sit back and wait for the other AI's to crush me.

You can focus on economy and catch up and pass AI on this game. Since you have London use it as a GP factory. GM's are very useful since you have to learn everything as well as GS's.

Don't forget to keep on building good units, a whole mix of units. Good luck.

 

[Htadus]

I have a small complain against Firaxis. How can No Tech Trading = No Tech Stealing ? They are just not the same. No real nation trade away propriatery technologies. But that does not stop from foreign nations from stealing it. Boo to Firaxis . I am guessing it is a bug.

 

[Adonias]

While it's true that "No real nation trade away propriatery technologies", not being able to really doesn't do the game good. No bribing, excrusiatingly slow AI... dunno...

It did make my life easy in a way, this being my first BTS game, it game me a chance to learn a lot at a not so very fast pace.

 

[MacBalt]

I have a small complain against Firaxis. How can No Tech Trading = No Tech Stealing ? They are just not the same. No real nation trade away propriatery technologies. But that does not stop from foreign nations from stealing it. Boo to Firaxis . I am guessing it is a bug.

Somehow my first great person ended up being a great spy (despite having only a tiny chance of getting that type of GP). Going for a totally peaceful cultural victory, I never attacked Churchill, but I remember stealing a cartload of techs from him after sending the great spy to London. So I'm not sure what you mean about not being able to steal techs. I'll find my notes and post all the techs I stole from him sometime over the next few days.

 

[ButSam]

Christianity founded in 1050 BC My first GP was a Great Spy, just as I hoped for. Not yet completely sure of victory condition, but not going for the obvious cultural. I'm happy to be in contention right now, have lost most of my Prince-level games but doing well on this one.

For those curious, I was able to research AH, Masonry (build Great Wall), Mysticism, Polytheism, Monotheism (founded Judaism), Priesthood (I think -- the one that gives Oracle) -- then start building Oracle, timing it so it finishes about when I finish researching Writing (in reality Oracle finished a few turns later), and take Theology in 1050 BC.

I had to ignore defenses almost completely in order to expand along with this, but with Great Wall and a cultural civ (so my borders expand without any buildings, making it so my settlers can still settle in meaningful squares that are 1 square outside my cultural borders) it wasn't terribly concerning. The advantage is that now, my primary defenses are units that start with 5 XP (Theocracy + Barracks) and take two city defense promotions immediately. Hooray!

Maybe I will try for an AP victory...that could be exciting!

Sam

 

[Htadus]

Somehow my first great person ended up being a great spy (despite having only a tiny chance of getting that type of GP). Going for a totally peaceful cultural victory, I never attacked Churchill, but I remember stealing a cartload of techs from him after sending the great spy to London. So I'm not sure what you mean about not being able to steal techs. I'll find my notes and post all the techs I stole from him sometime over the next few days.

Please do post your steals and thank you in advance.

In my game, on the main espionage page, it showed how many points I need to steel a tech from a selected city. I kept my spy there for 5 turns and was ready to steal but steal tech tab was inactive (was not showing a cost) but many others were available. I did have a whole lot of points against the AI. More than the listed cost in the main page. Was I doing something wrong? I wonder if this is a Vista issue.