BOTM 01 Pre-Game Discussion

[ainwood]

BOTM 01: Zara Yaqob

This game MUST be played in Beyond The Sword patch version 3.13. It will not able to be played in any other Civ version, or patch version

Further, it MUST be played using the latest version of HOF mod for Beyond The Sword. This is currently Version 3.13.001.



Game settings:
Civilization: Ethiopia (Leader: Zara Yaqob. Traits: Creative & Organised)
Rivals: 6
Difficulty: Prince
Map: Big & Small (normal continents, normal islands mixed in)
Mapsize: Standard
Climate: Temperate
Water level: Low
Starting Era: Ancient
Speed: Epic
Victory Conditions: All enabled
Other settings: No Technology Trading.





The starting screenshot is here (Click for larger version)




Zara Yaqob:
Zara Yaqob is organised and creative; starting with Hunting and Mining. With the organised trait, the civilization has -50% civic upkeep, as well as double production speed for lighthouses, courthouses and factories. Creative gains +2 culture per city, and allows double production speed of libraries, theatres and colosseums.

Unique unit:
The ethiopian unique unit is the Oromo Warrior. This is a gunpowder unit, that replaces the standard musketman, and has identical stats (cost 120 hammers, strength of 9 and movement of 1). Unlike the musketman, it is immune to first strikes, gets one free first strike of its own, and starts with Drill I and Drill II.


Unique building:
The unique building is the Stele. Available with mysticism, it replaces the monument. It allows +25% culture.


Adventurer Class bonuses:

1. Start with a free Worker (on the same tile as the settler)

Challenger Class Equalizers:

1. Start without any techs.
2. Clams in starting screenshot are removed.

 

[ainwood]

Ok - its here! Not sure if its BOTM or BS-OTM, but its running.

We've decided to play a variant to kick things off: No technology trading. I'm not a huge fan of variant options like these, but the idea behind this is to allow people to try out things like espionage.

The game will start on the 15th (in the WOTM slot), but you will be given until the 1st of february to submit. Therefore, if you want to play a few test games, you will have time.

When we first went from PTW to C3C in the civ3 gotm, Sir_Pleb wrote a great article for vanilla/PTW players on what the main changes were. If someone is really keen, it would be great for the community if someone was to write a similar article for BTS! Or maybe a collaborative effort from a few of you?

 

[Htadus]

Time to patch BTS. So tempted to settle on the phant but may be better to spend a few turns looking for greener pasture. Hope there are more sea food nearby. Move warrior to hill SE first though.

Actually may be better to play a BTS game to see what espionage is all about.

Does no tech trading apply to AI too?

 

[JungleIII]

Very Excited Ainwood!

Congrats on getting the BtSOMS running - really looking forward to it, as it is the only way to compare how you are doing relative to the 'average' player out there (O.K. - only above average play XOTMS)

I enjoy playing XOTM's more than any game of my own, as there is a measure at the end. I find BtS quite a bit different and not able to tech or win as quickly as prior versions, often finishing 100-200 years later - so, a lot to learn. But, it is MUCH MORE ENJOYABLE and will be fun!

Good choice starting at Prince... We all have a learning curve to tackle.

 

[Harbourboy]

Oooh, exciting. At last I can start playing the BtS I bought back in August. I just can't be bothered playing unless its for GOTM or HoF, so now I can have a go at this new expansion. Good stuff.

No practice games! I'll be straight into the real thing when the save is released and see what happens. I have no idea what the tactics are for this leader but hopefully I will find out.

 

[jesusin]

A new era starts! Thanks to everyone that has made this possible

 

[Lexad]

Oh boy oh boy oh boy!!!

Btw, will there be any further WOTMs?

 

[MikeH]

The plains hill Is looks tempting, it keeps the pig and frees up the starting hex for a farm.

On the other hand there's enough food around to mine both hills.

Anyone got a calculator?

 

[jesusin]

The PH misses the lake, so no fresh water.

I am not used to BTS, is the thing in the forest 2W of the settler ...
a) a wild boar?
b) a scout?
c) a warrior?
d) ainwood, watching our progress from a privileged position?

 

[cabert]

I guess this BotM replaces the WotM this time?
No objection from me, just a question.

It's not an excellent starting position : no river = no levee.
And I agree with jesusin, fresh water is needed.
About enough food, I bet 50$ there is another seafood beyonf the hills.
Since there is a scout available this can be checked before moving the settler.

 

[MikeH]

The PH misses the lake, so no fresh water.

I am not used to BTS, is the thing in the forest 2W of the settler ...
a) a wild boar?
b) a scout?
c) a warrior?
d) ainwood, watching our progress from a privileged position?

I had to look carefully myself, it's your starting scout.

 

[KurKo]

yeah! finally botm!(i've lost my vanilla & warlords discs )

nice leader and fairly good starting location, looks like a lot of fun!

i'll move scout SE and if there's seafood then move settler towards it, if not then settle in place. enough food&production to make a good city for building settlers and workers.

 

[Erkon]

The time has come for me to attempt to ascend from mortal to immortal status. Let it thus be known to everyone that I, me, Erkon will play the challenger setting for BOTM from now until end of 2008. Let it be known that I, me, Erkon, challenge all of you who have won multiple awards in previous Civ4 GOTM/WOTM to play the challenger setting as well for this period of time. Eternal glory will be awarded the player who collects most awards & medals playing the challenger setting during this period and that champion will receive the Mutineer Award (TM). Eternal disgrace will be awarded any player who complains about "easy game" without playing the challenger setting. So says Erkon, with harsh words, but with gentle heart. Those who accept my challenge - announce!

This is not an official challenge organized by the staff. Anyone who wins an award or medal in a BOTM game started during 2008 including BOTM1 will qualify for the Mutineer Award (TM). There is no sign up, no pre-requisites to have won previous awards/medals or commitment to play only challenger saves.

 

[Lexad]

The time has come for me to attempt to ascend from mortal to immortal status. Let it thus be known to everyone that I, me, Erkon will play the challenger setting for BOTM from now until end of 2008. Let it be known that I, me, Erkon, challenge all of you who have won multiple awards in previous Civ4 GOTM/WOTM to play the challenger setting as well for this period of time. Eternal glory will be awarded the player who collects most awards & medals playing the challenger setting during this period and that champion will receive the Mutineer Award (TM). Eternal disgrace will be awarded any player who complains about "easy game" without playing the challenger setting. So says Erkon, with harsh words, but with gentle heart. Those who accept my challenge - announce!

Finally I can start playing BtS! The steam directory is a bit dusty now but I hope it still works Thanks staff for the effort

OK! Game on, pvnkvs

 

[KurKo]

i have never even submitted a gotm but "the erkon challenge" sounds interesting(atleast in this month since it's only prince) although it makes the starting location very food poor... but this sounds like a too good/fun opportunity to miss, so challenger it is
hopefully i don't look too pathetic with so strong competition

 

[LowtherCastle]

Maybe cabert is right about the extra seafood, which would make the challenger less painful. The Erkon Challenge looks tempting, but alas, I haven't won any first-place awards...and since that would disqualify me for for both the Mutineer Award and any Balbes Free-For-All Awards, that would be similar to playing the Adventurer Level--pointless.

 

[Obormot]

The time has come for me to attempt to ascend from mortal to immortal status. Let it thus be known to everyone that I, me, Erkon will play the challenger setting for BOTM from now until end of 2008. Let it be known that I, me, Erkon, challenge all of you who have won multiple awards in previous Civ4 GOTM/WOTM to play the challenger setting as well for this period of time. Eternal glory will be awarded the player who collects most awards & medals playing the challenger setting during this period and that champion will receive the Mutineer Award (TM). Eternal disgrace will be awarded any player who complains about "easy game" without playing the challenger setting. So says Erkon, with harsh words, but with gentle heart. Those who accept my challenge - announce!

Finally I can start playing BtS! The steam directory is a bit dusty now but I hope it still works Thanks staff for the effort

I think we also need to play for the same victory condition, similar to HOF gauntlets. We can call it "BOTM Gauntlet". I will start a separate thread for the challenge now.

The thread is here:
http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=254657

 

[Markus5]

Let it be known, that I, Markus5 the Meek, Wienie Extraordinaire, will only play Contender in 2008. Join me as I wallow in averageness for the next year.

 

[Trynthlas]

A question on the choice of patch version - I realize 3.13 is the most current official patch from Firaxis, but Bhuric's changes fix several things that are quite obviously broken in the game, such as vassals breaking free and declaring war on you in situations where it shouldn't be possible (I forget what the trigger is), and several others:

Spoiler :

Changelog:
Fixed bug where culture/espionage would not display for building popups
Fixed bug where spies would be ejected from a square when declaring war
Fixed bug that caused the AI to trade for resources it already had (appears as grossly uneven trades)
Refixed trade bug
Refixed culture/espionage display bug
Fixed bug with Warlords attaching to units when the Great General is part of a selection group
Prevented new Colonies from overwriting previously existing Civs
No longer displays new Colony message if player hasn't met Master Civ
Workers on Transports no longer perform capture of cities (thereby displacing all other units) when city is captured
Units considered "unsuitable" for city defense will no longer be prevented from healing in cities
No longer able to base an unlimited number of air units in vassal's cities
Can found Corporations under Mercantilism
Vassal's spies will no longer be "caught" in your territory
Amount of time worked taken into consideration by city plot selection (thanks SevenSpirits)
The Vassal of a Capitulating Civ is freed before peace treaty
Mouse-over for Worker actively working a plot no longer counts Worker twice
Automated Workers will no longer idle when railroading is possible
Mouse-over for Join City now displays extra bonuses for Great People
Vassals freed by Capitulating Master no longer refuse to talk
Privateers can only enter team members' or vassals' cities
Automated Workers will no longer idle in cities within 2 squares of a hostile border
Refixed Vassal/capitulation
AIs less likely to build Executives if they can't afford to use them or already have sufficient
Buildings that grant both heathiness and unhealthiness will display both instead of neither in building popups
Vassals can no longer be their Master's worst enemy
Espionage ratio for humans now displayed in score tooltip (thanks morbus)
Improved worker threat assessment from units able to move multiple squares
Spies no longer interrupt their mission when moving next to an enemy unit
Fixed AI turn slowdown caused by change to worker threat assessment
Relationship penalty for declaring war on a friend checks if Civs are at war
Altered previous worker threat assessment check so it's less useful, but more efficient
Fixed bug (introduced) causing endless loop at "waiting for players"
Fixed bug (introduced) causing the Great Persons civilopedia entries to be blank
Stolen techs can no longer be traded with No Tech Brokering enabled
New Colonies mirror their Master's tech status with No Tech Brokering enabled
New Colonies mirror their Master's exploration (map) status
Healthy/Unhealthy bonuses will display properly under more circumstances (events, etc)

Most of the issues that are important deal with trading, vassals, and colonies, and some minor ones deal with properites displaying incorrectly.

I ask because it is an important factor in achieving some victory conditions if you have issues with your vassals suddenly breaking free when they aren't supposed to!

 

[Trynthlas]

Let it be known, that I, Markus5 the Meek, Wienie Extraordinaire, will only play Contender in 2008. Join me as I wallow in averageness for the next year.

Contender for me as well

On the start, I'm likely to move the scout to the hill just S of the settler and see what pops up - decision from there!