[BTS] BOTM 169 - Garden of Eden - First Spoiler - 1 AD

[Noble Zarkon]

Use this thread to tell us what happened in your game, up to 1AD!

What do you think of the Garden of Eden? Who did you meet?


Stop! If you are participating in BOTM 169, then you MUST NOT read this thread unless EITHER

• You have reached at least 1 AD in your game, OR
• You have submitted your entry

Posting Restrictions

• Please do not disclose ANY events or information gained post 1 AD.
• Please do not reveal your final result if that happened after 1 AD.
• Please do not discuss the location of resources that may not show up before 1 AD (Iron is OK, coal and oil are not)
• Do not post any savegame file from the game. Discussions and screenshots are fine but not actual games

 

[MarleysGh0st]

The Garden is beautiful! I settled on the coast SE of the starting position. After researching Mining and Mysticism, I noticed that the early religions still hadn't been claimed, so I gambled for one and founded Buddhism in 3120 BCE (with one of the AI getting Hinduism a couple turns earlier). I also founded Confucianism.

By 1 AD, I've settled 7 cities, built the Oracle for the CS Sling and the GLH. I haven't met any of the AI. Apparently, the Cataphracts of the Apocalype are keeping them out of the wasteland surrounding the ocean surrounding the Garden. Of those, I've spotted Famine and Conquest.

Will I try for a peaceful victory within the Garden or will I explore what's beyond the wasteland? Whichever goal I choose, I made sure to save the game at 1 AD, so that I can replay it for fun from this point, to try the other option.

 

[Frederiksberg]

Very creative map

Settled in place and went for fast expansion. I failed to realize in time how strong the cataphracts really were with their drill promotions and at 1AD I have just started scouting the wasteland with spies to find a solution that will allow me to pass through.

I noticed early on that the AI were very slow at building wonders and went for Stonehenge to get fast expansion and full use of all the goodies in The Garden of Eden. Oracled Feudalism with the intention of using longbows to protect a wasteland city and some forts thus allowing safe passage for my army but realized that the cataphracts would cut through longbows like a chain saw through pudding . So at 1AD I'm not yet ready to push through the wasteland but with almost 1600 gold in my coffers researching HBR, Math and Construction for War Elephants should go fast. I already have Machinery so the plan is to go for Guilds as soon as I can get hold of iron.

Stats at 1AD

12 cities with 84 citizens, 2 wonders, no religion. One of my spies made contact with Sumerian Shaka and he is pretty backward.

 

[nocho]

Yes, nice map. I settled SE too like MarleysGhost after the scout revealed coast and the extra wheat. Tried to REX as well as I could, at 1AD 13 cities, 1 settler on the way, 66 pop. Have built Stonehenge in my second city, Oracled CS and got the Great Lighthouse and Great Library. Founded confused, even built the shrine. Currently half way building mids, colossus and MoM. Tech is up to Music, Paper, Calendar, MC, just started on education. Have not looked beyond the cataphract-infested deserts, planning to land with war elephants and muskets to have a better look.

 

[Pangaea]

Gee, look what the cat dragged in.

Not played for a rather long time, so quite rusty. Had forgot about the Oracle... But made a late push and managed to get CS in 400BC or so. GLH before that. Mids done in 2 turns, and slowly working on MoM elsewhere.

Have 13 cities and the capital (SIP) is size 13, but have probably whipped more than I should have elsewhere, so total pop is only 54 (if my count is right). Over 300 beakers, but that's probably not much to write home about with such an extreme bling-bling-y map.

Speaking about the map, I like that it's shaped like a tree

Made contact with Shaka-san, and see the borders of two others, but can't make contact unless they settle cities in the right spots. Kinda frustrating. But not like we can get much trading done on Prince anyway, so guess it ultimately doesn't matter all that much.

Have spotted 4 barb Cataphracts. Maybe there are more. Tough bastards. Not landed units on the dry ring yet, apart from two spies. I suspect warriors wouldn't fare all that well.

Time will tell if I actually finish the map. Always easier up to 1AD than from 1AD to the end.

Have never played with rising seas, so hopefully we don't all drown if I grind out for a space win. Everything else would be faster against such slow backwards AIs, but then I need to build units. And I can't locate "snake" in the tech tree.

 

[Fine_Distinction]

I have 9 cities at 1AD, met Famine and Death, staying in my garden so far, thank you very much I am surprised people got early religion, I went for religion straight away, got beaten to both, finally got one with CoL.

 

[Kaitzilla]

Got 14 cities, TGL, and almost have Colossus.
Three Catas down so far.
Will push through to kill and capitulate all the AI using War Elephants.