[BTS] BOTM 178 starts 20th December

[Noble Zarkon]

Santa's been at last - it seems like months we've been waiting!!

Good news: It's Christmas and Santa's been!

Bad news: All he left was a couple of lumps of coal!!

Good news: You're Thráin II, King of the Dwarves and you know all about mining!! (Mining Inc is founded in your capital and you have 2 executives on hand).

Can you lead the Kingdom of Dwarves out of their lonely isolation and take them to victory.



Scope of the Game:

• Civilization: Dwarves
• Unique Unit: Ballista Elephant (replaces War Elephant),
• Unique Building: Baray (replaces Aqueduct)
• Leader: Thráin II
• Difficulty: Immortal
• Map size: Small
• Map Script: Boreal
• Starting Era: Ancient
• Speed: Normal
• Options: Aggressive AI, no goody huts, no random events, rising seas
• Rivals: 4
• Victory conditions: All enabled
• World wrap None
• Schedule: Starting saves will be available below from December 20, 2019
• Submissions: Will then be due by January 27, 2020

Challenger:- Immortal bah humbug, I'll play on Deity thanks.

Adventurer:- Immortal is hard so you play at Monarch and have 5 Mining Inc execs.

Note that in this game, any espionage-culture victories will be counted as cultural victories.

To Enter the Competition:

This competition will open at 00:01 am on 20 Dec 2019, server local time (UTC-6:00). From that date and time, you'll be able to get your chosen starting save >>>here<<<.

Submit the save after your victory (or defeat) here, by 27 Jan 2020.

Here is a link to a list of the differences between Vanilla, Warlords and BtS.

Software Versions

Windows: This game MUST be played in Beyond the Sword (NOT Civ4 Vanilla or Warlords), patched to version 3.19, and with the BUFFY mod version 3.19.005 installed. You can download the BUFFY mod here. Players using Windows Vista or Windows 7 are encouraged to read the notes on Vista fixes here.


Macintosh: This game MUST be played in Beyond the Sword (NOT Civ4 Vanilla or Warlords), patched to version 3.19, and with the Mac BUFFY mod version 3.19.003 installed. You can download the Mac BUFFY mod here.
While playing...

Remember - for your entry to be accepted, it MUST be your first attempt to play this game, and you MUST NOT replay any turns. If you make a mistake while playing, you have to live with it, learn from it, and carry on the game without replaying.

We will open 'spoiler' threads during the month for players to discuss what happens in their games. Do not discuss any details of your game outside those threads.

 

[georgjorge]

Wow, that looks very interesting! Thanks!

I'm not sure about the number though - 178 after 186?

What does Rising Seas do? Never used that before.

Things to note:
- as far as I recall, Execs are ignored by military units...? Eve Nukes can't touch them!
- you will need those Diamonds and Silver fast, because in my test game I start with -6 gold every turn from Mining Inc.
- Boreal has lots of Deer but little other food. Fair amount of Iron, but only a few Bronze resources, so Axe rushing is not always an option

 

[Noble Zarkon]

I'm not sure about the number though - 178 after 186?

I was supposed to do this game earlier in the year but real life intervened, reread the blurb with that knowledge in mind!

What does Rising Seas do? Never used that before.

It allows land to be gobbled up due to global warming in the late game!

you will need those Diamonds and Silver fast, because in my test game I start with -6 gold every turn from Mining Inc

You start with a small treasury to help offset this.

 

[lymond]

Finally, 178!!!!!!!

The Gods Rejoice!

Ha,..I think I'd rather have Replaceable Parts than Mining inc, but that is cool. May be some time before we can actually use it. I wonder what the cost is just having it in your cap for the time being.

Definitely needs a test game. @georgjorge ya mind posting yours?

Who knew that Dwarves had elephant archers....

 

[Kaitzilla]

as far as I recall, Execs are ignored by military units...? Eve Nukes can't touch them!

Execs die just like any regular unit I think.

Finally, 178!!!!!!

Been a long time coming.

you will need those Diamonds and Silver fast, because in my test game I start with -6 gold every turn from Mining Inc.

Right, tests indicate +3 and -10 per turn due to the 2 coal. (+2 and -8 per turn with 1 resource or +5 -12 with 3 resources or +6 -15 with 4 resources)
Might have to do Warrior first to pillage our own 2 coal mines
The road can't be pillaged.

But then, the 1st worker comes out slower.
Ah, tough choices!

 

[lymond]

Noble Claus could have gifted us a courthouse and Wall Street too

 

[Noble Zarkon]

Might have to do Warrior first to pillage our own 2 coal mines

Ha ha

 

[Fippy]

So this game was created by Santa's evil twin, Satan Claus?

 

[Kaitzilla]

Just the fact we can see coal means we definitely have Steam Power.
So +50% faster workers and access to Levees.

Squinting at the capital, I don't see a Courthouse or Wall Street.

Agg. AI should be a boon for anyone brave enough to steal Workers and is willing to suffer the diplo consequences or worse if it goes wrong.

Assuming we got Khmer as the base civ, then the traits are Creative and Expansive.
+2 per city.
Double production speed of Library, Theater, and Colosseum.
+2 per city.
+25% when producing Worker.
Double production speed of Granary, Harbor.

First worker in 6 turns.

 

[lymond]

Just the fact we can see coal means we definitely have Steam Power.
So +50% faster workers and access to Levees.

oooh..good point

6 turn worker is great since we can improve deer and and silver immediately. heck a 2 worker start might be good here.

ha..just read the adventure save gets 5 execs...that is ..um..not really a good thing

 

[MarleysGh0st]

Right, tests indicate +3 and -10 per turn due to the 2 coal. (+2 and -8 per turn with 1 resource or +5 -12 with 3 resources or +6 -15 with 4 resources)

Ouch. So we're going to use our execs as fog busters for some time. Until we have courthouses? Or do we need a stronger economy than that?

What about a "regifting" strategy? Dare we spread those execs to our neighbors, so that our HQ gets the commerce bonus and their economies get dragged down? Would the AI dare expand our corporation in the early game?

 

[georgjorge]

Attached is a save to my shoddy test game (Immortal level/BUFFY and World Builder). I gave out 50 starting gold there and put Forest under the Deers to match the hammers seen in the screenshot.

Kaitzilla is right - Execs can be killed by almost anything. Wolves, Archers - just not Nukes

Mining + Boreal is a LOT of production, which screams for early rushing. However, with both Horses and Bronze being so rare on that map, what's there to rush with? Swordsmen?

@MarleysGh0st: Regifting is interesting, but I think not worth it. The initial spread costs 100 gold, so 25 turns until we regain that gold. And high-level AI pay very little maintenance, so I don't think they will be dragged down that much.

 

[lymond]

Yep, this corp is a huge problem. I could not even finish BW. And you can't even spread it even if you want too. Also, the cap really has a food problem as there is not much you can do to augment the food until ..well...far later with Biology. Can't really work but a few tiles beyond the deer. Another deer or two or some other food resource would have been nice. Cap is very limited for growth.

Spreading to AIs is a decent idea though. I doubt it would benefit them very much early. Ofc, the execs surviving travel is a big question. I guess one could travel with the scout, but no guarantee the scout does step into a huge nasty bear. If the scout can win a few wolf battles..woody II would be a good option for him far faster movement and checking fog.

 

[LowtherCastle]

Thanks for test game, georg. Looks maybe like lake gold to the NW. What does lonely isolation mean, one wonders? And how much starting gold?

Mining, Inc in this scenario is a carrot seen through your telescope held backwards.

I love Creative on BOTMs. Love cheap granaries and libraries too. And cheap workers.

Probalby need an early Archery on Deity, right? When to tech it? Hmbody. Coinage will be at a premium so too many warriors for fogbusting will be costly. Plus with only 4 AIs, 50% chance or more that the one with GW will slingshot barbs into our corner.

And then which unit to rampage with and when?

Are river deer better chopped for the 4f1c instead of 4f1h? (sacrilege)

 

[georgjorge]

I actually overread that "lonely isolation" part. Well, Boreal maps DO have a fair amount of mountain ranges - maybe we're nearly blocked off by mountains except for one small passage?

Mining + Forests make earlier wonders likelier, but I'm not sure there's any Stone on that map, and maybe no Marble either. Great Wall, however, should be doable even on Deity with the production bonus (if the treasury is big enough to reach it before the gold runs out).

 

[Deckhand]

• Schedule: Starting saves will be available below from December 20, 2019
• Submissions: Will then be due by January 27, 2020

To Enter the Competition:

This competition will open at 00:01 am on 27 Nov 2019, server local time (UTC-6:00). From that date and time, you'll be able to get your chosen starting save >>>here<<<.

Submit the save after your victory (or defeat) here, by 6 Jan 2020.

@NZ - you may need to reload game with right dates. I think the lower ones are the auto filled ones. Or maybe just cut and paste error.

Oh Noes!

 

[Noble Zarkon]

I think the lower ones are the auto filled ones. Or maybe just cut and paste error.

Thankfully just cut and paste error!

 

[Kaitzilla]

Are river deer better chopped for the 4f1c instead of 4f1h? (sacrilege)

Burn the witch!

Clever idea, but is it.. this clever?

Spoiler :

Cough, the Mining Inc. headquarters keeps getting more interesting to me.
Assuming the base civ is Khmer, then that means we start with Mining and the 2 coal resources are activated which activates Mining Inc. bonuses and costs.
So 6 turn Worker should definitely be a go.

Mining Inc. gives +2 and 1 Great Engineer GPP, so after 100 turns the capital will birth a Great Engineer.


I couldn't help but notice that when the Mining Inc. Headquarters is put into the capital directly with world builder, the +4 per turn that the headquarters generates for every city running Mining Inc. is missing!
For the +4 per turn to appear, the map maker must give the player Railroad + Corporation, world builder in a Great Engineer, found Mining Inc., erase the railroad from the capital and replace it with a road, and then remove Railroad+Corporation.
Unless the map maker was very careful to make sure the headquarters gives +4 per turn, the Mining Inc. could be a pain to use!
**Edit**
Oh, I see how it is done easily now.
There are 2 ways to use World Builder to add Mining Inc.
One is with the "City Data" tab and does not give +4 per turn.
The other is with the "Buildings" tab and does give +4 per turn.
Learn something new everyday.


Also, for 1 resource the player is charged 8.25 while the deity AI only has to pay 5.5 in increased maintenance costs for the +2.
Mining Inc. Execs cannot be gifted away.
The player must spend 100 to spread to a foreign city instead of 50 for a domestic city.


To attempt to financially cripple a Deity AI, get Writing and open borders, gift them Coal so they have a Mining Inc. resource to accept a spread, and then spend 200 to spread Mining Inc. to 2 of their cities.
Gift them the 2nd coal to ramp up the pain.
This should cost them 7 per turn in each Mining Inc. city or -14 per turn. (slightly more for each population above 1)
If they don't have cottages or commerce tiles, this can easily wipe out their 12 per turn from city tiles + trade route + Palace and cause them to go 0% slider.
Once the AI gets Currency, it is much harder to cripple their tech pace.
Also does not work so well on financial civs.


Could always gift them 2 cities with Mining Inc. for 100 + 100
I think Tachywaxon also did things to bankrupt AI to get them to disband units, but I can't recall what she did.
Combining foreign corporations with subsidized trading could probably force the AI to 0 per turn.
Add some privateers blockading all the sea tiles if there are any.
It is called Beyond the Sword for a reason.

What a fun opening.

 

[High King J.J.]

If we are Thráin II why isn't our capital named Erebor?
Are we burdened with a non-profit Mining Inc. headquarters that doesn't give the profit from each city that has is? If so then this already unattractive game becomes even less desirable.

 

[Noble Zarkon]

Good point re name, sorry!

As for the rest, play it and see! Just don't post in here once you've started!