BOTM 20 Final Spoiler

[Niklas]

BOTM 20 Final Spoiler

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So how did it all play out? A carnage spearheaded by fast-moving Impi, or something a bit more, eh, civilized?

 

[Phatkarp]

I am still new to Emperor, and I'm NOT a "pangea warmonger." I maintained a game-long friendship with Charlemagne. I warred with everyone else. After my first couple of wars, which were very successful, I found myself in a series of hard-fought stalemates. I just am not used to the force of Emperor level stacks, and on a couple of invasions my modest invasion stacks were wiped out before reaching their targets.

I had a cultural loss, though I can't remember to who. I'm shooting for the green ambulance!

 

[Rusten]

Challenger save -> 1080 AD Conquest Victory

I win the race to music and trigger a golden age to speed up GPP.

Spoiler :

I have another GS waiting and 2x bulb education shortly after. I take military tradition from liberalism 600 AD and start on gunpowder (the last tech for cuirassiers). I plan to conquer the world (Conquest VC).

I time my production poorly and have trouble finishing gunpowder – I should’ve been producing wealth some turns more instead of starting on Has. I desperately attack Alex without cuirassiers and suffer heavy losses after unlucky RNG. Despite the small problem early on he quickly caves in once I start fielding cuirassiers. I conquer (vassal) the world in the following order:
Alex
Sitting Bull
Boudica
Charlemagne (wiped out)
Churchill
Ramesses

Resulting in a 1080 AD conquest victory.

Spoiler :

 

[JungleIII]

Zulu Domination Victory in 1852 with 99,433 points for JungleIII-Shaka

This was a case of great strategy, focus, and planning up to 1 a.d. by playing my pregame map, which by the way - was harder than the real game. As mentioned in the 1 A.D. post, I had 7 cities by then and was ready to now take on more opponents after crushing Charlemagne. After that... I couldn’t say what my plan was, as the paths twisted and forked many times.

As I start the next saga, everyone loves me - and all are Pleased or Friendly as we all enjoy just one religion, except for Boudica. I went on to build my army and by 760 A.D. declared war on that heathen Boudica, taking a few cities until she capitulated – not to me, but to Churchill, the most powerful nation at the time. So... plan B, sit back and wait to build a new army remotely capable of tackling England.

After building the Taj in 1300 A.D., and with the Mausoleum completed earlier, AND getting the 12 turns to fast track my research/build, I now had Mil Trad and Gunpowder to build my Cuirassiers. By 1390, I was on the warpath again against Churchill’s army. Next unexpected - Alexander defends Churchill and declares war on me when I attack England. Fine... Plan C, I’ll take them all on. I now take Tolosa, Pharsalos, Hastings, London, etc and in Zulu tradition, show NO MERCY!!! Boudica breaks free and capitulates as my vassal in this VERY long war in 1595.

Finally England makes peace and suddenly while warring with Alexander, Ramesses declares war on me even though we are at 16 on the “Friendly” chart!! What is up with these leaders??? Do they not like “aggressive” traits, or are they easily bribed to war??? I’m even the same religion, as is everyone else in this game except for Boudica. So, Plan D, I’ll forget any strategy for trying out any other victories and slog on, fighting and fighting to the end of the game. I do found Sid Sushi in 1836, but it’s of little help having to fight the whole game leaving little time to make executives...

Anyway, I capture them all except leaving the nice American Indians alone, at least they are ‘Pleased” with me the whole game. In the end, I dominate the rest of the continent, and find I used 10 Catapults, 56 Trebuchets, 18 Rifleman, 53 Cuirassiers, 64 Infantry and picked up 8 Great Generals for a total play time of 22 hours... a long game for me. Not a pretty game, but at least a victory on Emperor level.

Thanks for the great game map and having other level of play available for those who wish to try the game at differing difficulties!!

 

[Markus5]

Retired in the 1800s. I was playing quietly and carrying a big stick. 7 cities. Middle-of-the-pack score. Good science and trading. I really wanted to take Charlem to the west, but his border cities were so sucky I didn't want them. Well, in the 700s AD, he attacked. He attacked with monster stacks and flung them all at my two western cities and was easily repulsed. Heartened, I continued to build large numbers of defensive units assuming I'd be attacked again. I was, this time by Alex, who was rather weak. Rather than let his stacks crash on my cities and stomp on my improvements, I took the stacked out on the borders and drove into his territory. I was happy to get the new Greek lands, but Charlem and his vassel Boudica attacked in the west. I couldn't keep driving into Greek lands and defend on the west side. I made peace with Alex and pushed back to the west. I lost a city, gained it back and made peace with Charlem. The Greek cities were totally non-functional and I couldn't take more of Greece because it was vassel to the Native Americans. I tried to race to space and was getting some traction when the Native Americans attacked. It was no contest. I was losing ground in every measure. I retired.

 

[ianw1610]

Space Colony Victory, 1945AD

This was a very good map - lots of good-quality riverside land for Cottages, and several luxury resources in the locality. I concentrated on REX early on - pumping out as many Settlers and Workers as possible to settle the resources. I completed no World Wonders, founded no Religions, and built no Impis.

I missed the Oracle by just 3 turns but it was no real setback - I always dominated the technological race, easily got to Liberalism first, and was #1 in power for a long time.

I targetted Sitting Bull as he was comparatively weak... In my first DoW, with Macemen, I took his 2 biggest cities. Then I went back later with Riflemen to finish him off - I played out the remainder of the game with 13 cities - 6 of my own and 7 from Sitting Bull, as I made an unstoppable charge towards Alpha Centauri.

Boudicca was wiped out by Churchill. Ramesses was wiped out by Charlemagne. Alexander was technologically backwards. Charlemagne spawned a Colony - Frederick - on the SW island.

Despite having lots of land and population, neither Churchill nor Charlemagne could compete with the research pace of my town-filled empire - which was a little surprising for Emperor-level AIs. The two techs that they did get before me - Fission and Ecology - I mercilessly stole via Spies.

In a game involving Churchill, 1945AD was a very appropriate date for VZ-day (Victory in Zululand)...

 

[Conquistador 63]

So how did it all play out? A carnage spearheaded by fast-moving Impi, or something a bit more, eh, civilized?

Thanks for another nice map.

I went for a civilized space race spearheaded by fast-moving Impi. A slow start (see here), with a follow-up plagued by unwise placement of National Wonders and arguably poor choice/timing of civics.

A rather unusual game in the AD's. Everyone but Boudica was in Judaism. The stubborn warrior lady pushed her luck too far and declared on Charlie around 500AD. Shortly after, by Charlie's request, I joined that war, and Churchill promptly joined the dogpile. Unfortunately, I could only capture her capital and another nice riverside city with 2 gold before she capitulated to Churchill, just before 1000AD.

Anyways, I had to stop expanding with 21 cities (3 offshore in the SW island). I entered SimCity mode and went the cottage route and took Demo from Lib - 1060AD, and from then I teched towards Corps. I founded Sushi (mediocre, eventually 9fpt) and Mining Inc. (eventually 19 hpt), both in my Wall Street/IW former celtic city and spammed them to all my cities.

I was somewhat disappointed with a 1700AD launch, and its required 10 turns to land in AC in 1750AD. Not sure what I could've done better - a better capital site, CS from Oracle, a better OxfordUni site, a later change to FS from Bureau? Or all of the above?

 

[adrianj]

My first spoiler here

*** Session 4 = 1 AD -> 500 AD ***

Still thinking about a cultural victory, and kind of resigning myself to maintaining a small peaceful 6 city empire.

My tech path has been Aesthetics -> Literature -> Music (Free GA) -> Calendar (I want MoM and to hook up resources) -> now partway through Philosophy.

Not a lot interesting to report here. I had a go at building the Hanging Gardens but it was too half assed and I'm pretty sure Rameses got them. In 350 AD I built the Great Library in Ulundi, and I'm now working on Sistine's, although only 2 turns invested so far.

I have 6 cities with a total pop of 41.

Decision time - carry on with the cultural VC or change it?
1) I don't think I've played particularly well to get a very fast cultural finish.
2) I don't even have a decent GP Farm.
3) I kind of feel like expanding my empire a little bit...
4) I want to play with corporations...
5) Maybe shoot for a space ship VC from here. I think I'm reasonably well setup for it

The plan:
Expand more, but keep the research high.
So, first of all, quit building Sistine's and build MoM.
I think I'll continue on to Liberalism and take Nationalism for free, and build Taj.
I'll trade/tech my way up to maces/trebs at first and then take out Alex (far behind in tech, and lowest in score).
Then I'll make my way up to Rifles and expand somewhere else, possibly over Charlemagne who is the only buddhist and has no friends.

*** Session 5 = 500 AD -> 1000 AD ***

Things are more or less going according to plan, although I wish I was more expanded right now than I currently am. Too much focus on research, not enough on military (standard problem for me).

Sitting Bull declared war on Alex, and asked me to join shortly after, so I obliged. Although I never saw any combat. My cities have been busy building Universities for Ulundi to get Oxford. Although now I am at the stage where I have forges in most cities and they are building catapults.

Tech path to here has been Philo (founded Taoism) -> Paper -> Education (partly bulbed) -> Liberalism -> Nationalism (free tech) -> Printing Press -> Guilds -> Gunpowder. I managed to trade for Metal Casting, Construction, Feudalism and Machinery.

I missed the MoM by a few turns! Grrr, Rameses... I seriously think he should be on my hitlist once I have Rifles. Rameses doesn't have Philosophy yet, so I have a good headstart for building Taj, which Ulundi will work on after Oxford is complete.

Plan now is to work my way to Rifles while producing cats in the background.

*** Session 6 = 1000 AD -> 1350 AD ***

I've now teched Gunpowder -> Banking -> Replaceable Parts -> Rifling -> Chemistry.
With gunpowder I switched from cats to producing muskets, and eventually rifles. I declared on Alex and waited for his SoD - it arrived full of cats, HA, phalanx, etc. I killed the entire thing with the loss of only a couple of catapults.

As it is now I've taken his two closest cities and I'm ready to advance on Athens. Do I want capitulation or total destruction of Alex... I think I want all of his cities

*** Session 7 = 1350 AD -> 1650 AD ***

I take Alex as a vassal - saving myself the time and effort and having an ally should I want to make more war. Which I do. Shortly after I attack Sitting Bull and after taking two cities including his capital he is also my vassal.

Now I'm in full research mode... until Charlemagne declares on me - along with his vassals Boudica and Frederick (island colony). He has an enormous stack but I have the tech advantage. So at this point in time I am weathering the storm taking far fewer losses than him.

Teching has mostly been for the military benefits here, going Steel (cannon) -> Military Tradition (horses connected from Alex former city) -> Steam Power -> Railroad (moving troops faster) -> Scientific Method. I managed to trade for most others like Optics -> Astro, Economics, Constitution, Drama, etc.

*** Session 8 = 1650 AD -> 1836 AD ***

I eventually turn the tide on Charlemagne and I manage to take one of his cities closest to my border. I would have loved to raze it, but alas that's not an option this game. This war is really stifling my research (Rameses and Churchill are a few steps ahead of me now) so I sue for peace which Charlemagne gives me along with a former Celtic city. I take the deal, and gift back Boudica's city and Charlemagne's city in an act of generosity. Hopefully it will buy me peace for the rest of the game - although Charley is still annoyed at me.

Tech path was a bit haphazard through here, Physics (didn't get GS) -> Artillery (no good reason why...) -> (Corporation through Trade) -> Assembly Line (factories) -> Biology (should have been sooner) -> Rocketry (Apollo... but not building it yet since no aluminium) -> Medicine (founded Sid's Sushi) -> Electricity.

Churchill is quite far ahead of me now and has already completed Apollo. I'm not ruling out that I can still catch him in tech, but it might come down to spoiling his efforts through either war or espionage. Currently Churchill is in a defensive pact with Rameses, and Charlemagne has enough on his hands right now... not a good sign.

*** Session 9 = 1836 AD -> 1937 AD ***

At 1836 I stop to think. Ok... so my finish date isn't looking too great. But at this point just getting a victory is looking like it will be a real challenge. Churchill is a bunch of techs ahead of me. Charley demanded a tech off me (Industrialism = tanks!!) and I gave in to it for the guaranteed time of peace, and he has moved up to Cautious with me (60% chance he won't declare war on me). I'm considering switching to his favourite civic (Vassalage) and maybe get him up to pleased (100% he won't declare) and then I might be able to bribe him into a war with Churchill. Except he isn't running vassalge himeself... I'll need to do it through religion. Switch to his religion? But I'm in free religion- that would require two revolutions, the first to get out of FR, the second to switch to his religion.

Ok, new plan - I need one more GPerson for golden age (already have a GS). I'll do whatever it takes to get that ASAP, which may involved starving a city for a while. Then revolt out of Free Religion (I'm thinking Theocracy) and change to Buddhism. While I'm at the revolution I might as well go with Vassalage and maybe I can bribe Charley into that too.

Ok, so I'm a few turns in to my plan, and Sitting Bull starts cancelling resource trades with me. I'm his Master, how dare he! So I demand them, and he refuses and declares war! I was definitely not expecting that, I didn't realise it was possible. And I've been gifting him great techs!! It doesn't take that much to kill him off completely though, and I end up stronger for it.

I pop a great person, but it's another GS! So no golden age just yet. But I'm teching my way to Fusion and I reach it before Churchill! So launch my golden age. By this stage Charley has switched to Free Religion himself, so I can't share a religion with him OR civics. GRR! There is one point where Charley is Pleased with me, but he is also Pleased with Churchill, so no help for me there.

My new plan is to befriend Rameses so that I can attack Churchill's capital (very close to Rameses border) myself once I have OB with Rameses (OB was lost after Charley bribed me into war with him). I share religion with him, and have his favourite civic (Organised Religion) but I don't get him above Cautious. I'm running out of ideas here.

Then I have a brilliant idea to check the victory screen - and what is much much more alarming than Churchill is that Rameses 3rd city is close to legendary. I start rushing Marines and transports to attack his coastal legendary capital... but I fail...

Cultural Defeat in 1937 AD.

*** Summary ***

That was really quite disappointing... but it was still a fun game!

And I learned a lot still:
1) I need to take my time to stop and think. Especially at these high difficulty levels as it actually cost me the game here. Not only time in between sessions to think about the high level picture, but also during each turn, to at least check cities are doing what they should (so many times I let cities grow past their happy limit...)
2) More focus on goals. Eg, if I want to build Oracle for CoL - build it ASAP! When going to war, what do I actually want from the AI I'm attacking?
3) Stop thinking I'm good enough to win by a VC of my choosing. It might help to get things focussed early on, but when things turn to custard I should be flexible and take what I can. Eg, I think a domination victory was possible for me in this game, but I doggedly wanted to go to Space...
4) Vassals are really annoying. I hear they've been improved a little in 3.19, but I typically don't have much to gain from them techwise anyway. In this game my captured Ai capitals of Athens and Cahokia probably spent half the game in revolt. Much better to take the time and resources to kill them off completely and put their land to proper use.
5) My expansion through warfare needs a lot of work. Shaka would have been ideally suited to this, but I spent the first 5000 years of the game trying to be friendly.
6) I found the corporations quite cool for Shaka. Each time I spread my corporation (Sid's Sushi and then later Creative Constructions) I actually made a profit since the HQ was in my Wall Street city. And the benefits of the bonus food from Sid's is excellent for converting into hammers or whatever through workshops or specialists.

 

[ainglis]

Culture loss in 1882 AD.

After getting friendly with Charlemagne early on in this game, I decided to make it my first attempt for a diplomatic victory. Unusually for me, I was actually competitive on Emperor, and could perhaps have won a different victory condition.

The world was dominated by two religions, Buddhism (Me, Charlemagne, Sitting Bull, Boudica, Alex) and Judaism (Ramesses, Churchill). In the run up to the UN it looked as if Ramesses would be my main opponent in the diplomatic vote, which suited me just fine. Unfortunately, Sitting Bull (who was friendly with me) overtook Ramesses in population and I had to face off against the guy who's votes I was counting on!

Never really got close to the necessary votes for that reason. Meanwhile Ramesses blitzed out a culture win in the 19th century! Still, a fun map, and I learned a few things for next time.

 

[SirDrake]

Adventurer Save because I'm rusty. And I hate "Normal" speed so badly that I figure the game owes me a softer option to make up for it.


REX to 4 Cities: This part I'm pretty good at. On Monarch level, you can build 3 Settlers with only one warrior (to escort and fogbust) if you move fast enough that the border-crossing barbarians haven't come in to play yet.

This set me up with copper, marble, fish, wheat, some good riverside estate, and a second gold mine.


Attack Alexander because we hate each other. Really. Every game. I once fought a war with him for 1400 years (mostly in the A.D.) on Marathon speed; the little &*#$& wouldn't make peace for anything less than a border town (eventually crushed him with rifles).

Anyhoo, I handled the initial axe-rush well enough and got two cities, including Argos-of-the-two-gems.


My big mistake was not making peace while I regrouped. War weariness wasn't a problem, but Alex used the time to overstock Athens with defensive units. I didn't knock that one off until I had catapults.


Cultural goal, build wonders: I had marble and stone and was surrounded by defensive AIs. Made sense.


A great what? Unfortunately, the wartime delay kept me from teching fast enough to start running lots of artists. Combined with the existing wonders (Oracle, Colossus, Artemis, Apostolic Palace, Pyramids-stolen-from-Alex... later the Spiral Minaret, Angkor Wat, and U of Sankore), I produced a lot of not-Artists.

2 Great Engineers -- used to clock-rush wonders
2 Great Prophets -- used in succession to bulb Divine Right (I needed to found a religion)
1 Great Prophet -- used to build the Islamic Shrine
3 Miscellaneous (can't remember) -- used for Golden Ages
1 Great Prohet & 1 Great Merchant -- settled in place because I had no other use for them

I did pop 5 Great Artists later on, but 8 or 9 would have been better.


I missed the Parthenon and the Sistine Chapel. Bad tech pathing in the latter case.


Victory in 1765 - A little disappointed here because I was at war with Sitting Bull, and he'd taken one of my (not very important) cities. Running Representation, I was still teching and had just got Rifling two turns previously. So I missed dishing out his just desserts. But I guess that's what I get for playing a Culturual VC instead of a combative one.


Cheers,
Jason

 

[strollen]

I completed a domination victory in 1815 with score of 127,742. Alas I couldn't resist using the load function so I won't be submitting the game.

Still it was a fun game.
I originally had planned on going after Charlemagne, our relationships was never good and diplomatic gaffe, overlapping border made them even worse. Still the thought of going after longbows with CG2 and CG3 reinforced with mace was too daunted.

So instead I ended up going after an easier target namely, Alexander. The city to the north of my capital had badly need gems as well as corn. My newly minted Maces with combat 1 and CR2, made short work of his city. In the west I fought a holding action with my Impi stealing a few workers and picking off the stray horse archer, pillage and generally making a nuisance of themselves. My army marched on to Athens at the same day Sitting Bull joined the fun.

The siege and capture of Athens was short affair with several of my mace gaining the coveted CR3 promotion. I was shocked when after losing only 2 cities (including Athens) the Greeks offered to capitulated. They still had 4 decent cities and a couple tundra cities. Rather than taking any chances I accepted. The advantages, gaining the Pyramids, Stone, Gems, and a couple other resources. The disadvantages is that I had to garrison Athens with a 5-6 units the entire game to keep it from revolting.

I was narrowly in first place by the renaissance era. However, Egypt still had tech lead, and managed to piss me off (enough to reload) by beating my by a few turns on 3 wonders Sistine, Masoleum (normally not a high priority but I had marble) and eventually the Statue of Liberty. I beat Egypt to Liberalism.

I turned my attention to HRE next. I beefed up my army considerable. The heroic epic complete with Great Generals helped a lot and I also used Theocracy and Feudalism to increase my XP. At the end I declared war with 6-8 Trebs, and handful pikeman, crossbows, and boatload of Maces 20. Meanwhile HRE spies were wrecking havoc, and they were maintain military tech parity and good size army.

The first two wars against the HRE were long bloody and fun. They involved both Egypt on the HRE side and my Greek Vassals actually were surprisingly effective. The 2nd war ended in a dramatic fashion. Both HRE and I raced to Rifles. I got the tech first but he upgrade and got them to the field first (I upgraded all of my CR3 maces). Charlemagne launched a brilliant counter attacking kill General Lee the pride of my army a CR3 Rifleman with 35 XP. I than threw everything at Aachen, I lost my entire stack of Trebs, exhausted my army and came within a catapult and treb of conquering the city. Facing two fresh Rifle I was happy to accept Astronomy for peace.

At the end I took three HRE cities and used an artist to establish enough culture to keep the cities on life support. So while the cities were not useful to me they weren't helping HRE who at this point was down to 4 decent cities and 3 or 4 small tundra cities.

I regrouped, researched Steel and built cannons. The 3rd HRE-Zulu war was quick and decisive, Colin Powell would have been proud. At this point it was all over but the score.

Churchill had the misfortune of being between me and Egypt. He lasted 5 turns before capitulating. Egypt lasted longer but only because I wanted to get Thebes home of 5 wonders, in total I believe Egypt built 11. Using my newly built railroads my mostly infantry army quickly redeployed to the Greek-Celtic and English-Celtic border. In 3 turns 6 celtic cities were conquered and victory was mine.

 

[Marshall_WP]

Diplomatic victory, 1804, 90k.
At the beginning of this game I saw stone near Athens, built 8 impies and captured it. Pyramids in 750 bc, 7 cities in 1 ad. In about 1 AD I gave some technologies to Charlamagne, and he declared war to Boudica. In 500 AD I attacked Alexandr and captured 2 cities. I had only 5 good food cities, so Oxford in 900 BC. In 1100 Biology with liberalism. Then I built 30 knights and upgraged them into cavalery in about 1450. Churchill had 2 vassals-Ramsess and Boudica. I captured 4 Churchill's cities in the first turn of the war. But Ramsess reseached rifling, so I decided to go for UN. I've built it after England and Celtia were destroyed.

 

[kcd_swede]

Caught with my pants down in 1100AD. Waaaaaaay ahead in tech and just picking which juicy tech to take for liberalism when I got gang-banged. The top 2 civs (other than me) dow'd me and shortly after then next most powerful civ did, the the last three friendlies dow'd me to get some spoils. Totally unexpected. I guess that's what I get for too long vacatoins from civ. And I was sooooo cocky after 1AD... nice to be humbled now and then. (If that never happened the game would cease to be fun). Special thanks to Sid for making a game that is fun long after you think you've figured everything out!

Don't know if my conquest losss 1240AD was accepted due to timing out during submission, but don't care either. I am thinking about reloading just to see what space race date I could manage. Doubt I'd come close to the 1700's date already posted though.

Congrats to those who finished with victories. Very easy game (if you aren't jetlagged when you play).

Time to patch to 3.19....

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....................

 

[beestar]

Contender save, conquest victory in 1525AD.

925BC declared on Alex, destroyed in 400AD (swordsmen)
640AD declared on Boudica, vassalized in 1070AD (macemen and trebs)
1140AD declared on Churchill, vassalized 1220AD (knights and trebs)
1280AD declared on Rameses, vassalized 1340AD (knights and trebs)
1400AD declared on Charlie, vassalized 1440AD (cuirassiers and trebs)
1480AD declared on Sitting Bull, vassalized 1525AD (cavalry and trebs)

Only when typing this up did I realize how long the initial war with Alex took - it started with Impi and Axemen and ended just shy of learning Construction. Maybe I should have left him crippled until I could get Feudalism for vassalization. Or maybe I needed a more overwhelming force (more axes? better tech?)

There was a lot of free land in this game - it made me doubt whether to go for Conquest, and moving my SoD from the west to the east took so long that I got sloppy and invaded Sitting Bull with cavalry and cuirassiers before waiting for my siege to catch up. This resulted in some lost battles which made vassalization slower.

Overall, though, I was really pleased with my first Emperor win, and I think the diplo management went really well - never had anyone DOW on me, traded for lots of techs, and I managed to persuade Churchill to dogpile onto Boudica when needed.

Oh, except for one thing: due to poor tile management, I exceeded the land domination limit on my last turn, so that 1525 AD conquest victory? It was actually a Domination victory

 

[MarleysGh0st]

Entry class: Adventurer
Game status: Domination Victory for Zulu
Game date: 1892AD
Turns played: 316
Base score: 6773
Final score: 68477.7
Time played: 24:43:53

Continuing my report from the 1 AD thread:

Boudica DOWed against Alex in 25 AD; in 200 I agreed to her request to join the war. Then in 400, the two of them made peace.

I continued the war, with Sitting Bull joining in on his own initiative in 500. By 720, the Greeks are destroyed.

Meanwhile, Boudica DOWs against Sitting Bull in 640 and asks for my help again in 1070. I accept again and once again, she decides to make peace in 1110.

After taking six of Sitting Bull's cities (including two he captured from Alex) I give him a peace treaty in 1360 for one more city. IN 1533, I resume the war; destroying the Native Americans in 1625.

Meanwhile Boudica DOWed against Churchill in 1300. For some reason, she doesn't ask for my help this time. Before I'm ready to join Churchill in this war, Boudica capitulates to him in 1655. And on the other side of the world, Bismarck emerges on the island as Charlemagne's vassal.

I DOW against Churchill and Boudica in 1765. In 1785, I make the mistake of accepting an improvement in relations with Churchill after a random event of "the English showing mercy on the battlefield," not realizing that this meant an automatic peace treaty!

In 1826 I renew the war, destroying the Celts in 1852 and the English in 1880. That same turn, I DOWed against Ramses, taking three of his cities before accepting his capitulation in 1890 and winning a Domination victory the next turn.

A curious note about religion: all the world became Buddhist in this game, except for Egypt, which was Hindu. Ramses did his best to try for a religious victory, sending Hindu missionaries far and wide and building the AP, which led to many elections in which he was the only candidate on the ballot. He never anything close to enough votes, though. I suspect I might have saved time by converting to Hinduism, myself, then letting the English become my vassals and vote for my diplomatic victory.

 

[Grifftavian]

BOTM 20 AAR Part 2: 1AD to the Bitter End

Adventurer Save/Monarch Level

As we resume our tales of glory about the Fearless Zulu Leader and the fate of the Zulu Empire, let us give a brief recap of our story so far. In the early years of recorded history, the mighty Zulu Empire had founded five cities and captured the Barbarian city of Magyar, converting the heathens to The One True Faith of Confucianism, whose Code of Laws had been given to the Zulu people by The Oracle of uMgungundlovo. The Zulu Military/Industrial Complex was demanding that the size of the Zulu Armed Forces be dramatically increased, for although there had not been any hostilities between the Zulu and their neighbors, the Zulu Generals were certain that wars were on the horizon. Those same Generals were advising the Fearless Zulu Leader that he should pacify and convert the Barbarian city of Hsung-Nu, lest it fall into the hands of Foreign Devils. Meanwhile, the Zulu Scholars were researching a strange new religious concept called Theology.

As the calendar turns from BC to AD, the Zulu Empire finally encounters the last unknown civilization on the planet, led by a funny little man who goes by the name of Ramesses II, and who professes to believe in something called Hinduism, and boasts of the magnificence of the Hindu Holy City. The Fearless Zulu Leader was not impressed.

Zulu scholars complete the research into Theology, and a new religion of called Christianity takes hold in the former Barbarian city of Magyar in 225 AD. A Christian Missionary makes a pilgrimage to the Zulu Capitol, to pay his respects to the Fearless Zulu Leader and tell the citizens of Ulindi about Christianity.

In 275 AD, a Great Spy is born in the city of uMgungundlovo. He becomes a permanent resident of the Glorious Zulu Capitol, where he greatly enhances the fledgling operations of the Zulu Intelligence Directorate.

In 580AD, some of the newly trained Zulu soldiers, after a long and arduous march to the east, finally capture the Barbarian city of Hsung-Nu, while a Greek Expeditionary Force watches helplessly nearby.

1090 AD witnesses the birth of a Great prophet in the Confucian Holy City of Nobamba, and in 1100 AD, he constructs a Confucian Holy Shrine for the Zulu people, which he names The Kong Miao. The income from this shrine, combined with the Nobamba Gem Mines, allows the Fearless Zulu Leader to return the Science rate to 60%.

A second Great Prophet is born in 1250 AD in the city of uMgungundlovo. He makes a visit to the Christian Holy City of Magyar, where he constructs The Church of the Nativity for the Glory of the Zulu people.

The worst fears of the Zulu Generals came to be realized in 1290 AD, when the so-called Holy Roman Empire issued a DOW on the Great Zulu Nation. The HRE's armies repeatedly attacked the western cities of uMgungundlovo and Kwadukuza, but the city garrisons of those cities valiantly held them off, and viciously counter-attacked, inflicting numerous causalities on the HRE.

Believing that the Fearless Zulu Leader had left his rear guard down, Sitting Bull stabbed him in the back and issued a DOW against the Zulu Empire in 1450 AD, sending his pitiful armies against the eastern Zulu cities. The Zulu nation was now involved in a two-front war!

For a brief moment, the tide seemed to be turning for Zululand. In 1460 AD, Zulu forces captured the HRE city of Luxemburg. In 1470 AD, the Fearless Zulu Leader passed along the knowledge of Code of Laws and Literature to his Brother-in-Faith Alexander The Great, in exchange for a DOW on Sitting Bull. And finally, in 1480 AD, Zulu Missionaries spread their State Religion of Confucianism to the newly captured Luxemburg.

But then, that Civ4 sub-routine that says Everybody Dog Pile on the Human Player kicked in, and Churchill and his two vassals Boudica and Ramesses issued a DOW on the Zulu Empire in 1510 AD. Five (5) nations are now at war with the Zulu Empire, and only their Greek allies are fighting the evil Sitting Bull in the east.

In 1525 AD, sensing a chance at a future Religious Victory, the Fearless Zulu Leader, in his magnificence, returns the city of Luxemburg to the HRE in exchange for a Peace Treaty. Although he had never accepted an Open Borders Treaty with the Zulu Empire, Charlemagne was now a voting member of the Apostolic Palace, which was somehow built in the Confucian Holy City of Nobamba during the confusion of war. If only he could spread Confucianism to Ramesses, the Fearless Zulu Leader might have a chance for a Religious Victory.

Even though the Zulu defenders were holding their own against the tri-lateral assault of the combined forces of the English, Celt and Egyptian not-Empires, the Fearless Zulu leader bribes Churchill with the knowledge of Chemistry for a Peace Treaty in 1580 AD. The cowardly Churchill, his greed satisfied for something as trivial as a child's chemistry set, ordered his vassals to withdraw their forces from the lands of the Zulu Empire. The Zulu Military is now free to turn their attention to the east, and join their Brothers-in-Arms-and-Faith in the Holy War against Sitting Bull.

In tribute to the brave defenders of the western Zulu cities, the Fearless Zulu Leader orders the construction of a National Wonder, known as The Heroic Epic, and this magnificent monument is completed in the city of uMgungundlovo in 1630 AD. The generosity of the Fearless Zulu Leader in constructing The Heroic Epic inspires the Zulu armies on the Eastern Front, and in 1635 AD, they capture the city of Nacogadoches from Sitting Bull.

During a meeting of the Apostolic Palace in 1670 AD, a controversial resolution is proposed and, backed by the Zulu and Greek Empires, control of the city of Poverty Point is ceded from Sitting Bull to Alexander The Great. Finally realizing what he is up against, that same year Sitting Bull make a Peace Treaty with the Fearless Zulu Leader, turning over the entire Treasury of his worthless nation, a paltry 160 Gold. For the first time in 380 years, the Zulu Empire is at Peace, but it will not last.

Enjoying the prosperity of Peace, and in recognition of the former Barbarian cities of the Eastern Zulu Empire, who had been loyal and faithful citizens since their assimilation into the Might Zulu Empire, the Fearless Zulu Leader ordered a Great Engineer to construct The Forbidden Palace in the city of Hsung-Nu in the year 1680 AD.

The Fearless Zulu Leader was re-elected Religious Leader of the Apostolic Palace in 1720 AD, but in a surprising move that same year, Charlemagne turned over control of his overseas cities to an obvious puppet named Bismarck, who publicly declares his loyalty to the HRE and boasts that this collection of cities, on a large island far to the southwest, will be known as the German Empire for as long as Charlemagne will allow him to call it that. The Fearless Zulu Leader immediately secured an OB Treaty with the grovelling boot-licker before Charlemagne could totally corrupt him.

Seeing this as a sign of weakness, Churchill and his evil underling Boudica declare War on Charlemagne and his new lackey Bismarck in the year 1740 AD. Ramesses takes no part in this action, having previously renounced the protection of Churchill. Apparently he finally grew a backbone after all these years.

While the Western Power were busy fighting each other , the Fearless Zulu Leader saw an opportunity to expand the eastern borders of the Zulu Empire. Once again, he contacted his Brother-in-Faith Alexander The Great in the year 1765 AD, and after a brief and cordial discussion, agreed to teach Alexander the knowledge of Construction and Military Science in exchange for a Greek DOW against Sitting Bull, 120 Gold and the Greek World Map. The Fearless Zulu Leader immediately issued a DOW against Sitting Bull and invaded, capturing one of Sitting Bull's hapless workers in the process.

Two more Great People were born in the Zulu Empire that aided this latest military campaign. In 1770 AD, a Great General was born in the city of uMgungundlovo, where he constructed a Military Academy in the city with The Heroic Epic. And in 1790 AD, a Great Spy is born in the Capitol City of Ulindi, where he builds Scotland Yard for the Zulu Intelligence Directorate.

1802 AD was a red-letter year for the Zulu Empire, as the 6th Zulu city of Nongoma is founded 3SE+1E of the capitol, on the southern coast near abundant fishing waters. In addition, that year saw the adoption of the Emancipation Civic, greatly improving happiness throughout the Zulu Empire.

The Zulu/Greek Holy War against Sitting Bull finally began to make some ground. Zulu forces captured the city of Anasazi form Sitting bull in 1808 AD. In 1810 AD, Sitting Bull's forces show Mercy and Compassion to wounded Zulu soldiers, and Sitting Bull uses this Random Event to beg for Peace with the Zulu Empire. But the Fearless Zulu Leader, seeing the rapid decline of Sitting Bull's nation, refuses to grant Peace. That same year, Greek forces capture the city of Snaketown from Sitting Bull, and along with it his last source or Iron.

The Zulu armies continued to press their onslaught against Sitting Bull, and captured the city of Moundville in 1818 AD. But the Holy War finally came to and end in the year 1832 AD. With Zulu forces advancing on what is now Sitting Bull's capitol city, Sitting Bull became a Vassal of Alexander The Great to save his worthless hide from extension.

Seven AI Civs in this game, and four have been vassals! What's a Fearless Zulu Leader to do?

Having successfully fought two Holy Wars together, in 1838 AD the Zulu and Greek Empires signed a Defensive Pact, and both leaders express the hope that this pact will bring peace and security to their part of the world for years to come.

In 1840 AD, the Fearless Zulu Leader gifted a Confucian Missionary to the lackey Bismarck, and in 1842 AD Confucianism spread to the German Capitol. Ramesses, however, continued to rebuff Zulu efforts to obtain an OB Treaty, denying the Fearless Zulu Leader the opportunity to teach him the superior religion that is Confucianism. That same year, a Great Merchant is born and settled in the Holy City of Nobamba, further increasing the Wealth produced by that city.

The year 1882 AD brought both good and bad news for the Zulu Empire. Another National Wonder, this one known as West Point, is dedicated to the brave and valiant Zulu military forces in The Heroic Epic city of uMgungundlovo. But the troops joy and gratitude is soon tempered when it is announced that same year that the Egyptian city of Thebes had achieved Legendary Culture status. The Fearless Zulu Leader had an unsettling nightmare about how this game would soon end!

They say all good things must come to an end, and in the year 1890 AD, Alexander canceled the DP with the Fearless Zulu Leader, and he and his worthless lackey Sitting Bull issued a DOW against Churchill and his evil underling Boudica. Poor old Alex, once a warmonger, always a warmonger. I guess the boy just can't help it!

The Fearless Zulu Leader, having marshaled his forces in the west after the signing of the DP, seizes the opportunity to extract revenge on former tormentor Charlemagne, and in 1894 AD issued a DOW against the HRE. Battle-hardened Zulu Armies capture two HRE cities in 1986 AD, the Taoist Holy City of Florence in the north and Luxemburg in the south. The re-capture of Luxemburg meant that Charlemagne was no longer a voting member of the AP, but with the announcement that same year that a second Egyptian city, Memphis, had achieved LC status, the Fearless Zulu Leader realized that his goal of a Religious Victory was virtually unattainable, and that any other type of victory would be impossible to achieve before the Egyptian city of Heliopolis achieved LC status and the game ended.

Undeterred, the Fearless Zulu Leader vowed to eradicate the HRE for having the audacity to be the first not-empire to attack the Might Zulu Empire. Their feeble defenders were no match for the Veteran Zulu armies, and the HRE cities began to fall...

Nuremberg captured 1906 AD
Pisa captured 1912 AD
Augsburg captured 1921 AD. It has Angkor Wat!

Jealous of the victorious glory being achieved by the Zulu armies on the battlefield, Churchill and his evil underling Boudica once again issue a DOW against the Might Zulu Empire in 1926 AD, and they began to shamelessly attack newly captured Zulu cities, most of which were defended by recuperating wounded Zulu soldiers.

In 1927 AD, Zulu forces capture the HRE city of Ulm, but England captures Nuremberg from the Zulu Empire. A Great General was born in the Capitol City of Ulindi, and the Fearless Zulu Leader directed him to construct a Military Academy in the Capitol in order to bolster the Zulu war efforts. A Great Spy is born in Ulindi in 1928 AD, and the Zulu Intelligence Directorate orders him to infiltrate an English city.

The unscrupulous English armies continued to attack newly captured Zulu cities defended by wounded soldiers. Ulm is captured by England in 1929 AD, and Augsburg in 1930 AD.

Then, in a totally ridiculous and shocking move in 1934 AD, with Zulu forces advancing on the last remaining HRE city, Churchill returns control of Augsburg to Charlemagne, who immediately made it his capitol. The next year, 1935 AD, Zulu forces capture Strassburg from the HRE, and turn their attention back toward Augsburg.

An important took place for the Zulu Empire in 1936 AD. No longer content with merely constructing National Wonders like The Heroic Epic and West Point to honor the Brave and Glorious Zulu armies, the Fearless Zulu Leader completed the construction of a World Wonder, The Pentagon, in the city of uMgungundlovo, which, along with its Military Academy, its resident Military Instructor and the aforementioned National Wonders, made uMgungundlovo the Premier Military Production City in the entire known universe. This exciting news is short lived, however, with the capture of Pisa that same year by English forces.

In the year 1938 AD, the Fearless Zulu Leader finally realized his goal of eradicating the HRE with the re-capture of Augsburg. Charlemagne is publicly executed for his crimes against the Mighty Zulu Empire, and his remains are cremated in the still burning fires of his last and final capitol. His former vassal Bismarck, who had always been more friendly with the Might Zulu Empire than the contemptible Charlemagne, gladly turned over the balance of the German Treasury, a pitiful 60 Gold, and the German World Map, for a Peace Treaty.

The following year, 1939 AD, a Great Prophet born in the city of uMgungundlovo initiated a Zulu Golden Age in an effort to spur the Zulu economy in its war efforts against their newest worst enemy, the English.

But in 1942 AD, the Fearless Zulu Leader, realizing the end of the game was near, weary from his 44 year effort to eradicate the HRE, and no longer wishing to control the ruined and worthless city city that was the graveyard of his most hated rival, cedes control of Augsburg to Churchill for a Peace Treaty with England and their Celt Vassals.

Another Great Merchant was in born and settled in the Confucian Holy City of Nobamba in 1960 AD, but the end of our story comes in 1963 AD, when Ramesses II wins a Cultural Victory.

So there you have it my friends, your Fearless Zulu Leader, despite losing to a CV, finished in 2nd place on the scoreboard with a final score of 4309, and surprisingly surviving to the end in his 4th attempt at a Monarch Level game.

6 cities founded
2 Barbarian cities captured and held
3 Native American cities captured and held
3 HRE cities captured and held
4 HRE cities captured and lost

 

[Monnet]

I had a rollercoaster of a game in which I learnt a great deal about BTS-specific features, including the stop-the-war UN vote which saved my skin not once but twice.

I took the Monarch save beacuse that's the highest level I can realistically manage. All my Monarch games tend to go well into the 1900s and beyond because, on the one hand, I can't play well enough to win them sooner (if at all) and, on the other, I can just about manage to prevent other Civs from winning too soon. The result is normally a lot of suffering and struggle, and some very intense sessions.

While inching painfully towards a domination victory that was looking a bit iffy, diplomatic victory came as a surprise (and a bit of an anticlimax: I really wanted to finish off Charlemagne who had been taunting me for almost 2000 years while being Churchill's vassal). Any kind of victory was welcome, though: I don't know if my heart can take many more games like this one.

Things I learnt:

• Vassals are not slaves. They can say no to your requests, which can have serious consequences
• In BTS, being UN secretary carries a lot more weight
• I'm starting to see the point of espionage, but I always forget it is there

Thanks to all the other people doing write-ups, they are very entertaining and educational while the game is still fresh in my mind. It is amazing how the same set-up can develop in some many different directions.

@adrianj: we seem to be going through the same learning experience, I really enjoyed your post.
@Sir Drake: I really hate Alexander as well, he is a nasty piece of work and when he turns up in games I always get a bit scared.

 

[RRRaskolnikov]

Challenger save, conquest/domination in 1580 AD.

Tech path went Music (triggered a GA after having built the Mausoleum) -> CS, then Paper -> Education, Nationalism, chemestry path -> liberalism. Took Steel.
Meanwhile, I had dogpiled on Alexander.
Vassalized Alex -> SB -> Boudica -> Charly -> Churchill -> Ramesses. I had to bribe in/out of war many AIs including Churchill, Ramesses, and Charly, in order to keep a balance between them. Both Charlemagne and Ramesses were friendly for most of the game, allowing trade abuses

Some pics:

Spoiler :

Tx for the game Niklas and the staff...

Cheers,
Raskolnikov

 

[srad]

I have another GS waiting and 2x bulb education shortly after. I take military tradition from liberalism 600 AD and start on gunpowder (the last tech for cuirassiers).

@Rusten: Never played with cuirassiers so my question: Did you face pikemen and how do the cuirassiers handle them? Are pikemen a (big) problem?
I'm asking because I had some bad expierence with knights against pikemen.

 

[Rusten]

Can't recall how many pikemen I ran into in this game, but generally they're not a problem. The AI doesn't make that many and the strength upgrade from knights makes a big difference. However, the biggest advantage cuirassiers have over knights is the ability to ignore city defense (excluding culture).