BOTM 245: Isabella, Immortal - First Spoiler - 1AD

[MarleysGh0st]

BOTM 245: Isabella, Immortal - First Spoiler - 1AD



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

Reading Requirements
If you are participating in BOTM 245, 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

• Do not disclose ANY events or information gained post 1 AD.
• Do not reveal your final result if that happened after 1 AD.
• 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

 

[Fine_Distinction]

Thanks @MarleysGh0st, I had fun playing this game, although as expected using Theocracy was probably not worth it in terms of diplomatic demerits, although I tried just for fun. Not having marble was also interesting, since normally Isabella and the Oracle is the match made in haven.

I was also very busy recently irl, so my brain was in a half-asleep mode with interesting consequences. I remember being repeatedly surprised that my capitol does not grow beyond size 6, but attributing it to the map. After couple millenia I finally realized that I never converted the pig mine to a pasture

At 1 AD I have 7-8 cities, and I was thinking about attacking SB anyway for variety of reasons (proximity, no metal, high annoyance factor, would not open borders or trade techs etc) and he confirmed this decision by arrogantly settling up on my island and beating my settler to a really sweet spot. Other than that, not much happening, I think I mishandled diplo, AIs are rarely trading with me and nobody is at friendly. BTW, I cannot find info what is the attitude threshold to friendly? +10? +12?

 

[Lich_Lord]

BTW, I cannot find info what is the attitude threshold to friendly? +10? +12?

It's +10

 

[nocho]

At first I was tempted to settle on the PH, but I realized on time that the eastern waters were a lake and not a sea, so settling there would likely invalidate the Great Lighthouse, so I SIPed. From there I went quite straight to the GLH, it was clear soon enough that that would be an absolute must on this map so didn't want to risk it. So I went Agr, Mining, Wheel, Sailing and Masonry first. I settled just one city to the south east at rice/cow/seafood before starting the GLH and finishing it in 1600BC.

From there of course I tried to settle the island as quickly as possible, luckily it was relatively easy to fog bust. By 1 AD I'm at 10 cities of which 2 off-shore, one SW near fur and the other SE near a silk. The main island can still hold a couple more cities.

I got beaten to Oracle before even thinking of it, but got a late Pyramids in 50BC which I started building in a secondary city, more for the failgold than thinking I could finish it. However, quite happy to have gotten it to have more room with the happy cap. Built Moai in the capital. Suryavarman beat me to proving the world was round in 475BC which was a bit of a bummer.

Tech isn't going all that quickly yet, but with all the relgious strife no AI is running away with it either. Having Theocracy was a nice bonus though, at least it would get me alpha and IW from Zara and it will have more tradimg potential with the other AIs.

 

[Conquistador 63]

Nice map and settings, @MarleysGh0st !
I settled on the stone for the extra hammer.
Tried to REX and fogbust as fast as I could but messed up things a bit: in 1280BC I lost my 5th city defended by a warrior to a couple archers, near the horses to the NW.
To make matters worse, the Chinese settled a city in that area soon thereafter. At least they kept it defended by a sole axeman long enough for me to eventually take it later with a chariot (actually autorazed as it never grew past size 1). They bribed the Khmer into the war but no more combat was fought until the peace treaties (for now ).
Another setback was losing the overseas city by the furs to more barbs by the end of the BCs.
Meanwhile, we finished GLH in 925BC.
Despite those mistakes and setbacks, and the religious tensions, we actually managed to trade techs quite nicely.
At 1 AD we are leading the scoreboard with 10 cities (49 pop). Techwise we got CoL, Currency, Calendar & MC. 170bpt/-120gpt @ 100%; 0bpt/+47gpt @0%.

 

[Lich_Lord]

Challenger save. Settled in place since it looked like the PH wouldn't be on the coast. A bit of a slow start for me. I think I built SH before going for two settlers (one SE by the two seafood and the other 4N of the capital). I was a little worried about barbs and there was a barb spearmen roaming around, so I built the GW next at 1640 BC. Unfortunately Zara was fast at getting GLH and I hadn't even started building it before it was completed in 1200 BC. But I got the pyramids at least and just completed HG too. Both GPs were spies which I settled so I'm generating lots of espionage.
Sitting Bull beat me to several city sites on the starting island and currently has 3 cities here. Hoping once I get either HA or elephants (getting ivory from Asoka) I can invade him. Currently first in score with 9 cities. Techs are at math/alpha/monarchy and nearly done researching currency. @100% gold: +18gpt, +22bpt.

 

[Kaitzilla]

Challenger save.
Started out moving to the plains hill, but once I realized it was a giant lake I moved back to the coast and settled.

Theology was fun, but eventually I had to convert to no religion due to multiplying diplomatic issues.
I hate not having Org. Religion.
Zara beat me to both Great Lighthouse and Pyramids, so he teching faster than everyone else now.

I Oracled Alphabet, but that was the only wonder I got so far.
Got +1 circumnavigation bonus, so that will help a lot later.

Birthed a Great Prophet, but instead of bulbing Code of Laws I stupidly traded for Monarchy a few turns earlier and now all I can bulb is half of Divine Right.


At 1AD I'm at 12 cities and trying to fight off barb galleys.
Hopefully I can get Colossus at least.
Lot of Moai fail gold if I can complete it soon.

Spoiler :

Zara is Friendly thanks to shared civic Theocracy and the Arabs are headed to Friendly in around 15 turns, so Theology was a big help there with both AI.

Very challenging teching map!
Coastal cities take a lot of work to set up.

With no marble for Parthenon/Great Library/National Epic, birthing great people is challenging.
If Paper gets teched first, then Great Scientist bulb goes to Education and not Philosophy.

Good luck getting Philosophy from Sitting Bull somehow.
My usual city gifting tricks don't work as well on islands.

 

[Frederiksberg]

I settled the PH thinking I could always build GLH in another city. But Zara was too fast also in my game. Got the GW and the Pyramids for a specialist driven research - at least in the BCs. @ 1AD I have 9 cities, two of them on otherwise uninhabited islands. I avoided Saladin's island because settling a city there might get me into a war. Declared on Sitting Bull when he landed a settler on MY island, but he is already willing to declare peace again already. Got a great spy from the GW and he's currently on his way to China. Plan is to set up a spy nest in Shanghai.