[BTS] BOTM 251: First spoiler to 1 AD, (Zulu, Immortal)

[kcd_swede]

BOTM 251: Shaka, 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 251, 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

 

[nocho]

For quite a while this game brought back memories of r_rolo's Lonely Hearts Club games, but thanks to our mapmaker's gift of the island with the grass oasis, at least finally made contact with the AIs after the borders of my city over there popped. I've met 4 out of 5 of them.

I tried to make most of our not so stellar island. I settled on the PH, at least the deer was nice as an extra. My 2nd city unfortunately went right on top of the horses that appeared later. I've gotten to 7 cities, 2 of which on the islands SW and east. I'm at 29 pop which is not much but given the land and food around could've been worse. Happy to have gotten the Great Lighthouse, also general infra is ok, about to finish forges in most cities. I founded confu and it nearly fully autospread, but haven't gotten in to it, not to piss off my new found neighbours too early. Got 2 calendar resources in trade and with the gold and ivory the happy cap is ok for now.

At least the AIs don't have much space either, I'm actually first in number of cities and techwise I seem to be slightly ahead. Techs are up to MC, CoL, Calendar, Currency and Construction. Just finished the latter, HBR will be next to have some elepult fun overseas at some point.

 

[kcd_swede]

Yeah... a very weird map. I wanted to make it more winnable for myself. I hope you don't mind. Sometimes I think Sid is better at making a challenging map than I would despite my evil mapmaker tendencies. Good luck going forward, but most importantly have fun.

 

[Bemep42]

Before the game, I tested 3 times how to quickly capture enough territory for domination with horse archers only on a random fractal with these settings. I planned do it here, but ... i think 1 fractal from 10 give for Shaka so bad map like this )
I made a mistake and learned alphabet early, although even before the middle of studying it, I realized that it was not needed. But I finished it anyway. Before sailing. I had no chance to build Great Lighthouse.
When I built settler for East island, barbarian galley appeared and killed mine. As a result, I had to build 5 galleys and kill 7 barbarian galleys to get to both islands. During this time, a barbarian city appeared on the south-western island. I had to put the city on elephants. Fortunately, Confucianism was founded in it, and later the barbarian city joined me without a fight (probably later than 1 AD). In addition, I had to wait for 40% expansion to contact with AI, and this also happened much later.
On 1 AD I have 8 (or 9 with barbarian) cities, the science is so-so.

 

[Frederiksberg]

My game is quite similar to @nocho . Didn't build the GLH though because I thought I was isolated without any foreign trade. Oracled CoL and settled the islands. Like @nocho I have met all but one of the AI's and I'm also planning an attack with elephants and catapults.

@ 1AD the Sulu empire consists of 6 cities with a total pop of 44. Tech is up to Monarchy/CoL/Calendar/IW/Litterature (I was preparing an Astro bulb when I suddenly made contact via culture expansion.)

Well done by @kcd_swede to add the island, I think the game is more fun this way compared to playing isolation until caravels.

 

[Conquistador 63]

Nice to have a BOTM to play after a while!

I settled on the PH. With the deer nearby, initial techs were Mining/Fishing/TW/Pottery/BW/Sailing/AH/Myst (t50).
Built worker, WB, WB, warrior, settler, granary, galley (t54).

When our scout landed on the ivory island (~t65), 2 big disappointments: there was a barb city on a hill with 3 archers, and our galley was attacked by a barb galley and lost. So our Crusoe was stranded there for a millenia or so. At least we didn't have any barb troubles on our starting island.

Meanwhile, we got the Oracle for MC (900BC), allowing triremes and forges (and Colossus failgold later), and GLH (725BC), just in time to get trade routes with our new found neighbours to the East - just met 3 of them so far.

Tech progress is up to CS, Currency, Construction, MC, Monarchy. Research rate is 146, -51 . We have 7 cities (only 1 overseas, working on an army to invade the barbs on the ivory island).

The neighbours all share Judaism, but that did not prevent them to go to war among themselves

 

[kcd_swede]

Nice to have a BOTM to play after a while!

I settled on the PH. With the deer nearby, initial techs were Mining/Fishing/TW/Pottery/BW/Sailing/AH/Myst (t50).
Built worker, WB, WB, warrior, settler, granary, galley (t54).

When our scout landed on the ivory island (~t65), 2 big disappointments: there was a barb city on a hill with 3 archers, and our galley was attacked by a barb galley and lost. So our Crusoe was stranded there for a millenia or so. At least we didn't have any barb troubles on our starting island.

Meanwhile, we got the Oracle for MC (900BC), allowing triremes and forges (and Colossus failgold later), and GLH (725BC), just in time to get trade routes with our new found neighbours to the East - just met 3 of them so far.

Tech progress is up to CS, Currency, Construction, MC, Monarchy. Research rate is 146, -51 . We have 7 cities (only 1 overseas, working on an army to invade the barbs on the ivory island).

The neighbours all share Judaism, but that did not prevent them to go to war among themselves

Oh no... sounds like you are way ahead of me! Keep it going!

 

[Xcalibrator]

Pretty much the same story for my game, although I'm probably a bit behind most of you. Settled on coastal plains hill, 7 cities, 36 pop, both islands settled with 1 city each. 3rd in score with ~900 vs leader with 1150 and lagger with 720; 1 AI still to meet. No Wonders, although I did make a feeble effort for the GLH. Plan is to start on the AI with elepults.

 

[Fine_Distinction]

Lol, not much differences to report either, settled on PH as everyone and followed a similar path, although I was hoping for greener pastures elsewhere, so only 5 cities at 1 AD

Like @Bemep42's all my initial testing of how block land/ avoid being DOW early on proved worthless - well-done the mapmaker, I wa not expecting this .

Once I realized it isolation, I started to fog bust obsessively, including coordinating fog busting troops position with workers movements

Spoiler :

and I build a workboat after building a small fog-busting army. So I was a bit jealous to learn that @Conquistador 63 build a workboat early but had not issues with barbs - I wondered if he was lucky or did I over-reacted?