Turn 1: 4000 BC
I see lots of river and water to the east. I move the scout 1 SW to see what that reveals. 1 more move W puts him on the hill.
I see a small lake due west of the hill and some brown to the north of that -- could be plains, could be desert. Very hard to tell at this point.
Settler is standing on a grassland (FGS: 2/1/0), bordering on a river. This looks like as good a spot as any, and better than most. Moscow is founded, revealing desert and an oasis to the north..
Tech set to Iron Works at 90%, will have it in 40 turns. I would have set it to 100% if that had gained anything, but that was also 40 turns to IW.
Worker moved 1 SW onto BG, will begin building mine.
Look at CA2 -- I can move the citizen to work the forest. I lose a food, but gain a shield. I really want that warrior.
Moscow (20)
Warrior (4)
IW (40)
Turn 2: 3950BC
Worker begins mine.
Scout 1W onto next hill. I see gold and fresh water, but wasted a scout move. (Doh!)
Moscow (19)
Warrior (3)
IW (39)
Turn 3: 3900BC
My scout is now ringed by hills and swamp. He can move only 1 tile in any direction. Looking at the minimap, I choose south onto another hill. Still more fresh water, but not much else. We're not exactly at the polar caps in any direction, but I decide to explore away from the desert for now. I need to find some luxes, though. We won't be able to trade for them later.
Looking at Moscow, I discover that I can now move the citizen to work the BG due west of the city. That gets me growth in 9 (rather than 18), while still getting the warrior in 2.
Moscow (9)
Warrior (2)
IW (38)
Turn 4: 3850BC
Again, the scout is in hilly terrain, so I can only move 1 tile. I go 1 SE to get on the mountain that is 4 tiles due SW of Moscow. I see some game down by the water. It's a long way from Moscow, but a good location.
Moscow (8)
Warrior next turn w/ no overrun.
Turn 5: 3800BC
I don't need the warrior for MP, so I'm going to send him on some short-range recon. I don't want him so far that he can't protect Moscow, though. For now, though, I want him to wait until the scout has moved.
Scout jumps down from the mountain, 1 due S. . . I SEE A HITTITE WARRIOR!
Rename our Warrior to Warrior 001and send him 1 tile E. I see some hills and possibly some forest.
Set Moscow to build another warrior.
Go talk to the Hittites, with the following results: (1) no, they won't loan me any gold; (2) I can't trade him out of Alphabet; but he'll take bronze working for ceremonial burial. I consult the Civilopedia (CB gets us temples -- not great, but puts us on the path to monarchy) and CA2. CB is estimated to cost 53, while BW is estimated to cost 74. I haggle. He'll give me CB and all of his gold 10. Deal done, war declared.
Turn 6: 3750BC
Hittite warrior beelines for Scout 001, who bravely runs away, 1 NE, 1 E.
I count tiles. Hittite Warrior can be at Moscow in 5 turns. Warrior can get on this hill, and still be back in Moscow in 3.
W001 climbs the hill. I have found the Eastern Ocean. Sugar grows along the coast,
Moscow grows in 6
Warrior 002 will be built in 4. I could speed it up to 3, but don't. It would not increase the number of warriors that I could have by the time the Hittites could arrive.
Iron Working in 35
Turn 7: 3700BC
Scout 001 goes 1 E. I'd like to scout south, but I don't know where that Hittite is any more. The jungle, unfortunately, means that I only get 1 move.
Warrior 001 goes 1 W to head back to Moscow.
Moscow (6)
Warrior (3)
IW (34)
Turn 8: 3650BC
I notice that CA2 calls this turn 7 (?)
Worker finishes mine, begins road on BG 1 SW of Moscow.
Warrior 001 moves into Moscow. I'm going to fortify him on the worker as soon as I can. Soon, I'll have another worker in Moscow, and I can't afford the loss of my only worker.
Zoom to Moscow to check tile optimization.
Citizen currently working BG on River for 2 food, 1 shield, 1 gold. I can put him on the BG with the mine for 2 food, 1 shields, 0 gold. I want to examine this. Leaving the worker where he is gives me: (a) growth in 4; (b) warrior in 2; and (c) IW in 33. Moving over to the mined BG right now means: (a) growth in 4; (b) warrior in 2; and (c) IW in 43. Moving citizen to the forest (1/2/1) would give me: (1) growth in 8; (b) warrior in 2; and (c) IW in 33. Looks like I'm getting the warrior in 2 no matter what. With growth in 4 and IW in 33, the grassland due W of Moscow (on the river) is the best option.
Scout 001 moves 1 SE. I don't want to run into that Hittite, but my only other option at this point is to head back towards Moscow. I see spices in the jungle almost due S of Moscow. Unfortunately, they're quite a distance away.
Turn 9: 3600BC
First move: put the warrior on the worker. Moscow will build its warrior next turn, so it's (relatively) safe.
Scout 001 begins his trek back north by heading 2 E along the coast. There's tons more continent to explore, but I can't risk losing him right now. If there be goodie huts to the north, I need to pop them.
Check Moscow. Growth in 3, Warrior in 2 (no overrun).
Turn 10: 3550BC
Fortify Warrior 001 onto the worker for now.
Warrior 002 build and named, fortified in Moscow.
Check with Military Advisor -- "Compared to these guys, our military is weak!" I don't like the sounds of that, but I want another scout so as not to waste the Expansionist trait.
Scout 002 begun, will arrive in 5. I could have him in 4, but that sets IW back from 31t to 41t.
Scout 001 is on the coast, due SE of Moscow. Point him 2N, head for the fog.
Turn 11: 3500BC
Moscow's borders finally expand due to culture!
A lone Hittite Warrior spotted 2W, 1S from Moscow. He's a regular, but I've only got 2 Warriors myself. I'd have to send half our military to take him out. I consider the fact that he's in a swamp. I could send one warrior and put him on the hill right next to the Hittite, and try to kill the Hittite defending, but decide that prudence is the better part of valor right now.
Road finished -- zoom to Moscow before deciding next worker action. Growth in 1 and IW in 30, no matter where the citizen works (except the forest, which puts growth in 2). Put the citizen on the mined, roaded tile.
Worker moves 1 E of improved tile, W001 goes with him.
Scout 001 moves 1 NW to avoid losing a movement point on the hill to the N, and then 1 N. -- Sees more desert (oh, boy) and a hill.
Turn12: 3450BC
Moscow has grown to 2, and is producing 4/6/5 if grass due W of Moscow and our one improved tile are worked..
IW in 24 (Science still at 90%, and 100% still makes no difference in # of turns to IW).
Fortify Warrior 001 over worker.
Worker begins irrigation.
Scout 001 goes 1 N, spots a GH to the NW. Pops hut -- SETTLER!!!
Scout 002 completed next turn w/ no overrun.
Relative to Moscow, the new settler is positioned like this:
Sxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxM
This is farther than I want the next city to be from Moscow, so I begin assessing positions. I didn't really want him in the desert, but getting out of the desert takes at least two moves and would put the two at CxxxC. Alternatively, I could take two moves and make them:
Sxx
xxx
xxM
This would put the settler next to a forest and closer to known fresh water, so I opt for that. Settler 1 SW.
Turn13: 3400BC
Moscow builds Scout, whom I will unimaginatively call Scout 002.
Begin next warrior.
I'd like to begin thinking about settlers, but I'm 9 turns from growth and a settler is 8 turns out.
Scout 001 1 N and then 1 NE.
I spy a GH due NW of Moscow and send Scout 002 that way.
My treasury is at 19 and (-2 gpt), but I cannot generate more income at this point. I can either break even and get IW in 37 turns, or go to 70%, which means -1 gpt and get it in 28. Neither one is a good option, but I go for the latter. I'll have a second city soon, and can generate gpt from it. I'll have to monitor this closely. The warrior in 3 turns isn't going to help my treasury, either.
Turn 14: 3350BC
Scout 002 goes 1 N and 1 W to get to the GH -- 25 gold.
St. Petersburg founded. It wants to put the citizen on the oasis for 2F/1S/0G. I move citizen to the grass by the river for 2F/0S/1G -- that gives me growth in 10, a warrior in 10, IW in 22 and +2 gpt to the treasury. No immediate threats. The Hittite is just biding his time on the edge of my borders.
Scout 001 goes 1 NW, then 1 E.
Talking to my F1 Advisor, I can break even on the treasury and get IW in 16. Sounds good, so I do it.
CA2 tells me that the Hittites now have the Alphabet, Warrior Code and Masonry.
Turn 15: 3300BC
Scout 001 moves south up onto a hill. I know the coast is there, but I want to complete that part of my mapping. 1 S and 1 SE finishes the coasline NE of Moscow.
Scout 002 moves onto the mountain 1 due N and sees . . . (drum roll) . . . grapes! Nothing like a little wine to make our subjects happy, eh, comrades?
Moscow:
Growth (7)
Warrior (1) -- check for overruns CA2 says Moscow will overrun by 2 shields As it stands, my coins/beakers/smilies are 0/5/0. I don't need a clown; both of my citizens are content. Regardless of which citizen becomes a specialist, I stunt Moscow's growth for a turn. This is a very tough decision for me. Do I waste shields and continue to grow (food is currently at 6, consuming 4, for net +2 gain), or do I create a 1-turn specialist and avoid the waste? I go for the latter. I don't like wasting a turn of pop growth, but I don't want to just waste the shields, either. Next, the question is which specialist:
A) A tax collector gives me 2/4/0 coins/beakers/smilies.
B) A scientist gives me 0/7/0.
I take the scientist because my treasury, while low, is stable and I really, really want my iron on the map. Besides, (A) gives me 6 of something and (B) gives me 7 somethings.
St. Petersburg:
Growth (9)
Warrior(9)
Turn 16: 3250BC
Grass SE of Moscow irrigated, road begun.
Visit Moscow, switch geek back.
Warrior built in Moscow, unceremoniously named Warrior 003, which I'm sure stuns everyone.
The regular Hittite warrior is still standing outside my boundaries, but he's not getting any experience fighting barbs, he's not exploring and he's not attacking. He can wait.
Warrior 003 heads to St. Petersburg for MP duty.
Moscow will grow in 7 and I could build a settler in 8. I opt for a granary, to be completed in 15. Frankly, I don't know how this will work out in terms of finishing the granary before growth, but I'll just have to monitor.
Worker begins road.
Scout 002 goes 1 N onto the grapes and sees the edge of what I believe to be the Northern Sea.
Scout 001 heads 2 NW to begin to clear away the fog on the northern coastline.
Military advisor says our military is still weak.
IW in 13.
Turn 17: 3200BC
Scout 001 hears the howling of the wolves and goes 1 N. He can't head any further due N, so he goes 1 NW from there. Sees some very odd-looking forests.
Scout 002 goes 2 N and finishes all but one square of fog between Moscow and the Northern Sea.
Moscow (6) & Granary 14
St. Petersburg (7) & Warrior 7
Treasury 43 +0 gpt
IW 12
Note, I could get the warrior in St. Pete's in 4, but then I'd get IW in 14. I'd rather have Iron at this point.
Turn 18: 3150BC
2 more Hittites join the slacker on my western border. RUSSIANS, LOOK ALIVE! Now I'm grateful that I didn't switch St. Pete's over to a worker like I considered two turns back.
Scout 001 moves 1 W, clears last bit of fog in his area, but no more GHs.
Scout 002 goes 1W into the forest and sees more lovely desert.
Turn 19: 3100BC
Hittites move up onto a mountain.
Road completed.
Worker moves to 1 N of Moscow. Time to connect Moscow and St. Pete's.
Scout 001 moves 2 SW onto a hill.
Scout 002 moves 2 NW. Not much up here in these wastelands.
CA2: Hittites haven't learned anything new and have 27 gold.
Wake fortified Warrior 001 and put him in Moscow. Fortify him.
Turn 20: 3050BC
CA2 calls this Turn 19, so I'm going to play "just one more turn." (Now isn't that the story of my life?)
Move Worker 1 SE. If he's due N of Moscow, the Hittites can attack him without going through my warriors. Let's make 'em work for it.
Scout 001 goes 1 S, 1 W. Crossing known territory.
Scout 002 goes 1 NW and sees fish and what may be another continent (?!?). Moves 1 W.
Iron Working in 9 has to be shifted back to Iron Working in 11. That way, St. Pete's gets its warrior in 2.
Turn 21: 3000 B.C.
(CA2 calls this "Turn 20")
HITTITES ATTACK!
Warrior 001 kills Hittite warrior.
Warrior 002 kills Hittite warrior and is promoted to veteran. In grand ceremony, he is renamed Warrior v002!
Third Hittite warrior dulls his axe against our Russian warrior and unceremoniously dies. In my excitement over W002's promotion, I miss which one of ours killed him.
Military leader says I'm now allowed 8 units and I have only six.
He also says that, compared to the Hittites, our military is strong. Maybe I should send our veteran warrior out to find and destroy these ingrates, these Hittites who are should be so honored to share our soil? St Pete's will have a warrior in 1 with no overrun. I wake the warrior at St. Pete's and send him south to Moscow. The two at Moscow are healed, one regular, one vet. Let's go looking for some Hittites.
Scout 001 goes 1 W. This puts him on the grapes.
Scout 002 sees a blue border. Who are these interlopers who have so callously invaded our continent? Scout 002 goes 1 SW and still can't see who they are. After then moving 1 W, he still can't see the city. I cannot make contact this turn.
Worker begins road on tile 1 NE of Moscow.
Warriors 001 and v002 head south.
Visit St. Petersburg, MM citizen back to grass for research, warrior in 2.
Overview:
Moscow: Size 2, growth in 2, granary in 10.
St. Petersburg: Size 1, growth in 3, warrior in 2.
Treasury:43 +0 gpt
Tech: Iron Working in 9
Who we know: Hittites
What we know: Pottery, Bronze Working, Ceremonial Burial
Gold far to the west and the east.
Sugar to the east.
Wines to the north.
Spices to the south.
Here endeth Aabraxan's Chronicles of Conquering Cossacks, Part the First.
, I think it is still worth recording and posting the results D'art. We're here to learn. Mistakes teach as much (and maybe more) than perfect play. I think it's fair to say we are all out of our comfort zone on this one. 
. No crying over spilt milk now though.
