Challenge-IX-07

[Ozbenno]

[IMG=right]http://hof.civfanatics.net/civ4/images/greatgeneral.jpg[/IMG]While the general Hall of Fame is an ongoing competition, we are running a series of ten games called the Hall of Fame Challenge Series. Standard Hall of Fame rules (*) still apply, but any games meeting the settings of one of the games will be counted towards the Challenge.

(*) Please read the >> HOF rules << BEFORE playing!​

Settings:

• Victory Condition: Diplomatic (though all victory conditions must be enabled)
• Difficulty: Emperor
• Starting Era: Medieval
• Map Size: Standard
• Map Type: Continents
• Speed: Quick
• Required: One City Challenge, No Tribal Villages, No Random Events
• Civ: Rome (Augustus Caesar)
• Opponents: Must include Holy Roman Empire (Charlemange), Maya (Pacal), Native America (Sitting Bull), Netherlands (Willem Van Oranje), Persia (Cyrus), Spain (Isabella)
• Version: 3.19.003
• Date: 9th October 2012 to 9th February 2013

Must not play as Inca.
The earliest finish date wins, with score as a tiebreaker.

 

[Ozbenno]

Back to shulec again. This one strikes me as a hard one...

 

[lymond]

Interesting and frustrating. Getting to UN was not so bad. Had two GE as well and built it in 1t in 1845AD and had I think 2 diplo votes up to the point shulec won his game. However, the Diplo is tricky with this bunch.

I debated for a long time as I rolled starts whether I should try for a nice coastal start or just go for a power inland start. I figured overseas AIs would meet me soon enough since Optics would be passed around soon. Well, I went for the inland start. Ais took forever. In fact, you know how I met the other 3 AIs - Airship around the world.

Anyway, due to the late meeting it does take some time to get cozy with all the AIs and you most definitely have to get 5 of the 6 to vote for you. Had to even go to Medicine to get Enviro for SB.

Interesting, and I'm not sure on this since I rarely play quick, is that the diplo merits don't seem to scale. Took a long time for resource, civic, and other things to kick in. Literally gifted away hundreds of techs away this game to get that bonus as well, which I had with everyone but Pacal (the rival).

War might be an option here, but it seems that would slow things down. It will be interesting to see how Shulec handled this one.

Anyway, I finished in 1924 AD after building UN in 1845. Basically just clicking end turn and gifting crap for 100 years, while I think 10 to 15 diplo votes occurred.

 

[vranasm]

I agree that diplomacy victory without vassals sucks...well at least for me...

I run into big troubles in the challenge game 1 where Hatty which was +17 with me prefered mansa with whom she was +14....like WTH?

didn't finish the game and have to rethink the whole thing, choosing AI's included.

Not sure i will touch OCC Diplomacy game... seems like I can't get to diplomacy win in a good manner I would like.
I don't think it's matter of not knowing the modifiers...more like not caring enough for balance of powers or not knowing how to manipulate AI's soon enough, it's clear that my diplomacy skills are bad.

 

[Bugio]

I agree a coastal start is mandatory here, getting in touch with the other continent asap is probably more important than lib race. Diplo will be tricky, but adding a few friendlier ais and a bit of luck in religion spreading will do the trick.

 

[Zx Zero Zx]

Yea this is one hell of a hard one. My feeling is that you're going to look for one of those 3 coastal tile coast starts in order for a fast win.

 

[Pollina]

I shamelessly stole shulec‘s settings for this one (toroidal worldwrap, added Asoka, Elizabeth, no barbs).

It took me about half an hour to find a map I liked.

Great Merchant bulbed CS while beelining Optics, then Lib->Astro. My only early world wonders were GLib and Hanging Gardens. Got a lucky Great Engineer. Gifted Philo/Paper/Edu/Lib to AIs (avoiding worst enemy trades), bribed them into Free Religion for less religious conflicts. I got trolled by Privateers that pillaged all my food resources. I was forced to build a couple Frigates and workboats, which cost me all the chopped hammers I had saved for the UN.

Still won in 1854 AD with the first vote.

 

[Zx Zero Zx]

Came close to Polli with a non coastal start that I just couldn't refuse. Added Asoka, and Lizzy who won me the game . Oh well 1884 is enough for another 3rd.

 

[lymond]

I've tried this a couple of times....well, I've at least start a few games, but only played 2 or 3 to near completion. I keep getting screwed over by little things around the time I build UN. Things like a an AI asking me to join a war - that started on the same turn - before I have a chance to get peace treaties. Basically knocking that AI down a diplo notch from voting for me which ends in missing at least 2 or 3 voting opportunities. I always build UN circa 1840ish, but get royally butt slammed on diplo.

I think circa 1850ish is about the best most can do without just some completely whacked out awesome start and maybe avoiding some of the earlier wonders for research building, which I do a majority of the time after getting up basic infra and Globe.

I also got burned by the constant Worst Enemy flipping and getting nailed with a diplo hit that takes forever to go away. I find it odd too that resource trades take forever to take effect on Quick speed. I don't think I had any resource trade diplo bonuses in my last game even though trades were started very early in the game.

Interesting how some AIs take a lot more techs to get the "shared technologies" bonus while others take just a few. Izzy is almost impossible to Friendly in OCC without sharing religion or Theo, which is not a civic I want to choose with all the FR AIs. And I certainly avoid religion if at all possible except maybe OR if it won't get me killed early.

Coastal start is pretty much a must in this game...ideally with few coastal tiles. I tried one game waiting on Physics for airships, but it was too late to get the diplo rolling with overseas AIs.

 

[Ozbenno]

I always build UN circa 1840ish, but get royally butt slammed on diplo.

This! Very very annoying.