challenge: win Civ2 before 1500 AD

[ElephantU]

Sounds interesting for a non-GOTM "Comparison Game", which is what we ran over at "Poly" to develop the Early Landing concepts. Just start a thread, post the starting rules and a map, including what points players should stop and post for comparison. Shouldn't be too hard to get a half dozen players...

 

[Carrot]

Technically, you can launch a SS... if you had one. The problem is that the game seems to "hard wire" (barring any relatively recent new research) the spaceship parts to only appear as build options in 1 AD or later. That means in 1 AD, your cities could build the parts for a SS (if you had at least the number of cities to produce them simultaneously) and therfore launch on the next turn (AD 0020). At that moment, the game years will switch to counting by 1's (instead of 20's), and 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 [win].

I think 1 AD launches are done with "zoom-to-home-city"-chaining, so that you complete all the parts and launch on that turn.

 

[starlifter]

by ElephantU:
Sounds interesting for a non-GOTM "Comparison Game", which is what we ran over at "Poly" to develop the Early Landing concepts. Just start a thread, post the starting rules and a map, including what points players should stop and post for comparison.

A comparison game is a good idea. I won't have time, as at the moment I don't even have time to play the rest of my GOTM68 (Saturday night, I can, I hope). However, I just went to Poly, and tried to log in (I can log in, but its been too long & they won't let me do most member activity, even downloads, until they reply to an e-mail I had to send them ). I see what they (e.g., Solo & his amazing guide) were doing in 2003-04. Quite impressive. Are you called "Elephant" on that site?

by Carrot:
I think 1 AD launches are done with "zoom-to-home-city"-chaining,

Wow, learn something new every day. Never heard of it, but as soon as I started to read it, I have an idea what it is, and am surprised I've not learned of it before!! Thank you. The fast post-1AD landing I did in a GOTM (the GOTM was not at Diety, though) was a 0020 launch, with an intentionally long flight (something like landing in the 0080's). I seem to recall that GOTM was what I was playing on the Sept 11 attacks, and the game was ruined after that, fun-wise.

 

[Jarek Noschese]

The “intended” strategy for so early a win entails the Catapults (Artillery), Horsemen (Cavalry) and Archers (Infantry) at lower Difficulty Levels if all (four to seven) nations are on a single landmass. Otherwise, you’ll also need Galleons (Transports) and Frigates (Offshore Bombardment). It’s OK to practice these strategies on the medium or large maps of the world with normal starting positions (whether you randomize the Specials and Goody Huts is up to you). Recommended wonders are Magellan’s Expedition, Newton’s College, the Colossus and Copernicus’ Observatory for all levels. At higher levels, Mike’s Chapel, Bach’s Cathedral (single landmass) and Marco Polo’s Embassy are also good. Higher levels may also require advanced units for all categories. I will assume you intend to win by conquest (use the Bloodlust and No Restart rules if you’d like to hasten the process). Since winning militarily as early as possible gives a score distinct from the “running” total, you can lower barbarism to make the process faster. I also assume you use a large or normal size map with the recommended (four to seven) number of civilizations. Here’s my best result so far with this strategy.

1/4

2/4

3/4

4/4

 

[Blake00]

The “intended” strategy for so early a win entails the Catapults (Artillery), Horsemen (Cavalry) and Archers (Infantry) at lower Difficulty Levels if all (four to seven) nations are on a single landmass. Otherwise, you’ll also need Galleons (Transports) and Frigates (Offshore Bombardment). It’s OK to practice these strategies on the medium or large maps of the world with normal starting positions (whether you randomize the Specials and Goody Huts is up to you). Recommended wonders are Magellan’s Expedition, Newton’s College, the Colossus and Copernicus’ Observatory for all levels. At higher levels, Mike’s Chapel, Bach’s Cathedral (single landmass) and Marco Polo’s Embassy are also good. Higher levels may also require advanced units for all categories. I will assume you intend to win by conquest (use the Bloodlust and No Restart rules if you’d like to hasten the process). Since winning militarily as early as possible gives a score distinct from the “running” total, you can lower barbarism to make the process faster. I also assume you use a large or normal size map with the recommended (four to seven) number of civilizations. Here’s my best result so far with this strategy.

1/4

2/4

3/4

4/4

Nice work. An Earth game would probably go even quicker when playing as one of the Europeans. Starting spot might be more compromised but you could kill off several rivals pretty quickly. Although I guess not playing light blue slot means good chance of American's spawning across the sea which wouldn't help things lol!