Finished, Space Race victory 1955 1653 points
(actually, Russia got a score in the 1800's so I didn't 'win' but I won. Can I count the Russian score instead?)
Following on from previous post, inbetween I'd discoved that the Manhattan project was an Industrius wonder (Thanks Civfanatics!). So I got computers as quick as possible, begged stole and borrowed Fission and built Manhattan in the Capital. Now a late game Golden Age is a wonder to behold, even in my very weak global position. Got SETI, Apollo, Battlefield Medicine and half the spaceship finished before it was over. Also managed to build something of an army and some nuclear deterrent, not a lot but sufficient.
With the extra money I'd negotiated Rubber, Oil and Aluminum but thanks to a war between Russia and Greece an unexploited Oil became free on the western southern island. Didn't last that long, had to go back begging to the Greeks for some more.
Saw something I'd never seen before. One of my cities defects to the Russians, but the Russians didn't want it so I kept it! Got a library built there double quick after that!
By the time the GA's over I still need supercondutor, ecology, synthetic fibres and the laser to complete the spaceship and post GA these are taking 6-8 turns to research. Egypt seems to be my main rival in the Space Race and they're the ones supplying me with Aluminium. Risky, if they pull the plug I'm shot.
Now, Japan are weak but have been faithful allies for years. The French are very weak, and only cling on in the southern islands but have been faithful allies for even longer. But, Japan has some aluminium. And I've got ROP with Japan but Japan and France have an MPP. Sorry Mates! An assault on France will net me all of Spice Island (just about, the Russians have all but killed the Greek presence there). Japan will be forced to declare war, and guess what is sitting ouside 4 of their 5 remaining cities. You guessed it, my armies!
Now, at this point its midnight, and my flatmate walks in with his girlfriend, a litre of vodka and various other stimulants and insist that I join them. Be rude not too! 2am they dissappear (wonder why that was?) so the war was progressed fueled by the best part of half a litre of vodka!
Needless to say Japan and France cease to exist (well France has one city in the middle of Egyptian territory), I've got me Aluminium and Egypt ain't getting no luxuries from me no more. Nor saltpeter! I got a few elite mech infantry in the bargain but no leaders of course. This was the only war I'd fought (apart from the few turn involvement with Russian cossacks 400 years before). These three elites proved worth their weight in gold later!
Throughout this Russia is supplying me with rubber for spices and 2 gold a turn, What a steal!
Still, get to synthethtic fibres and kick start the three components with some ICBM prebuilds. St Loius, in the middle of Spice Island is kicking out 88 shields per turn! At one point this was a totally corrupt city, but the FP built at great length really paid off down there.
The laser is looking at six seven turns to research so I set off a few MA , upgrade my tanks and sit back to wait for the victory.
Nerve wracking wait though. Egypt is more or less on level terms but doesn't have synth fibres so I know I'm gonna be alright, and one turn after we get lasers we launch. Also haven't a clue about the Russians they are by far the biggest, they've got Hoover Dam and various other wonders so must be an industrial powerhouse. I don't wanna give them Synth Fibres either.
Unusually for me, not every city has a barracks, so bearing in mind the peaceful nature of the game I shuffle things around for the upgrade.
Russia demands Synth Fibres, I really don't want a war with two or three turns remaining so I give in to their demand. Bastards then attack! They take out and raze New Orleans, which replaced Paris and is now a size 20, 80 production powerhouse. They launch a massive assault on Seattle (down near the chokepoint) which we just manage to hold on too thanks to those 3 elite mechs from the Japanese war. We destroy wave one, capture Marseilles on the south side of the choke and form a line on and around the border fortifications built around Seattle some 50 years before.
By the way, modern industrious work kick! I don't think I ever had more than 10 the whole game, and these were often sitting around idle waiting for pollution. I'm chopping down the forests in tundra and replanting it just for something to do!
So now I can't replace any MA or Mech Inf, they've cut off the rubber and as they're the only ones with any to spare.........
Fortunately, some are still in production just about to roll out of the factory (nice, Stalingrad reversed!). I ramp Science up to 90% to finish the laser in time and I've just enough cash to allow the other 10% to go into luxury spending to cover the war weariness. I bribe the others into declaring war on Russia, sell everything I've been denying Egypt and try to hold out. The one and only time I ever spent anything on Luxury.
The other areas of the Empire are either safe, unimportant or have enough free troops to go on the counterattack.
They nuked Seatlle! Took out half the army with that and the assault, but the wasteland slowed them down and that's as far as they got. But, it dropped the laser out another turn. More nerves as no way could I get a spy into Moscow.
We retaliated, in spades. Nuked my 'own' city, so what, it was only Seattle (sorry Bill, if the ruskies didn't get you I will!). Recaptured it, took out and razed the northern chokepoint city (Sverdlosk) and split their Northern ex french lands to get rid of some the bombers that were carpet boming Boston and Philedelphia. (well six out of about fifteen but it helped.) This attack was another first, a 1HP MA took out the last defender, a desparate gamble if ever I made one. And justly so, they got promoted to elite for their pains. Me, I think they should have got a medal as well! We brought them back to Washington to get their just rewards from a grateful female population
Dropped ICBM's on Moscow and Kiev and nuked the battlefleet cruising the southern ocean. Egypt finished that off for us, about the only thing they did. Still, thy didn't blame us for the retaliation though I was a little nervous. Probably because it wasn't first strike.
Two turns later it's all over, I'd even overbuilt the last component for safety's sake.
All in all I have to say one of the most enjoyable games I've played. So different from my usual style, this one actually felt like a race at the end. Thanks Matrix, I reckon it was the map that did it.
