Conquest 06: Second Spoiler

[socralynnek]

Open

Short reminder: Early unsuccesful war against Spain, they beat me to Philospohy and build SoZ early on. Got contacts at the end of AA, since curraghs were unsuccesful.

I had only horses so I didn't want to attack Spain, which had iron and AC.
Korea has beaten Arabs down to 2 cities when I met them. They had almost the entire continent at the middle of MA, so they were researching almost as fast as I did.

Headed to Astronomy and build Copernicus and Newtons in Lisbon.
With Carracks, I founded a city on the island north-east of the Greeks. There was a Mayan city claiming the iron, but they founded it after their ToA expired, so I could rush a temple and get the iron. (By the end of the MA one city to the east flipped to me)

I didn't know, what to do, because Korea, Maya, England and Spain were too strong. Romans were technologically behind, but they had no wars, so they should have a large military.
Greece was in a long war with the Mayans, where the Mayans already captured one greek city and destroyed one or two.
So I attacked Greece (they had no horses) with knights. A carrack won against a galley, so I got a well timed GA (I was already in Democracy, a 8 and a 6 turn anarchy, I was not very lucky in this game). I captured 3 greek cities by the end of the MA and got one more in a peace treaty (only needed 7 knights for that).
I planned to go for either Space or Diplo, because my forces aren't strong enough for taking over the world. At least, by the end of the MA, I managed to get the saltpeter source by founding two cities to push back the spanish borders.
But I never build any musketman, because Rifles were coming soon.
When I entered the IA with England and Korea following shortly afterwards, I figured out, that this game wouldn't get me much points. I had only 24 % land.
It's hard playing only with one trait, since exp didn't give me much(just one tech).

 

[Darkness]

(predator)

Noaipatrol=0
Going for the cow

Enter MA in 875BC

875BC – Gift Greece into the MA. They get monotheism, but are not willing to trade. Gift Korea into the MA, they get engineering and they trade it to me for republic and 100 gold. Engineering and republic to Greece for monotheism. Start research of theology
710BC - Alcácer do Sal founded
650BC – Guarda founded
610BC – we’re running out of cash so we sell CoL to the Spanish for 80 gold and philosophy to the Maya for 23 gold
570BC – Theology discovered, start education. Castelo Branco founded
490BC - Badajoz founded
470BC - Lourenço Marques founded to claim horses
450BC – Viseu founded
430BC – Oporto builds the Lighthouse. GA triggered
390BC – Both the Koreans and the Greeks have discovered Feudalism. We trade monotheism to Korea for Feudalism and 5 gold
350BC - São Mamede founded
210BC – Trade Spain the Republic for monarchy and 46 gold. Predictably they revolt immediately. Declare war and capture Toledo and Barcelona
170BC – Seville captured
130BC – Discover astronomy, start chivalry. Madrid captured
110BC – Santiago captured
90BC – Murcia captured
70BC – Ourique founded
30BC – GA ends. Elite horseman spawns MGL assaulting Salamanca
10BC – Discover chivalry, start banking. Valencia razed. Goa founded
10AD – MGL rushes FP in Madrid (Colossus). Salamanca razed. Spanish destroyed
30AD – Diu founded
50AD – Tavira founded
70AD – Cacela founded
90AD – Alcobaca founded. Trade engineering to the Maya for literature and 8 gold
130AD – Bissau founded
250AD – Declare war on Arabia and land 8 knights and an ancient cavalry on Arabian soil
260AD – Mansura, Najran and Bukhara captured. Establish an embassy in Seoul and give the Koreans Theology for an alliance against Arabia, invention and 29 gold. Reinforcements now landing every turn
300AD – Mecca (Oracle) and Aden captured
310AD – Fez and Basra captured
330AD – Medina and Anjar captured. Elite knight spawns second GL attacking Baghdad
IT – Aden flips back to the Arabs… L
340AD – Recapture Aden. Capture Baghdad and Damascus. MGL forms army. Load 2 knights into army and win first battle against Arabian archer
350AD – Fustat captured
IT – Medina flips back to the Arabs… L
360AD – Elite knight attacking Khurasan spawns GL. Khurasan captured
IT – Basra flips back to the Arabs…
370AD – Basra and Medina re-captured. Yamama captured. GL rushes Heroic Epic in Medina
380 AD – nothing…
IT – Khurasan flips back to the Arabs. This is getting annoying. I need to finish this war fast
390AD – Capture Kufah. Greek exile and Nazare founded
IT – Fustat flips back to the Arabs… Grrrrr. Greeks complete Sisitine Chapel
400AD – Fustat, Khurasan and Mustat captured. Arabs eliminated. Sell Korea education for 10 gold. Then trade Banking for gunpowder
420AD – Discover navigation, start chemistry. Trade our TM around for some gold and all WM’s. No dyes on this map, it seems. Bad news for the milkers this game (including me. L )
440AD – Avis and Praia founded
450AD – Declare war on Korea. Elite knight attacking spearman in Pyongsong generates fourth leader. Capture Pyongsong. MGL -> army. Tomar founded. Cheju and Inch’on captured
460AD – Namp’o founded
470AD – Pyongyang (Great Wall) captured
480AD – Chemistry discovered, start metallurgy.
500AD – Seoul (Sun Tzu’s) captured. Atoleiros, Mina, Pederneira and Óbidos founded
510AD – We make a trade to finance the war. The Maya get chemistry for gems, 123 gold and 65 gpt. Pusan, Wonsan and Hyangsan captured.
IT – Pyongyang flips back to Korea
520AD – Pyongyang recaptured. Elite knight attacking Pusan spawns GL. Pusan captured. Korea destroyed. GL -> army
530AD – Metallurgy discovered (SoZ and Great Wall are now obsolete), start MT. New Lisbon founded
560AD – Trade navigation to the Maya for 162 gold and 36 gpt
570AD – Discover MT, start physics.
590AD – Declare war on Rome. Big mistake! Apparently Rome controls the only harbours on the continent (which I stupidly forgot to check, so my trade route with the Maya is gone, breaking my lux trade with them and ruining my reputation…. L
600AD – Capture Pompei, Antium and Byzantium
610AD – Discover physics, start theory of gravity. Cumae and Ravenna captured
630AD - New Oporto and New Guimarães founded
640AD – Hispalis, Rome, Veii and Neapolis captured
650AD – Discover Theory of Gravity, start magnetism. Lutetia captured. New Lagos founded. Sell banking to the Maya for 123 gold and 85 gpt
660AD – Lugdunum and Pisae captured.
670AD – Viroconium captured. New Sagres founded.
680AD – Brundisium captured. New Coimbra founded. Make peace with Rome. Declare war on England. Capture Oxford, Dover and Nottingham.
690AD – Discover Magnetism, and enter the Industrial Age

Like I mentioned before, I’ll be going for the cow. Don’t know if I’ll get it though, as I am a quite pressed for time the rest of the month, but I can always finish with a late, semi-milked domination win, I guess…

After the less than perfect start (thanks Ainwood ) this game proves to be rather easy after all, as all AI's seem to miss some vital strategic resource. They either lack Iron or Horses, or both, making the conquest phase a push-over, even with less than 20 knights/cavalries...

 

[chunkymonkey]

Open

I decided at the end of the Ancient Ages that since I was on the way to fast tech learning I would probably go for Space. I would need to conquer Spain quickly, they'd started building SoZ, and had the only iron source. After this I'd probably go and have a go at the Arab-Korean continent. However, I realised that if i get stuck into a long war with any of them it'll severely hamper my tech progress

690 - Found Faro.
550 - Mayan - Chichen Itza builds MoM
490 - Madrid builds the Statue of Zeus. Time to go!
470 - Rio Janeiro found.
430 - Declare War on Spanish.
390 - Found Sao Paulo. Learn Engineering.
350 - Capture Seville.
310 - Destroy Murcia.
210 - Capture Santiago. Sign PT with Romans and get 9g. Capture Toledo.

This war is taking too long and i've had terible luck with the RNG. War weariness is kicking in. Sign PT with the Spanish and get Salamanca, Valencia and Pamplona, 78g.

190 - Abandon the town of Salamanca. It is too flip-risky.
110 - Found Luanda. Found Alcacer do Sal. Found Guarda. Found Castelo Branco.
90 - Found Badajoz. Found Lourenco Marques.
70 - Seoul completes ToA. London builds Hanging Gardens. Barcelona builds Great Wall. Great, that's going to make the clean-up trickier .
30 - Found Viseu.
10BC - Found Sao Mamede. Found Ourique.
10AD - Maya demans Literature. We refuse.
30 - Learn Feudalism. Trade Currency to Greeks for 10gpt+15g. Trade Construction to Korea for Monarchy+3g. Trade Currency to English for 20g.

I've got a reasonable force of horsies again, so i decide that I should start on the Spanish again. Only problem is that they've probably got a heap of ACs now. Should be fun...

190 - Declare War on Spanish. Destroy Zaragoza.
210 - Trade Currency to rome for 24g. Mayan - Tikal builds Lighthouse.
250 - Found Goa. Capture Vitoria.

My assault on the Great Wall in Barcelona was a disaster, and my remaining troops got slaughtered by the ACs. OK, I'm going to quit hassling them for a bit and wait for cavalry. I need to get going with my research.

260 - Sign Peace Treaty. Get 29g+9gpt.
280 - Learn Invention. Start Gunpowder.
290 - Trade Lit to Arabs for 6gpt and 61g.
360 - Found Diu.
370 - Learn Gunpowder. Start Chem.
390 - Trade Invention with England for Monotheism.
400 - Mayan - Chichen Itza builds Great Library.
450 - Learn Chemistry. Start Metallurgy.
510 - Found Tavira. The Spanish Establish an Embassy.
520 - Found Cacela. Found Alcobaca.
540 - Found Bissau. Learn Metallurgy - Start MilTrad.
550 - Trade Chemistry to English for Theology and 46g. trade Gunpowder and Theology to Mayans for Chivalry. Donate techs to lower continent to reach tech parity.
560 - Found Obidos.
590 - Found Nazare.
600 - Found Avis.
620 - Lagos builds FP. London builds Sun Tzu's.
630 - Learn MilTrad - Start Education on min. Athens builds Leonardo's Workshop.
640 - Found Praia. Found Tomar.
650 - Najran - Arabic builds Knights Templar. Found Atoleiros.
660 - Found Mina.
670 - Trade Metallurgy to English for Education and gold. Found Pederneira.

I have a sufficient cavalry force now. Time to go again!

690 - Declare War on Spanish. Capture Barcelona + Great wall. Found New Lisbon.
710 - A cavalry victory against an ancient Cavalry gives us our first MGL. Found New Oporto.
730 - Learn Astronomy - start Physics. Capture Madrid + SoZ + Colossus. Mayan - Chichen Itza builds Sistine Chapel. I'm going to have to watch Chichen Itza its definitely a 20K candidate.
750 - Destroy Jaen. Enter Golden Age with Carrack win. Trade Metallurgy to Maya for Printing Press.
760 - Capture Asturias.
770 - Capture Santander. The Spanish are eliminated (finally).
780 - Learn Physics. Start Magnetism.
810 - Found New Guimaraes.
820 - Learn Magnetism. Start ToG.
860 - Learn ToG. Start Banking.
900 - Learn Banking. Enter IA.

I've been donating techs to everyone else to try and get them to research something for me, but it looks like once again they're not going to help with my Spaceship quest. I fear that after my experience with the Spanish, an invasion of Arab-Korea probably wouldn't go too well. I'll sit back and play builder on this island for the rest of the game, hopefully researching at 4/5 turns until the end. I know i won't get an amazing Space victory, but this is the first time I've tried a quick Space victory for a while.

Minimap at beginning of IA.

 

[bluebox]

not much news here. maybe we could move on the the endgame spoiler thread. I finished my game already but I cannot remember many MA details. Those space racers and milkers might feel the same. I have already written my end-game report .

 

[Dynamic]

PREDATOR

Ancient Ages

After I entered in MA in 1100BC I immediately gift to Korea and Greece all necessary techs and they got Monotheism and Engineering. I bought Engineering from Korea for Republic and Monotheism from Greece for Engineering. I started Theology branch and pulled Maya and Arabia in MA. In 610BC Spain discovered Feudalism and I trade it for Monotheism and Engineering. I gift Feudalism and Engineering to Greece, Korea, Arabia and Maya in hope they research Invention and in 350BC Maya discovered it.
I discovered:
- Theology in 730BC (15 turns);
- Education in 550BC (9 turns);
- Astronomy in 330BC (11 turns);
- Navigation in 190BC (7 turns);
After that I started Gunpowder because other civs didn’t deiscover it.

Spain built ToA in Madrid in 370BC and I immediately gift her Education for prevent culture growth.
In 290BC I built FP in Emerita in the center of my island.
In 170BC I captured spices.
In 150BC I build The Great Lighthouse and entered in GA.

First time I continued filling my island to prevent the Spain expansion. Spain never had more then 8 cities (1 arctic). My main cities built library then barrack and horseman.
In 50BC I started war against Spain (without RoP) and easy killed her in 30AD. Spain hadn’t strong defense, not connected Iron, not discovered Gunpowder, not built SoZ.

I discovered MT in 130AD and started preparing to the big war (stopped research). After upgrading horsemen and some building I have 23 Cavalries and sent them to the Arabia. Next Stack with 18 Cavalries went to the Maya. I signed RoP with all civs and all my wars except Spain using RoP abuse.

In this game I decide go to Conquest (I never did it).

My World War started in 250AD. In these battles I got 5 GL (4 armies and Heroic Epic).
250-290AD Arabia;
280-350AD Maya;
330-370AD Korea;
350-390AD Greece;
430-460AD Rome and England.

Only one culture flip happened in my game: Chichen Itza flipped back to Maya in peace time between wars.

I reached Domination limit in 450AD and raze 2 cities for prevent it. By mistake I razed the bridge city and disconnect luxury form England’s land (In Conquests razed city hasn’t road).

And I win by Conquest in 470AD. At this time I got 54 point per turn and I think if I win later I can get more Jason points but I hate milking and never do it.

 

[HookEmHorns]

Predator Game
Approach: No land military units will be built. Ancient Age is at http://forums.civfanatics.com/showpost.php?p=2326959&postcount=93

Middle Ages

The Middle Ages began around 700 BC. Early in the Middle Ages, we lost a curragh on a suicide run. A galley remained that finally makes contact with the Arabs in 290 BC. They have Monarchy but lack Writing and Horseback Riding! After building an embassy, I trade Writing for a ROP and 15 gold. We land an explorer to wander around (he had popped the hut on the eastern tundra island to get a town in 350 BC). We meet the Koreans in 230 BC and build an embassy there and gift them 10 gold.

The galley goes to the south and finds a new land in 170 BC. We meet England in 150 BC and Rome in 130 BC. We meet the Greeks in 30 BC. We finally met the Maya in 300 AD.

As soon as a trade route was available with Spain, we began selling them (or giving them) wine. This was to help ensure that they would not attack since they couldn't take the wine cities at first strike.

Research continues at a frantic pace and we trade away our techs soon after learning them to avoid having things that people would demand as tribute. These were often gifts to improve relationships. I made the mistake of researching Free Artistry since I wanted Shakespeare not realizing that I wouldn't be able to work it into Lisbon's build sequence.

The Middle Ages were peaceful and we were focusing on expansion and infrastructure. Portugal took the northern half of the starting continent except for 3 Spanish towns in the tundra. When I first found the Arabs and Koreans they were at war. The Mayans and Greeks also warred for awhile. They've been awfully busy building wonders which has undoubtedly helped.

We enter the Industrial Age in 780 AD. By that time we lead the world in area (18%, Korea has 14%), population (24%, Korea 18%), and culture (5963, Korea 5935). We moved ahead on the Power Curve somewhere around 400 AD which greatly eased my mind regarding being attacked. We have 29 cities with 156 population and Korea has 16 cities. They are ahead on the overall score (869 to 794) but we are gaining on them at 4 points/turn.

We've gotten six cities shoehorned onto the central island, not violating any other city's boundaries (my city not within the 21 tiles that will be controlled by the foreign city). This got us spices, another wine, and two irons. I'm hoping we can get some flips there. I'm also still hoping that the Spanish silk city will flip.

I began the game concentrating on Lisbon since Charis's game included the AI taking many of the other cities. Lisbon is, of course, the greatest city in the world. The Mausoleum was completed in 470 BC, Copernicus in 500 AD, and we are three turns away from completing Newton's University. Lisbon still needs to build a harbor(!), cathedral, bank, and colosseum. With the slider at 0.9.1, Lisbon is producing 18 shields, 177 beakers, and 7 happy faces. Once a hospital is built, we'll build the harbor and add workers to really boost the commerce. I didn't do this as quickly as I should have after the Mausoleum was built. Shakespeare's Theatre would be very nice, but I don't know if I'll be able to get it. Probable build sequence is hospital, harbor, factory, cathedral(?), Theory of Evolution, hydro plant, commercial dock, United Nations. Flight will be the last Industrial Age tech to keep The Colossus working as long as possible.

Lisbon will be the only city with a factory and hydo plant. Once the first ring cities get their full complement of infrastructure, grasslands will be irrigated to boost population. Things are looking very favorable for a successful diplomatic win.

 

[civ_steve]

Ancient Age, up to 150 AD

I entered the MidAges in 150 AD; I'd just completed the Great Library, and learned several Techs.

I'd been playing a very isolationist Portugal for the later part of the AA; no tech trading of any kind. I figured the Great Library would get them for me, and I didn't want the AI to give me much competition in building Wonders.

I'd also just declared on Spain. My goal was to take their Iron and try to get a GL. A very aggressive city placement took Iron away from Spain, eventually. My Ancient Cav and Horsemen handled the Spanish military quite easily. I finally captured Madrid, along with a few Eastern coastal towns, and signed Peace since WW was starting to show. I'd gotten a couple promotions to Elite, but no MGLs; my Empire stretched around the main Spanish empire, from the West Coast, through the Center, to the East coast and down to Madrid. Spain also had a handful of Tundra towns.

I'd kept the other civs at war as well - Korea with the Arabs, England vs Rome and the Maya against the Greeks. As of entering the MidAges, only the Arabs had made any obvious headway, against the Koreans.

I started research on Mono at a high rate. I rushed a Colosseum, built the FP in Guimaraez, my 20K town (just up the coast from Lisbon about 5 tiles), then rushed a Cathedral when available. Then I got a pre-build for Sistine Chapel going. I built a new Palace by hand closer to the center of the continent. Oops! Even with the FP, Guimaraez dropped from 20/21 shields to 18/21! I switched to a Courthouse and rushed it; at least it went back up to 19/21 Shields. Looks like Guimaraez went from Rank 2 when the Capital was in Lisbon, to about Rank 6 when it moved to Emerita.

Usually as the Great Library holder, I hold off on researching Education until the last possible moment. Here, I was closing in on Sistine Chapel, I'd already researched PrintingPress, the GLib had given me Feudalism, Chivalry, Engineering, Invention and Gunpowder already. I wanted to build a University right after I finished Sistine's, so I ramped up the research, learned Education, and clobbered my own GLib! Sistine was finished around 660 AD, and a University in around 700. Start a pre-build for Copernicus' Obs. I'd also completed Knight's Templar in another city, so when the AI completed SunTzu's and Leo's, they had nowhere to go. I was pretty confident I could build the remaining Wonders, if I could hold the AI research back.

Round2 against Spain saw me get my first MGL in mid-800's. Formed an army of AncientCav, got a victory, and could now build Heroic Epic. I got a few more promotions and a 2nd MGL, took a couple cities and signed peace. With just Archers and an occasional Horsemen, the Spanish were very easy pickings.

With Astronomy I could now pick on Arabia freely. The Carrack is a powerful vessel for its time, and the ability to survive Oceans makes it a great raiding vehicle! It stands even against the Frigate (which doesn't even come into play for several more Techs), and it eats Caravels and Galleys for lunch! I like them!! So I used 6 Carracks to drop off 18 Knights on Arabia's shores, and started picking off their cities. My plan was to raze any that I captured except for those few cities that had a Wonder (such as Najran, which had the Great Lighthouse.) Arabia had Gunpowder, and Saltpeter, so I was up against Muskets, but I worked my way around their Shores, found their source of Saltpeter, and pillaged it, along the way destroying several of their cities. They should be much easier the next time.

On the other continent, the Romans were taking out the English. Finally peace was signed - England was down to about 4 cities, mostly on the central island area, and Rome was still mired in the early MidAges, so I have nothing to fear from either one. The Maya had done some damage to Greece, but had finally declared on me, even though they couldn't reach me. That's OK; I planned to take the war to them!! In the meantime the Spanish had declared on me, and had Conquistadors running around (not doing anything, just running around.) I'd had enough of them, and finished Isabella off. Now my stack of Knights was free to invade the Maya, and invade they did. I'm doing a pure sea assault. Land 22 Knights adjacent to a city, raze it, move the entire assault force back aboard and head to the next city. Repeat. As Knights get wounded I form Hospital ships, load the wounded Knights aboard and move them into deep ocean to heal. They shadow the remaining attack force until healed, then rejoin. The Maya don't have ocean going capability (in fact nobody else does), so they are free from any menace. Pretty soon the Maya will be a shadow of themselves, and I'll do some damage to the Greeks to make sure everybody is under control. Funny thing, the Maya have Horses and Iron (no Saltpeter), but I haven't seen any Knights yet, just Pikemen and MedInfantry.

Anyway, I finish Copernicus' Obs in the mid-900's, Rush Heroic Epic with a MGL from the 2nd Spanish war, get JS Bach's in the 1200's, and start a pre-build for Newton's Univ. I'm playing this minimal research game, just enough to keep me in Wonders to build, when I think 'Doh', Steam Power would really help get the Wonder building going!! So I steal Chemistry (from the Maya, a few turns before they declare; it took 2 Safe attempts at about 1700 Gold each), trade with Greece to get Metallurgy, and do 4 turn research on Physics, Magnetism and TofG, and enter the Industrial Age in 1320 AD. I'm in definite control of the Game, can crank up research to 4 turns when I wish to, and should be building as many Wonders as I can from this point out.

 

[Darkness]

not much news here. maybe we could move on the the endgame spoiler thread. I finished my game already but I cannot remember many MA details. Those space racers and milkers might feel the same.

Nah, I don't.
I'm supposed to be milking this one for the cow, but I'm still in 1040 AD, so there's not much chance I'll be getting the cow.... It'll probably be a very late domination win for me.

 

[Dynamic]

I'm supposed to be milking this one for the cow, but I'm still in 1040 AD, so there's not much chance I'll be getting the cow.... It'll probably be a very late domination win for me.

But you still can get a high score if you were close to Domination Limit enough early.

 

[Darkness]

@Dynamic: I wasn't...

With all the AI's lacking either horses or iron, the game felt/looked really 'constructed' to me, so I lost interest rapidly after having overcome the 'tough' start (without the bonus in the first 21). So I'm afraid I played this one really sloppy and only reached domination around 850 AD. I think I'll just submit a late domination, just to get a score for my GPR.

 

[Denniz]

1.22f - Open Class - NoAIPatrol=0

Ancient Age

Middle Ages - goal domination

I got to the MA fairly quickly but bogged down with only archers and warriors for offense. Eventually I settled the second horse resource to the west and started to mass produce horsemen. Republic was killing me so I switched to Monarchy when it became available. (I think both government switches were 7 turns.) By 330AD, my military consisted of 6 Warriors, 9 Archers, 5 Spearmen, 22 horsemen. I decide to start the war with Spain.

By 360AD, it was pretty clear that archers and horsemen against AC and Swords was not a good long term proposition. After taking a couple weeks off to “think” about it , I decided to raze cities instead of straight capture to whittle Spain down. Eventually, I paid 30+gpt to Greece for Invention. The combination of Longbows protected by Spears with the occasional horseman did the trick. It was a long, hard-fought battle. I used horsemen to soften up and pick off wounded and used the LB/Spear stacks to conquer the cities. At my peak, I had 28 LB and 17 Spear with only a few surviving horsemen. Towards the end, Spain had Pikemen and Med.Inf. At the end of the war, I was down to 19 LB, but I had switched builds back to horsemen once it was obvious I had enough to finish. In 740AD, I made peace with Spain for her last mainland city and a city on the big island above the southern continent.

After that, I began the build up for an invasion of the southern continent. Spain had the SoZ, which as good for a half dozen AC, and Great Lighthouse. The Seafaring and Lighthouse movement bonus were very useful for this map. Since the Maya had the Great Library, Leo’s, and Pyramids, plus they were due south of my productive core, I made them my first target. During my war with Spain I had gotten two MGL’s which I made into armies but didn’t load anything into to them. Later when I had knights, I add one to each and transported them, all my other Knights, and most of my LB’s to the Mayan coast under the cover of an ROP. I used ship chaining to avoid losses. I actually had more galley loses after the bulk of my troops were transported over than during. I kept a steady stream of reinforcements along that route for most of the game. In 930AD, I had 2 Knight Armies, 12 Knights, 10 LB, and 4 Musketmen there and the last group of LB would come across that turn.

Greece and Maya had been at war for some time so I offered to join in a MA against the Maya. Progress was somewhat slow due to the need to employ the LB’s effectively. Mostly they served as blockers and picked off counterattacking units. When I captured the GL, I got Printing Press, Education, Banking, Astronomy, Chemistry, and Metallurgy, effectively catching me up. I had turned off research but I turned it back on for MT, Economics, and later Navigation. (Economics for Smith’s and Navigation to get the cross ocean links for lux.) After conquering the Mayan core, I shuttled a couple Carrack loads of Knights to the island next to the southern continent to finish the Maya off. (I had had to gift my Spanish city there to England before I lost it.)

At the very end of the war with the Maya, one of my mainland cities flipped back to Spain. Since, I was beginning to build Cavalry and was in the processes of transporting my knights back to the mainland for upgrade, I rushed a couple Carracks up north and finished off Spain. Spain was kind enough to send out a galley that I was able to track down an kill for my Golden Age. It took 3 ship loads of Cavalry and AC to finally capture the last Spanish city. The turn after eliminating Spain, 1210AD, I was ready to proceed against Greece.

I had finished upgrading my knights to cavalry and had positioned 18 cavalry and the 2 knight armies in the hills along the Greek/Mayan border. I had 9 more cavalry arriving that turn. Greece had GW, Knights Templar, and SoA. Luckily his forces were pretty depleted from the on-going wars. He had saltpeter but was without iron, so no knights. So it was pretty much Cavalry vs. muskets and LB. I started MA’s with everyone against Greece to prevent him trading for iron or MT, once I lost the monopoly on it. Getting through the hills was slow but after that if was fairly quick. The last Greek city as captured in 1285AD.

With discovery of navigation, I was finally able to do some serious trading. I was getting gpt deals from England, Korean and Arabia. With the extra income, I was able to keep lux slider high and still could still afford to rush a couple of temples and/or settlers every turn.

I looked the long hilly bottleneck separating me from the main English area and decided that Rome made a much better target. They were several techs behind while everyone else had MT. So I repositioned my quick moving Carracks and most of my Cavalry, plus reinforcements, to the western end of the southern continent.

During the build up, Korea, landed a Caravel load (1 each of Cav, LB and Med.Inf.) on the west coast of the southern continent. He was getting 3 luxuries from me for gpt but when I demanded they leave and I got a DoW. Luckily I had the first couple Cavalry that were starting to move that way in range. Between them and an AC and a LB I was able to destroy the invaders without loss. Now in the past, I would have immediately repositioned my forces gone after Korea. But I have learned. I got a MA with Arabia to keep him busy and proceeded with my original plan.

The first wave was 12 Cavalry, with a second wave of 6 Cavalry one turn behind. I landed the first wave and captured the lone Roman city on big island in 1305AD. 1310AD and 1315AD were amazing years! With my landing the previous turn, swarms of Legionaries, LB and Med.Inf. rushed towards the beachhead. I got 2 MGL taking the first 2 cities and cleaning up the environs. In 1315AD, I got 2 more MGL!. I landed 5 elite in the first wave and 3 more in the second. Most were wounded in their first battle, so I think I got 4 MGLs in as few as 10 attempts. I loaded up all four armies I created with the elite in question and a couple wounded veteran cavalries each. I continued to pick off the incoming hordes taking only one more city as my remaining cavalry and reinforcements continued to arrive. I got a 5th MGL in 1335AD. I used them mainly for mobile forts to protect the wounded but they were to play a much bigger role in the coming war with England.

Rome was gone by 1340AD. I spent a few turns filling in their territory using rushed Temples and settlers. I was within 150 of the domination limit but still needed more territory. I probably should have started sooner but I waited until 1380AD to start. I had two ship chains bringing reinforcements from my core. I brought up everything extra I could. England had Cavalry. I think the AI patrol thing actually helped me out, since most of them we out in the open along the border where I could get at them. I lost a few units to counterattacks but only one of the wide open first turn captures and none of my lightly defended border cities. By 1405AD, I was just 3 short of the domination limit. The RNG Gods had been good to me so I can't complain. I was worried about flips, so I grabbed as many cities as I could on the last turn.

Entry class: open
Game status: Domination Victory for Portugal
Game date: 1410 AD
Firaxis score: 4737
Jason score: 7952
Time played: 28:03:11

Not my best effort but a lot more fun than it started out looking like it would be. On to GOTM37.

 

[denyd]

“Spain is a pebble in our shoe and must be removed. I’m a little concerned about having to face Spanish swords, so we’ll need to make provisions to limit the number Isabella can send our way. General Grahamiam, please make the appropriate plans,” Henry commanded and with that the first actual battle with Portuguese troops would occur with the razing of the village of Valencia. The cities of Toledo and Pamplona would soon be in flames as the Portuguese horsemen and archers continued to be victorious. The arrival of Spanish swords as predicted by Henry, was nicely timed with a peace settlement with Isabella (and the acquisition of Zaragoza). With the founding of Alcacer f do Sal, Henry had gained an island monopoly on horses, however somehow Isabella was able to use the Temple of Zeus to produce Ancient Cavalry. Spain would add the Great Lighthouse and the Mausoleum of Mausollos to their wonder collection as Henry just smiled and kept adding cities and horsemen.

Another quick war soon followed and Barcelona with the Temple of Zeus, Murcia and Vitoria (via the peace treaty) now flew the Portuguese flag. However, Spain still controlled the island’s only iron source.

At the dedication of the War Academy in Oporto, Henry addressed the military leadership “Now is the time to complete the Spanish Acquisition. There are five local cities and one to the south that must be taken. We will soon be able to cross the ocean and complete the annexation. Begin your campaign as soon as you are ready General”. With the fall of Madrid, Portugal gained the Great Lighthouse, Colossus and the Mausoleum of Mausollos, and more importantly the islands only iron source. The remaining four Spanish cities fell with minimal resistance and with the completion of the Knights Templar in Lisbon, the Golden Age of Portugal had begun.

The Golden Age of Portugal allowed Henry to greatly improve the infrastructure and solidify his nations technology advantage. The completion of the Forbidden Palace in Oporto and the Observatory of Copernicus in Lisbon occurred during this time of progress. With transport provided by Carracks and aided by the Great Lighthouse, Portuguese Crusaders easily subdued the garrison at Santander and Spain was now part of history.

After a couple of technology trades with Korea and a pair of brief wars with Greece & Rome led to the expansion of Portuguese holdings on the new island and with the discovery of Magnetism the Republic of Portugal was the first nation to enter the Industrial Age in 1020 AD. Soon the Smith’s Trading Post and Newton’s University would be complete and Portugal would begin steaming through the techs of that era aiming for space (time permitting).