Conquests 01: Final Spoiler

[ainwood]

This will be the final spoiler for Conquest01: Hittites.

To qualify to read and / or participate in this spoiler, you must have reached the modern age (researching a modern-age tech), or you must have completed and submitted your game.

Please don't post screenshots that show the locations of modern-age resources!

 

[denyd]

So begins the final chapter of Mursilis’ stay on a hot, humid rock in the armpit of the galaxy.

“I’m tired of spending all this money on keeping the priests happy, let’s privatize religion, sell off all of the temples and cathedrals” ordered Mursilis and so the treasury saw a sudden jump and science continued on at a breakneck pace. Soon all of the workers began building the Hittite Continental Railway System (HAMTRAK) to improve the productivity of the people.

A new military operations building was constructed in Sumer, the most productive city in the Republic and through shrewd trading, new technologies were acquired.

At his weekly press conference, Mursilis announced to the press “I believe it’s time to the people to have a say in how this government is run. Setup up elections for the leader of our people, from now on this shall be a democracy of the people, by the people and for the people” and soon the vote of his adoring populace added the title of President Mursilis to the long list of titles on his resume. During the time of his election, Mursilis spoke to his trade advisors and declared “We need to improve the daily lives of our people, let’s us begin acquiring the luxurious items available from our neighbors across the sea” and soon furs, ivory, silks and wines began arriving at Hittite ports around the nation. Across the country “We love the President days” were celebrated and science continued it’s discoveries on the path to the stars. With the completion of a Great Cathedral in Ankuwa these celebrations continued and throughout the land smiling faces were seen in every city.

Through more trades the President acquired knowledge of Medicine and Free Artistry. Soon a great theater was completed in Tarsus. “We’ll need all of the people of our land helping, to complete this quest for the stars,” read Mursilis in Sumer as he proclaimed Universal Suffrage for the women of the nation. The addition of Wall Street further lined the coffers of Mursilis and with a treasury in excess of 15,000 gold pieces, science sped forward and the people were happy.

Word soon came from the other lands that during a fit of drunkenness, Shaka declared war on the powerful Korean nation and had been destroyed. “Impi’s versus Cavalry must not have been a very pretty sight,” sighed Mursilis.

With the completion of a huge hydroelectric plant in Tyrana, the nation saw burst of production allowing science to continue at the maximum rate. Though Mursilis was pleased with his own research efforts, he could only wonder what those morons across the sea needed with Nationalism, Communism and Fascism.

The discovery of Flight saw the Hittites enter the Modern Era nearly a full age ahead of the other tribes. It would take the gifts of 13 technologies to drag Korea into the modern age and then Wang Kong would not share his new knowledge of Rocketry until Mursilis was able to trade the knowledge of Computers for it. To his dismay, that would be the last contribution from the other tribes to his quest, even gifts of all his knowledge, he could not encourage the others to research anything of use. The completion of the Theory of Evolution caused for a couple of brainstorms in the scientific community and with the splitting of the atom and the new techniques in making things smaller, the race to the stars was now in full force.

“With this one small step for man and I take a giant leap for mankind” the first Hittite astronaut spoke from Sumer walked on the surface of the moon. Soon the search for life among the stars program was completed. The following year the first element of a ship to carry Mursilis to the stars was completed and planet-wide computer network was completed and the acquisition of knowledge continued on.

Another pair of parts were added to the space ship puzzle the next year as was a United Nations building where are the tribes of the world would send representatives to elect a world ruler. Since these new responsibilities might preclude him from being part of the first crew to Alpha Centauri, Mursilis declined to convene the members for a vote.

Year by year, new technologies were discovered and new parts were added to the Space Ship Explorer I, until the word came that Mursilis had been awaiting to hear for nearly 6000 years, “Sir, the final pieces will be completing tomorrow, have you packed”.

To assure of his memory as a benevolent ruler, luxury rates were increased and the other tribes were gifted to technological parity, even the lowly Chinese who were still researching Magnetism at the time.

“Attention all passengers, this is your captain speaking, please enter your stasis pods, we’ll be lifting off in ten minutes” came a familiar voice from the overhead speakers.

Mursilis entered his pod and activated it and soon drifted off to a peaceful slumber. Meanwhile, in the cockpit Captain Ainwood was setting up his passengers for another exciting adventure.

 

[rrau]

open

1610 Entered IA

1665 china destroyed korea

1680 We complete Newton's and then focus on reasearch to try a space or diplomatic victory

1822 Zulu declared war on Portugal

1838 Swazi culture flips to us after Portugese took it from Zulu

1842 Enter Modern Age

1872 ibt a couple turns before completeing UN, Portugese DoW on us. We took a few towns (didn't note names or how many) until war weariness began to force starvation then made peace (I didn't note this, but I think Portugal and china had a MA against us so I signed one with the Zulu against them that the zulu broke early)

1938 100K cultural victory

Firaxis score 3165 (I don't remember Jason score, but I think it was higher)

12 hrs, 47 min, 35 sec

 

[SniperDevil]

I love your stories Denyd, but there is one question that i have that many poeople have done and is really confuzing me. Why give 13 techs to another race, just to get them into ur age. I dont really see the point in that? Any reasons?

 

[SniperDevil]

Well when we last left off i was just enter the IA and only had 7 landlocked cities. (due to the fact that SUmeria betrayed me and took about 15-20 of my cites..dont remember) Sumeria's culture was booming and i knew the end was near. In the late 1600's I signed an MA with Korea the turn b4 i made portugal declare war on me... he he.... Portugal did litte damage since Korea declared on them. This caused there continent to become a huge warzone.
By using my intense diplomatic skills i was able to wipe out the Chinese, Zulu, and severely weaken both Korea and Portugal withough using a single army. I couldnt get them to go after the strong Sumerians though So to my dismay i lost to a cultural victory by the Sumerians in 1959. This was my first game in Regent and my first GOTM so i will only get better At least i have something to build on...

Fireaxis score....800 something (ewwwwwwwww)
Jason score,........ 684 (im embarressed)

 

[denyd]

SniperDevil: A couple of reasons

1. By Gifting Korea to the Modern Age I was able to determine what their age bonus tech would be (they are scientific) and research something else, then trade for their bonus

2. By gifting the Portuguese & Korea to what I had, I hoped they would research Ecology for me as I already had Computers (my own research), Rocketry (trade with Korea), Fission & Minituarization (from TOE) and was researching Space Flight. If they had, I could shave 4-5 turns off of my completion date.

3. By keeping the 2 tribes even, I'd prevent a war that might cause them to divert their resources from science. I realized too late I think that some of the early IA techs that I had sold them for large GPT, was causing them to be unable to research very fast. At that point I donated techs & luxuries or traded straight for their luxuries. Even later in the game I began gifting cash. Unfortunately, all they seemed to want to research were items in the Nationalism chain. I couldn't even get Sanitation researched them. The way things were going, they were probably researching either Amphib Warfare or Adv Flight

 

[eldar]

Open
My Late Game

As the Industrial Age dawned, the last of the Babylonians were being crushed from existence. The Arabs had long disappeared, and the once-mighty Sumerians had been forced from the continent and were now living as a shadow of their former selves on a couple of small islands. That I couldn't be bothered to hunt them - or the rest of the world - down, was due to my navy consisting of a single Galleon and two Frigates.

This minor oversight led me to consider a peaceful victory - so it was research, research, research all the way. The IA breezed by, and in the mid-1820s the Modern Age was entered. Research slowed a little, until the advent of computers and the building of many modern Research Labs.

Soon after, a Korean caravel(?!) landed three Cavalry next to one of my weaker cities (and ex-Arab settlement, it was built on tundra and had a single mech infantry for defence...). I challenged Wang Kong, and he rather stupidly declared war on me. So I wheeled 8 tanks in and removed his forces forcibly from my territory (shoulda landed spearmen, old boy!). He didn't manage to land anything else - every sight of a Korean ship was met by my bombers sinking them before they could get close to my shoreline [gotta love lethal bombardment ].

Then Portugal and Korea signed a trade embargo against me. I was not amused. My plans for a UN victory were put on hold. The building gathered dust in Hattusas. It was a straight choice now: Spaceship or 100k. I could've launched my quest for the stars in the late 1930s, but couldn't be bothered. I could've built a raft of ICBMs and wasted every city on the other continent, but couldn't be bothered. I quietly accumulated culture and tipped the 100k scales in 1955.

The Conclusion

I was a little disappointed. I'd set my heart on the UN win, but Korea's DoW followed by the embargo made me think again. That would've come in the 1800s, and a much better score would've resulted. In the end, and not really knowing if a SS or 100k win would've resulted in a better score, I plumped for the 100k and came out with 3000-ish Firaxis, just over 4000 Jason.

Next!

Neil

 

[Singularity]

[OPEN]

This game felt like the Beatles song at times.

At the end of my last spoiler I had established my strategy at going for a diplomatic victory as early as possible. No milk, and no sugar.

When I entered the industrial age I had no intentions of dragging anyone with me. I went straight for industrialization and tripled my workforce to quickly cultivate my lands. At 1385 I finished Smith's Trading Co. and with my Copernicus they launched me into a golden age. I don't think I was under 4 round research at any point, beside my final research - fission. Which I had to do in 5 rounds. My only detour from the fastest route out of the IA was sanitation(duh).

I did a few mistakes in this era as well. I started ToE too early. Instead of timing free techs to be flight+fission I ended up with Mass Prod+flight. Giving me a 4 and 5 round research for motorized and fission. I tried to gift Babylon and Korea to give me fission, but both got computer instead. And on top of that, I tried to build UN with a leader... So my victory date was pushed back 10 rounds as I had to start UN from scratch.

A few funny notes was when the dynamic duo of a zulu horseman and an imp that landed on my shores in 1440. I told them to kindly find other grounds to play at, but they refused in their typical Zulu bloodlust'r'us style. I only had my 24 cavalries left over from my Sumerian campaign. But I could probably have launched them at the other continent and gotten a conquest victory with them alone... Anyway. The most amusing part was when my second elite cavalry's kill gave me a leader

The sad part came 90 years later when I tried to use him to build a GW...

I won the vote by 3 to 2 over Korea (Zulu, Arabia and Sumeria was all six foot under the soil of history) in 1580. China never liked me, but the other two where deep in my diplomatic pockets. Jason score was 7171.

I'm a bit warmed up now. So I might go for a double this month with GOTM32 as well. Need some confirmation that I can still handle the art of war after my silly Sumerian affair in this game.

 

[Wotan]

OPEN

Industrial age
Entered in 1075AD. Decision made to go for SS. The game had been dragging on for so long a quick conquest/domination was out of the question. With a booming economy, making 500+ gold each turn and 4 turn research an OK SS launch could be obtained.

Plan was to researched mandatory techs only. Eventually I had to research Sanitation myself since the AI did not bother with it. They did research Nationalism and the governments following it. On the subject of AI research, they did not research any non-mandatory techs in the MA. Since the AI where more or less at par with me I refrained from landing forces on the other continent until I had Tanks. I did position a great number of Transports with ~60 cav within landing distance of Portugese cities.

As soon as Motorized Transport was researched I switched to Tank production and moved Tanks to landing areas.

Modern Era
Entered in 1470AD. DoW Portugal, landed forces near most Portugese coastal cities. Swift campaign that generated my first GL, turned into a Tank army. Peace in 1495(1500?).

Research went along at 4 turns per tech (Minitaturization the exception at 5 turns). Reshuffled Transports and Tanks/Cav for a new landing in Zulu territory.

In position for a DoW in 1550AD. Discovered that I could have been more thorough in my info gathering on Zulus. They still had an army consisting of mostly Impis. I could have taken them out without waithing for Tanks. Why they had not switched to Riflemen is beyond me. Another swift campaign, half the Zulu cities fall in 1555AD. I have 122 Tanks, 42 Cav and 38 Mech Inf this turn. 20 Transports service the supply lines.

The Apollo program is built in 1555AD, so prebuilds turned to SS parts. All GW's but Knight Templars and Sun Tzu owned by Hittites. First two techs this era was Computers and Miniaturization for an Internet prebuild. My second GL appears and build another Tank army. Economy: 10k gold and roughly in balance at 70% science.

1560AD, one Zulu city left. War over in 1565. I have 122 tanks, 40 cav and 38 Mech inf. so net losses during the war was 2 Cav. I control 55% of the map so a final was against Korea should be possible without hitting Domination.

1580AD, DoW Korea begin the campign w. 129 tanks 40 cav and 38 mech. In 1585 two GLs appear, both turned into armies. The first two turns consist of attacks from former Zulu and former Portugese territories combined with landings from sea in the northern parts of Korean territory and next to their island city.

1590AD, war ends with Korea conquered. Hittites own 63% of the map and 90% of the population so I will just wait for the SS to launch now. A few tanks and cav killed but most of the fighting was done by my armies. They are a bit overpowered in Conquest, I guess.

Finally in 1715 Robotics is researched and the SS launch.

Summary
I must learn how to manage the period after conquest of the starting continent. This game shows the same indecisiveness so many recent game I have played have suffered from. Just to wait for cav to appear or to wait for ships to safely traverse oceans is so tempting but extends the game. I also have a tendency to research too many techs, I should have researched to Navigation and possibly to MT and attacked the other continent w. Knights earlier on.

Also MMing the late game with lux slider could have gained a some points towards my score. Those unhappy faces do cost points...

 

[dojoboy]

Middle Ages

In 1650 AD, I notice Sumeria, once again, moving units into Hittitian lands. After asking Gilgamesh to vacate the premises, Sumeria declars war a third time against me. Quickly, alliances are signed w/ Korea & Portugal (for a lux. & tech respectively). These were Sumria's only active trading partners. Early operations (same turn) include the destruction of the Sumerian city's of Samarra & Der and cavalry army begins pillaging Sumerian countryside.

* 1680 AD -> Marad & Zabalam razed (Sumeria culture too great to waste units for garrison duty).

* Reach Steam Power in 1685 AD and trade to Korea for Medicine & 155gpt (+460g). Zulu & Korea sign alliance v. Sumeria (dogpile ensues).

* Begin founding settlements on top of Sumerian ruins.

* Trade Steam Power & Medicine to Zulu for NAtionalism in 1710 AD.

* Makkah b. Newton's University; second MGL generated; sliders @ 0-9-1.

* Rush Iron Works w/ MGL, complete in 1745 AD; Medina b. Bach's Cathedral in 1750 AD.

* Reach Scientific Method, 8 turns from ToE.

* Sign peace treaty w/ Sumeria in 1758 AD, receiving 2 settlements, 110g, & wm to alleviate WW. Hitties territory expanded by building on sites where Sumerian cities were razed (gained tons of workers).

Effects of Cavalry Armies Pillaging Sumerian Countryside

At this point, I focus on teach advancements and infrastructure, readying for the final route of Sumeria and military operations on the western continent. Until then, I get great gpt deals from Portugal and okay gpt deals frrom the other civs when they're capable. Tyrana b. the ToE in 1770 AD, gaining Atomic Theory & Electronics. Zulu does declare war on me in 1786 AD w/ little results. I ally w/ Portugal which leads to a dogpile on the Zulu, that soon makes them a second/third rate power.

During this period of peace, the following wonders are built:
*Universal Suffrage in Medina (1814 AD).
*Hoover Dam in Makkah (1830 AD).
*Wall Street in Hattusas (1848 AD).
*Military Academy in Medina (1850 AD).

Enter Modern Era in 1882 AD after reaching Flight, begin researching Fission. Mass production of tanks & bombers well underway w/ naval support production increased as well.

Mini Map 1886

Complete Part 2 coming soon.

 

[Xevious]

1.22f

After a slow Ancient Age saw the demise of the Arabians, I caught up a bit in the Middle Ages, wiping out Babylon and Sumeria with cavalry.

1150AD Learn Gravity, enter IA, gift Korea to IA, they get Medicine. Gift others to IA (except Portugal, at war). Start Steam at 100% (due in 5).

1200AD Learn Steam Power, start Electricity at 100%, due in 6. Trade Steam for Medicine.

1230AD Trade maps with Korea. Trade Medicine for Navigation from China. Note that no trades are available yet, no harbors on other continent!

1250AD Learn Electricity, start Sci Method at 90%, due in 4.

1270AD Learn Sci Method, start Replacable Parts at 90%.

1280AD Dissolve aliance with China against Portugal (going for Diplomacy), make peade with Portugal and trade Physics and Navigation for Ivory. Trade Electricity to Korea for Democracy, silks, 40gpt.

1295AD Learn Replacable Parts. TOE due in 9 turns, may get down to 8 if can rail/mine enough. Atomic takes 6, Industrialization 4, Corp probably 4. Could research Industry/Corp and take Atomic and Steel, gift opponents and hope for refining from them while I do electronics. Start Industry at 90%.

1315AD Learn Industrialization, start Corporation at 70%, due in 4, along with TOE. Need to start planning my UN prebuild. I have 30 turns left to Palace in Baghdad, could just use that and slow it down if needed. Think it is most likely too fast, since even if I get refining from someone, I still would have Flight, Combustion, Mass Production, Electronics, Motorized Prod and Fission to get myself. ALTHOUGH, I might be able to buy Fission if I get really lucky, by gifting Korea into the Modern Age. So will make sure I have a bunch of pillagers ready when it's time.

1325AD Rail Baghdad to speed up palace, can slow it down easily with pillaging if I have to.

1335AD Learn Corporation, start Atomic. TOE completes, take Atomic and see that Electronics and refinining are 5 turns for me while steel is 4. Realize the AI could never research at my pace so it's a waste to hope they will get refining for me. Take Electronics next, start Steel, and try to boost science for refining. Maybe I can try and get AI to get Flight while I do Mass Prod and Motor Trans.

1340AD Gift all other civs to tech parity. Will keep going with Steel and Combustion and hopefully someone will get flight for me.

1345AD After asking for a map trade, the Zulu drop a lone archer in my sw territory. Move cav to nearby cities, and then sign and ROP and gift them 4 luxes. We'll see what happens.

1350AD Well the Zulu are idiots. They attack me breaking an ROP and losing the 4 luxes I just gave them. Grab up all the available workers and slaves to do some quick rail connection in the lower end of the continent (upper end all connected). Gift 4 luxes to China and Portugal (Korea already has 4 from me). All but 6 of my cities are connected now, but they should be connected next turn.

1355AD Zulu drop 3 Impis and an Archer next to Babylon. Use elite cavalry to take them out. Get GL Muwatallis on second Impi. Palace is 12 turns from done in Baghdad, way too early, switch it to Hoover, due in 12. Factory in Hattusha due in 4, if I rush that, with Hoover I should get Palace prebuild done in 22 turns, and I can speed that up more with rails and some other work. Rush Factory in Hattusha with leader. Take out last 2 Zulu units.

1360AD Have to sell steel to Korea and China for gpt to get +net income and keep research at 100%.

1370AD Have a Korean Galleon running along my NW coast and a Chinese Galleon/Frigate combo just approached my west coast (southern end), but didn't drop troops.

1380AD Palace due in 17, Hoover in 4, Combustion in 3 turns and then 3 more techs, not betting on flight now from anyone, so figure 15+ turns just to modern age, so slow palace down to 20 turns, may have to irrigate some mines. With luck I should win diplo in late 1400s.

1385AD China builds Sistine Chapel. Now I have to worry about wonder cascade and hope no one steals Hoover.

1395AD Learn Combustion, gift to all but Zulu. Make Peace with Zulu, then make ROP with them. Then gift them up to Combustion too. Start Mass Prod at 90%.

1400AD Build Hoover. Palace in 11, WAY too soon. Irrigate it down to 13, will monitor.

1415AD Learn Mass Production, start Motorized Transport at 90%.

1420AD I have a good bit of income coming in, bump lux to 20%, sci 80%, MT in 3 turns.

1435AD Learn Motorized Transport, start Flight at 100% - 5 turns :/, palace due in 6. I have Universal Suffrage going in Hattusas so if I screw up in Hattusha I will still get UN, I'll just be late. The more I think about it, the less confident I am I'll be able to buy Fission if it is available. We'll see what happens. Play with my corrupt cities and make a bunch of scientists to get Flight down to 4 turns.

1450AD One turn from modern age and no one has flight . Palace in 3. Switch around to make it in 2 just in case I get lucky and can buy Fission. Have 4 settlers and a bunch of workers ready to slow things down if needed.

1455AD Discover Flight, sell it and Mass Prod to Korea for 146gpt, 104g, and Nationalism. Gift Motorized Transport and he gets... Rocketry . Ouch, Fission is 7 turns at 100%. Drop a few cities, irrigate a few tiles, play around a bit with scientists and get Fission due in 6 and palace due in 6, or 1485AD. Now lets hope everything remains peaceful.

1475AD Universal Sufferage in Hattusas, not needed of course, just was there in case I needed a bunch of shields.

1480AD Renew lux with Portugal for Flight, and Korea for Oil and Coal. Gift some resources to Zulu and China. Gracious with Portugal and China (for quite some time now), and polite with Zulu and Korea. Korea will be my challenger. Pollution hit Hattusha this turn but still 1 turn left to Palace and Fission. Here we go...

1485AD Renegotiate for Wines with China for Iron, dyes and 2 techs, back to gracious. Learn Fission, big picture, switch Hattusha to UN, it says 5 turns??? Palace was at 1 turn? Did something change with C3C?? Now I have to rush to get my shield production back up!! Managed to get production up to 74 shields, losing 8 food per turn (also 8 from granary, so 16 total), but could only manage 2 turns, still puts me at 1495, late 1400s.

1490AD Complete Iron Works just for fun . Was in a desert city, so it was no use . Gift the other civs into the Modern Age. Slide lux to 100%, get rid of all specialists, rush hapiness buildings for last couple holdout cities, trying for 100% approval rating at finish.

1495AD We Love The King Day celebrated all overy the country as we complete the UN and hold elections. Wang Kong of Korea is our opponent, and votes for himself, everyone else votes for Mursilis. 4-1 win!

Approval rating 99%, missed one city .

Firaxis score: 3602
Jason Score: <censored>
Pop% 49
area% 40
cult 27592

Not bad, I think, for my first complete C3C game. I learned quite a few things that should make the next one even better. Will be a challenge keeping things straight between C3C and classic game though.

 

[SniperDevil]

SniperDevil: A couple of reasons

1. By Gifting Korea to the Modern Age I was able to determine what their age bonus tech would be (they are scientific) and research something else, then trade for their bonus

2. By gifting the Portuguese & Korea to what I had, I hoped they would research Ecology for me as I already had Computers (my own research), Rocketry (trade with Korea), Fission & Minituarization (from TOE) and was researching Space Flight. If they had, I could shave 4-5 turns off of my completion date.

3. By keeping the 2 tribes even, I'd prevent a war that might cause them to divert their resources from science. I realized too late I think that some of the early IA techs that I had sold them for large GPT, was causing them to be unable to research very fast. At that point I donated techs & luxuries or traded straight for their luxuries. Even later in the game I began gifting cash. Unfortunately, all they seemed to want to research were items in the Nationalism chain. I couldn't even get Sanitation researched them. The way things were going, they were probably researching either Amphib Warfare or Adv Flight

Thanks for the tips Denyd

 

[AdHHH]

I don't keep great notes of my games (as anyone who's read my ancient notes will know), but all i can remember from my late industrial era is losing 2 cavalry armies and 6 artilleries when a Korean city flipped back. It delayed my domination victory, but i eventually got there in 1914, I believe...

 

[samildanach]

Open

I entered the middle ages in 10 AD, the industrial age in 1100 AD and the modern age in 1595 AD. Each of the ages followed a similar pattern where I entered the age with hopelessly slow research and then for the last eight or so techs I would clean up my act and get 4 turn research.
My goal for this was quite simple - it was to try and get four turn research throughout the Modern Age. As I never play huge maps and rarely play into the MA anyway I thought I would take the opportuinity to try it. I almost managed it but my prebuild for the culture nuke was mistimed so I researched the first two techs at five ecology and SF - the rest I got at four. I used the ToE to give me comp. and min. as soon as I entered the IA. Prior to entering the IA I had prebuilds going for seti, the culture nuke, Adam smith ( which I went back to research as I thought I might need the cash ) along with the build for ToE. Somewhere along the line I used the wrong prebuild for the wrong wonder or I got my numbers muddled up. I went through the Modern Age in 42 turns, I didn't gift any civ into it or the industrial age for that matter. I launched a space ship in 1772 after running at 80% science 20% lux once seti and then the culture nuke were finished.
I could have had a diplo win in 1505 had I used the ToE to research AT and electronics both of which I couldn't manage above 7 and also accounting for the research time on economics. A 1700s space launch always sounds really crap compared to an early 1500 hundreds diplo win IMO but I was quite pleased with some of the things I managed to do in this game.
I reckon it would have been possible to launch the SS sub 1500 if I'd did the republic trick and done a few other things better. I think it would have taken the skills of an eptathelete to launch under 1400 on this map.

 

[SirPleb]

Denyd, what a wonderful story it has been - thank you!

 

[Jason Fliegel]

I played Open.

This was my first COTM1, and one of the lessons it taught me was that I ought to keep more detailed notes of my game. I finished this game a week ago! Who remembers details a week later!?!

The big pictures, though, is that I spent the industrial ages fighting a long and bloody war against the Summerians. I marched, city by city, through their territory (I had long since conquered the Arabs, and they had similarly conquered the Babylonians). I used a lot of cavalry, then riflemen, and eventually tanks, but by the end of the industrial age, the continent was mine -- along with a ton of wonders, since the Summerians had built most of them. The Industrial Ages were a period of immense warfare punctuated by 20-turn truces to allow me to rebuild my forces.

A few highlights of the war were the fact that the Summerians were a high-culture civ (remember all those wonders?), so I had about half a dozen culture flips -- including one city that flipped despite the presence of two armies. Even when I had pacified the continent, one of my cities flipped back to the Summerians thanks to their lone remaining city off the southern coast of the western continent. In the early days of the modern age, my transport full of tanks got to that continent, and I put the Summerians out of their misery.

Meanwhile, the Koreans were pursuing the same strategy on the western continent -- wiping out first the Zulu, then the Chinese, then finally my dear friends, the Portugese. This was unfortunate, as I had been counting on Henry's vote at the United Nations. Korea and I enjoyed an uneasy detente, sending each other luxuries, as we glared at each other across the sea. By now, it was the late 20th century, and I knew I had one sure path to a win: the diplomatic victory

Fortunately for me, though, the Chinese had the foresight to found a city on a 1-tile square off the coast of the western continent. Without a force of marines, the Koreans would not be able to take this city. I had been building my own force of marines, but quickly switched gears and started showering Mao with gifts. Not that he had any great love for the Koreans, but we wouldn't want him to abstain from the upcoming vote, would we? Sure enough, a few turns later I completed the U.N., held a vote, and found myself elected supreme leader. Huzzah for me!

My Final score was somewhere around 1100 and my Jason score was somewhere around 2000. Embarassingly low, I'm sure, but the Firaxis score is about comensurate with my typical scores.

 

[chunkymonkey]

OK finally done...

Once entering the industrial ages i decided I'd go for replacable parts in order to work out which of my opponents had rubber and therefore which I would need to wipe out first, whilst building up galleons, muskets and cavalry armies. Once rubber had been discovered, i upgraded all my muskets. Just after, China declared war on Portugal. Since Portugal was weak, and China was strong, I decided this was the perfect time to occupy my first country on Continent 2 - Portugal was dead within 20 turns or so. During this time China had made peace with portugal, but were at war with Korea.

Since I needed a bit more land in order to reach the domination limit, I decided this would be a perfect excuse to declare war on Korea, probably the next weakest nation. So once I had finished with Portugal, I proceeded to wipe out Korea leaving a few cities for the Chinese to roll over so that I wouldn't exceed the domination limit. By this time I had decided to go for a 100K victory so i just rushed cultural improvements all over the place and sat back and stuck luxuries to a maximum.

I ended up with all wonders except the Great Wall which was located in Zimbabwe.

Finally finished in 1890AD, 100K victory, with 3722 firaxis points. Definitely the best firaxis score on regent i have ever got. I've learnt a lot of lessons over the course of this game, and had I been prepared to spend some more time on this game I might have been able to milk out a bigger score.

I've learnt that Expansionst and Commercial civs can be quite good (I usually play Agricultural or Industrious civs), and I didn't need to use any of my tanks. That's probably a first for me.

This my first GOTM so I decided to play conquest class, but i'm looking forward to moving to Open class next time round!

Hope everyone enjoyed their games, mine got a lot more enjoyable after a dodgy start!

 

[HellboundHeathcliff]

OPEN

1385AD: Entered Industrial Age
Had been researching MA techs 4 turns @ 40%
1595AD: Start adding workers to cities.
1600AD: Continent completely railroaded
1675AD: Entered Modern era. Flight = 4 turns @ 50%
Turn music volume down.
AI civs still don't have Scientific Method or Industrialization
1735AD: UN will be done next turn.
Reasoning behind diplomatic victory attempt:

I met the other civs mid middle ages and they have all been gracious ever since our first trades. They only drop to polite when cancelling all trades when renegotiating. I need 2 of the 3 possible votes.

1 major problem = Portugal has MPP with both Zulu & China and all 3 are at war with Korea. However, they do not have alliances.

Korea was the biggest, then Zulu, and now China. I suspect because all but China switched to Fascism.

Korea will vote for me. The most likely other vote is Zulu. The only way i will lose is if the Zulus vote for China. I could declare war on China and ally with the Zulu... i think for the sake of purity, i will take my chances and just give one last gift to each... Atomic Theory. If i lose, i lose. Game over next turn.

1740AD: The Zulu voted for me!!! The vote went as i hoped and all is well. Portugal voted for China as expected.

Game score = 3498 on the final Victory Status Screen
Note the Victory Status Screen does not indicate that the vote was taken and i won.


Game: Conquests COTM 01
Date submitted: 2004-06-10
Software Version: C3C 1.22f Windows
Entry class: open
Game status: Diplomatic Victory for Hittites
Game date: 1740 AD
Firaxis score: 3499
Jason score: 6628
Time played: 44:11:51

EDIT: I could have won about 5 turns earlier IF i had remembered to time my prebuild better.

 

[EL_OSO]

OPEN

I've been playing Conquests since it was first released and was always waiting for the day that the GOTM would be supported in this format. It is my first in a number of areas. I usually only play Huge maps with 23 opponents with the games lasting up to 160 hours so this was a different challenge with less space and civs to conquer. I've also never played as the Hittites because I'm not fond of early era UU. I prefer a middle ages UU especially towards the end of the era because the timing is perfect for the GA.

I hadn't realized that there was so much documentation on the different games being played with all the visuals. I hadn't prepared for that at all.

EDIT: I replaced the first screenshot I had since it showed the location of a resource that I shouldn't have. I apologize.

I had a really rough time with the Sumerians for some reason. I was able to eliminate both the Arabs and the Babylonians before the middle of the ancient ages but only scored the Sistine Chapel as far as wonders go. I think my biggest mistake was not building the FP soon enough and was plagued with the nagging corruption problem. This allowed the Sumerians to build up and pretty much steal the show on GWs. It seemed that he was always studying the same tech path as I and even though I was using the Palace build queue for wonders, he still got them before me much to my chagrin.

Well I decided that after I had 120 Cavalry units and my MA told me that I had a strong military compared to them that it was time to take those wonders for myself. I was able to knock off a few of his cities but my Cavalry were decimated upon the mountains and hills deep in his territory. Now I began to cringe as my MA told me I was weak... Hindsight, I should've had more cannons and muskets to help guard those horses instead of going for a quick kill. Sumeria managed to capture 4 of the Babylonian cities that I had along the southeastern coast and I was forced to sue for peace and crawl back with my tail between my legs.

At this point I was very far behind in tech and was forced to keep my slider low to accomodate my large army of spears and purchase them from the AI when the opportunity arose. So I spent the rest of the middle ages and the majority of the industrial ages recooperating from this and focusing on my core cities. Then out of the blue Sumeria attacked me. I just hunkered down in my cities and would only venture out to hit him in the open. This tactic worked and he sued for peace. No cities were lost or gained in this conflict.

I noticed in the victory screen that Sumeria was racking up the points for a 100k cultural victory and would make it there by 2025 AD or so. I was stuck with a small outdated military but had to attack him. I decided to go for Flight before Motorized Transportation since the bombers are lethal in Conquests now. I declared war in 1989 on the Sumerians and drew him into the open where my bombers decimated him. Please note it is much easier to kill TOW infantry with Cavalry when accompanied by a large airforce.
It was still a long drawn out conflict that was slow and methodical to wear him down and as a small moral victory, I captured his last city on 2048 AD.

My compliments to the staff for an all around great time. I'm already looking forward to July 1st.

 

[dojoboy]

Final Spoiler, Part 1

I had decided to work toward a domination victory or space race victory, whichever came first. The Sumerians had really put me in a foul mood, plus I love lethal bombard. After entering the Modern Era, I began building up forces, moving a small task force to the western continent. When land had opened up there from razed cities during localized wars, I built 2 Hittitian cities. This is where I began amassing forces for my international ambitions.

In 1902, I reach Fission and switch a palace prebuild to the UN. This same year, Shuruppak flipped, choosing to join the Sumerian culture. This obviously is not acceptable. I'm sure it was due to Gilgamesh's meddling in Hittitian affairs. So, I try to plant a spy in Ur, hoping for failure, but was successful. Therefore, I declare war on Sumeria in 1904. Immediately, I sign alliances w/ Sumeria's trading partners and embargoes w/ others. Thus begins the fourth Hittite-Sumerian War (1904 - 1936), and the last. With bombers, cavalry, infantry, and tanks, I move through Sumerian lands, razing and occupying Gilgamesh's cities. I save Ur (Great Library, Oracle, Sistine Chapel, & ToA), Umma (GW & MM), Sumer (Copernicus's), and Ninevah (Magellan's) and few smaller cities for the Hittitian people.

The Sumerians are destroyed in 1936 AD. Hittite had earned several MGLs during the war, bringing the overall total to six. I used some to rush small wonders, others for armies (Medina was building armies). At the end-game, I had 13 armies in the field, mostly modern armor.

After reaching Synthetic Fibers in 1946, I upgraded 48 tanks that turn to modern armor. Several more the next turn.

I declare war on the Zulu in 1958 AD and destroyed them in 1965 AD.

Portugal had developed into a profitable trading partner, allowing me to research at a high rate. My spaceship production was moviing along at a steady pace. But, I guess the last 303 gpt deal w/ Portugal broke their bank. They declared war on me in 1990 and were aided by China, w/ whom they shared an MPP. I convinced Korea to fight w/ me. So we had a nice little 2v2 going for a while. A seventh MGL was generated (on defense), but was killed in battle. I was quite impressed w/ Korea's military operations. They did lend a good amount of support, particularly w/ bombers. I enjoyed watching my mobile AA units perform against the Chinese.

In the end, I built the last spaceship part during the war and launched, gaining a spacerace victory in 2001. Enjoyed the game, thanks to the GOTM staff. Firaxis score of 2185.