COTM 04 Pre-Game Discussion

[LeSphinx]

Ouf! Emperor will be best than Deity!
Let's
Maybe today we will have more details!
LeSphinx

 

[Caldazar]

Yeah, Emperor would make sense, especially with a good starting location like this one (?). Also, I believe it's a pangea world, as we are yet to have one in COTM. Judging by the screenshot, I'd say we're north of the equator. The river probably runs from the hills in the SE towards the coast somewhere NW. The forests to the south suggest plains further south, or possibly jungle if it's a wet world.
-- Roland

I really don't hope it's a pangea shaped world, in my experience the AI tend to trade like crazy among themselves... If it's true I hope we're at least blessed with lots of resources and luxuries, so that we my trade as well. I don't want to be left behind, especially if the skilllevel is Emperor

But we'll see

 

[horragoth]

On large map, the settler factory sould be established as soon as possible. Probably even more than one would be welcome. If our first city is to be a settler factory, I can imagine not to found it by the river if there is another food bonus on the west. Thus my worker will probably go to wheat to look around.

 

[Xevious]

What would really be nice is find river just N or NW of wheat, so that with two moves the settler could be on river next to wheat. I like the idea of moving worker to wheat first. If no river is visible, I would move settler N. Then I think worker would go north of wheat to irrigate, to avoid reworking the BG.

IF we are not agricultural, then I think a good case could also be made for settling in place. This would give you the 3 food bonus immediately. Worker would irrigate N or NE and then head back to wheat to irrigate and finally start mining the BGs. In that scenario, I would move worker N first to uncover the most tiles and if nothing found settle in place and irrigate on the next turn. Working the wheat immediately means only one shield coming in, and with 15+ turns before we get around to mining a BG, I think I might consider building a worker first. The second worker would start mining a BG, while the first worker is finishing irrigating and roading the wheat. This comes at the expense of early exploring, and would be less useful if we are industrious.

 

[denyd]

I'm guessing we might be the Inca. A larger map would help the Expansionist trait make those early contacts payoff. For the same reasons mentioned earlier by Roland Ehnstrom, I'm limiting my options to new tribes and rejecting the three already played and Portugal (non-coastal start). Ainwood has been known to mod the opening picture so a scout is quite possible.

Having never played the Inca before, do they start with a Scout or a Chasqui Scout? Can the CS serve as Military Police? If it's a CS, then I might try a quick CS rush to my nearest neighbor hoping for a quick kill.

If we are the Inca, I'll open with at least 2 scouts, before starting on a granary (barracks pre-build). We start with Masonry & Warrior Code, so I'll probably research Pottery at max. reserch.

Just a quick request for Ainwood. Would it be possible to post the map size & difficulty level for upcoming games? I'm only able to play 1 of GOTM/COTM pair during the 30 day window some months due to RL commitments and would like to be able to plan which better fits my style of play.

 

[grs]

Do they start with a Scout or a Chasqui Scout?

- Scout, but can only build Chasqui Scouts

Can the CS serve as Military Police?

- yes

 

[Hobbes]

Send the settler to the NE, keep the worker where he is and start a road. Irrigate when the road is complete and then irrigate the wheat. Save the bonus grassland squares for mining.

 

[grs]

Send the settler to the NE, keep the worker where he is and start a road. Irrigate when the road is complete and then irrigate the wheat. Save the bonus grassland squares for mining.

I would not work normal grassland first if bonus gras is available. You want you citizen to work the best tile and improve another one first. That will waste worker turns.

 

[SirPleb]

I like Roland's and Xevious's analysis. I'm going to wait till we know the Civ before doing much planning. It does seem likely we'll be agricultural and in that case a move to the river will be well worthwhile. If we aren't agricultural then settling at the start position is tempting.

 

[SniperDevil]

I think its the best starting position we've had in COTM so far

 

[Psychonaut777]

Until we figure out we are on a small island surounded by tundra. =P

 

[Denniz]

If we are the Inca, I'll open with at least 2 scouts, before starting on a granary (barracks pre-build). We start with Masonry & Warrior Code, so I'll probably research Pottery at max. reserch.

An early rush sounds interesting, but do you want your first builds to take so long? I might want to build at least one warrior first just to get another explorer out there.

The Chasqui Scout costs 20s vs. the regular scout & warrior at 10s. In addition they upgrade to explorer. IMHO, the Chasqui requires a trade-off decision to use as an early scout. And then they have the same A/D as a warrior, so are only useful for a limited time. After that all they can do in MP or disband.

 

[denyd]

One of my many CIV flaws is not allowing my settler factory to get to a sustaining size before producing the first settler, hopefully by building a couple of Chasqui Scouts before the granary, I'll let it get big enough. Of course if were > Emperor, then I'll have to adjust that idea. My hope is to have a couple of CS out there exploring and get lucky and be able to pick off a settler/worker or two and stunt a tribes growth and allow for easy destruction once I've got swords on the map. The major downside to this is the very early golden age.

 

[Denniz]

One of my many CIV flaws is not allowing my settler factory to get to a sustaining size before producing the first settler, hopefully by building a couple of Chasqui Scouts before the granary, I'll let it get big enough. Of course if were > Emperor, then I'll have to adjust that idea. My hope is to have a couple of CS out there exploring and get lucky and be able to pick off a settler/worker or two and stunt a tribes growth and allow for easy destruction once I've got swords on the map. The major downside to this is the very early golden age.

I guess was thinking emperor. It does sound like a nice aggressive start strategy. (Something, I need to work on. But, maybe not on Emperor. )

 

[Sandman2003]

Send the settler to the NE, keep the worker where he is and start a road. Irrigate when the road is complete and then irrigate the wheat. Save the bonus grassland squares for mining.

This is my most likely start as well, for the same reason - keep those bonus grasslands available to the capital!

 

[ainwood]

I think we are Maya. In any case, I am pretty sure we are Agricultural. I'll try to explain why:

- Up until now, in the COTM's, we have been three of the seven new C3C civs: Hittities, Netherlands and Byzantines. Judging from this, I believe we will walk through all of them up until COTM7. This leaves us with either Portugal, Sumeria, Inca or Maya.

- The last two COTM's have been with a Seafaring civ. I would be surprised to have three Seafaring games in a row. Also, Seafaring civs always start by the coast, so unless Ainwood has modded the start position, we can rule out Portugal. So we are either Inca, Maya or Sumeria. Note that all of those are Agricultural civs.

- There is no scout showing in the screenshot, so unless Ainwood as modded it again (it has happened before), we can rule out Inca.

- The Sumerians are Scientific, which Byzantines were in COTM3. The Maya, on the other hand, are Indsustrious, and we have never been an Industrous civ in COTM. Also, the Mayan UU has the "enslave" ability, which we have not had a chance to try yet. This would be a good time. Therefore, I am putting my money on Maya.

Disclaimer: All of the above could be total bs.

-- Roland

Nice analysis! And to think I chose Maya just 'cause I think they're cool!

 

[Psychonaut777]

Gonna be a lot of early conquests with the Javalin thrower!
I like the Maya too. =)

 

[eldar]

Ooh, a builder's Dream Civ...

Neil.

 

[chunkymonkey]

Great! I love the Maya.

I think the number of civs we have on this large map will define the victory condition I aim for - I think we might see a lot of milked games, although the size of the map might put some people off...

 

[Roland Ehnström]

What would really be nice is find river just N or NW of wheat, so that with two moves the settler could be on river next to wheat. I like the idea of moving worker to wheat first. If no river is visible, I would move settler N. Then I think worker would go north of wheat to irrigate, to avoid reworking the BG.

Good thinking. My worker is now ordered to go W.

-- Roland