COTM 08 First Spoiler: Entering the Middle Ages

[Doc Tsiolkovski]

Predator, Barbs fixed

First, let me say I really love this set-up.
But, exactly for that reason, I heavily suffered from “one-more-turnosis” (not “–itis”, that would indicate an inflammation ), forcing me to play until far to late, and as a result, I played way beyond my standards.

Moved 1S to get the lone Hill in range; this at least meant I didn’t face the volcanoes, but combined with the fact I scouted to the NE first, also meant I missed the Flood Plains.

With only one CIv in the game having Alpha as starting tech, researching that one at max was obvious. Could get Masonry from Babs for it later. Learned Writing the very same turns as Hammu .
Contacted Byzantines in 1575BC, and the first Civ from the other landmass in 1550BC. An incredibly tough Curragh managed to defeat countless Barbarians, thus I met the next Civ in 1425BC, another one in 1150, and one more in 975.
1500BC, Byzantines beat me to Philo. Got it 2 turns later, and was still able to get CB/WC/HBR/Myst and Math for it. Full speed on Currency, and this time I was first in 875BC.
However, instead of jumping into MA, I decided to try an extremely risky gambit – I planed on using TBP to get a second-tier tech, so I did not trade for Poly (cannot enter TBP when you trade for a Tech). Oh, and the ~450gp I got from the Currency deals were ransacked; nothing I could have done about being pillaged, but the real stupidity was that I forgot to spend the cash for embassies, That’s what you get when you still play at 3.00 am…

One real oddity in this game was that no Civ had Republic at that time, and only the last unmet Civ knew Monarchy – they completed HG soon after, while everyone I knew was still in Despotism. Since I wanted a tech to trade for the Big Picture trick, I went for Lit next, delaying it for some turns until ToA was completed. Of course, Byz did research it before me. So, Republic next – what should I say, everyone knew it some turns before me .
530BC, met the last Civ.
Entered MA as late as 150BC (after revolting to Republic, 7 turns of course); could only buay Mono in the slight hope to get Theology as freebie, but I got Feud; not that bad, Theo was already known anyway.
It deserves to be mentioned that this gambit utterly failed here, but worked great for the MA->IA transition; a bit too risky for a CotM, admittedly.

 

[Denniz]

OPEN

AA ended for me in 270AD. Enough said.

I move twice to get next to the sugar to the ne.



QSC Stats:
8 cities
22 pop
2 Settlers
5 Workers
2 Archers (2 Vet)
8 Endiku (3 Vet)
2 Granary
2 Baracks
Research: first tier minus Masonry, plus HBR
no strategic resources other than dyes.

Early sea exploration was hampered by barbs to the west and bad RNG sinkings to the west. I only met two other civs.

3950 BC Bronze Working; Pottery
2590 BC Warrior Code
1870 BC The Wheel
1675 BC Ceremonial Burial
1325 BC Horseback Riding
1125 BC Alphabet
975 BC Iron Working
800 BC Writing
570 BC Literature
550 BC Masonry; Mysticism; Map Making; Polytheism (traded)
290 BC Monarchy (7 turn anarchy)
110 BC Mathematics
50 AD Currency
110 AD Philosophy
190 AD Code of Laws
270 AD Construction; Monotheism

Built alot of improvements with minimal army. Self research alot.



Peaceful AA, but I missed the boat on strategic expansion.

 

[Hannabir]

Predator, barbs fixed

I stepped north and settled Ur on the Dyes, while the Worker chopped wood for our very first Enkidu Warrior. The Enkidu appeared in 3800bc and started exploring, a task it had not finished by the time I qualified for this thread, as it turned out that the continent provided the Babylonians with a huge backyard.
When the Enkidu discovered the floodplains to the north I decided to build a few Settlers first, until my floodplain town would provide me with a second Worker so I could chop for the Granary. I turned out that we built two, and they founded Sumer at the wheat and Lagash in the southwest, where we found the coast as well as our first Barbarians. They would not be the last, so the Enkidu Warriors were a nice asset. None of them ever got promoted though.
Ur built the Granary in 2150bc and pumped out 3 more Settlers itself. Sumer started on Workers, of which we had no less than 17 by 1000bc, and Lagash built a couple of Curraghs before a Granary and some Settlers, one of which managed to cross the seas and found all but one of the other rivals. Unfortunately, the one we did not find built the Pyramids, so we have no clue where the big granary is, except that it is not on our patch .
We initially saved some cash, but as our early Enkidu quickly met Babylon and the Byzantines, we traded for Ceremonial Burial and started researching The Wheel. In 2630bc we finished, traded for Alphabet and Masonry, and chose Mathematics next as surely at least one of the AI tribes would discover Writing before we could. As it turned out, we had Math on the same turn that Babylon and Byzantines both got Writing, and we established tech parity.

Philosophy was our next target; at this level there is no time to research Code of Laws first and still get the slingshot. Two turns later the Byzantines, who are the cultural powerhouse in our game (and Constantinople would finish The Colossus, too), had Polytheism and all our Enkidu crossed their fingers ...

We connect to the Babylonians and trade for their Silk, trade for Poly, and in 1575bc we get what we want: the first with Philosophy, and Monarchy as our free tech. Sumeria revolts and draws a mediocre 5-turn anarchy.
In 1450bc we have a new government, and with a lot of irrigation already prepared our food production goes through the roof. Literature and Currency follow, and in 950bc we trade for Construction and enter the Middle Ages with Monotheism to boot.

By this time it is clear that resources are extremely scarce. We have Dyes, trade for Silks, and that's it. There is a small gap in Byzantine land next to Iron and Incense which we might still get to, we built one connecting city already and shipped over two Workers, so who knows. But if there is to be war, it looks like Longbowmen. Our first target would be Babylon if it finishes the Temple of Artemis, or otherwise Constantinople with the Colossus.
Or, it will be a race to overseas trade; it might be necessary to start some wars over there to free some resources.

1000bc

QSC stats
15 towns (2 of them over 6)
47 pop
6 contacts, 4 embassies
17 workers, 18 enkidu warriors, 1 archer, 2 curraghs, 1 galley
2 granaries, 2 libraries, 2 temples
119 gold, 166 food, 110 shields
6% of world area
22% of world population
score 396 (Persia 524)

 

[WackenOpenAir]

15 towns (2 of them over 6)
47 pop
6 contacts, 4 embassies
17 workers, 18 enkidu warriors, 1 archer, 2 curraghs, 1 galley
2 granaries, 2 libraries, 2 temples
119 gold, 166 food, 110 shields
6% of world area
22% of world population
score 396 (Persia 524)

 

[Dynamic]

Good work, Hannabir!
I tryed to close the door for Babylon and placed my cities not optimal for quick growth but your result is even better.

 

[Hannabir]

I had to block a Babylonian Settler to claim Umma's spot (floodplains west).
My core cities aren't placed optimally either, but that's hindsight. Claiming room was the priority.
The key to this result was, of course, the Monarchy slingshot, even with 5 turns of anarchy before 1000bc, but also preparing for it by irrigating most bonus grasslands. Mining them, so important before Conquests, is now of much lower value.

 

[Hannabir]

Tech progress

4000bc Pottery and Bronze Working (Sumeria starting techs)
3500bc Ceremonial Burial (Babylon)
2630bc The Wheel (Sumeria), Alphabet and Masonry (Byzantines), Warrior Code (Babylon)
1830bc Mathematics (Sumeria), Writing (Babylon), Iron Working and Mysticism (Byzantines)
1725bc Horseback Riding (civ4)
1600bc Polytheism (civ4)
1575bc Philosophy (Sumeria), Monarchy (Sumeria slingshot)
1475bc Map Making (Babylon)
1250bc Literature (Sumeria)
1125bc Code of Laws (civ3)
950bc Currency (Sumeria), Construction (civ6), Monotheism (Sumeria bonus)


Build queues

Ur
3950bc Founded
3800bc Enkidu Warrior
3250bc Settler
3000bc Enkidu Warrior
2550bc Settler
2150bc Granary
2070bc Enkidu Warrior
1950bc Settler
1725bc Settler
1475bc Settler
1400bc Enkidu Warrior
1350bc Enkidu Warrior
1300bc Enkidu Warrior
1250bc Enkidu Warrior
1125bc Library
1050bc Temple
950bc Barracks

Sumer
3150bc Founded
2800bc Worker
2590bc Worker
2390bc Worker
2190bc Worker
1990bc Worker
1790bc Worker
1675bc Worker
1575bc Worker
1325bc Settler
1250bc Worker
1200bc Enkidu Warrior
1125bc Worker
1075bc Worker
1025bc Worker
975bc Worker

Lagash
2470bc Founded
2190bc Curragh
2110bc Curragh
1750bc Granary
1600bc Settler
1325bc Settler
1275bc Enkidu Warrior
1175bc Settler
1025bc Temple

 

[Dynamic]

1725bc Horseback Riding (civ4)

Did you contact with other continent civ so early? 1725BC!
I contacted in the MA only.

 

[Hannabir]

Yes, one of Lagash' early Curraghs crossed over safely. We did not meet a Barbarian Galley until later. The result was nice but not decisive in any way, as civ3 soon landed on our shores, and building those Curraghs first meant finishing the Granary later.

 

[Dynamic]

In my game I built Curraghs early too but at that moment I could do it only in SW city and while one of them move east it was attacked by barbs and after second attack my Curragh died.

 

[Abegweit]

In mine, I got lucky.

When I built my first curragh, a Dromon came along and wiped out two barbs before I could get out of port.

I built four curraghs in total since it took me forever to get to map making. Two died attempting to circle our continent. A third was eventually upgraded to a galley. As I speak, the fourth one is still circling the other continent. It will probably get home before the spaceship liftoff.

 

[Ronald]

This game is a real tough one, definitely above the average demi-god game.
My initial plan was to try for another non violent ending. Either diplomatic victory or spaceship, depending how much time I have available.

After seeing the lack of resources (no horses and no iron within reach), I changed my plans to domination victory (not too many players will go the domination route since these settings are an invitation for a dilpo game)

Going for domination victory

The start does not allow for a standard settler factory, but the second city (close to the wheat on flood plains make a nice worker factory). So Sumer was pumping out workers and all other cities produce a settler whenever they are going to reach size 5.
This approach does not give the maximum amount of cities possible, but it ensures good research and I wanted to gamble on the republic slingshot. (initially I did not think this was possible, but when I realised that Hannibal and Theodora were fighting each other for thousands of years I tried it.)

Instead of making too much use of the happiness slider, I used specialists (scientists to be precise). This further increased my research.

My first choice of research was based that we would start with neighbours from our own culture (I predicted 3 continents when I checked the civs on the map).
Byzantines start with alphabeth, I hoped that they are on our continent, so I researched The Wheel at max. to trade it against alphabeth.
I met Theodora in time for the trade. Then it was writing at max. CoL at max. and finally philosophy at max. (in 1300 BC IIRC) by 1075 BC we were a Republic.

At the end of qsc I had 12 cities and was pretty satisfied with the result so far, but the difficult time will come.

This is my small empire at 1000 BC:



and in 775 BC Sumeria entered the middle ages



I'm looking forward what the middle ages will bring

 

[AlanH]

Moderator Action: @StrictlyRockers: I've moved your post to the second spoiler as it went way beyond the scope of this one - AlanH

 

[Luthor_Saxburg]

Being my first time at this high level, I decided to do the following:
- Goal: SURVIVE! Not very ambitious but one has to learn how to walk before learning how t run!
- Strategy: Butt licking, living by the moment and making short term decisions... trying to imitate the AI (but it's not easy being that chaotic!).

Babylon DoW on me pretty soon (I had 5 cities), but I was able to resist, but prevented me from further expansion (apart from a GA early on). Another Civ (no names) placed cities E of me. This was good because I could get contact from 2 other Civ's from this Civ, so by the end of the era I had contact with 5 Civ's... it didn't help much because I couldn't trade techs with it!

I lost no city to Babylon (YES!) and realised he had no iron so went for the iron age... but where is the iron???? Peace, peace, peace... I paid the Babylonians for peace and prayed for luck... I was determined to upload no matter what! And I became curious as to see how the "experts" would do it.

 

[Ljdjr]

Open, AIpatrol on.

Right off the bat I'm worried cause I've never played this level or the one below.
Anyway my notes weren't the best.

First off I moved the setter one NE. I found the nice cow and floodplains before I built my first settler.
Early on I figured I was going to go Monarchy, and actually made some good trades (for me, anyhow). Or maybe I didn't. I know my first trade was for WC from Byzantine for 1gpt and 120g. I think this was partly a defensive trade.

Biggest mistake of my game: Not sending out boats. If I had seen those horses up North. I'm sure I probably could've won.

By 1300 BC I know I have no Horses or Iron. This makes me very sad. I know that cause I drew a little frowny in my notes.

1000 BC QSC score 3355, 6 cities, 15 pop, 2 settlers, 5 workers, 19 Enkidu Warriors.

So I build a bunch of Archers and Enkidu Warriors, and in 530 BC I need to start the military expansion. So I ask a Babylonian settler pair to leave, and they declare.


540 BC Golden Age!

430 BC I have a feeling the Barbarians are saving my hide. The Babylonians want peace now, and all they do is attack the Barbarians.

110 BC Golden Age over. Revolt to Monarchy. Didn't time it like I should have. I was sitting on Monarchy for 5-6 turns. Or maybe like SirPleb recently said. Research speed over gold saved. So maybe after the fact, I did the right thing by mistake. Ha!

Here's 110 AD

My second big mistake, maybe the biggest, was not having settlers ready to fill the void when I razed Babylonian cities. That stupid Prilep city was going to flip a bunch of cities later and I had to declare on Byzantine, and I didn't finish off Babylon, and I didn't find the horses up North.

310 AD My first MGL. Use it to rush FP in Kua next turn.

780 AD I, incorrectly, think I figure out that Babylon is trading for Horses.

800 AD 2nd MGL. Longbow Army here we come!

810 AD Quickly find out a Longbow Army will defend a stack of Enkindu Warriors. Bye bye Army!

820 AD I'm so dumb. Looking at City Total List, I can't possibly believe these Sumarians had 40 cities! Who the heck is that?!?
People were power. I was number one. Would it last? Would I ever finish a game before the next one was released? Stay tuned.


About 20 turns ago I entered the Middle Ages, but my map knowledge was far from complete so I didn't want to enter the spoiler thread.

 

[civ_steve]

Barbs 'fixed'

Like I say every month - time was very short, let's play this one real fast. I've already submitted, but here's the tale. Decided to found Ur one space NE of starting position; not founding on the Dye space to the North gives me another +2 Gold space without Roads in Despotism. Never played with a close Volcano before - managed to fry my initial Worker fairly early in the game! (Ooh - pretty lights ... Aaaah!) Oh well. Only 1 civ that started with Alphabet, so plunged down that research trail first in search of eventual Philosophy.

Contacted Babylon fairly early on with no initial trades. Learned Alphabet in 2550 BC, started on Writing. A wandering Enkidu met the Byzantines in 2310 BC; immediately checked Babylon - they still didn't know Alphabet. Traded to Babylon for Masonry and then Masonry to Byzantines for IronWorking. Phew!

Next I headed towards Writing. I was not first for this Tech either, and the other two had already traded it by the time I learned it in 1700 BC. So that's the way its going to be! I focused on learning Philosophy first (slight negative gpt to use my Treasury, and used Scientists in my outlying non-river cities), and won the race in 1350 BC. After some thought, I took Literature for my free Tech; I wanted Libraries, and quite frankly I wanted them to build Libraries as well; I needed to play a fast research game to get this thing done and submitted so I needed the AI to play along too. I traded for Wheel, CerBur, WarCode and Math.

Next stop Code of Laws, learned in 1000 BC. I blew it here; the AI already knew CoL, and I could have probably traded for it several turns earlier. After this, fastest possible research of Republic (something like 35 turns to start with). I'm still missing Constr, Curr, MapMak, Myst and Poly to enter the MidAges.

Along the way I built:
Sumer in 2750 BC, to NW on floodplains (grabbing FldPln Wheat)
Lagash in 1990 BC, to NE on floodplains (with Cattle adjacent)
Kish in 1550 BC, to North on River
Umma in 1350 BC, on North Coast near Oasis
Bad-tibira in 1125 BC, on SE coast, near Game

Babylon has already built to my West and SW, including at the mouth of the river SW of Ur. I wont be able to get this territory without warfare, but I don't really have time to do Warmongering and research.

QSC stats: 6 towns, 19 citizens, 6 Workers, 2 Archers, 7 Enkidus, 1 Granary and 3 Barracks. Not a fast start!

Scouting summary: I sent out two Enkidus, one headed West by NW and met the Babs and Byzantines; the other headed South then East then curled North. Both briefly saw the open space to the North beyond Babylon before they were taken down by barbarians. Tough Scouting!

I realized that CivA had founded a city to my East, so I scurried over and made contact in 925 BC; nothing to trade. And a Galley from CivB came by, so I made contact with them also (no trade at this time); that was it for contacts in the AA.

Later on I founded
Agade in 800 BC, across the inlet from Bad-tibira to the SE
Erech in 610 BC, on the far SE coast

Finally in 530 BC the turns to complete Republic suddenly dropped. I found the civ that had learned it and acquired it from them; then traded around with my new and old 'friends', learning the remaining required AA Techs and entering the MidAges! I did get Monotheism to start the MidAges, and started on Theo, but first a revolt to Republic was in order. Here is my empire on entering the MidAges: