[PTW] COTM 164 Inca Demigod

[MrRandomGuy]

"Even though you are a scout warrior, you must be cautious. Peaceful villages will welcome you with gifts, but be wary of..."

"Wait! Let me go too!"

Sapa-Inca Pachacuti turned to see the brother of the warrior scout he was addressing run towards them. He stopped next to his brother's side

"Are you certain? Ayar Cachi is the strongest and fastest out of your family, and even he may have trouble with roaming barbarians."

"I am ready. I know how important it is to explore quickly. If you are creating the city as planned then we need to be fast."

"Very well Ayar Uchu. I know you won't be swayed. Since you are not a warrior it is more important for you to beware the roaming barbarians." Ayar Uchu nodded. "Anything else we need to know?"

"Ayar Auca should be returning soon with the knowledge of the other nomad tribes..." As he spoke a man came into view. "That must be him now."

A few moments later Ayar Acua reached the group. He was out of breath and sweaty. After he caught his breath he said "All the nomads are saying the same thing. A shaman drank some liquid then grew wings and flew to see the world. He saw a standard world with continents. He also saw Japan, Zulu, Korea, Rome, Sumer, Mongol, Persia, and us of course."

"All the nomads?"

"Yes."

"Then we have no time to waste. Come Ayar Acua, we must make preparations to begin our starting city. Ayar Manco is already waiting for us." He turned to the scouts, "Go now, and may Initi protect you in your travels."

In COTM 164 you rule as Sapa-Inca Pachacuti over the Inca, who are Expansionist and Agricultural. You start the game with the knowledge of Masonry and Pottery. Your unique unit is the Chasqui Scout, a fast and powerful replacement for the Scout. The starting rules have been modified to give you a regular scout and a Chasqui scout to start off with in order to give you more of an edge over your rivals.

Starting Position:

Time Plan:
The game will be released 1 July 2023
Submissions are due 30 September 2023

Game Release Page:

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Social Media Amplifier:
@The_J @Blake00

 

[MrRandomGuy]

Out of the three GOTM's I've worked on, the Inca was by far the most fun. Sometimes I start over with this save and play again just for fun. I am more of an Emperor level player, yet I was able to comfortably win throughout multiple testing sessions. Those of you who aren't quite on the Demigod level should still try this game.

 

[alfa156]

Perfect start location.
First Chasqui Scout in 6 turn for scout, war in 2 turn, settler. Continue repeating war-worker-war-settler. After 4-5 settlers boat, spear, granary, barracks
I+r cow, chop+r tree.
Hope we learn alf from hut and science 10% for writing, if cer - misticism(10%)->poly(100%)->monarchy.
After gov change - first rush with upgraded war to sward(8-10)+1-2 scout+1-2 spear.
For 20 turns in GA should conquer at least 2 civs and 10 AI cities

 

[Più Freddo]

With the Cattle on BG, the four-turner is ready after just irrigating the two Cattle tiles and building the Granary.

Perhaps use a captured The Pyramids and a self-built TGL to trigger the GA?

 

[Più Freddo]

irrigating the two Cattle tiles

Actually, irrigating one is enough, since we're Agricultural.

 

[Spoonwood]

Actually, irrigating one is enough, since we're Agricultural.

Irrigate both and the second city might function as a worker pump.

 

[alfa156]

Irrigate both and the second city might function as a worker pump.

And u will have +7 food - so 3 turn growth = no need of granary, or just after 1-st ring is set up (4-6 cities). My rule is granary needed when 2 pop up (+40 food) need equal/more turns than to complete granary (60 production). When u have 2 very good tiles (2 cows) never admit less than 2 pop - settler on 4+ pop, never on 3

 

[Spoonwood]

I thought some more about this start. Having two grassland cows, there's 3 extra food per tile if both get irrigated. One irrigated grassland plus the extra food from the city center makes for 8 surplus food, and with 2 as the default growth, that's 10 food per turn once Republic (or Monarchy) and before rails. So, do we have enough production possibility to get to 10 shields per turn?

One from the city center, two from the cows, one from the irrigated bonus grassland at size 3 for 4 shields. So, without a single more bonus grassland, at size 6 there's 7 shields. Then with emphasize production on, and a mined hill not getting used by any other city, that makes for a size 6 capital producing 10 food and 10 shields per turn as a 1 turn worker factory!

Of course a single turn worker factory comes as easier to set up using more bonus grasslands, but other cities can use though too. Instant growth with a mountain or hill always in use for production though doesn't have food disadvantages.

 

[Più Freddo]

One from the city center, two from the cows

Three, I think. I see a BG under one of them. Definitely a one-turner. Or a two-turn Settler factory using some cash (120 each?).

 

[MrRandomGuy]

Three, I think. I see a BG under one of them. Definitely a one-turner. Or a two-turn Settler factory using some cash (120 each?).

Both cows are BG tiles

 

[Spoonwood]

Three, I think. I see a BG under one of them. Definitely a one-turner. Or a two-turn Settler factory using some cash (120 each?).

In my experience a 1 turn worker factory like this can also turn into a 2 turn settler factory during a golden age. Maybe not always though.

 

[Più Freddo]

In my experience a 1 turn worker factory like this can also turn into a 2 turn settler factory during a golden age. Maybe not always though.

All the more important to reach this situation A.S.A.P.! Which entails using the Chasqui Scout to trigger the Golden Age.

 

[MrRandomGuy]

All the more important to reach this situation A.S.A.P.! Which entails using the Chasqui Scout to trigger the Golden Age.

The Chasqui Scout has the same strength and defense as a regular warrior. You probably won't be able to trigger a GA with just one unless you're really lucky. The benefits of the scout are more for exploring hills and mountains since they count as a regular tile, clearing barb camps, and military police if you happen to pop a city hut far from the center of your empire. If you're looking to trigger the GA with the UU, then you should probably build one or two more to be safe.

 

[Più Freddo]

What you do is stack a few together with Horsemen, then wait for a red-lined Elite unit before attacking.

Sometimes the AS also has Warriors around.

 

[Spoonwood]

The Chasqui Scout has the same strength and defense as a regular warrior. You probably won't be able to trigger a GA with just one unless you're really lucky.

In addition to Piu Freddo's interesting idea about waiting with horseman for a red-lined defender and warriors being around, having two or three chasqui scout with catapults or trebuchets in a stack and then not using it to attack struck me as very feasible based on using a similar sort of plan to trigger a golden age with javelin throwers and higher level experience. Also, I recently used a healthy veteran bowman to trigger a golden age, I think against a redlined rifle in a city (checking... this is probably a victory).

Using some combat calculator a 4 hitpoint chasqui scout vs. a 2 defense strength unit with only 1 hitpoint on flatland has a 77.8% probability of the attacker winning on flatland. A 4 hitpoint one attack unit vs. a 3 defense strength unit with 3 defense but only 1 hitpoint has a 65.3% probability of winning. A 4/4 chasqui scout vs. a 1/4 musketman has a 55.9% probability of winning. A 4/4 chasqui scout vs. a 1/4 or 1/3 or 1/5, 3 defense unit, in a city or walled town on flatland also has over 50% probability of winning.

If the AIs also lack horses or iron, even if they have Nationalism, my experience suggests that will tend to put out longbows as attackers instead of rifleman. I could imagine keeping an AI alive, waiting for a longbowman, and redlining it.

 

[jasa_m]

This start location is absolutely sick. It just keeps on giving

 

[alfa156]

I've changed tacktics several times. Willing to start aggresively as usual, no near enemy, peasefully, AI attacked me even I give them tech for free. Have MPP and after 2-3 turn my allies declare war to me !?!?!? Switch to domination strategy and start killing AI. I will need at least 50 turns. Every 2-3 turn cities flop. Again the best strategy is 6-8 artilery+cavs+2-3 infantry.
Will never play again lower level of difficulty - no challenge. Waiting for SID/deity game

 

[templar_x]

you sure the barb setting is "roaming"?
t_x

 

[MrRandomGuy]

you sure the barb setting is "roaming"?
t_x

I am sure. It's the location that is making the barbs a little more pesky and active, especially if you have areas that you've explored but can't actively see due to the fog of war.

 

[Più Freddo]

I seem to remember having no barbarians at all. So peaceful. Farmer's Gambit Galore.