COTM 21 Pre-game Discussion

[killercane]

Predator is fine . I would hate to have another "AI cost factor increased to whatever level " handicap though. My favourite one would be giving some extra workers to the AI because they always seem to build to few roads, at least below demigod

They could take away our starting worker and increase the cost factor as long as we retain alphabet and our AGR trait. Though with 4 alphabet civs that probably would not be a big loss either. Just give us our starting traits Karasu!

 

[Karasu]

Traits are unaltered

With requests for both Emperor and Demigod, I opted to leave the level at Emperor, and set the AI starting units and unit support (but not the cost factor) to Demigod for the Predator class.
This way, they start with an extra settler and worker and it all plays close enough to the actual Demigod level (at least, in the test I ran).

Well, I tried to satisfy everyone -the normal result of this kind of effort is that nobody is ultimately pleased, but then... such is life

Oh, another thing. I left Germany and changed Portugal to Carthage

 

[azzaman333]

Oh, another thing. I left Germany and changed Portugal to Carthage

That cant be good...

 

[Obormot]

... I opted to leave the level at Emperor, and set the AI starting units and unit support (but not the cost factor) to Demigod for the Predator class.

That is really cool. I like it like that. Human research speed is not slowed down, but the AI are more developed and there are more roads. Especially good for domination.

 

[denyd]

These horsey things you speak of, tell me, player of the last 3 XOTM games, what are they? Thin elephants perhaps, Only barbarians and non-believers seemed to posess them. Neither the Spanish, Arabs or Americans were so blessed to ever witness them until quite late in the adventure.

Being that this is a COTM, the extra food for the Agricultural will help jump start the growth. Among the AI only the Dutch are AG, but their SEA trait is wasted on Pangaea.

I will probably settle in place and go warrior ->warrior->settler-> granary-> settler. Research for the Republic Slingshot at maximum. It should be quite a race for CoL and Philo. Hoping a couple of the AI take a non-direct route to give me a chance at a free Republic. The Map Making distraction is my best shot.

This is one of the four natural tribes (Rome, Byzantium & Sumeria the others) that I have not won an XOTM with yet, so it's a must play.

 

[Twonky]

Research for the Republic Slingshot at maximum. It should be quite a race for CoL and Philo. Hoping a couple of the AI take a non-direct route to give me a chance at a free Republic. The Map Making distraction is my best shot.

A race it will be indeed: 5 rivals start the game with Alphabet. This Cotm seems to be set up to make the slingshot difficult to achieve. Another way to get it might be to research Philosophy after Writing and not finishing it until CoL can be bought. The AI usually prefers CoL over Philosophy, but there is the risk you lose the free tech altogether...

 

[classical_hero]

This must be something new for me so here is a noob question, for COTM. What exactly is Predator class?

 

[King Of America]

What are Carthage's C3C attributes?

 

[PaperBeetle]

What are Carthage's C3C attributes?

Seafaring and industrious, and their UU is that curious spearman.

 

[denyd]

Classical_Hero: Predator & Conquest classes were setup to allow players at both ends of the expierence level to have more fun with the game. For predators, they normally either penalized (think more expensive UU, losing a starting tech or trait) or the AI is given a bonus (think increased unit support, extra starting units, etc). The game moderators attempt to add a twist to the game to make it more challenging to the top players.

 

[AlanH]

Game's released here

 

[Rustwork]

at emperor with the river start i think we will have the ability to make the slingshot. doesn't look like a great food start, but AGR will help. like the decision on difficulty. worker will check the mountain to be sure we aren't missing anything. warrior, worker, settler, granary. i think a second city will be needed to keep an edge on research. that early slingshot is so big, and i think it is possible so must be attempted.

 

[denyd]

Twonky
A race it will be indeed: 5 rivals start the game with Alphabet.

The key will be how soon the AI meet Germany as he's the only one to start with BW. Until they meet Germany and can trade for BW, that's what they'll be researching. The hope is that by the time writing is complete I'll have 5-6 cities and be able to do CoL in under 10 turns then Philo in about 8 or less.

 

[DBear]

Meh, shoulda left Portugal in. Don't see them very often in CotM.

 

[Twonky]

The key will be how soon the AI meet Germany as he's the only one to start with BW. Until they meet Germany and can trade for BW, that's what they'll be researching. The hope is that by the time writing is complete I'll have 5-6 cities and be able to do CoL in under 10 turns then Philo in about 8 or less.

That is good thinking imho, thanks!
Exploration might prove to be as crucial as commerce. So I prefer your build order of warrior->warrior over rustworks warrior->worker.
My guess is our direct neighbours are Greece, Rome and maybe Carthage, for they have defence 3 UUs.

 

[PaperBeetle]

Two of these AI (Rome and Germany) make famously bad neighbours. Also note Karasu's comment about Otto misbehaving. Can we expect an early dow from the guy with the spears?

 

[denyd]

It's not Otto's spears that scare me, it's that he also starts with 2 archers + that he can build them from the start is what's scary. By going for the Republic Slingshot it'll be quite a while before I'll have anything except warriors in my military unless I can trade or pop a hut for Warrior Code, The Wheel or Bronze Working.

 

[denyd]

Change of plans - Since I've suddenly got the HOF bug again, I'll be playing this for a quick conquest / domination win. Early builds will remain warrior-warrior-settler-granary, but research will change to The Wheel - Warrior Code & Horseback Riding. Hoping to find horses very close to the start and will begin pumping out Mounted Warriors. Twonky is probably right about Carthage & Greece as closest neighbors, so whoever else is next door is target # 1 (I don't fear Rome pre-Iron Working).