COTM 5 : First Spoiler (End of Ancient Age)

[gozpel]

My goal is 20k as well, funny to see 2 players already chosed that It will be an interesting race.

Cuzco was founded on the spot and I researched CB to get the temple by 3450bc. I continued the research on the bottom path and after Poly I picked Writing - Philo, trading for Alpabet from Romans. Got it and went for Monarchy and was in that government 1075bc.

I didn't trade away any of the techs, only Greeks demanded Pottery once, which I was just happy to give them.

Cuzco got its 12th citizen around 1300bc and got 25 shields with a little starving now and again.

By 1000bc I had only 6 cities (one from a settler from a hut) and this a record low for me. It's probably good for me to stop spawning too much for once.

Cultural builds:

Temple - 3450bc
Oracle - 1870bc
ToA - 1200bc
MoM - 925bc
Library - 875bc
Hanging Gardens - 590bc
Great Library - 270bc

I continued to keep the tech-pace down and entered MA 50bc At this stage I had 18 cities, which is a more normal figure for me.

 

[WackenOpenAir]

Hehe, gozpel, been concetrating on 5cc to much to normally expand now

 

[Grovor]

Been lurking a while (have learnt plenty, thankyou all), have played a couple of COTM but never submitted, figured I should get around to it, so here goes.

Being the first time I tried to keep notes, I haven't done a great job, and it makes me appreciate even more the effort everyone goes to each month in reporting.

Playing Open Class

Scout went to the hill and I settled on the spot. Did Granary and Settler was out in 3150BC. Then built a worker and barracks and a couple of settlers before everything was improved enough for the warrior settler factory to be up and running, don't know when exactly, I think around 2350BC.

Discovered Greeks first, traded masonry for alphabet. Got a couple of techs from huts but nothing particularly useful, got CB 2 turns before meeting India and so they had nothing to trade. Did pull a city to the north of Aztecs, its till around but hasn't done much. Traded some with most Civs, but was mostly 3-4 techs ahead after Republic was learned

Did the slingshot and got Republic in 1675BC, waited one turn to finish two settlers then got really lucky and drew 3 turns anarchy.

By 1000BC I was flying along, had:

18 Cities
50 Population
1 Settler
11 Workers
11 Warriors
1 Spearman
1 Chasoi Scout
1 Library
2 Temples
3 Barracks
3 Granaries
8 turns till Forbidden Palace finished
All AA techs save construction and polytheism
496 gold, +30 gpt

Lost the way a bit after this, I didn't have iron hooked up as I wanted to build plenty of warriors for a mass upgrade, my three cities with barracks (one was factory) between them were producing 7 warriors every 4 turns. Pretty quickly I had 30 or so warriors and my gpt had fallen to 0.
Had to cut back on research, slowly down entry to the middle ages.
Sent a few off to do Barb missions, upgraded 18 and went off to war with the Greeks.
Triggered Golden Age with a scout and raised Athens same turn, again got lucky and only lost 2 swordsmen in that fight.
Entered middle ages around 550 BC.

I really don't know what kind of victory to go for, the squandering of my good start has highlighted the need to decide before settling the first city.

 

[bluebox]

welcome to cotm, grovor! i believe you found a good spot to place your first post!

I had a look at the space race when I first loaded the save. What I saw showed me that the agricultural and expansionist Incas have to face a set of the best ancient uu's with high defensive values on a pangea map: the Roman Legion, the Greek Hoplite, the Carthagian Mercenary, the Celtic Swordsman. Moreover, the Indians and Japan are in the game with their hard-to-beat War Elephants resp. Samurais in the early Medieval Age.

We all know the Incas would have a leptosomic scout with the a/d values of a warrior as their uu. The work-around would be the typical swordmen rush and subsequent wars with several opponents each entering their golden ages while being attacked and high losses due to high defense values of the preferred units.

Instead, I decide to go for a builders' game throughout the ancient age, with priorities to wonders and research, trying to get cavalry as soon as possible, conquer the world, and finish the game with my first ever 100k victory.

The lack of horses didn't bother me, it's just another handicap for early warfare to me that I avoided.

I settled on spot, with the wheat it was possible to set up a settler factory at size 4 and a warrior/settler factory at size 5. I researched Ceremonial Burial first because I wanted to be able to build temples. I was successful with the republic slingshot. The Inca became Republic in 1300BC.

I produced Colossus, the Pyramids, the GLib. During late ancient age my main goals lie in the connection of dyes to the trade network, to grow towns to cities, to build libraries, and to prepare a Longbow Rush! I was entering medieval ages in ... I don't know - somewhere in the 300's BC? It'S not in my notes.

Here is my world in 290bc:

It's pretty late for the Pyramids but they got ransacked by some barbs.

 

[Sandman2003]

Open

After getting my first pre-1000AD finish in GOTM35, and studying the super fast finishes in that game, I decided that in order to trim some centuries off my finish, I needed a power start. After moving the scout to the hill, I confirmed the wheat (not a cow, but close enough) in the capital's radius, and determined the fatsest way to get a granary and pop a settler.

My sequence was mine bg, irr wheat, mine bg before any roading. The granary was fininshed in 3350BC, and first settler took 5 turns - ready in 3100BC - thereafter it was a perfect 4-turn settler factory until we revolted to republic.

We researched at max - alphabet, writing, code of laws then philosophy to get republic for free in 1625BC, drawing a 5 turn anarchy. I used the big picture, but decided to keep this period. So our republic was formed in 1525BC probably my earliest ever.

In 1200BC we switched to min research so that we would have cash for warrior upgrades. We needed a bunch of swords toliberate the horses off the Greeks.

At 1000BC, my QSC was the strongest I have ever produced -
15 cities
44 pop
2 settlers
17 workers

18 warriors
1 archer
6 swords
3 chasqui scouts
5 barracks
3 granaries

AA techs missing – construction, lit, map making and monarchy.

That makes a revised Bradley score of 80.

The only thing I found wrong with this build was that on republic with all my cities size 6 or less, I was really choking on the unit support. Given I had intentions of researching only to chivalry, I may well have been better off on monarchy, especially at this point in the game - later on I had no war weariness issues whatsoever, so republic served me well.

To get the horses, I declared war on the Greeks, but I had built a bunch of catapults, and I had no difficulty with Athens!

570BC - completed forbidden palace.

510BC - when I finally realised that by capturing Athens I had got the horses - I had assumed they were still in the fog, since I couldn't see them. Next time I will look for them with clean map before declaring war! - I gave them peace for a city, a worker and some cash

490BC - Enter MA (my earliest, but could have been much sooner if I had not been choking on unit support quite so much). Gifted Greece there, they got monotheism, which is probably the ideal tech for them to get. I was able to trade the republic, furs and 16gpt for it, and set research to feudalism, then chivalry at max.

Ainwood has set up a map with resource challenges and geographical challenges for the fast finisher - nicely done - I am still planning on beating my fastest finish.

 

[horragoth]

Opening moves turnlog

4000 BC	Scout NE,N, spotted Wheat
	Cuzco founded in start loc., build Granary
	Research "Ceremonial Burial" (Tax 0.10.0)
	Worker E, mine, road
	
3500 BC Researched "Ceremonial Burial" (managed tech overrun brought 1 GP)
	Research goal "Warrior Code"
	mm labor in Cuzco BG+,Wheat
	Worker NE (Wheat), irrigate, road
	
3300 BC	Cuzco built Granary, next: Chasqui
	mm labor in Cuzco BG+,F(furs)
	
3150 BC Cuzco size 4, adjusted Luxuries

3100 BC Cuzco built Chasqui, next Settler
	Worker W, mine, road
	
2900 BC	Researched "Warrior Code" (managed tech overrun brought 3 GP)
	Cuzco built Settler, next Settler
	Research goal "Warrior Code"
	Greek city spotted NW
	
2710 BC Cuzco built Settler, next Settler
	Tiwanaku founded, build Warrior

In short I have started building grannary right away (without warrior) to max pop-growth. Build order for capital was Granary-Chasqui-Settler, with an intention to make it a settler factory producing 2xSettler and Spearman each 8 turns.
I inserted Chasqui before the first Settler to provide perimeter defense against barbs until I manage to get some warriors from other cities. It took me quite a long to make decision here.
Research started with the cheepest techs first hoping to get those more expensive from GH (Oh, stupid me ).
I have contacted Greeks in 2550, Aztecs in 2390, Romans 1750, Indians 1625, Celts 1500, Japan 1225, all BC. I have made quite a few trades tech for ~25GP or less to speed the tech pace somewhat.
I have taken Republic slingshot, revolted in 1475 BC and formed Republic in 1325 BC. I am not sure if it was the right decision as my workers taken a larger part of my gold income. I reached MT in 590 BC.

 

[Grogs]

Open

The only thing I found wrong with this build was that on republic with all my cities size 6 or less, I was really choking on the unit support. Given I had intentions of researching only to chivalry, I may well have been better off on monarchy, especially at this point in the game - later on I had no war weariness issues whatsoever, so republic served me well.

I was having that same problem. By the time my first town hit size 7, I had something on the order of 3.5 units per town. I wasn't sure whether I could maintain *any* research in Republic and make positive gpt.

My biggest problem was in my research path. I told myself at the beginning of the game I was going for a military-style victory, so I wanted to go for monarchy. I overestimated the AI's research capability by quite a bit, thinking I could trade for CB, Mysticism, and Polytheism by the time I researched Philosophy, giving me Monarchy as my free tech. The error of this thinking soon became apparent though, because nobody was even close to Polytheism by the time I got Philosophy.

 

[Ronald]

OPEN, Going for Ancient Age Conquest

The ancient age conquest sounds like a fun variant I have never done before. On regent level it should be not too difficult (There were succession games with the theme of conquering a large world with Roman legions only on monarch and emperor. The only difference, they were allowed to research further, so logistics was easier with railroads)

Initial planning:

Research:
I only want to research fast to iron working and horseriding, everything else optional. Trading only for necessary techs like warrior code and bronze working, nothing else. I want the AI to be as slow as possible. The young world with probably many mountains will help that they stay apart for a long time and cannot trafe with each other.

Warfare:
Since I won’t research much, I will save lots of money. I will use it to mass upgrade warriors (hopefully iron is available) and then (after changing government to monarchy to speed up the production of horsemen (depending of course that horses are available.

Actual game:

I started at the spot, my scout explored north. My first built was a chasqui scout who traveled west. After that I built a granary to start a 4-turn settler or 2-turn worker factory. All other cities started barracks and after finishing barracks they built warriors. Whenever one of these cities grew to size five, they built a worker.
After having researched the wheel and iron working there were good and bad news: The good news is that we have iron, the bad news that there are no horses in our region. The next source is under the Greek capitol Athens.
So that is obviously our first target.

At 1000 BC I had 12 own cities, 14 workers and 20 something freshly upgraded swordsmen. The attack of Greece has just started and the first city, Sparta, is conquered.

In 750 BC the first war against Greece is over, I made peace for two cities and left Greece with just two cities.
My victorious army of swordsmen is now slowly marching towards Rome, accompanied by several workers to build a road.

At the same time a new army of about 20 swordsmen and 10 workers is on its way towards the Aztec country to open a second frontier.

In 750 BC I had about 45 swordsmen and produced the first 5 horsemen. From now on I mainly produced horsemen. One exception: I started to produce galleys to send towards Japan and on all galleys I put two swordsmen.
The war went as planned: Army one destroyed Rome, their reinforcement first destroyed Greece and then helped with Rome (I did not see a single legion). Army number two destroyed the Aztecs and India, then they both came together against the Celts.

After having finished the Celts, I had to build the long road through the marshland to reach Japan.

The Japanese spearmen fell easily. Just at the end of the war, Carthago and Japan made it into the middle ages.
I brought my troops as quickly is possible across the sea to Carthago. Thei Numidian mercenaries took heavy toll on my horsemen, but finally in 350 AD I got my first GL (actually two in one turn). The horsemen armies were excellent. 5 more turns and the world was conquered in 410 AD.

Lessons learned:

Statue of Zeus: I was under the impression that only a city with ivory in its city limits can build it. That’s wrong, as long as you have ivory somewhere, it can be built. I found that out too late, otherwise I could have got some ancient cavalries. These would have been great especially against the numidian mercenaries.
I switched too late to monarchy. An earlier switch would have speed-up my production of horsemen.


Overall I am quite happy with my result, but I am sure my finishing time will not be the fastest. My prediction is that the earliest conquest is before 250 AD.

Great map, fun game

Ronald

 

[BLubmuz]

I already submitted my Conquest victory, and I’m not satisfied for my result, so I have to change my strategy for next games (this is my 2nd try at COTM/GOTM).

Just some point:

1) Congratulations, Lord British for reach DV 1000 years sooner than me
2) My FP doesn’t work correctly, corruption was impossible in what would be my 2nd core (former Roman)
3) I usually play Emperor, and I play from civ2 era, but I never saw a so slow tech rate and so weak civs
(perhaps except the one in the island) and a lack of vet units
4) Of course, if I could imagine, I was more aggressive, and could gain maybe 500 years
5) Never see a war between AI civs during all the game, excluded an alliance against the Greeks that I triggered
6) Romans has iron, but (listen) did NOT hook, so instead of legions I fought against horses and AC (they has SoZ)
7) I’m learning a lot reading those threads, and I’m changing my way to play, I usually like to fight with ME units, but this seems less compatible with Jason score

Anyway, my 2 games scored over 7k (Jason) and I WANT to improve (I should improve my English too, but this is more difficult)

Ciao

 

[Florian K]

Open

Goal was domination or conquest victory (whichever came first).

This is my third GOTM (COTM4,COTM5, GOTM35), and the first one I kept a log for. I think it helped.

4000BC Scout to hill. Find Wheat. Found Cuzco. Worker to SW to fur (plan is chop tree, mine, then chop other fur). Start research for alphabet.

3550BC Meet the Greeks. Trade pottery for alphabet, Greek worker and 10 gold. Start research on writing.

3350BC Granary built

3200BC First Settler built.

2950BC Chasqui Scout built in Cuzco. It it then turned into a four turn settler factory. 2nd city founded.

2550BC Writing discovered. Meet the Aztecs. Trade Alphabet for warrior code, bronze working, 10 gold.

2190BC meet celts. Trade alphabet for ceremonial burial and 35 gold. Trade Aztecs masonry and ceremonial burial for iron working and 16 gold. Discovered iron is already hooked up as it lies under Machu Pichu.

2110BC Greeks demand writing as a tribute. As we have no military to speak of we comply.

2070BC Discover Code of Laws. Trade Celts iron working for the wheel.

1990BC Gift Aztec, Celts writing

1750BC Meet Japan. Trade alphabet,pottery for horseback riding and 10 gold.

1725BC discover Philosophy, Slingshot to Republic. Get lucky with 3 turn revolution

1700BC Meet the Romans

1650BC Become a Republic, start research on mathematics

1625BC Meet the Indians

1600BC Trade writing to the Japanese for mysticism and 25 gold

1550BC Mathematics discovered, start research on currency

1450BC Meet Carthage.

1350BC Discover currency, start research on polytheism

1300BC Trade Celts Mathematics and Code of Laws for Mapmaking and 25 gold

1250BC Polytheism discovered,start research on literature (I have intentionally been avoidin researching for construction as the AI usually set a high priority on it and hopefully can trade currency, polytheism and literature for it).

1150BC Literature discovered. Research turned off, so I can upgrade some warriors and exact revenge on the Greeks.

950BC We declare war on the Greeks

925BC Golden Age starts as the first two Greek cities fall.

900BC Forbidden Palace completed.

850BC We take Athens and get horses

750BC As the incompetant AI has still not research construction, the Inca will have to research it on their own.

730BC Peace with Greece for two cities (they have one city left).

670BC We enter the Middle Ages having discovered Construction.


QSC (1000BC)

18 cities
62 population
0 settlers
17 workers
3 slaves
13 Swordsman
1 Spearman
2 Chasqui Scouts
1 Curragh
1 Granary
7 Barracks


Positives

1. Good Start
2. Have Horses
3. Got lucky with 3 turn anarchy on becoming republic

Room for Improvement

1. wasted time researching literature (4 turns worth of gold, leading to 2 happening later)
2. could have attacked Greeks a lot earlier (17 Swordsman was a bit of overkill) and could have started Golden Age earlier - could likely have saved myself five or six turns by the end of the game

 

[Shinatoo]

I too am going for 20k for the first time ever. Though I would be the only one as everyone else seams to have the "Blood Lust". Thought I would settle the valley and live in peace. I was worried about the Mayans because they are prone to war with no provocation, in my experience.

I had a polite status with everyone until Rome decided to attack for no reason. Lost a few cities and set me back a little but I still managed to kick their collective butts.

 

[Doc Tsiolkovski]

My FP doesn’t work correctly, corruption was impossible in what would be my 2nd core (former Roman)

That's the way it should work. Rome is too far away, and there is no second core in c3c.

 

[Jason Fliegel]

I played Open. I started to keep a turn log, but scrapped it when too many entries were variations on "Scout moves west then northwest. Chasqui scout moves north twice." Anyway, some thoughts:

I had a rocky start. I was slow developing Cuzco (which I founded one square north of the starting position), and as a result, probably only had 2 or 3 cities by 1000 BC. I wound up populating the entire valley in which we start -- Greece filled in everything to the northwest of the western mountain range, and the Aztecs filled in everything to the east of the eastern mountain range. Greek Hoplites scared me, so I decided to expand into Aztec territory. I won the race for Philosophy, took advantage of the Republic slingshot and, once I was out of Anarchy, got the Aztecs to declare on me. Then I started churning out swordsmen (later, I started churning out Medieval Infantry with the occasional Pikeman). I'm stepping a bit into the next spoiler here, but by the early Middle Ages, I had easily wiped out the Aztecs (gaining the Pyramids in the process). I'm currently cutting through the Celtics with equal speed.

I made a few mistakes early on that would have been game-breaking if this were a higher level game. Like I said, I was slow developing Cuzco. I also underproduced workers, so that a lot of my core cities were working unimproved tiles by the late Ancient Age. I corrected this problem in the early Middle Ages, but I should have caught it sooner. I also lost 6-8 workers to barbarians.

Another mistake was the fact that I got into a war with the Celts without realizing that my trade route with Carthage went through Celtic waters. Since I was in a lux trade with them at the time, I shot my reputation to hell. Oh well.

The other mistake wasn't really a mistake as much as it was a comedy of errors. Most of you saw the horses under Athens. Like I said, Hoplites scared me, so I decided to go for the horses in Aztec territory. The problem is, the Celts declared on the Aztecs, raised the Aztec horse city, and built their own city. Then, when I conquered the Aztecs and declared on the Celts, I attacked that city. Unfortunately, it was a size one unexpanded city, so it razed when I took it. I sent a settler to that spot, but long before he got there, the Indians filled in the spot. I'll build on the other side of the horses and rush some culture, which will hopefully do the trick. If not, there's always Athens (Hoplites scare my Medieval Infantry less than they scared my swordsmen).

By the way, my hat is off to ainwood on the civ placement. We start surrounded two deep by civs with ancient-era unique units. If you manage to get past those, you come up against civs with early-Middle Ages unique units. The only thing that could have made it worse was replacing the Carthagininans with Ottomans (though I suppose the really good players will conquer the world before anyone reaches Military Tradition).

 

[WackenOpenAir]

I think most hope to conquer the world before pikes

 

[klarius]

Open

After several Gotms with conquest/domination I decided to try something different this month.
I didn't know initially if I wanted 20k or 100k. My goal is not necessarily the fastest finish, but at least a result over 10000 Jason.

I didn't turn my capital in a settler factory, but tried to optimise it for shields and get the pyramids as early as possible. Coupled with agricultural this should allow for fast expansion without dedicated settler factories.

Some dates:
3950 settled ne of starting position
3350 meet Greeks
2950 meet Aztecs
2510 meet Rome and the same turn get the only tech from a goody hut (myst)
1625 philosophy slingshot to republic, 5 turn anarchy
1500 meet Celts
1350 Greeks declare after a rebuffed extortion
1325 Pyramids complete
1100 meet India
925 meet Japan
825 enter middle ages

As usual for me, research was as high as possible throughout the AA. The AI civs contributed their starting techs, IW, Math and MM.
The scouting was done by the initial scout, 4 warriors (2 from huts) and a curragh. I never built a chasqui until much later and that also only by accident.
I only had war against Greece in AA and just killed a few units then made peace. But Greece redeclared breaking the peace treaty.
I entered MA with only 8 cities, but the expansion will soon speed up.
The war with Greece is disturbing the expansion, so I will have to do something about them soon.

 

[a space oddity]

I had a simular goal as you do, Klarius, hoping to find a 10k Jason score.

I was very pleased with my QSC stats in this game.

14 cities
39 citizens
8 workers
1 settler
21 warriors
2 Chaqui scouts
1 curragh
615g, making 1gpt

I wanted the Pyramids this game before any warring, so I build it myself.
I researched more than I did in GotM35 and it netted me almost all AA techs in 1000BC.

Nice touch of Ainwood to put the Horses on the hill, under Athens. They never stood a chance though, they were just too conveniently close by.
The other neighbours were interesting too, since they held the other nearby lux. I managed to get the Dyes without fighting but I just had to have the Gems too.

 

[MiniMe]

Goal is Domination (again). I will not give up until I have the earliest domination date - dont know if that will ever happen, but I live in hope.

Opening
Settled in place - started granary - chopped a forest. Life was simple. Chasing wild boar - partying with Obelix and his friends. If you get bewildered now, that would be normal. At least you read my post, and I appreciate it

I sent my initial scout to map the terrain around my camp but gave nothing interesting. I quickly understood that god-of-the-games hadnt been too generous with the goodie huts. So I finally got the point and sent my scout north to try and establish contacts. I lost this guy VERY early after some utterly stupid movement that put me just in front of some hungry barbarian. Not a pleasant sight.
Consequently, after the first settler I built a Chasqui.

As far as research is concerned, I am going for Republic as usual. I discover Republic in 1575BC. I start anarchy and pulled a 4 turn anarchy. Republic established in 1450BC.

State of the Inca nation in 1000BC:
19 cities (37 citizens)
2 settlers
18 native workers
9 warriors
3 chasqui warriors
3 granaries
196 gold
Missing Construction (4 turns) and Polytheism to get to Middle Ages. Not aiming for Monarchy.

Entering Middle Ages in 750BC.

I had at that point made the choice to go for Military Tradition before taking over the world. In hindsight that proved to be a major mess up, even though I got my earliest domination date. More on that later on.

 

[Offa]

Open

Well there certainly are some spectacular starts here. Mine isn't as good as many of these but was good enough for me. I was much more careful than I have been recently and for the first time in a long time didn't get rioting in my capital or mess up the settler factory.

I presume like most people, I settled on the spot and set up a 4 turn warrior/settler factory. I choose to build a chasqui scout before anything else with the hope of picking up some workers from the AI. Unfortunately this didn't work, but the scout did chance upon 2 undefended towns (one Aztec and one indian) which he of course entered out of sheer curiosity, accidentally destroying them .

I had a tiny little war with greece at the end of the qsc, destroying one town and getting 2 more for peace. This gave me a reasonable 15 towns at 1000bc. At least i thought it was reasonable until I read the other reports. At 1000bc I had 15 towns, 4 settlers, 13 workers (+ a few slaves which I bought for techs, not captured) 10 swordsmen 2 warrior and 2 Chasqui.

I learnt philosophy in 1650bc and chose Republic, drawing a 5 turn revolution. Monarchy would have been better as the upkeep was very expensive. I eventually entered the middle ages and a golden age simultaneously in 670bc.
No ancient age conquest for me.

I see that some people built the Pyramids which strikes me as a good idea. I did build the temple of Artemis which is very powerful. Eventually I used my one and only leader of the game to build a forbidden palace, but I suspect an army would have been better.

Earlier horses would have been good. I didn't get them hooked up till 310bc. Athens was on a hill defended by hoplites which was not a tempting target early on and the Aztec horses were a long way to the north.

 

[Denniz]

1.22f - Open Class - Going for Spaceship (still playing)

Ancient Age

I sent the scout to the hill. Saw the wheat the east. I decided to settle in place. I mined & roaded the BG and the irrigated the wheat. I built two Chasqui scouts, a settler and then granary. I forgot to chop forest to speed things up. I think I used the scouts to good effect but the stats show that my start was slower as a result. I got 7-8 GH for gold, 3 techs, and some maps. Maybe more than that, I didn’t keep track. Of course all the good for getting the tech was offset by the fact that the third one (Myst, HBR, and Philosophy) came while still researching CoL. So I missed the sling-shot and only got ¾ researched CoL as my free tech.

I discovered I had settled on iron when I went to build a warrior, otherwise I would have waited to connect as I concentrated on building barracks wanted to build a lot of warriors. I had built relatively few warriors/swordsmen early on. I had 8 or so all around my borders keeping the barbs at bay. I had lost a warrior attack a barb camp to the northeast and was in the process upgrading my defenders to swordsmen by rotating them into a barracks. I moved my eastern swordsman north to the barb camp. He was down to 2 yellow after his first attack when an Aztec Jaguar Warrior appeared beside him.

He made a beeline towards the unprotected city the next turn. At that point, I had nothing that could prevent him from auto-razed that city in 1025BC. To add insult to injury, the same swordsman (now healed) intercepted the Jaguar on his way back a couple turns later and lost. (I’m sure give them their GA.)

QSC:
10 cities (+1 destroyed), 40 pop, 2 settlers, 10 workers, 4 Slaves (purchased with tech), 1 warrior, 8 Swordsman, 2 Chasqui, 2 Curragh, 1 Granary, 7 Barracks. Literature in 2 turns, need construction, Currency, MM and a government.

I got alliances with the Celts and India against the Aztecs. So I stayed at war with them for 20 turns. It was mostly quite, although towards the end I auto-razed their city on the Dyes. I sent the next settler to resettle there. I got a city to the NE for peace after the MA’s expired. In the meantime, the Greeks sent a warrior\settler combo south and was attempting to skirt around my southern border along the coast. I couldn’t block him so I decided to get a couple slaves rather than a closer neighbor. I eventually took their nearest city NW along the inland sea and got another north of the sea for peace when I would talk again. Not a terribly active war but I didn’t have many units during that period as expansion was my priority and there was still plenty of room.

I researched Monarchy by hand. I would have taken Republic if I could have gotten it, but I am more comfortable warring in Monarchy. I got a 7 turn anarchy. I entered the MA in 350BC. I had 20 cities, 3 settlers, 78 pop, 17 workers, 6 slaves, 19 Swordsmen, 2 Chasqui, 2 Curragh, 1 Granary, 9 Barracks and Forbidden Place (690BC).

I made a point to build the FP as early as possible to increase productivity. My slow start and my luck wasn't too good but with an early FP, maybe I can make it up.

 

[rrau]

open

4000 bc settle in place, start research at max on alphabet

3300bc Meet Greece trade Masonry and Pottery for Alphabet, BW, 10g. Also met Aztecs trade Masonry for WC + 10g

3000bc Thucydides announces we are the most advanced nation of the world

2900bc Meet India Trade Masonry for CB + 10g

2670bc Settler pump set up as a 5-7

2630bc Meet Rome, traded Masonry for 10g

2390bc Popped the first GH I've found for Mysticism

2310bc Popped 2nd hut for maps. Met Celts and traded Masonry for 35g

2070bc somehow messed up my settler factory, dropped to size 4 but looks like now a 4/6 factory will work

1990bc, we are the least happy nation - but haven't rioted in any cities (yet)

1950bc Popped 3rd hut (right next to Indian capital) for Wheel. Trade Rome CB & Pottery for IW and a worker. Trade Greece Mysticism for 50g.

1700bc Cuzco rioted (forgot lux slider) Traded Aztecs CB + 34g for a worker. Popped a hut for a warrior. Popped another hut for 50g

1675bc Meet Japan. Traded Masonry for 35g. Traded Aztecs Mysticism for 34g. Traded Celts Alphabet for 25g

1575bc ibt Greece demands Writing. Refused, no war.

1475 learn Philosophy and take Republic as free tech - no revolt yet - need to get a settler out first

1450 revolt with a 6 turn anarchy

1300bc Incan Republic is born

1275bc Trade Japan IW = 72g for HBR and worker. Trade Greece Col for Math + 3g. Trade India writing for 25g. Trade Rome math for 25g. Trade Celts Math for 15g. Trade Japan math for 82g

1125bc Celts demanded literature - no. They dow on us

1000bc stats courtesy of Military Advisor and CivAssist:

975bc one of my Chaquasi scouts ended a turn next to a wandering celt archer and survived and kicked off my GA I has wanted to wait, but at least I'm in a republic and not depotism

900bc Celts pay us 15g for peace; sell Philosophy to Rome for MM +22g; Sell Philosophy to Japan for 40g

730bc Learned currency and Greece knows construction. Trade Currency & Philosophy for Construction +21g.

630bc Learned Polytheism and entered MA - Greece entered at same time

Plan for MA: get some horses