COTM14 Third Spoiler - World Map, end of Middle Ages

Puppeteer · Jul 21, 2005

Open, fixed barbs, CivAssist II
2nd spoiler link

At the end of the 2nd spoiler I am in builder mode and have my original landmass loosely settled and have at least 3 major cities really cruising. I already had contact with the world and am the tech leader and I believe the best shield producer. I must be the best researcher but F11 says my annual income is around 3rd or 4th. Germany was eliminated in 410 BC after being a OCC in 1050 BC. I have the weakest military with the possible exception of the beaten-down Babs.

This spoiler starts after 150 BC. I get 2 cities on the western isle but spain grabs a spot, too. This worries me as I'm not geared up for war and certainly not defending an island even if it is close.

Babs are falling way behind their neigbors after early warring so I gift them into the MA and they get a tech I have.

I start building spears as I don't see buying or settling iron anytime soon. (Nobody has spare iron, but luckily few have any iron at all.) Believe it or not I didn't hook up horses until 90 AD, but start building a few for homeland defense. All military after the first two warriors have been built in rax towns; near the end of this spoiler I'll have reg riflemen on the way, though.

I put a couple of cities on the big SE isle skipping the tiny islands in hopes of keeping rank corruption down and making that island actually useful. Later in the turns I decide that was a mistake because I don't have the military to protect those towns that far offshore. So these two towns build temple (after the coastal one builds a harbor) and then make workers for a while until near the end of the spoiler they're working on reg riflemen because I think that island will be productive for me due to my loose city placement and low corruption, and as you'll see I won't have the military to spare sending over there.

In 270 AD I get Astronomy and now feel safe in trading overseas (which I've been avoiding due to barbs). In 300 AD I notice the AI start having extra money and start draining it from them through tech trades. From this point on I usually have many luxes and low- and later no lux tax.

In 350 AD Sistine chapel completes. After this London stays busy trying to get the science wonders and the other major producing towns work on markets, libraries, cathedrals, unis and banks if they don't alredy have them. Major builder mode trying to max science and pick up happiness on the way. I wanted Bach's and Shakes but was researching techs faster than I could build, and with the early MA wonders there were many wonder builds progressing with other civs so I skipped all optional techs and tore through the required ones. I picked up Navigation through trade and probably a couple of required techs, too, as I concentrated on the top half of the tree. In 510 AD Copernicus completes and I start Magellan's as a prebuild for Newton's. I didn't notice at the time, but Sumer completed Magellan's the turn after I got ToG. Close one on the prebuild! Finish Newton's in 660 AD and London starts catching up in nonwonder builds but is a science powerhouse and even has a shot at a late 20k victory I think even though I'm going for space. In 760 AD Spain gets Free Artistry. I immediately trade for it and change London to Shake's. No other wonder builds are going so I should have it in the bag although she started it the next turn but in a shield poor city. I conceded Bach's back when ~~Free Artistry~~ Music Theory was discovered because there were too many wonder builds going and I didn't think a 15spt city could get it. (London was busy with another wonder.) When I get back to the game I may think about a prebuild for Smith's as no one has researched the tech yet and only Spain has a wonder build going.

Backing up a bit, in 540 AD I realize that I can't afford to lose one mainland city because they're all building very nicely, yet I don't have enough spears to go around and have only 5 archers and no horses and no resources for anything better. I start building spears and thinking I'll try to hold out until Nationalism to upgrade them, or in a pinch get Sumer's extra saltpeter and upgrade them, but Sumer has traded their salt to someone else. I also build a few horses for fast movers and thoughts of upgrading them. I don't panic build but get 3 or more secondary cities on military. I don't want to invade anyone, but I need to protect my island. I also decide I will fight to keep the west island as it's almost 1st ring but decide I'll abandon the SE isle if attacked since I don't have the might to hold it. My preparations are for a Spanish invasion and I have some extra ancient units on the west isle with that in mind. I'm also wary of the Vikes who have berserks, but they don't know where I am yet and I think I have some time to build defenses for them. Plus I have trades going.

In 630 AD I enter IA. I decide to wait until I finish Newton's before trading Sumer into IA and gifting the backward babs into IA for trades. Newtons is built in 660 AD with another significant development explained in the next paragraph. In that turn Sumer is traded to IA and Babs gifted to IA. Sumer gets Medicine, Babs get Nationalism. I can't trade because I have few or no MA optional techs but I figure it makes self research cheaper. They trade to each other shortly before I get Nationalism so I can't trade for Medicine.

In 660 AD a Viking caravel sails out of the fog and its berserk attacks Coventry (Northern shore of West isle)...defended by one archer. They broke a 2-lux trade. Of course they take the city. Panic mode as I can't handle 6-attack aggressors just yet.... Luckily I did start building military so I figure I might keep them from taking a mainland city. I also had enough extra happiness I didn't have any cities riot from the loss of 2 luxes! (Well I did get war happiness.) Oddly enough the northern and southern hemispheres haven't met yet, but Spain had PP so I traded contact with Vikes and allied them against the vikes as close defense. Sumer is a strong neighbor to the vikes so I ally them against them even though I can't stand strenthening them with furs & silks. After Sumer declares I notice they have their extra salt back so I buy it and start madly upgrading spears to muskets even though Nationism is a few turns away, but I have several horses to upgrade....OOPS! I don't have Mil Trad. as it's optional and I didn't think I'd need it this soon. Vikes send 3 caravels down; I sink the first losing a galley (I have no iron recall and had no salt) but the other 2 have 2 Frigate escorts each. I'm upset with Sumer for not occupying them, but Spain is trying to take Coventry and occupying the vikes so they don't attack my cities except one elite berserk who wanted wandered down to Great Wymondley form coventry but I had 2 muskets and possibly a rifle by then. As soon as I got Nationalism I started madly upgrading to rifles and got Mil Trad. in 4 turns and upgraded all horses. At the end of the spoiler I have and "average" military to Vikes and believe I can fend them off. Sumer made peace, so I'll wait for Spain to give in (or the MA to run out) and them make peace myself. I forgot to add I recaptured Coventry...failed on the first try as its on a hill, but the second try there was only a 2/5 berserk defending due to a Spanish siege and the vike garrison had just sailed to attack Spain somewhere.

As the spoiler ends I'm researching steam power. I'm assuming I don't have coal, and I know I don't have iron and have no trades available although with riflemen now I might take that iron isle to the NE w/oodles of barbs. I haven't looked since I went IA but I bet there's even more now. The viking war will end as soon as Spain makes peace or the MA runs its 20-turn course. I expect to cruise through the IA trading for more and more gold per turn. I'm already running with no lux although I want to get hospitals soon. My next big puzzle is how to get rails as I need to obtain iron and I'm assuming coal will need to be imported. I expect any wonder I want from now on is mine, but I'll probably take only the science ones and UN. I'm not a wonder builder usually so I don't even know what's available after ToE. I believe everyone is in IA now, but I had to gift Babs and France to get there. I'm trying to help out the lagging civs so they're not overrun by their neighbors because I don't want a runaway AI. In my game Sumer is the biggest worry although Spain is really holding her own and capable of wiping out France and starting to run away; plus she has more culture and threatens to flip Great Wymondley. My origianl plan was to have a navy to keep vikes and others away from my lands, but I don't have the resources for such a navy. The IA should be interesting.

Spoiler is hiding dates through 150 BC (2nd spoiler with Northern civ names added):

Spoiler :

110 BC: Great Wymondley (12 cities) on western isle; first city on other landmass
50 BC: Coventry (13 cities) on western isle
50 BC: First tribute demand of game (?!) gives Lit to Dutch...GL was already built by Spain. Guess he likes libraries
90 AD: Finally hook up horses
110 AD: Warwick (14 cities) on SE isle
350 AD: Sistine Chapel
420 AD: Little Wymondley (15 cities) on SE isle
510 AD: Copernicus' Observatory
630 AD: Enter IA
660 AD: Vikings sneak attack amphibiously and capture Coventry; MA Spain and Sumer against them. Sumer then has extra saltpeter which I buy--my first strategic resource besides horses
660 AD: Newton's University
780 AD: Recapture Coventry thanks to Spain weakening defenders and Vikes stupidly evacuating defenders

EDIT: Edited for a couple of brain farts. There's a third somewhere but I lost it.

DBear · Jul 24, 2005

Late ancient--early medieval spoiler

Knighthood

At this time I have a decision. London can get
Sun Tzu in 18--or Knights Templar in 3. Since
we have no iron, thus no knights, I select the
templars as they will help us offensively, plus
I feel much more sure of getting that wonder.

In 300 I trade France mono for dyes and gold. 3
turns later, Izzy tries to extort furs. I call
her bluff this time, figuring I have friends that
I can bribe. She backs town. At this time I
pick up Theo + invent. Start upgrading archers
to longbows.

I end up selling Spain the furs for 104 + 4/turn.
If you want it, Izzy, pay for it like everyone
else. In 390 Willy extorts 23 gold. I find that
strange, as I have much more than that in the
treasury, so it's no problem for me to pay. Sumeria
has picked up Ed at this time and I was hoping to
get guns first, so I turn research back on.

The crusades

We founded Ipswich in 410 next to a horde of barbs
that inexplicably didn't attack. :confused:

I check and make
sure that NoAIPatrol=0, and it is. The GL closes
next turn with the pickup of Ed + guns. We have
no saltpeter, but know where we can get some.
There is also an unclaimed iron island nearby.

In 440 our defender in Ipswich is overrun :aargh:

and
barbs loot us. This would have consequences later.
In 550 the Sumerians get Leonardo while
London had 2 turns of research left on it.
Fortunately we get astro next turn, so London
switches to Cops. We are strong to France,
average to Spain and weak to everyone else. The
Vikings are still unknown.

In 580 barbarians defeat our crusader and settler
on iron island. They will pay. In 610 trade
Germany guns to keep the silk coming. Everyone
else has guns by this time. Next turn we trade
astro to France for dyes + music. Meanwhile a
second force to iron island survives and builds
Leeds, starting a harbor.

We also founded Norwich on the saltpeter, but
don't have data on when it was founded. :sad:

The Sumerian War

In 680 we learn chem, which we trade to the Dutch
for bank, nav, WM, 250 + 3ppt. Trade chem to
Sumeria for 70 + 52/turn. WM shows the Vikings
are very weak, having been beaten down by Sumeria.
Use the money to open embassies to Dutch and Sumeria.
Also rush harbor in Leeds so we can build iron
units.

Remember that defender in Ipswich that was overrun?
Well, a replacement hadn't been built yet, and
next turn Sumeria lands troops outside Ipswich.
As expected, Sumeria razes it. No problem, we
bribe the Dutch to fight them for gems and furs.

In 710, Exeter flips to Germany :wallbash:

. Next turn, Dutch
sign the Vikings up against Sumeria. Looks like
the Vikings got their butts kicked by Sumeria
earlier, but it looks like world war is brewin'.

In 750 I trade Babs chem for PP+4+contact w/Viks.
They are very backward, barely into medieval era.
2 turns later, Spain joins the war against Sumeria.
We also learn metal at this time. Next turn the
Germans join in. Sumeria, by holding the largest
content, would be a tough nut to crack, tho.

:queen:

of the seas

In 790 I trade metal to the Dutch for physics,
spice, WM + 60. Trade Germany Physics for 70 +
31gpt. We start researching magnets to get some
Menowar out there.

Meanwhile, the Sumerians have founded their own
city on the island, named Der. What kinda name
is that? :crazyeye:

Crusaders cut through longbows to an
Enkidu defender. We raze it in 840 and rebuild
Ipswich next turn. By this time Amsterdam has
finished Magellan.

Sometime in the late 800s we picked up magnets,
started grav, and tried to attack the w Sumerian
island, which failed. One of my crusaders didn't
scratch an Enkidu defender! I had to turn lux up
to 10%. Also, I lost the race to Smith and can't
even switch to another wonder, so I end up with
an expensive bank. :gripe:

In 930 our first manowar is attacked by 3 barb
galleons. It goes leet and captures one of them!
:goodjob:

We also learn grav, moving into the IA.

PaperBeetle · Jul 29, 2005

The Peace Years (440ad - 860ad)

440ad finds the Republic of England at peace for the first time in centuries. Germany are long gone, and the great enemy is Spain. I have taken their easternmost city, Barcelona, but have failed to hold Cadiz from flipping, and I cannot progress further with my outdated, battered military. Spain's free flip defenders are now muskets, but I have not even got any iron hooked up.

We are all in the early medieval era - I have all the second-tier techs, and I have a big wonder build going in a first-ring city. Initially, I had hoped to build Leonardo, and chose to stick to my guns when the AI started building it too. In retrospect I regret not changing to Templars; this wonder went to Babylon in 410ad. I was thus comitted to Leonardo, but Sumeria grabbed it three turns before my build was due. The only wonder left to me is Michaelangelo. I don't plan to build any cathedrals, but I am too proud to waste so many shields, so the Chapel is built in Woolmer Green in 490ad.

England's focus now switches to infrastructure, as I concentrate on getting my main cities up and running with first-level buildings. Commerce is strong, and even with my poor infrastructure I can research fast enough to keep up with the AI. Tech trading is high too, and in 800ad Gravity draws me into the Industrial age. The scientific civs got there just ahead of me, and swapped free techs, so I don't yet have much tech leverage in this age.

I have been snooping around Iron Isle too, using Gem Isle as a base of operations. Occaisonal landings of defensive troops have soaked up some barbs, and I found the first town, on the southern spot, in 750ad. I put another town on the western hill spot in 800ad, but Babylon founded on the northern spot the turn before! The iron is a disputed tile, and their town radius was esatblished first... it's time for a culture battle.

The wonder cascades start falling against me again. I had hoped to trigger the golden age with Magellan, for a truly dominant navy. My capital had a build going, but Babylon snatched it in 820ad. I have moments to dream of triggering the GA with Smith before Sumeria picks it up in the cascade. I am left with Newton, which completes in 850ad. I'll have to get my GA from the man o' wars now, and for that I'll need the iron; I get ready to rush a temple in one town on Iron Isle, and a harbour in the other.

The culture war over the iron is not the only conflict on my mind. Spain has remained my target, and I have built myself a new army with which to push west from Barcelona. Its main strength lies in the legendary british longbow, but recently I have been able to trade saltpeter from the Dutch, and I have a small number of cavalrymen. It isn't a huge force, but the enemy should be overstretched; France has kept the original Spanish war going ever since 370bc, with little prompting from me. In 860ad I am ready to return to the fray, and after failing to provoke Bella with a boot order, I dow. The war machine rolls again...

Sabre · Jul 30, 2005

Predator space attempt

Ancient Age

I entered the Middle Ages in 775bc still at peace with Germany and with my half of the continent, the southeast large island and several smaller islands settled. Libraries, Courthouses and Universities are being built everywhere while a force of horses is slowly built up on the German border. The first major challenge of the Age was the resources. Iron was achieved off and on with a culture battle with France in the same spot as Kuningas. I had given up on swords and knights by this point so my only goal was holding the source long enough for railroads. Another town was used to claim the gems, reaching the spot just ahead of the Germans. Finally, saltpeter was claimed on a marshy barb-infested island and connected via harbor just before Military Tradition was researched.

In 560ad my Cavalry are upgraded and it's time to give the Germans the boot. With just spears and archers, the Germans were brushed aside in a mere 6 turns and I was in sole possession of the continent and most of the SE island. Germany was left with 2 towns on SE island and several more on the west island. Once starved down, the captured German cities were no flip risk and I wanted to keep Bismark around for the free tech.

Speaking of techs, I was the first civ to the Middle Ages and chose Engineering as my first tech. A short time later I gifted Babylon and Germany to the Middle Ages and they recieved Monotheism and Feudalism respectively - a beautiful stroke of luck! My goal was to research the bottom of the tech tree and be very generous in handing out free techs in the hopes that the other civs would get the top of the tree for me. Initially this worked, but slowly. Midway through the age I picked out the largest, most scientifically inclined civs and gave them all my extra luxes even if they didn't have anything to trade in return. This had a nice effect in speeding up their tech pace with Spain, the Dutch and later on Babylon really helping out nicely. In 530ad we traded for Magnetism and entered the Industrial Age.

Techs:
490bc - Engineering
490bc - Monotheism (Babylon for Engineering, Lit)
450bc - Feudalism (Spain for Monotheism)
170bc - Theology
170bc - Chivalry (Spain for Theo, Eng)
10ad - Invention
150ad - Gunpowder (Spain for 14gpt) - I had researched much of this myself
310ad - Chemistry
310ad - Astronomy (Dutch for Chemistry)
310ad - Printing Press (Spain)
310ad - Music Theory (Spain for Astronomy)
370ad - Metallurgy
370ad - Banking (Spain for Chemistry)
370ad - Navigation (Dutch for Banking)
430ad - Physics
430ad - Democracy (Spain for Physics)
480ad - Theory of Gravity
530ad - Military Tradition
530ad - Magnetism (Spain for Military Tradition)

Every tech I researched was first traded around to anyone who could pay. I then gave the tech to the others for free. I would then choose techs like Chemistry and Physics to research myself while giving the other civs time to research the others. For the most part this worked well, but mostly from Spain and the Dutch and even they took their sweet time getting Magnetism (Spain actually researched ToG just before I did so I chose the wrong tech to go for there - costing me 5 turns.) I probably could have left the others out of the loop, but keeping everyone at tech parity kept the wars down and everyone happily building infrastructure. It was nice having the trade monopoly between the north and south for much of the age.

Andronicus · Aug 1, 2005

3rd Spoiler later MA

230AD research Invention
300AD build Leos to upgrade my horses to cavs (have decided to bypass knights as unable to obtain iron)
320AD research Gunpowder no salt only feasible access is on small Spanish island I must have it!!! Decide need stronger units to fight Spain -> switch Sun Tzus to Knights Templar
370AD Trade Theology from Sumeria
470AD Research Chemistry trade Education from Spain
480AD Complete Knights Templar
500AD Research Metallurgy
510AD Sumerian Viking war results in broken trade route I lose 3 luxs which were traded for with techs Trade Sumeria for Astronomy
560AD Mil Trad researched
610AD Research Banking notice that France and Neth learned last 3 techs the same turn as me Neth has GL but that should have expired with education
620AD Trade Sumeria for Navigation and Printing Press
Spain demand Nav refuse they back down (my saltpeter invasion force is nearly ready)
660AD Research Economics
700AD Build Magellans -> start GA
740BC dow Spain (they are now a Democracy) ally French
750BC capture Salt city with stack 4 treb and 6 crusaders only lose 1 my fear now is a flip I park units all around it to prevent reinforcements from mainland and build workers
770BC Build Smiths
790BC Research Th Grav -> IA

COTM14 Third Spoiler - World Map, end of Middle Ages

Puppeteer

Emperor

DBear

unbeliever

PaperBeetle

Emperor

Sabre

Cheftain

Andronicus

Emperor

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