COTM33 - First Spoiler

[Desertsnow]

That was another reason for playing this differently. I wanted to see how well I could do without it, and yes, I was keeping more or less abreast of the general tech pace for most of the game. I have a few personal games at Monarch in progress, only one of which has GL, and I'll see soon enough how I do without grabbing every Wonder I can lay hand on.

 

[Più Freddo]

Predator, Conquistadores and Ancient Units Conquest Challenge

Like many others, I sent the Worker east to the Mountain to recce, but
unlike others I liked what he saw: Bonus Grassland by a Lake. Madrid
was founded 2SE from the starting position. Although I, unknowingly,
thus missed having a Wheat tile in the Capital, I'm still satisfied
with this decision. The juicy grassy southern part of our peninsula is
nearer to the capital. Two Cattle cities on the coast at distance 4
and a Wheat city on the coast at distance 5.

3900 BC Found Madrid
2550 BC Found Barcelona
2110 BC Found Seville
1790 BC Found Toledo
1400 BC Found Santiago
1350 BC Found Salamanca
1175 BC Found Murcia
1125 BC Found Valencia
1100 BC Found Zaragoza
650 BC Found Pamplona

My build order in Madrid was Warrior, Granary, Settler, which pretty
much lead directly to factory operation at size 2.8 to 3.8 producing
two Warriors, one Wealth and a Settler every ten turns. I also made
the odd Worker in the Capital.

The Granary build was quickened by two loads of lumber. This was
achieved at the cost of not roading properly, so initial research was
somewhat hampered. Since Alphabet was commonly known, I went for The
Wheel first in order to be able to trade in Alphabet.

4000 BC Discover Pottery
4000 BC Discover Ceremonial Burial
2670 BC Discover The Wheel
2670 BC Learn Alphabet

I soon met the local competition and actually won a city in the first
phoney war. Portugal re-declared on the next turn and I soon had to
abandon it.

3250 BC Meet Portugal
2670 BC War Portugal
2110 BC Meet France
1750 BC Peace Portugal
1750 BC Capture Guimarães
1725 BC War Portugal They declare after attempting to extort 20 g

Barcelona was founded by the Cattle in the south, and it immediately
built a Curragh, which started its journey in 2230 BC. Also Seville
by the Wheat and Sugar started off with a Curragh, which was launched
in 2110 BC. Between them they found all remaining Tribes.

1625 BC Meet Korea
1475 BC Meet Aztecs
1300 BC Meet Celts
1200 BC Meet England
710 BC Meet Maya

The Republic Sling-Shot came in in 1100 BC. Although I traded
Mathematics around as soon as I dared, the AI contributed only Map
Making to my reaching the Middle Ages. France discovered Monarchy and
Korea Currency which I by then had already discovered. Perhaps I
should have chosen Construction first with Korea in the game.

1725 BC Discover Writing
1525 BC Learn Warrior Code
1475 BC Learn Masonry
1475 BC Learn Bronze Working
1300 BC Discover Code of Laws
1300 BC Learn Mysticism
1300 BC Learn Mathematics
1300 BC Learn Iron Working
1300 BC Learn Horseback Riding
1100 BC Discover Philosophy
1100 BC Discover The Republic
900 BC Discover Literature
875 BC Learn Map Making
730 BC Discover Currency
570 BC Discover Construction

I held off Republic for two turns in order to be able to pop rush a
Temple and put some major cities in a better food box phase. According
to CivAssist II, economy was pretty much the same under both
Governments at the time.

1050 BC Establish Anarchy
1000 BC Establish Republic

Quick Start Challenge Result:

9 Cities
17 Citizens
3 Granaries
1 Temple
6 Contacts
6 Workers
1 Slave
3 Curraghs
6 Warriors

In other news, Horses had just been connected. I disbanded most of my
Warriors after establishing Republic and changed factory operation in
Madrid to Horseman and Settler every ten turns after building a
Barracks while adding one more citizen.

975 BC Connect Horses
570 BC Gift Korea They discover Feudalism, of course
570 BC Enter Middle Ages

I really have no need at all for Feudalism. It was one chance in three
to get Monotheism. Bee-lining for Astronomy for the Conquistadores.

 

[GrandSultan]

My first GOTM aswell.

I settle in place, researched Bronze Working and Pottery, then headed for Philosophy slingshot. Portugal rapidly expanded and I was worried of losing a potential monopoly on Wines, and thanks to double sugar+wheat, Madrid was able to go Spearman->Settler->Spearman->Settler in about 7 or 8 turns for quite a while. Put a city 1N of the Oasis, and one 2S 1E of the double Wine Volcano. Put a city west of Madrid on the river, then squeezed in three on the fertile grassland area to the SE. Claimed the horses with a coastal city, and built three more on the coast to the south. Finally got the Republic off Philosophy a few turns after meeting Korea. Managed to trade Philosophy/Code of Laws for all the Ancient Age techs along with Republic to the French for everything but Currency and Construction. Researched Literature aswell. The Portuguese settled Lagres 1N of the only Iron for miles around, but thankfully its not well defended and close to my border.

Goals for the Middle Ages:
-Take Lagres with a SoD of Archers.
-Try and settle the southern half of the Island to the north, but not before...
-Finishing off the mainland with 2-3 cities. Need to wipe out some barbs first.
-Woo Joan
-Beeline for Chivalry and team up on Henry with Joan.
-Im the tech leader; Wang Kon is the power/territory/score leader, but backwards. Going to try and turn France away from him.
-I imagine Wang Kon is going to have the majority of that Northern Island; hes already expanded there and out of room in his homeland, while Portugal and France have more room to expand. After I defeat Portugal, I would like to claim the rest of that island for the glorious Spanish.
-I want to go for a Space Race, but Domination also seems to be an option since this is a semi-continental archipelago it seems. Depending on who else is out there, I could try and knock Wang Kon out of contention for a diplomatic victory and woo everyone else.

Fun game so far though.

One AI received some significant starting 'allowances' - have you noticed or is everything as you would expect?

I assume its Korea; I just assumed they had such a high score from some rapid expansion since they are last as far as techs go... but those 'allowances' would make more sense.

 

[AutomatedTeller]

wierd. I'm (finally) in the middle ages @690 BC and I havent' even met Korea yet...

I started this right off - my plan was to settle on the coast and think about a 20K... that changed really fast. So I decided to be diplomatic - sending the spaniards to the stars seemed like a bad idea.

fast research with a non-scientific civ is tough...

1000 BC

4 cities
12 Citizens
1 Settler
4 workers
2 warriors
2 archers
2 curraghs
1 granary
1 barracks
1 harbor

Missing Poly, Currency and Construction. I researched Currency and traded for Poly with Maya, then traded for Construction from Brennus.

Portugal demanded HB - I refused, killed two archers along the way until they dropped an archer next to barcelona where I had to make peace.
Aztecs demanded something, I refused so have a phony war with them, as well.