COTM40 - First Spoiler

[civ_steve]

COTM 40 First Spoiler - the Ancient Age!

Reading Requirements

1. You must have contact with all remaining civs on your starting continent.
2. You must be able to research a Middle Age technology.

Posting Restrictions

• No discussions of the middle ages (or later)
• No screenshots of any middle-age (or later) resources.
• Please be discreet when discussing off-continent contacts or civs, especially with location.
• Absolutely NO discussion of any other currently active 'X'OTM!

So, how did you go about settling your capital? Any moves that helped you make that decision? And any issues with relating to the other civs on your continent?

 

[klarius]

Predator - goal is diplomatic.

Scout went NW-N. Settled N on hill.
Production worker-warrior-settler-granary.
Disease hit capital once, but luckily only after the settler.

Science:
2850 alphabet researched; trade for BW,WC and CB.
2710 mysticism from hut.
2070 trade for IW.
1725 writing researched; trade for TW and masonry.
1700 literature from hut far in the south!
1350 CoL researched
1325 trade for HBR
1250 philosophy researched; republic - 4 turns anarchy.
1125 trade for MM and polytheism.
1050 mathematics researched
850 currency researched
710 construction researched -> MA

Foreign Relations
3600 meet Mongols
3400 meet Zulu
1650 meet Sumeria
1500 war with Zulu; alliance with Sumeria and Mongols
1025 peace with Zulu
710 after many sunk curraghs and galleys we finally meet somebody far away

Cities
3950BC settled Washington
2590BC settled New York
1870BC settled Boston
1550BC settled Philadelphia
1475BC settled Atlanta
1350BC settled Chicago
1175BC settled Seattle
1050BC captured Zimbabwe
1025BC got Bapedi in peace treaty

9 towns, 22 pop
1 granary, 1 barracks, 1 library
1 settler, 9 workers, 1 slave
3 swords, 1 warrior, 1 galley, 1 curragh
all AA techs except currency, construction and monarchy
3 contacts and embassies

950BC settled San Francisco
900BC settled Miami
800BC settled Houston
750BC settled Buffalo

 

[Walliard]

My first GOTM! Also my first Monarch game.

Conquest file, no VC in mind yet.

After moving all three units to scout and agonizing over where to build Washington, I decided not to move at all. Since I was at max unit support, I started on a Granary right away. Started researching Alphabet for lack of knowledge of the surrounding terrain.

Met the Mongols in 3750 BC, and the Zulu in 3300 BC. Thanks to my advance knowledge of Masonry, I got a total of 95 Gold plus Ceremonial Burial to boot. hut to the NE gave me a worker, but I don't worry about the deficit it brings me thanks to my newfound stockpile.

Opted for some early conquest of my neigbours, so I researched Wheel->Horses. Nearest horses are south, past some marsh. Could be worse.

Met the Sumerians around 2500 BC. (didn't record exact date)

1790 BC, and the Mongols demand Alphabet. I foolishly refused. >_< Fortunately, Horseback Riding was discovered on the next turn, so I (finally) started heading for Republic.

Unfortunately, I didn't notice the Mongol spearman near the still-undefended city of Boston, which was getting me my horses. ?

Mongols took Washington in 1575 BC. I wasn't going to win with just New York, so I called it quits.

Note to self: We're not in Regent anymore, Toto.

 

[Più Freddo]

Predator, going for Conquest

Scout NW, N, Settler N where Washington was founded.

Produce two Warriors, a Granary and four-turn Settlers; a single
Warrior was interspersed after the first Settler in order to allow
Washington to grow as needed.


Science

4000 BC Discover Pottery
2750 BC Discover Alphabet
2750 BC Learn Warrior Code, Bronze Working and Ceremonial Burial
1950 BC Discover Writing
1550 BC Discover Code of Laws
1550 BC Learn The Wheel, Mysticism, Masonry and Iron Working
1425 BC Discover Philosophy
1425 BC Discover The Republic
1250 BC Discover Mathematics
_900 BC Discover Currency
_900 BC Learn Polytheism, Map Making and Horseback Riding
_775 BC Discover Literature
_570 BC Discover Construction​

Foreign Relations

3500 BC Meet Mongols
3350 BC Meet Zululand
2710 BC War Zululand
1700 BC Peace Zululand
1525 BC Meet Sumeria
1350 BC War Mongols
1150 BC Peace Mongols
_900 BC War Mongols
_775 BC Peace Mongols
_775 BC War Sumeria
_775 BC Embassy Zululand
_775 BC Embassy Sumeria
_775 BC Alliance Zululand vs. Sumeria
_670 BC War Mongols
_570 BC War Zululand
_570 BC Peace Sumeria
_570 BC Alliance Sumeria vs. Zululand​

Sumeria discovers Feudalism, won't trade for The Republic and
Literature.

Two Curraghs sunk after two to three turns on the ocean. Still no
contact.


Domestic Progess

1625 BC Connect Dyes
1550 BC Connect Iron
1450 BC Establish Anarchy
1350 BC Establish Republic
_875 BC Connect Horses
_825 BC Connect Gems
_570 BC Enter Middle Ages​

Cities

3950 BC Found Washington
2470 BC Found New York
2310 BC Found Boston
2030 BC Found Philadelphia
1870 BC Found Atlanta
1790 BC Found Chicago
1675 BC Found Seattle
1575 BC Found San Fransisco
1525 BC Found Miami
1150 BC Capture Almarikh
1025 BC Found Buffalo
_875 BC Capture Ta-Tu
_775 BC Capture Ulanbaatar
_670 BC Capture Tabriz
_630 BC Capture Karakorum
_850 BC Found St. Louis
_825 BC Found Detroit​

Quick Start Challenge Result

12 Towns
38 Citizens
_2 Barracks
_1 Granary
_1 Scout
17 Workers
_7 Warriors
_2 Archers
_2 Swordsmen
_3 Contacts​

Missing Literature, Map Making, Horseback Riding, Polytheism,
Currency, Construction and Monarchy

 

[eldar]

Open, no specific goal but looking research-oriented.

Move the scout NW-N, spotted FP wheat/river, settled 2N in 3900BC.

3900BC+ met Mongols, Zulu, Sumeria. All suicide galleys sunk, but three saw borders then sunk the next turn!!
1325BC: Republic, immediate revolt.
1000BC I had 12 cities, granary, couple of barracks, eyeing up Mongols.
700-ishBC: started beating on Mongols.
650BC: Middle Ages, Mongols on the way out.

Medieval is more fun (later for full details - only half-done anyway!), war with Zulus+Sumerians, Sumeria I had more flips in one game than I've probably had ever, Zulus wound up on one-tile island :angry:

 

[eldar]

Open, no specific goal but looking research-oriented.

Move the scout NW-N, spotted FP wheat/river, settled 2N in 3900BC.

3900BC+ met Mongols, Zulu, Sumeria. All suicide galleys sunk, but three saw borders then sunk the next turn!!
1325BC: Republic, immediate revolt.
1000BC I had 12 cities, granary, couple of barracks, eyeing up Mongols.
700-ishBC: started beating on Mongols.
650BC: Middle Ages, Mongols on the way out.

Medieval is more fun (later for full details - only half-done anyway!), war with Zulus+Sumerians, Sumeria I had more flips in one game than I've probably had ever, Zulus wound up on one-tile island :angry:

 

[donsig]

Well, that was fun. I sent one spear exploring and th eother stayed home. The Mongols and Zulu both made a beeline to Washington, reaching it on the same turn with two warriors and an archer each. Changed from a granary to an archer, losing six shields. Didn't attack them. Of course they both declared war the next turn and GAME OVER. Like I said, that was fun.

 

[Red Horse]

Open, I figured I go for a domination or SS.

Sent spears exploring, encountered Mongol war party and hustled back to Washington. Successfully defended but lost Wash to Zulu. Had New York to the east so I was still alive (barely).

I was able to hold on, established Philly and Boston. Got iron, had 2 lux, traded for some techs. Took Was back. Bought techs from Mongols for gpt to keep them off my back. Joined in dog pile on Zulu and got a city for my efforts. Established Atlanta and Chicago. Now had 3 lux.

Then things got ugly. Lost Chicago (to Mongols) to culture flip. Mongol hordes then started hammering my cities. Lost Zulu prize. Other cities held due to heavy fortification. Seemingly unlimited Mongol attackers and several techs behind have forced me to throw the towel in on this one.

It’s interesting to see the posts thus far. They seem to be divided between my game experience (took an early hit and was back on my heels the rest of the time) and the other posts which don’t mention these early troubles at all. In the spirit of learning I’d like to hear from the players that are thriving how they handled these early tribulations.

 

[scoutsout]

In the spirit of learning I&#8217;d like to hear from the players that are thriving how they handled these early tribulations.

Well...dunno about 'thriving', but I finished my game with a domination win. It should be respectable, though I doubt it'll be competitive. I'm sorry you had such a rough go of it in your early game.

Here's something you can do with the combined industrious/expansionist traits that might help in an early war...it's a variation on the 'warriors-to-swords' gambit.

• Scouts can pillage. Once you've got the landmass explored, don't disband your scout(s). Move them to your resource tiles, like the iron.
• The industrious workers can build roads faster....
• ...so put a worker on your iron...
• Pillage the road to your iron with the scout...
• ...and build some more warriors for upgrading while your worker is re-roading the iron.

Though some in the SG crowd might regard this as an exploit... it is a way to gain an edge if you've got gold but maybe you're a little shield-poor in the early going.

 

[Schalke 04]

Well, that was fun. I sent one spear exploring and th eother stayed home. The Mongols and Zulu both made a beeline to Washington, reaching it on the same turn with two warriors and an archer each. Changed from a granary to an archer, losing six shields. Didn't attack them. Of course they both declared war the next turn and GAME OVER. Like I said, that was fun.

Haha, what an embarrassing defeat.

Ähm, did i mention, that i lost nearly in the same way...
The Mongols took me out of the game after 20 or so turns...

I don't remember my last monarch defeat. Now i have something to remember...

Perhaps i will start a new try just for fun, with a "kill the bloody mongols first" variant

 

[Più Freddo]

In the spirit of learning I’d like to hear from the players that are thriving how they handled these early tribulations.

Pure luck, actually. Washington was founded on a Hill, which gave the needed defence bonus for my two MP regular Warriors against the attack from a Zulu Archer and Warrior and another Warrior the next turn. Also they were so hot on taking the town that they let the Workers alone. They didn't even step on my worked tiles.

 

[eldar]

I fortified one of my spears when I saw a Mongol warrior sniffing round... no idea if it made any difference. But they left me alone.

 

[killerkid]

In my game- a milk run- I wasn't attacked at all. I think it's cause Sumeria took Hlobane from the Zulu early. and they never were very competitive after that.
The Mongols were who I attacked first, so they never had that much time to launch an invasion.

 

[civ_steve]

...

Here's something you can do with the combined industrious/expansionist traits that might help in an early war...it's a variation on the 'warriors-to-swords' gambit.

• Scouts can pillage. Once you've got the landmass explored, don't disband your scout(s). Move them to your resource tiles, like the iron.
• The industrious workers can build roads faster....
• ...so put a worker on your iron...
• Pillage the road to your iron with the scout...
• ...and build some more warriors for upgrading while your worker is re-roading the iron.

Though some in the SG crowd might regard this as an exploit... it is a way to gain an edge if you've got gold but maybe you're a little shield-poor in the early going.

Be careful that you only use Scouts in this manner on resources within your territory. Using them against resources within current or future AI territory IS a banned exploit!

See the list of allowed tactics/banned exploits for more information.

 

[Mursi lives]

Open, going for conquest or domination.

I settled on the hill, built a second scout, then a settler.
I chosed open because I love the exp bonuses and here it worked : I popped New York at the northern end of the continent just under the nose of a mongol spear. Result: an early war when I should be expanding and a beeline to IW when I should be researching writings/philo

I finally killed the mongols in 450 BC, switched to republic in 410 BC, and entered MA in 90 BC.
My forces in 90 BC: 17 cities, 20 workers, 1 sword, 8 horses, 4 bows, 5 spears and 4 ships. I sent many boats in ocean but they all sunk before seeing anything.

On the plus side, Zulus are weak and are just completing the hanging gardens for me .
My plan: beeline for chivalry while killing Shaka, then beeline for astronomy and prebuild for Copernicus for starting GA. Then building as many knights as possible while getting navigation and beeline for MT.

It was a nice map for indus, with plenty of food and many improvable tiles, even under despotism .

It’s interesting to see the posts thus far. They seem to be divided between my game experience (took an early hit and was back on my heels the rest of the time) and the other posts which don’t mention these early troubles at all. In the spirit of learning I’d like to hear from the players that are thriving how they handled these early tribulations.

It is amazing, what a single scout can do. The one who started the war by getting a city from a hut diverted many mongol units by threatenig the land improvements around Karakorum.
IMO a mistake to avoid was to lose time by building a granary. There was so much food that it wasnt needed at all.

 

[scoutsout]

Be careful that you only use Scouts in this manner on resources within your territory. Using them against resources within current or future AI territory IS a banned exploit!

Yah, I knew about that "Scout Resource Denial" rule. I have a personal rule of on that one...Let's not deny any resources to scout!

Seriously Steve - I used the scout to pillage my own iron, so I could build warriors for upgrading after I reconnected it.

 

[eldar]

A brief addendum to my spoiler events: the Mongols had been kind enough to build the Pyramids for me, notwithstanding that they held the closest source of Horses. They were destined to be not long for this world.

 

[ignas]

Predator, going for domination

Settled in place so no FP wheat in capital radius, researched alphabet, writing, CoL, philosophy in 1425BC - a setback, no free Republic.
Built no granaries, just barracks.

In 1000 BC i had:
10 towns
28 pop
11 workers
1 barracks
5 vet swords and 4 archers

Discover Republic in 950 BC and revolt.
Enter MA in 450 BC with Mongols and Zulus almost destroyed.
no contact with other continent.
plan is to research Navigation, start GA with mix of Pyramids (capture from Sumeria) and Copernicus Observatory, transport knights to other continent ASAP

 

[Tasslehoff]

Haha, what an embarrassing defeat.

Ähm, did i mention, that i lost nearly in the same way...
The Mongols took me out of the game after 20 or so turns...

I don't remember my last monarch defeat. Now i have something to remember...

Perhaps i will start a new try just for fun, with a "kill the bloody mongols first" variant

Well, time to join the ranks of the embarrassed. First C/GOTM, first monarch game, Conquest level, stupidly wasted a spear to speed up granary production, lost to the mongol assault after 10 minutes.

 

[megistatos]

I settled in place, sent both spearmen exploring, and started a granary immediately. In 2950 the Zulus took my undefended Washington.

1st mistake- sent both spearmen to explore(one of them was just 1 turn from Washington when the Zulus attacked)
2nd mistake- Washington was due to build a spearman just before the Zulu attack. But it grew to size 3 and rioted on that turn. I tried reloading a few times, and my one spearman beat their two warriors and one archer every time.

On top of all this, I accidently payed for a peace treaty with the Mongolians, thinking I was talking to Shaka. Then I had to the spend more on a treaty with him(didn't stop him attacking though).

This is my second consecutive early defeat. Hopefully now I've learnt about having aggressive neighbours! Providing I win GOTM 71 though, my world ranking won't suffer much.