COTM51 - First Spoiler

[civ_steve]

COTM 51 First Spoiler - the Ancient Age!

If you're thinking I've fallen off the face of the earth ... that wouldn't be too far off! The civ_steve family is off on vacation with very limited internet access (currently cruising through the Caribbean. ) So I'm taking advantage of a break in the action, and access to a computer, to post the Spoilers. The next GOTM may be delayed a few days as well (just a forewarning!)

Reading Requirements

1. You must be able to research a Middle Age technology.

Posting Restrictions

• Please be discreet about AI locations; however, feel free to discuss contacts and trades. Limit screenshots to just your starting landmass.
• No discussions of the middle ages (or later)
• No screenshots of any middle-age (or later) resources.
• Absolutely NO discussion of any other currently active 'X'OTM!

OK, about the game. Unlike the recent GOTM where you were isolated on a large continent with raging Barbs, here you share the continent with some AI civs. Barbs any tougher, or did you handle them with ease? Starting position isn't the best we've seen; stay nearby or found your capital elsewhere? Any other issues with your starting empire? And the AI with you are pretty remote - any problems/advantages to this in your game?

 

[Yilar]

Well since it is a while since I completed my game I will try and post the things I remember.

It was nice that we finally got a "normal" start. Barbs were not a problem, as it was monarchy and warriors are better than barbs. It took me forever to get in contact with the AI as my scout went down into the desert.

As for techs it went basically the same last time, I got the slingshot republic. But didn't have as many techs early as cotm50 because the AI was rather slow.

QSC stats:
8 Cities
20 pop
1 Settler
13 Workers
2 Warriors
1 Curragh

Like I said in the other thread there will be no timeline, as I did not know it was not optional, maybe next cotm

 

[Nata]

The game didn't go as well as I thought, as I was shooting for a fast research for Space finish.

First of all - we made a smart decision to build 2nd Scout as a first build, after seeing we are not on a tiny island. They both went exploring the huge continent and spotted Mongols and Chinese by 2000BC, popping CB, Wheel, two maps and a warrior in the process. One scout died on the way but another, covered by the warrior, reached those other Civs.

But the growth wasn't fast enough with us, even with two granaries, in the capital and in the Fish town directly on the East coast.
We tried for Republic slingshot and achieved it in 1125BC, becoming a Republic in 1025BC. After that food situation got better but we underbuilt workers and the main area wasn't developed enough with us trying to expand to the Eastern appendage until China and Mongols took it.

Also, we started prebuild for GLH early and relied on it too much for our exploration. We should've built lots of suicide curraghs instead for earlier contacts, in that city committed to GLH. That would have lead to much quicker MA date, I'm sure.

We reached MA at 370BC after our GLH-assisted Galleys skirted Barb Galleys and found other Civs, which had all the missing Techs.

 

[Spoonwood]

I first would like to 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and nth the requests to have a barbie-free COTM. I much prefer game dynamics without them. Free techs creates an entirely set of different dynamics (as you'll see if you read on), as does quicker promotions, as does having to worry about your cities getting sacked early on.

I went for the 20k victory condition from the get-go and stuck with it.

4000-moved scout East then NorthEast and spotted coastal spot on river... good

3950-mined sugar. Scout moved northwest into the forest and didn't find a better 20k location.

3900-Founded Moscow (on the coast and on the river) and trained a scout. Researched Alphabet at max. In 3850 my scout spotted the desert and the oasis in the south. 3650 I trained a warrior and roaded the sugar. Started chopping a forest on a plain in 3450. I trained another warrior in 3400 and spotted a game in the north. 3350 I finally spotted a goodie hut. In 3300 I popped a warrior. 3150 spotted another goody hut on a hill. It gave me another warrior. I spotted wine in 3050. I spotted another hut in 2950. Moscow produced a settler in 2900 and started on The Colossus. I spotted incense in 2900 and a hut via a warrior. My worker moved to irrigate the flood plain. I founded St. Petersburg in 2850 on the forest, really too near to Moscow, which started on a warrior. I popped the hut on the mountain in 2850 getting 25 gold.

In 2670 I popped 25 gold from a hut. In 2630 I learned Alphabet and started research on Ceremonial Burial. I spotted another hut. I popped warrior code in 2470. In 2150 I met The Mongols who had Iron Working up on me. In 2030 I met China who had Masonry and The Wheel on me. I could have traded for something, but I declined to do so. The Mongols had The Wheel in 1990. In 1950 I learned Mysticism and started on Writing. In 1790 I disbanded a scout in St. Petersburg. St. Petersburg revolted in 1725 due to bad MMing. St. Petersburg finished its granary in 1625 and started on settlers. In 1550 I finally had spices hooked up. The Mongols started on The Pyramids in 1475. In 1450 I started moving my workers for their pre-chops. My "neighbors" also had Mysticism this turn. In 1400 The Vikings completed The Colossus beating me. I would have built it in 1375. So, I swapped to The Oracle and had my workers stop chopping, roading forest squares instead.
I founded Novgorod in 1400. It started on a curragh.

The Mongols demanded Writing in 1200 and I declined. I founded Rostov in 1175 and it trained a warrior. I learned Philosophy in 1150 and took Map Making as my free tech. Then I research Literature. I completed The Oracle in 1050 and started on a temple.

In 1050 I thought settling faster would do more more good than earlier contacts, so I switched Novogord to a settler. I dispersed a barbie camp in 1025, losing one warrior in the process. At 1000... the QSC date, I had 4 towns, 1 settler, two workers, 4 warriors, and one wonder. In 950 I bought a slave from The Mongols. Moscow finished its temple in 925 and started on the Museum of Mausollos. In 850 I defeat my first barbie horseman. Yaroslav got sacked in 825. In 730 I learned Literature and shut research off. In 590 The Germans completed The Temple of Aremis. In 570 The Vikings completed The Great Library. What???? With this I traded away philosophy to the Mongols and Chinese getting Iron Working, Masonry, and The Wheel. I researched Code of Laws. In 490 I completed MoM and started on a little library.

After the little library I decided to try and shoot for The Great Lighthouse. Cuzco completed The Hanging Gardens in 370. In 310 I met The Americans up at least Horseback Riding, Polytheism, and Maths on me. In 270 I met The Inca, also up the same techs on me as The Americans. In 230 I met Scandinavia. The Inca started The Great Wall in 210. The barbie hords started coming in 110. In 70 I finished The Great Lighthouse and entered my GA. I met The Iroquois in 30. With one turn left on Polytheism in 90 I bought it from the Americans for some 10+ gold and entered the middle ages with Feudalism as my free tech. No one else knew it yet. I researched Monotheism.

The barbies didn't really give me all too much of a problem... at least not barbie units since I fog-busted and hunted down some camps. Still, I prefer not to need to use my military that way early on, or not need to have that military early on and train workers or something. Scandinavia almost surely popped Literature from a hut and thus completed The Great Library in 570 (from the ToA cascade no doubt). On Deity (3 levels up) without barbs that seems like the time I'd expect an AI to complete The Great Library. Not only did I lose The Colossus since I decided to plop Moscow down on the eastern low-shield coast and river spot AND didn't use forests (it's Monarch... why would I worry about getting The Colossus first?)... instead of plopping down in the western no-river but many bonus grassland spot or using forests to build The Colossus... I missed The Great Library. Grrrrr...

For a while at the beginning I thought we didn't have any neighbors. Of course, we got two militaristic neighbors who did pretty much squat research-wise. I spread my cities out at something like OCP to take up more territory before the barbie rush came. I did fill in some spots later on... but of course, I would have preferred something a little tighter, more like CxxxC placement. C'est la vie.

 

[LTJG Perry]

Open , most likely space

QSC stat
5 Towns , pop 17
3 workers, 3 archers
33g +0gpt , CoL in 10

Settled in place, worker to spice,chops,roads,irrigate then sugar to road and irrigate
Moscow built granary,scout,settler,archer,settler,settler,worker,temple
St.Pete NNW of Moscow built temple,barracks
City placement was RCP, CxxC (offset)
1st scout went south then e along s coast. 2nd scout went west then e along n coast.
Research Alpha, writing, philo (free Lit), CoL, Math, Republic, Currency (free Feudalism)
GHuts gave Warrior Code,CB,Mystic,masonry

Met Mongols in 1950 bc, who saved my scout from a barb. Traded CB+alpha for wheel+20g
1525 bc happiest nation :Rus !
Met China in 1425 , they give IW for writing + 16g
After holding it for a few turns, I trade philo+Lit to Mongols for Maps and China for HBR

QSC stat
5 Towns , pop 17
3 workers, 3 archers
33g +0gpt , CoL in 10

By 1000 bc, I knew I had to build up the military, improve all that BG around StP, embassy China, send out galleys, and build more cities!

590 BC Karakorum built GLib, which I might take, but my research is going so fast, I'll probably go the education route. Beijing built MoM when Moscow was 3 turns away with no safety net. Built a Settler, wasting 139 shields.

530 bc most advanced was America, we were in the middle.
350 bc Vikings found Hareid in the southern desert. Vikes have construction, but won't sell even though I offer CoL+Lit+44g+20gpt. Jerks. I sell them Lit for 54g
190 bc Vikes place Molde in NE plains
Mongols and China have Republic 3 turns before me
110 watch Molde (1/V) pilllaged by barbs
Learn Republic, Research Currency with Lone Scientist
Trade Vikes Repub+72g+16gpt for Construction+Poly
Trade Mong Poly for 238g+RoP
Trade China Poly for Worker
Embassy Vikes 48g, Trond (5/V) has 3 spears, they are half done with Great Wall, and are in Anarchy
Embassy China 44g, Beijing (1/Ch) 2 spears bldg horseman
RoP China
Anarchy for 6 turns.
145g -14gpt
10AD Republic of Russia !
"Uprising near Orenberg"
I had the camp in view by 2 archers. They have 24 Horse and 1 warrior. Fortunately Molde (2/V) is closer then Orenburg. I Move 1 archer NE to draw them that way, and the othr back to Oren'.
110 Joyfully watch Molde (1/V)pillaged by a dozen horse barbs, I'd love to take it after they're done, but 9 turns left on my gpt deal, and can't ruin rep this early.
190 AD Last of the uprising pulls a number 6 on Molde (1/V) - only 2 of the barbs went towards Orenburg, and they were defeated. Furthermore, my "sacrifice" archer is still alive, elite, healed up, and ready to pwn the camp. Learn currency and enter the MA, Nothing to trade feudal for but Monarchy + 100g total., an offer I don't take. In the Jungle N of Mongolia the Mongols are settling the west side of the isthmus and China the east. Wouldn't mind much if these jokers went to war with each other.

 

[Più Freddo]

Predator class
Going for Domination

As there appeared to be a Flood Plains Tile available,
Catherine first sent her Worker south to verify this. She
liked to send a good Worker south now and then. The Scout
investigated the obviously good lands to the north. Nothing
unexpected was found, and Catherine founded Moscow on the
spot where she stood in 4000 BC. "Since the lands are so
bad, our first priority must be to discover The Republic as
soon as possible. We'll work the Flood Plain soon enough,
when it has been improved. Now there's Sugar and Spice and
all things nice, so off you go! Chop, chop," she told her
people.

The wild Sugar fields let the Russian people discover
Pottery as soon as 3450 BC. The Granary of Moscow was
constructed in 2950 BC with the aid of two forest chops, the
second coming from the Spices tile. Moscow would soon
produce two Warriors and a Settler every eight turns.

4000 BC Found Moscow
2900 BC Connect Spices
2550 BC Found St. Petersburg
2150 BC Found Novgorod
1830 BC Found Rostov
1575 BC Found Yaroslavl'
1300 BC Found Yekaterinburg​

The first city was founded by the river and Fish in the east
-- for Commerce -- and it built a Curragh followed by a
Granary making it fit to produce Workers. Also the next two
cities, on the northern coastline, started with a Curragh
each and then dedicated themselves to military purposes.

The Scout continued north, east and then south, going away
from home as best as it could. It found several friendly
minor tribes on the way and then the advanced tribes of the
Chinese and the Mongols. A suicide Curragh made it across to
another landmass and there met the Americans. The discovery
of Code of Laws provided the means to establish Embassies
with the two closest tribes, allowing Cathering to play her
old game of War-Happiness fishing.

3750 BC Pop Hut Scout1: Worker
3550 BC Pop Hut Scout1: 25 gold
3350 BC Pop Hut Scout1: Maps
3000 BC Pop Hut Scout1: Warrior
2750 BC Meet Mongols
2670 BC Meet China
2630 BC Pop Hut Warrior2: Technology
1675 BC Meet America
1575 BC Embassy China
1575 BC Embassy Mongols
1575 BC War China
1575 BC Alliance Mongols vs. China​

Research was directed straight towards The Republic, which
was discovered in 1450 BC.

4000 BC Discover Bronze Working
3450 BC Discover Pottery
2630 BC Learn Warrior Code
2630 BC Learn Masonry
2630 BC Learn Ceremonial Burial
2630 BC Discover Alphabet
2390 BC Learn The Wheel
1990 BC Discover Writing
1575 BC Learn Literature
1575 BC Learn Iron Working
1575 BC Discover Code of Laws
1450 BC Learn Mysticism
1450 BC Learn Map Making
1450 BC Learn Horseback Riding
1450 BC Discover Philosophy
1450 BC Discover The Republic​

A Settler and a Worker were allowed to be finished in that
turn before Anarchy was established, and the peasantry
thanked Catherine by returning to her rule (under the guise
of Republic) only two turns later. By this time, a Curragh
had found Scandinavia, and another fishing line was laid for
War Happiness.

1450 BC Meet Scandinavia
1450 BC Embassy America Ivory
1450 BC Embassy Scandinavia
1450 BC War America
1450 BC Alliance Scandinavia vs. America
1450 BC Establish Anarchy
1400 BC Establish Republic
1075 BC Meet Germany​

During growth to full four-turn Settler capacity, Moscow got
a Library with the aid of a Forest Chop. Several Tiles were
being improved around Moscow for this event, and Russian
expansion would soon be twice as fast. Also St. Petersburg
got a Library soon after.

1100 BC Found Yakutsk
1000 BC Found Vladivostok
_875 BC Found Smolensk
_875 BC Found Orenburg​

After The Republic, Catherine found an interest in
Mathematics, which she quickly disseminated in order to be
able to buy Construction rather than research it. The Middle
Ages were reached in 850 BC.

1275 BC Discover Mathematics
1050 BC Discover Currency
_925 BC Learn Construction
_850 BC Discover Polytheism
_850 BC Discover Engineering
_850 BC Learn Monotheism from Germany​

Quick Start Challenge Results

_8 Towns
22 Citizens
_2 Granaries
_2 Libraries
_1 Luxury
_1 Settler
_8 Workers
_3 Archers
_1 Curragh
_5 Contacts
_4 Embassies
_2 Alliances

Republic

Missing Polytheism, Construction and Monarchy

 

[TxCraig]

Open, going to try and make Russia a commercial & tech powerhouse and build the spaceship.

4000 BC Settle in place, worker N to mine the BG square.

My build order in the capital was Warrior - Warrior - Granary - Settler - Temple (thinking of 20k) - Spearman - Settler.

For tech I was going to try for Alphabet - Writing - CoL - Philosophy - Rep, but I was not first to Philosophy.

c 3500 BC Worker is done with mine + road. Capital is building a granary.
3450 Hut gives us CB. Worker starts to chop.
3050 Hut gives us WC.
2750 Researched Alphabet. Started on Writing.
2590 Founded St. Petersburg to the east on river & coast.
2430 Scout found a barbarian encampment but managed to skirt it. Contact with the Mongols. They have no gold and no tech.
2390 Mongols now have the Wheel, but won't trade it for Alphabet.
2150 Hut gives us the Wheel.
1910 Founded Novgorod to the north on the coast.
1725 Mongols won't trade IW to us for Alphabet. Barbs are coming.
1500 Founded Rostov to the west on the coast.
1425 Vikings completed the Colossus.
1375 Contact with China. They had a warrior sitting next to the volcano.
Traded Alphabet for HBR + 28 gp from Mongols.
Traded Alphabet + 24 gp + 1 gpt for IW from China. There is no iron!
1225 Founded Yaroslavl to the NE on the isthmus.
1050 Founded Yekaterinburg 12 to the east on the river by the mountain.

1000 6 towns, pop 10, 3 granaries, 1 temple, 11 soldiers, 3 workers, 1 settler
(How do you guys do so much better?)

800 Traded CoL for Masonry & Mysticism & gold (12?) from China.
Traded CoL for 72 gp from Mongols.
710 Founded Yakutsk to the east, on top of the incense.
690 Founded Vladivostok on the lake to the SE. Hopefully build the FP there.
570 Researched Literature.
410 Contact with Vikings. They settled in the desert. They can have it.
Traded Philosophy for Polytheism from China.
Traded Philosophy + Polytheism for MM + 88 gp from Mongols.
Traded Literature + 129 gp for Mathematics from Vikings.
Traded Literature for 183 gp from Mongols.
310 Gave in to Mongols' demand for Mathematics.
230 Vikings have entered the MA.
150 Americans finished The Great Library.
Incas finished Temple of Artemis.
130 Researched Rep. Six turns of anarchy. The "trick" to reduce the anarchy period did not work.
The barbs ate my archer.
110 The barbs ate my worker.
10 BC Russian republic.
Had to knock back research to 50% to break even.
AD 310 Gave Vikings 20 gp.
350 Researched Currency. Entered MA. Got Monotheism.

Most advanced nations: Germany, Inca, Vikings, America, Russia, Mongols, China, Iroquois.