COTM65 - Spoiler #2

[civ_steve]

COTM 65 Spoiler2: End of the Middle Ages

Reading Requirements:

1. Must be able to research an Industrial Age Technology.
2. Must have contact with all remaining civs and full knowledge of the map.

Posting restrictions

1. No maps showing Industrial or Modern resources.
2. No discussion of Industrial Age (or later).
3. Absolutely NO discussion of any other active 'X'OTM Contest

How did the Middle Ages go for you? Did you take control of the game (I hope so!) And did you find good use for your Conquistador's (UU Golden Age, or did you sort out getting a Wonder driven one?) Any issues going forward?

 

[IvanDolvich2]

After a decent trading session to get to Middle ages, I started my build up for French conflict to take some Luxes. My Republic was working fine, however the only difficulty was upgrading warriors to MDI at 90 gold each. Most of my gold had been depleted by the Raging Barbs (I hate those guys). So, as I brought in my 8th or 9th MDI, the Aztecs demanded a tech from me.
(uh, NO!, you are accross the water and EVERYONE knows the AI can't amphibious invade worth dirt.) He declares, and I think, "Great, here's my chance to go take that little settlement in the SE that he snuck in. 3 MDI should do. The troops arrive, right as he drops off 4 AC and 3 MDI near two of my cities. SMack, his troops win flawlessly over fortified Pikes. OUCH! My stack of three struggles, losing one, then for the next two turns kills a reg spear each to reveal a new one every time. Another three boat loads of AC, MDI, and swords (caravels) and I've lost 4 cities and war weariness is killing me. I revolt to Feudalism as He won't talk. About this time, one of my Iron cities flips to France (argh!). Montezuma continues to attack my cities winning way more than RNG should allow. I waste my MDI picking off weakened AC and MDI only to lose them to counterattacking Longbows the following turn.

I finally sue for peace paying gpt and a tech. Now all my funds are keeping folks happy and paying the bills, no research. (Oh yeah, feudalism suffers war weariness, should have gone Monarch). A few turns later I make a decent gpt and resource for tech trade with Aztecs. I then demand that they leave, and they declared! (is that an exploit?) So back to war with them, but this time I trade away my iron to England for alliance vs Aztecs. The English take their time to get down south, but eventually they bring the French in on the Alliance.
My heart stops for a moment when Aztec Cav flashes by to attack the French. French musketeers handle the CAV and then move with knight and take back one of my cities. I better get in while I can, so I move all my forces down to the enemy territory and succeed in taking 3 of the remaining 4 back. The continent is cleared of the Aztec invaders but now I'm just waiting for the French (who have cav) to get nasty and wipe me out. I'm in survival mode. I trade away my iron and gpt for techs from England every 20 turns, I never complete any 50 turn research. I traded my salt to Aztecs for tech, then the deposit expired, and I feared my trading rep was shot, but I was able to pull another Iron/gpt trade to England for the final MA tech in 1240 AD.

This has been a rough one. I thought I was a goner for sure when the aztec Cav showed up.
Golden Age? what Golden Age? UU? Whats that? Horses? what are those? I've heard of them but I can never trade for them.

New goal: survive. As long as I can. Be around when someone else get domination, UN or other. Starting 50 turn research path to RepParts. Make lots of money to buy techs. Continue trading Iron to England every 20 for a new round of Techs.

 

[Più Freddo]

he drops off 4 AC and 3 MDI near two of my cities. SMack, his troops win flawlessly over fortified Pikes.

Why would you have Pikemen in your cities? You could have used those shields more efficiently.

 

[Racinante]

Maintain peaceful relations with everyone, grab the tech lead and trade for gpt and missing luxs and resources.

340 AD: Hello Incas...
430 AD: Republic...
470 AD: Forbidden Palace completes
480 AD: Hello Ottomans
520 AD: Complete Gunpowder, trade for Theology (Ottomans) and Chivalry (French).
580 AD: Complete Chemistry, with 54 g trade for Education and Printing Press (French).
680 AD: Down Music Theory to everyone, working on Banking (6).
840 AD: Salamanca flips to the French... ugh
900 AD: Enter Industrial Ages, 100% research, +68 gpt, Steam in 7, 578g. Up Econ and ToG on everyone.

14 workers, 9 MDI, 2 muskets, 1 spear, 1 caravel, 19 cities, 310 land, pop 139. Building Smith's and Newton's. No golden age yet, but I am building a couple of conquistadors and cavs.

 

[IvanDolvich2]

Why would you have Pikemen in your cities? You could have used those shields more efficiently.

Good question, Piu. I used gold to upgrade some spears, because I thought that would give me better odds against the 3 attack of the AC and the 4 Attack of the MDI that the Aztecs were throwing at me. I did scratch build some pikes later for the same reason.
But, I'd love some advice on better builds/upgrades etc. I really blew big parts of this game, so any advice you'd like to give, I'd be very happy to receive.

Its quite funny to me how this game has gone. I came in very confident that my Emperor level paly was completely up to snuff for this game and it would be a great chance get in on a game of the month, (which I've never done before). I know that the maps for Games of the Month are modded for challenge, but I was really challenged on this one. I've been quite humbled, and am taking this as a great learning experience that will hopefully make me a better player. I will definitely play this one again to try to correct the flaws in my play. I know I played sloppy and didn't MM for happiness, or production like I should have. Emperor is usually forgiving enough that you can get away with that style of play. Now I know better. Thanks for the input.

 

[Racinante]

But, I'd love some advice on better builds/upgrades etc. I really blew big parts of this game, so any advice you'd like to give, I'd be very happy to receive.

What I've learned and been told is that the AIs respect offensive units more than defensive units. So having 6 MDI is as effective as having (I'm guessing here, but the ratio should be close) 9 pikes or muskets in preventing over aggressive AIs from demanding and declaring.

Its quite funny to me how this game has gone. I came in very confident that my Emperor level play was completely up to snuff...

I know what you mean. I've lost a couple of Emperor level games I should have won due to my poor timing or development, and the flood plains start here was difficult. You have great pop growth, low production, and just when you think you have it figured out, disease drops your pop by 2, completely messing up your settler production plans.

Generally you want to build a couple of exploring warriors early, then pump out settlers and workers. If you build any military units early at all, then you need to stand them out in the fog to prevent massive barbarian uprisings from eating your settlers, workers, or gold, or station them near enemy lines if you are planning to attack.

Every once in a while, check to make sure you are not military heavy, and do not be shy in disbanding extra units in towns to cut back on their upkeep (and help finish builds).

Don't be afraid to give in to demands (or anticipate demands and trade to avoid or maybe just prepare for some war happiness). Frequently if the AI demands, they have an offensive unit next to a town or vulnerable unit.

For this game, I focused on a peaceful cohabitation and only had units stationed in the border towns between me and France. The results are in the final thread. Peaceful games are not always successful, and they generally don't generate high scores, either. In this game, my objective was to gain the tech lead and then keep everyone else drained of gpt through trades, which allowed me to rush way ahead in the tech race, shooting for a UN or spaceship victory.

 

[Più Freddo]

having 6 MDI is as effective as having (I'm guessing here, but the ratio should be close) 9 pikes or muskets in preventing over aggressive AIs from demanding and declaring.

Especially if your MDIs are eating their way into enemy territory. Attack is the best defense.

If the AI ever attacks you in strength, you either did something wrong (below Deity) or you're out of luck and can't be helped by any number of defenders (at Deity and higher).

Never build defenders except for well-defined special duty such as defending the chain-gang building a war road through the wilderness.

Build Horsemen.

 

[Più Freddo]

3 attack of the AC and the 4 Attack of the MDI

ACs are a pain in the butt. But they are produced only once every five turns. You should be able to out-produce that with Knights or Horsemen or in the worst case MDIs. So you lose some, but you hit back the next turn.

Enemy MDIs should never be able to attack a city, since they move only one tile. If you can't afford to send your last own MDI out in the open, then attack each stack until only one unit is left. That way your units stay in the city. But its still not worth it to build Pikemen, since you can't send them to attack once the AI spent all its offensive units, which is pretty soon. MDIs have a reasonable defensive strength. Horsemen can attack and return to the city. Forget Spears and Pikes.

You must (1) make sure you have more units than the AI (2) where the battle happens. If you make the battle, then you also decide where it happens. So once you fulfil (1), you attack and so fulfil (2).

 

[IvanDolvich2]

Thanks Racinante and Piu, I appreciate the advice. This game was a challenge because:
A. Horses were on the other side of the continent (past France and in English territory).
B. Raging barbs kept hammering me (poor warrior production and barb management).
C. I had no real offensive units until MDI (after a big round of trading techs). It was at this point that the Aztecs sneak attacked me in my rear and my defense collapsed me down to half my empire.

Good learning points.