CTIV-9: The Academians

[GreyFox]

Got it ... not sure if I can play tonight or tomorrow (am UP in another SG ... incidently, also playing as Chinese).

So I see we have secured the southern part of the continent for ourselves (... and barbies ...)

Not sure what tech we are currently researching, but with libraries, it is afe to assume wiritng is in, so I will likely head us toward sthe TGLibrary path.

 

[ruff_hi]

Had a bit of a dull train trip to work so I put this together ... all suggestions.

 

[ChrTh]

I would settle pink -> cyan -> yellow. blue is good because we can build that whenever we want (pink and cyan border expansion will prevent AI from building there)

 

[Scowler]

Not sure what tech we are currently researching, but with libraries, it is afe to assume wiritng is in, so I will likely head us toward sthe TGLibrary path.

I went Writing -> Myst -> Pottery -> Poly for the pre-reqs for Lit.

 

[GreyFox]

Going have to disapooint you all ... apparently 10-turns of 1CC take much longer than I expected (razing 5 cities not withstanding) ... will get to academics duty tomorrow night then ...

 

[GreyFox]

First off, sorry for playing this later than I wished to.

--

A relatively uneventful turnset ... except for the barbs, that is. Now, this being academia, let's start off with the first lesson, shall we?

Barbie 101

Not the doll, but barbarians.

The barb warrior that I inherited from scowler proceed to pillage the camp, while I promoted the nearly dead archer to garrison, patiently waiting for him to attack the city of Beijing.

Turn 84 (775 BC) - IBT:
While defending, Archer defeats (3.00/3): Barbarian Warrior

There you go, first part of the lesson: it pays to be patient, though it will cost you some ivories.

Later, I have an extra archer fortified in the forest, drawing 3 more barbies:

Turn 89 (650 BC) - IBT:
While defending, Archer defeats (0.12/3): Barbarian Archer

Turn 92 (575 BC) - IBT:
While defending, Archer defeats (1.47/3): Barbarian Warrior

Turn 93 (550 BC) - IBT:
While defending, Archer defeats (2.07/3): Barbarian Warrior

Thre go 2nd part of the lessons, always set a barb attarctor at a high defense position.


Research 101

Got us Polytheism,

and Alphabet

Heading towards Literature (it says 6 turns, but we don't have enough fund to substain 100% throughout these turns).

When preparing this academia materials, I realized I didn't even consider building Parthenon when Polythesim came in. In retrospect, it might be a smoke on my part ... oh well. Anyway, a Parthenon will pollute the gene pool.

I have added 2 scientists in Beijing to further research, and also to produce us our first Acadey.


Relationship 101

JC and Rosy came asking for open borders .... I turned them down very politely. "Sorry, I woud rather protect my backside".

Trading 101

WIth ALphabet, I check out the tech trade:

Too little techs available for trading, IMHO, (anyone of them would give us all the techs the other has to offer), so I suggest we delay trading a bit. The marble trade, however, I think is worth it. Trade it for the building of TGL, afterwhich, cancel the trade. Its now too early for Alex to build War Elephants, so the only thing the ivory trade is giving him is an extra happiness.


Other Academia Trivia

We have copper connected.

Currently connecting another. With copper, I built us an axe ... should go for fog busting duty.

I have a settler heading for the west coast. How did the American archer got to our backside????

The world as we know it:

If we continue to close borders, the AIs will e force to go to war. So don't neglect our defenses. Fortunately, Alex is the furthest away from us, so less chances of us getting into an early war.

None of our northern neighbors have religion yet ... hmm ... there must be a spiritual civ(s) in the other continent hogging up all the religions.

Spoiler :

Shanghai grows: 2

IBT:

Turn 81 (850 BC)

IBT:

Turn 82 (825 BC)
Archer promoted: City Garrison I
Archer promoted: City Garrison II
Tech learned: Polytheism

IBT:

Turn 83 (800 BC)
Research begun: Alphabet
Beijing grows: 6

IBT:

Turn 84 (775 BC)
Shanghai's borders expand
Guangzhou grows: 2

IBT:
While defending, Archer defeats (3.00/3): Barbarian Warrior

Turn 85 (750 BC)
Shanghai finishes: Archer

IBT:

Turn 86 (725 BC)
Shanghai begins: Barracks

IBT:

Turn 87 (700 BC)
Beijing finishes: Library
Shanghai grows: 3

IBT:

Turn 88 (675 BC)
Beijing begins: Settler
Guangzhou's borders expand

IBT:

Turn 89 (650 BC)

IBT:
While defending, Archer defeats (0.12/3): Barbarian Archer

Turn 90 (625 BC)

IBT:

Turn 91 (600 BC)

IBT:

Turn 92 (575 BC)

IBT:
While defending, Archer defeats (1.47/3): Barbarian Warrior

Turn 93 (550 BC)
Archer promoted: Combat I

IBT:
While defending, Archer defeats (2.07/3): Barbarian Warrior

Turn 94 (525 BC)
Shanghai grows: 4

IBT:

Turn 95 (500 BC)
Beijing finishes: Settler
Shanghai finishes: Barracks

IBT:

Turn 96 (475 BC)
Beijing begins: Axeman
Shanghai begins: Library
Guangzhou grows: 3

IBT:

Turn 97 (450 BC)
Tech learned: Alphabet

IBT:

Turn 98 (425 BC)
Research begun: Literature

IBT:

Turn 99 (400 BC)
Beijing finishes: Axeman
Guangzhou finishes: Granary

IBT:

Turn 100 (375 BC)
Beijing begins: Axeman
Guangzhou begins: Barracks

>>>> The Save (375BC) <<<

 

[ChrTh]

Got It. Nice turns there GreyFox. I think I'll definitely look to getting that Marble for TGL. I'll be playing some time tomorrow.

We're down to 10 turns a rotation, me boy-os.

Roster
ChrTh -- UP!
Ruff_Hi -- On Deck!
Maquis
Scowler
GreyFox -- Recovering from the Barb Menace!
JesusOnEez -- On Holiday!

 

[GreyFox]

One gripe from me is ... how did we end up with Guangzhou 1 tile away from coast????

--

 

[ChrTh]

One gripe from me is ... how did we end up with Guangzhou 1 tile away from coast????

--

From Scowler's report (buried a whopping page back):

"This time we weren't quite so quick and we now have a skirmisher running around trapped behind our borders. You will note that I didn't settler at Cyan Dot after all: by this time I was getting a little alarmed by the speed at which the other civs were expanding (you will see from the screenshot that Roosevelt has already founded a city a few tiles to the west, snatching those bananas), and wasn't confident that I could expand the borders of the new city quickly enough to stop someone from slipping past. The new spot solves this problem and keeps both the copper and rice. The only disadvantage is that it is one tile off the coast, but it only wastes a single water tile that would have been of little use anyway - once the jungle is cleared there will be a vast stretch of grassland available that will have better potential than the water."

 

[Scowler]

*sigh* As I explained in my report, it was the only way of making sure that our borders remained impenetrable to enemy settlers. Is it really going to make that much difference?

EDIT: Damn your mad typing skillz, ChrTh

 

[ChrTh]

*sigh* As I explained in my report, it was the only way of making sure that our borders remained impenetrable to enemy settlers. Is it really going to make that much difference?

Well, to be honest, it would hurt if we were playing a war-style game since it would eliminate a potential eastern port. However, since I don't think we'll ever be building transports in this game, I don't think it's a big deal.

 

[ChrTh]

Turn 0 -- 375 BC

Heading towards Literature (it says 6 turns, but we don't have enough fund to substain 100% throughout these turns).

Nope, but dropping to 90% still gets it for us in 6 for even dough

I have a settler heading for the west coast. How did the American archer got to our backside????

There's a coastal path around Guangzhou's borders, maybe that's how?

Because I'm concerned about this, I preempt the barracks for a library.

On the trading front, I see that we won't get value for Alphabet. However, there may be techs hidden by Masonry that we could get, so I trade Polytheism to Alex for Masonry.

Doesn't reveal anything, so the next trade I do is Alphabet to Mansa for Meditation, Priesthood, and Fishing. I choose Mansa because neither FDR or Alex have anything of value to trade to Mansa for it (I hope).

Interestingly enough, the only other tech (besides the untradeable Metal Casting) is Sailing. No Mono yet.

Everything else looks ok, so I press ENTER

Turn 1 -- 350 BC

Tacitus gives us the word on the Cultural situation:

Settler moves into position for Blue Dot.

Alex now has HBR.

Turn 2 -- 325 BC

Alex offers Marble for Ivory ... patience Alex.

Axe kills a Barb Warrior.

Nanjing is built, Obelisk is started.

Turn 3 -- 300 BC

Beijing: Axe > Archer (due in 3, when Lit comes in) This Axe is also going south.

Merit Ptah is born in Beijing! I could research Math or create a Super Specialist ... but since Science is so high in Beijing already, I do the Academy. Beijing is renamed Ptah.

The Academy allows me to drop Science down to 60% and still get Lit in 3 (and build a little money in the economy).

Turn 4 -- 275 BC

Pyramids are built in a far away land.

Axe kills another barb warrior.

Mansa has Math now, so of course we can't get it in a trade for Alphabet

Turn 5 -- 250 BC



Turn 6 -- 225 BC

Literature comes in.

I decide to go for Code of Laws.

Ptah: Archer > Great Library (due in 39 for now). I send the Archer to guard our rice from the barb menace.

Shanghai: Library > Worker (queued up a Settler immediately, but we need Workers).

I make the trade for Marble with Alex. I fire the Scientists in Ptah for now. Code of Laws is due in 17 (at 80% and 0gpt) and the Great Library is due in 14 turns.

I hire a Scientist in Shanghai, this shaves 1 turn off of the Worker but saves us 2 turns on Code of Laws.

Turn 7 -- 200 BC

Barb Warrior foolishly attacks Rice-guarded Archer across a river.

Turn 8 -- 175 BC

FDR wants Open Borders. I apologize and decline.

There are now Barb Axemen...

Turn 9 -- 150 BC

...and now they're gone because they foolishly attacked our axe across a river.

Our Axe then proceeds to kill the Barb Warrior who was guarding the Hut. The villagers provide us with some Experience.

Damn, Ptah is now angry at Size 7. I was hoping to use the new citizen for a scientist.

Turn 10 -- 125 BC



Code of Laws and Great Library are both due in 10. Enjoy, Ruff_Hi!

Here's the Save:
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads12/CTIV-9_BC-0125.Civ4SavedGame

Roster
ChrTh -- Libraries? They're Grrrrrrreat!
Ruff_Hi -- UP!
Maquis -- On Deck!
Scowler
GreyFox
JesusOnEez -- On Holiday!

 

[Scowler]

Looking good - and our first Academy too!

I have a settler heading for the west coast. How did the American archer got to our backside????

There's a coastal path around Guangzhou's borders, maybe that's how?

Because I'm concerned about this, I preempt the barracks for a library.

Good idea. This is, of course, the downside of my choice of city placement - hopefully I made the right decision, though. I suspect Rosy's archer slipped through to the E early in my round while my attention was focussed on the W (he must have been exploring in the area to grab the city site so quickly). Not much we can do about it now, of course - or Mansa's skirmisher, which is presumably still around too.

 

[ChrTh]

I didn't see Mansa's skirmisher. Maybe the AI sacrificed it?

 

[Scowler]

I didn't see Mansa's skirmisher. Maybe the AI sacrificed it?

You've reminded me of a question I've been meaning to ask: do barb cities ever pop up in areas that are visible to the AI but not to the human? (just wondering whether those mislaid units would help us out in this way). Have there been any signs of barb encampments in the S yet?

 

[ChrTh]

You've reminded me of a question I've been meaning to ask: do barb cities ever pop up in areas that are visible to the AI but not to the human? (just wondering whether those mislaid units would help us out in this way). Have there been any signs of barb encampments in the S yet?

My guess is no, otherwise we'd find barb cities interspersed with AI cities.

I've seen nothing to indicate a city down there, but there's a possibility of one in the south central (I didn't clear any fog down there during my turn). The question we should consider is: do we fogbust? We have an Axe with 12/17 experience, maybe we should strengthen him (and the other axe) to get us some high experience units.

There are two archers in Ptah. My goal for the second one is to be the defender of the city for the settler in Shanghai's queue. Not sure which of the city sites would be best to settle next.

 

[GreyFox]

OK, fair enough. I withdrew my gripe

By the way, how do we intent to win this? Diplo + Cultural seems the only viable way if we are not going to expand overseas (killing off conquest and domination). Both relies on region to varying degrees, which we see none yet in our continent

Our southern land doesn't seems strong enough to support a space victory, but I might be wrong. With our potential research speed fueled by scientists and academies, we might pull it off.

--

 

[ChrTh]

The complete and utter lack of religion on our continent was a concern of mine as well (I've never witnessed this situation before). One of the reasons I started us on CoL was because I'm hoping (probably against hope) that we can get it before anyone else does and BAM we're Confused. A little OR, a little spread among our cities, fill up our area with cities, open borders, and create a continent of confused nations. Diplo victory will be a piece o' cake

 

[GreyFox]

5 posts (and a turn report) within the 10 minutes I opened this page, go get a coffee, and type in a reply?

Nice turns, ChrTh, but I am still skeptical about the decision of doing the trade. Polythesim is fine, but giving away alpha so early???

I hire a Scientist in Shanghai, this shaves 1 turn off of the Worker but saves us 2 turns on Code of Laws.

How the hell did hiring a scientists shave off a turn for production?

I think there will be barb city in the south, and Mansa's SKimishers must be in the southern fog as well. I don't think AI ever delete units.

NO picture of the new city??? Hmm ... I must load the previous page to see where blue dot is ... whose blue dot by the way? -- okay, they are the same

--

 

[Scowler]

The new city is on Ruff's blue dot. There is no barb city yet - there would be black borders otherwise, even under the fog - but it is only a matter of time.

I doubt Alex will be able to resist starting a war before long, regardless of Confusion. He seems pretty annoyed with Roosevelt over the lack of space. Better try not to accumulate trading penalties in that case.