Reading comments on the game I realize how lucky was my attempt. (That is a disadvantage of "hard" starts IMO. You need some luck here, while on "easy" one it's more player dependent.)
Till 300AD (Turn 127):
Questions:
How could I possibly speed my tech rate up?
Was making academy in Kyoto right move?
(I could bulb Compass or leave GS for Philo).
What was that instant bunch of techs magic?
How do you get units THAT fast, AbsoluteZero?
Should I try maintain peace till Renaissance or keep warring? And who might be the best target?
And btw, should I keep screens in spoilers for readability?
Till 300AD (Turn 127):
Spoiler :
Standard opening with worker-warrior/Agr-AH. Meeting Justinian on turn 5 made it clear: I need start pumping settlers with size 2 capital right after first warrior. Corn and cows are only decent tiles anyway till mining and looks like I will need Mysticism before mining, so cap will stay size 2 for long time.
With early settlers I hope to get both gold and phants spots and clam-rice spot next.
Settled both first priority spots and got 3rd settler out when barb city spawned SW exactly where I wanted 3rd city. So I went for calendar resources site. I already have road there and it will be excellent commerce city after IW/calendar (if I will be alive by then).
I finally let my cap grow while making chariots for barbs city. Hopefully will get it before Montezuma will. I have horses but after rexing to 4 cities HA rush looks too dangerous. I don't even have BW yet. Went Mysticism->Mining->Pottery->Writing. I'd like elepult Justinian but with current tech rate it might be too late, so I start Aesthetics.
Shaka going to hit someone and I don't believe it's me. He might be somewhere north-east and probably will go for Sury.
Speaking of luck: Shaka declares on Justinian razing my chances for elepult. AND Genghis going WHEOOHRN and I don't think it's me. AND Monty suicide his stuck on Gaul making it easier for my chariots:
Btw I could shoot for Oracle, it went only 1320 BC.
Shaka is first to Alphabet, but won't trade of cause. Sury is second and he got no Myst nor Fishing, so I make detour into Hunting and trade these for Archery.
More luck!
Monty is busy!
With this diplo situation I might have a chance! They are teching fast regardless war. Run scientists in Kyoto to speed Aesthetics up.
825BC: Aesthetics in, I back fill all I can (including Math from Zara - thx dude), still backward. Run for Construction, HBR - next.
Don't know what I do wrong but tech rate is bad. Got Great Scientist in Kyoto - Academy.
That's situation at 525BC:
375BC HBR in(about time), whip chop stables, phants, cats. Despite being in long war with Shaka, Justinian got Colossus, making him even juicier target.
Sell HBR to Monty for 290 gold and run for Currency while making army.
Watching AbsoluteZero's videos I was always wondering how on earth can he get 8+ units army with 3-4 cities 3 turns after having Construction?! Here is mine 12 (twelve!) turns after Construction with 5 decent cities with max chopping/whipping:
At least it's more then enough for Adrianople.
50BC: Declare with what I got and capture Adrianople on the next turn.
With gold from city capture I finally hit 100 Beakers per turn tech rate. Research CoL and Lit and trade these to Sury for Metal Casting. Then techbrokering Feudalism. Research Music since no one seems to go for it.
Justinian sends on me some laughable stacks. Troops healed, move to Constantinople.
Pretty often I witness this situation: on 125AD Justinian is most backward and got nothing, but 4 turns later he has Theology, Feudalism and Machinery. With only 2 cities left! How?! Tech brokering? But he got nothing before! Can't be gifts.
Lucky me his only friend Sury is at war so he will not vassal to him.
4 Turns of bombardment and on 225AD I get Constantinople with Colossus and Hanging Hardens. Justinian kept wonder whoring while losing his cities. More luck I guess.
Move on Thessalonica, Shaka is already there - city got no culture defense.
275AD: Music in, start golden age with great artist. Switch to Cast, teching CS.
Next turn Shaka suicides his stack on Thessalonica and I capture it with only one catapult lost. Holy Judaism city - no shrine though.
Justinian capitulate:
Get machinery from him.
Time for break.
I have 8 excellent cities. Tech situation is not that bad with CS in 4, guess who is most advanced?
Shaka and Montezuma! Unexpected one, for sure.
I would love to peacefully run for liberalism now. On the other hand I got 14 phants, some cats and can get more fast with golden age.
Should I hit or stay in peace? And whom to hit? Sury or Monte? Shaka can backstub me any moment now.
Advise needed.
With early settlers I hope to get both gold and phants spots and clam-rice spot next.
Settled both first priority spots and got 3rd settler out when barb city spawned SW exactly where I wanted 3rd city. So I went for calendar resources site. I already have road there and it will be excellent commerce city after IW/calendar (if I will be alive by then).
I finally let my cap grow while making chariots for barbs city. Hopefully will get it before Montezuma will. I have horses but after rexing to 4 cities HA rush looks too dangerous. I don't even have BW yet. Went Mysticism->Mining->Pottery->Writing. I'd like elepult Justinian but with current tech rate it might be too late, so I start Aesthetics.
Shaka going to hit someone and I don't believe it's me. He might be somewhere north-east and probably will go for Sury.
Speaking of luck: Shaka declares on Justinian razing my chances for elepult. AND Genghis going WHEOOHRN and I don't think it's me. AND Monty suicide his stuck on Gaul making it easier for my chariots:
Btw I could shoot for Oracle, it went only 1320 BC.
Shaka is first to Alphabet, but won't trade of cause. Sury is second and he got no Myst nor Fishing, so I make detour into Hunting and trade these for Archery.
More luck!
Monty is busy!
With this diplo situation I might have a chance! They are teching fast regardless war. Run scientists in Kyoto to speed Aesthetics up.
825BC: Aesthetics in, I back fill all I can (including Math from Zara - thx dude), still backward. Run for Construction, HBR - next.
Don't know what I do wrong but tech rate is bad. Got Great Scientist in Kyoto - Academy.
That's situation at 525BC:
375BC HBR in(about time), whip chop stables, phants, cats. Despite being in long war with Shaka, Justinian got Colossus, making him even juicier target.
Sell HBR to Monty for 290 gold and run for Currency while making army.
Watching AbsoluteZero's videos I was always wondering how on earth can he get 8+ units army with 3-4 cities 3 turns after having Construction?! Here is mine 12 (twelve!) turns after Construction with 5 decent cities with max chopping/whipping:
At least it's more then enough for Adrianople.
50BC: Declare with what I got and capture Adrianople on the next turn.
With gold from city capture I finally hit 100 Beakers per turn tech rate. Research CoL and Lit and trade these to Sury for Metal Casting. Then techbrokering Feudalism. Research Music since no one seems to go for it.
Justinian sends on me some laughable stacks. Troops healed, move to Constantinople.
Pretty often I witness this situation: on 125AD Justinian is most backward and got nothing, but 4 turns later he has Theology, Feudalism and Machinery. With only 2 cities left! How?! Tech brokering? But he got nothing before! Can't be gifts.
Lucky me his only friend Sury is at war so he will not vassal to him.
4 Turns of bombardment and on 225AD I get Constantinople with Colossus and Hanging Hardens. Justinian kept wonder whoring while losing his cities. More luck I guess.
Move on Thessalonica, Shaka is already there - city got no culture defense.
275AD: Music in, start golden age with great artist. Switch to Cast, teching CS.
Next turn Shaka suicides his stack on Thessalonica and I capture it with only one catapult lost. Holy Judaism city - no shrine though.
Justinian capitulate:
Get machinery from him.
Time for break.
I have 8 excellent cities. Tech situation is not that bad with CS in 4, guess who is most advanced?
Shaka and Montezuma! Unexpected one, for sure.
I would love to peacefully run for liberalism now. On the other hand I got 14 phants, some cats and can get more fast with golden age.
Should I hit or stay in peace? And whom to hit? Sury or Monte? Shaka can backstub me any moment now.
Advise needed.
Questions:
How could I possibly speed my tech rate up?
Was making academy in Kyoto right move?
Spoiler :
It's not that great commerce city after all
What was that instant bunch of techs magic?
How do you get units THAT fast, AbsoluteZero?
Should I try maintain peace till Renaissance or keep warring? And who might be the best target?
And btw, should I keep screens in spoilers for readability?