DenyD's Chieftain Culture Thread - Part Deux

[denyd]

Game Setup:
Player: Sumerian
Opponents: England
Spain
Japan
Vikings
India
Egypt
Victory Condition: 100K Culture
Difficulty Level: Chieftain
Map Size: Large
Map Type: Pangaea
Barbarians: Roaming


Chapter 1 (4000 BC to 1000 BC):

Science Advances:
Starting Techs: Pottery & Bronze Working

Researched: Ceremonial Burial (3100 BC), Mysticism (2070 BC), Polytheism (1375 BC)

Traded For: Alphabet (Rome 1575 BC), Alphabet (Rome 1575 BC)

Other: Warrior Code (popped hut 3500 BC), Masonry (popped hut 3050 BC), The Wheel (popped hut 1450 BC), Horseback Riding (popped hut 1425 BC), Writing (popped hut 1425 BC), Philosophy (popped hut in 1100 BC), Monarchy (Philosophy bonus tech 1100 BC), Literature (1075 BC), Code of Laws (1050 BC)

Cities Added (16) :
Founded: Ur (3950 BC), Sumer (2900 BC), Lagash (2390 BC), Kish (2390 BC), Umma (2190 BC), Bad-tibira (1910 BC), Agade (1910 BC), Erech (1650 BC), Isin (1625 BC), Akshak (1475 BC), Zabalam (1450 BC), Kisurra (1350 BC), Der (1350 BC), Kua (1225 BC), Marad (1175 BC), Kuara (1025 BC)

Captured: None

Wonders Acquired:
Constructed: Temple of Artemis (1350 BC), Pyramids (1075 BC)

Captured: None

Notes: Polytheism gets SGL (#1) used for Temple of Artemis, Monarchy gets AGL (#2), used for Pyramids


Chapter 2 (1000 BC to 500 AD):

Science Advances:
Researched:
Mathematics (950 BC), Feudalism (330 BC), Monotheism (50 BC), Chivalry (170 AD), Invention (350 AD)

Traded For:
None

Other:
Map Making (popped hut 975 BC), Construction (popped hut 900 BC), Republic (popped hut 875 BC), Currency (popped hut 875 BC), Engineering (Age change bonus 875 BC)

Cities Added (79):
Founded: Kutha (975 BC), Nagsu (975 BC), Susa (925 BC), Tutub (875 BC), Kutallu (800 BC), Anshan (775 BC), Babil (730 BC), Apisala (510 BC), Dabrum (510 BC), New Ur (490 BC), New Sumer (450 BC), New Lagash (450 BC), New Kish (390 BC), New Umma (370 BC), New Bad-tibira (370 BC), New Agade (370 BC), New Erech (330 BC), New Isin (310 BC), New Akshak (290 BC), New Zabalam (290 BC), New Kisurra (270 BC), New Der (250 BC), New Kua (250 BC), New Marad (230 BC), New Kuara (230 BC), New Kutha (150 BC), New Nagsu (130 BC), New Susa (130 BC), New Tutub (130 BC), New Kutallu (110 BC), New Anshan (90 BC), New Babil (50 BC), New Apisala (10 BC), New Dabrum (10 BC), Ur2 (10 AD), Sumer2( 50 AD), Lagash2 (70 AD), Kish2 (130 AD), Umma2 (170 AD), Bad-tibira2 (170 AD), Agade2 (170 AD), Erech2 (210 AD), Isin2 (210 AD), Akshak2 (230 AD), Zabalam2 (260 AD), Kisurra2 (260 AD), Der2 (290 AD), Kua2 (290 AD), Marad2 (310 AD), Kuara2 (310 AD), Kutha2 (320 AD), Nagsu2 (330 AD), Susa2 (340 AD), Tutub2 (340 AD), Kutallu2 (340 AD), Anshan2 (340 AD), Babil2 (350 AD), Apisala2 (360 AD), Dabrum2 (360 AD), New Ur2 (370 AD), New Sumer2 (370 AD), New Lagash2 (380 AD), New Kish2 (390 AD), New Umma2 (400 AD), New Bad-tibiri2 (400 AD), New Agade2 (410 AD), New Erech2 (440 AD), New Isin2 (440 AD), New Akshak2 (440 AD), New Zabalam2 (450 AD), New Kisurra2 (450 AD), New Der2 (470 AD), New Kua2 (480 AD), New Marad2 (480 AD), New Kuara2 (490 AD), New Kutha2 (490 AD), New Nagsu2 (490 AD)

Captured:
Bergen (auto-razed 450 AD), Trondheim (460 AD), Copenhagen (auto-razed 490 AD)

Wonders Acquired:
Constructed: Forbidden Palace (Lagash 330 BC), Statue of Zeus (Bad-tibira 30 BC), Hanging Gardens (Lagash 230 AD), Oracle (Bad-tibira 360 AD), Great Wall (Sumer 450 AD)

Captured:
None

Notes: Revolted to Republic in 875 BC (6 turn anarchy) – Declared War on Vikings in 450 AD

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Currently at 500 AD with 20467 culture and 542cpt. I've also got 11 settlers heading for spots. The Vikings will be gone next turn and then I'll point my Ancient Cavalry at the Egyptians. I expect to have Knights Templar soon, so I'll use crusaders for Rome & Carthage and let the AC take out England. I plan on leaving France (Joan's so cute) and China as place holders to keep down the barbarians. I'm at 48% of the land (90% pop), so I'll have to stop expanding soon and fill in the gaps. Currently researching Gunpowder at a 10% rate. No AI is close to the middle ages, so tech isn't an issue. I'll just keep pumping out settlers and hurrying culture buildings once the few wars are complete. Not sure if I'll be able to beat 1200 AD (#1 culture win), but I should beat my own #1 culture win at chieftain (1575 AD) easily.

 

[Gyathaar]

Not sure if I'll be able to beat 1200 AD (#1 culture win)

Just want to point out its 1090AD, not 1200AD (and will be around 900AD when I finish current culture game )

 

[denyd]

With the new parameter (130K) for large maps, it's no longer an issue. Probably will finish in the early 1400's. It's quite a handicap to add 30K for the limited additional tiles the standard to large tile count difference. I think the map I'm playing is about 2550 domination limit. (I'm about 54% now, with 33% unclaimed & France (the designated survivor) with about 3%. The remaining others (China, England, Rome & Carthage are going to be leaving soon).

 

[Gyathaar]

The problem with large maps is not the 30k extra culture needed, you can easilly make that up because you can build a lot more cities... the 1090AD win map only had around 1500 in domination limit... and I stopped expanding when I hit 1400 or so.

On a 2550 map could easilly build 400-500 cities vs around 250 max on a 1500 map.

The problem is you dont have time to build all those extra required cities before its too late.

I cant say for sure, but I think the best option for large map would be using celts (religious and agricultural).
Build pyramids and ToA (and oracle), switch to feudalism instead of republic.. never research education, but instead poprush settlers, libraries and cathedrals as fast as you can

 

[denyd]

The plan I've been using is similar. I'm in republic with ToA and playing as Sumeria. With cheaper libraries, I'm able to rush 3-4 per turn and settle about the same number of cities. That's adding about 20cpt every turn. The hassle is getting the settlers from the core to the edges of the empire. That and moving the 150+ workers to road, chop & irrigate every available tile. I'm coming up on 150 cities, so I'm going to have to work on packing them in even tighter. I thought about switching to feudalism, but didn't want to eat the probable 8 turns of anarchy.

 

[Gyathaar]

This why I said religious.. 1 turn with anarchy (if you revolt when you get the tech.. you ofcourse get philosophy as last tech and pick feudalism as free tech)
With religious libraries and cathedrals are both 80 shields, so while libraries are 40shields more expensive, cathedrals are 80 shields cheaper... and since you just need to research monotheism the lower research rate from feudalism vs republic would not matter.

Thou, in my current game, like last one I use standard size babylon, using republic -> communism route.. currently at 213 cities (thou I have a few settlers ready to settle this turn that has not settled yet) in 530AD.. still at just 48.3% land, and making 652cpt